• Well-known regions include the Algarve in the south, the Douro Valley for winegrowing, and the Azores and Madeira , the archipelagos in the Atlantic belonging to Portugal. It shares the Iberian Peninsula with Spain and has a long Atlantic coastline.
• Portugal has a rich history that dates back to the time of the discoveries in the 15th and 16th century, when Portuguese seafarers such as Vasco da Gama and Ferdinand Magellan explored the world.
• The country used to be a colonial power with territories in West Africa, Asia and South America (especially Brazil).
• Portugal is a member of the European Union, the United Nations and other international organizations.
• It has a diversified economy with sectors such as tourism, agriculture, fishing and, increasingly, high-tech industries.
• The national currency in Portugal is the euro (EUR).
• Of the approximately 10.5 million inhabitants, more than 10% live in Porto and in the capital Lisbon.
• Portugal has several renowned universities, including the University of Lisbon and the University of Porto.
• Portuguese culture is characterized by the melancholy music of Fado and a rich tradition in art, literature and architecture.
• Portugal is known for its hospitality, its delicious cuisine, especially seafood and bacalhau (stockfish), as well as its traditional festivals and celebrations.
• The Portuguese are passionate about soccer and the multiple world footballer Christiano Ronaldo, who comes from Madeira, is revered as a “national hero”.
• Azulejos are glazed ceramic tiles that play an important role in traditional Portuguese art and architecture. The word comes from the Arabic (al-zulej) and means “small polished stone”.
• The westernmost point of the European mainland is Cabo da Roca on the Portuguese Atlantic coast.

Quinta-feira Santa (Maundy Thursday)
Sexta-feira Santa (Good Friday)
Sábado de Páscoa (Easter Saturday)
Páscoa (Easter Sunday)

April 25: Dia da Liberdade (Freedom Day) – Peaceful “Carnation Revolution” (Revolução dos Cravos) with carnations in the barrels of guns, which heralded the end of the dictatorship in 1974
May 1: Dia do Trabalhador (Labor Day)
May/June: Segunda-Feira de Pentecostes, Segunda-Feira do Espírito Santo or Dia dos Açores (Pentecost) (Azores)
May/June: Corpo de Deus (Corpus Christi)
June 10: Dia de Portugal (Portugal Day) – National holiday commemorating the anniversary of the death of the poet Luís de Camões in 1580
July 1: Dia da Região Autónoma da Madeira e das Comunidades Madeirenses (Madeira Day) – Anniversary of political autonomy (Madeira)
August 15: Assunção de Nossa Senhora (Assumption of the Virgin Mary)
October 5: Implantação da República (Republic Day) – National holiday commemorating the proclamation of the Republic in 1910
November 1: Dia de Todos os Santos (All Saints’ Day)
December 1: Restauração da Independência (Independence Day) – Portugal’s independence from Spain in 1640
December 8: Imaculada Conceição (Conception of the Virgin Mary)
December 25: Natal (Christmas)
December 26: Primeira Oitava (2nd Christmas Day) (Madeira)
December 31: Véspera de Ano Novo (New Year’s Eve)

In addition, there is one public holiday per district per year:
June 13: Dia Santo António de Lisboa (St. Anthony’s Day) – (Lisbon)
June 24: Dia de São João (St. John) – (Porto and Braga)
July 4: Dia Rainha Santa Isabel (Queen Elizabeth’s Day) – (Coimbra)
July 29: Dia de São Pedro (St. Peter)
August 21: Dia da Cidade do Funchal (Day of the City of Funchal) – (Funchal)
September 7: Elevação a cidade – (Faro)
October 27: São Gonçalo de Lagos (Saint Gonçalo of Lagos) – (Lagos)