What Makes Portugal Special: Heritage, the Sea and Portuguese Pride
Porto, Sintra, the age of exploration, fado and the Atlantic. A guide to what makes Portugal special.
By Ceylon Trends · · 2 min read
Portugal is a country shaped by the Atlantic: navigators who sailed to the far side of the world, hillside palaces and historic port cities, fado and its songs of longing, walls of painted tiles, and a language spoken on several continents. Here is what makes it special.
Seventeen World Heritage Sites
UNESCO lists 17 World Heritage properties in Portugal. Among them:
- Historic Centre of Oporto, with the Luiz I Bridge and the Monastery of Serra do Pilar
- Cultural Landscape of Sintra, palaces and gardens in the hills
- Monastery of the Hieronymites and Tower of Belém in Lisbon, monuments of the age of exploration
- Monastery of Batalha, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture
- Convent of Christ in Tomar, linked to the Knights Templar
- Historic Centre of Évora, with its Roman temple
The age of exploration
Portuguese navigators were among the first Europeans to sail around Africa, and Vasco da Gama reached India by sea in 1498. That seafaring history still shapes Portuguese identity.
A language of several continents
Portuguese is spoken in Brazil, Angola, Mozambique and many other countries, making it one of the most widely spoken languages in the world.
Fado and saudade
Fado, the songs of longing recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage, expresses saudade, the bittersweet longing that is a word the Portuguese gave the world.
Tiles, the sea and big waves
Azulejo tiles decorate churches, stations and houses across the country. The Atlantic coast offers beaches and, at Nazaré, some of the biggest surfable waves on earth.
Food and cafés
Pastel de nata, salt cod dishes, grilled sardines and coffee at a café counter are everyday Portuguese pleasures.
Carrying the pride with you
The sea, the explorers, fado and a language that travels: Portugal gives its people a great deal to celebrate. That pride is what our Portugal designs are made for, and our guide to choosing a gift based on someone's home town shows how to make it personal.
Questions and answers
How many UNESCO World Heritage Sites does Portugal have?
UNESCO lists 17 World Heritage properties in Portugal, 16 cultural and 1 natural, including the Historic Centre of Oporto and the Cultural Landscape of Sintra.
What is saudade?
Saudade is a Portuguese word for a deep, bittersweet longing for someone or something absent, often described as having no exact translation.
