Portugal is a tourist paradise with a mild to warm climate!

Portugal is a tourist paradise with a mild to warm climate, with 530 miles of beautiful sandy beaches and over 3000 hours of sunshine per year. Once continental Europe’s greatest power, Portugal has a unique cultural heritage and many leisure activities. Portugal attracts many tourists from all over the world. Famous for fine wines, friendly people and great food, this country has many charms to offer.

Geography

Portugal is the westernmost country in mainland Europe and just a few short hours from any of the other major European capital cities. Madeira and Azores archipelagos in the Atlantic Ocean are also part of Portugal. Continental Portugal covers an area of 35,603 square miles, is 135 miles wide and 348 miles long, sharing a border with Spain. The country is part of the Iberian Peninsula facing the Atlantic Ocean, with 1180 miles of shoreline.

People

The population of Portugal is over 10 million people. A hilly city, Lisbon is the capital city, situated on the banks of the River Tagus, and has the largest population density, with 1.9 million inhabitants. The city has a reputation for great cuisine, dance, sport and romantic music. The Portuguese people in general enjoy an unostentatious, simple life, with many preferring the countryside over urban cities, and like to go there to enjoy picnics with their families or just to relax in general. Oporto to the north is the second biggest city, famous for its Port wine. There are a number of different religions in Portugal, but the majority of people are Catholic. Portuguese is the official language, spoken by 250 million people around the world (a large number being in Brazil), the 5th most spoken language in the world.

Outdoor Activities And Sun Protection

With its warm climate and amazing landscape, Portugal is the perfect place for any adrenaline break. Tourists and lively locals enjoy the many available activities, like bike rides, rock climbing, zip wiring, golf, windsurfing, sailing, kite surfing, canoeing, horse riding, white water rafting or simply just going to the beach to sunbath. However, for anyone wishing to visit Portugal, especially during the summer months, sun protection is something you should not forget about. Between 11am and 2pm are when the UV rays emitted from the sun are the most harmful.

The best sun protection is to actually wear thick clothes, like denim or wool, but we know that during hot summer days, this UV safety step might be a bit extreme! So, instead, use sunscreen lotions for sun protection, with SPF factor of at least 15. In Portugal, there are over 1000 melanoma cases reported every year, so there’s a need to educate Portuguese people and tourists about UV safety and alert them about the need for sun protection. Use these sun protection creams liberally to prevent being exposed to ultraviolet rays and apply them a half hour before going out into the sun. Keep reapplying, so try to make sure you have easy access to them. Another tip is to wear a hat with a wide brim, protecting your head, ears, nose and neck. There’s no shortage of things to do in Portugal and the sunshine is a big attraction for many. Just don’t let sunburn ruin your holiday.