If you are looking for cheap air fare tickets or discount airlines to Portugal, just use our handy search box on the right. If you want to find out a little more about this beautiful country, take a look at these handy facts:
Ten handy facts about Portugal
Ancient Greek explorers called Portugal ‘Ophiussa’, land of serpents, because the local tribes worshiped snakes.
Portugal’s first king was Afonso I, who took the throne in 1143.
The Moors invaded southern Portugal in the 8th century and were expelled in 1249.
The Treaty of Windsor, an alliance between the English and Portuguese thrones and first signed in 1386, still stands today, making Portugal England’s oldest ally.
Portuguese explorer, Bartolomeu Dias was the first person to sail around the Cape of Good Hope in 1487, opening sea routes from Europe to India.
Estado Novo, the longest authoritarian regime in Europe was overthrown in the Carnation Revolution of 1974 where people gave red carnations to soldiers and convinced them not to resist the coup.
The Japanese word for ‘thank you’, ‘arigato’ is said to be derived from the Portuguese ‘obrigato’.
Port produced in Portugal is strictly regulated by the Instituto do Vinho do Porto.
The ancient Portuguese martial art of Jojo do Pau, a form of stick fencing, was used for duels between young men in lover’s disputes over women.
In the 15th and 16th centuries Portugal’s empire stretched from Brazil to the Indies.
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