History of Portugal

Portuguese is an important world language, some 200 million people speak the language, thanks to the country's heritage as a trading nation. This dates back to 1415, when it was the Portuguese who discovered the ocean routes to India, Brazil, China and Japan and established settlements on the African coast. Over 10 million people live in Portugal today (if you include the Azores and Madeira islands) and they are rightly renowned for their hospitality and friendliness.

There is so much to discover in this beautiful country hemmed in on the Iberian Peninsular, between the North Atlantic Ocean and Spain. Portugal is famed for the sun kissed southern beaches of the Algarve, the green hills and mountains of the Costa Verde and it&#