Traveling to Portugal for your holiday is a great choice, but are you really ready for everything that might come your way?
Planning your itinerary is extremely fun, but let’s dig a little deeper so that you can fully experience this beautiful country!
Here are 10 surprising facts about Portugal.
- Portuguese Is The Official Language in 9 Countries
That’s right! There are over 236 million native Portuguese speakers all over the world. We bet it is more than you thought!
The list of countries that fluently communicate in Portuguese includes Brazil, Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Sao Tome, Principe, Equatorial Guinea, and Macao.
- Portugal Has Its Own Genre of Music
Back at the beginning of the 19th century, residents of the country came up with their own music style. It is called Fado, the music of Portugal.
Its characteristics are strong melody and expressed hardship of life. The lyrics are usually about the difficulties we face in life, but we still keep on being hopeful.
In Portugal, people say Fado music is saudade, which means longing and melancholy.
- Portugal Is The Oldest Country in Europe
Portugal’s capital city Lisbon is actually 4 centuries older than Rome! In 1139, King Alfonso Henriques was appointed as the King of Portugal, establishing the country as a kingdom.
Also, due to Lisbon’s convenient location, the Phoenicians settled here around 1200 BC. Have you ever stopped to think just how much history this country carries?
You will find all bout that on your trip!
- Country of Shortest and Longest Reigning Monarchs
What is really fun about the monarchy in Portugal is how different their reigning times are.
We have Maria I of the 18th century, who ruled for 81 years, or, coming in hot in the second place, Alfonso Henriques with a good number of 76 years.
However, the young Luis Filipe got to rule for only 20 minutes. Before even turning 21, Luis Filipe was expected to do great things, earning many different titles.
Unfortunately, he was barely declared King when he and his whole family were assassinated during a carriage ride. By Portugal law, he was the highest monarch for mere 20 minutes.
- Wine There Is a National Drink
Good news for our wine-loving holidaymakers!
No one will give you a side look if you have a glass of wine with your lunch.
Most of the sweet, sinful wine comes from the UNESCO recognized Douro valley, where brewing Port wine is like second nature for the habitants.
If you find yourself visiting this beautiful region, do not shy away from indulging in some wine tasting or taking a tour to the most famous wineries.
You can find a glass of Port wine at every restaurant and bar – it is what the Portuguese are incredibly proud of, as they should be!
If you need help navigating through the country, you have many available options, such as the Lagos to Lisbon train.
- Many Places Loved by UNESCO
Talking about sites recognized by UNESCO, if you need any more proof that Portugal is filled with fantastic establishments of culture and history, hear this!
The country is home to 17 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
This includes three monasteries, the University of Coimbra, a couple of historical centers, and even the cultural landscape of Sintra.
All of these play a huge part in attracting tourists, and for good reasons. Of course, you probably will not be able to visit all 17 of them, but try to hit at least some.
- Portugal Is a Very Peaceful Country
The things you have heard about the Portuguese being laid-back and friendly are all true.
Actually, the crime rate is so low that peacefulness earned Portugal 4th place out of 163 countries analyzed on the Global Peace Index in 2021.
Moreover, the serenity that envelopes this country is also one of the reasons why the life expectancy is so high – over 80 years!
- One of Europe’s Oldest Universities is Here
The previously mentioned University of Coimbra was established in 1290, which means it is one of the oldest ones in Europe.
The University has been relocated several times – it was built in Lisbon, but now its quarters are in Coimbra. This school is the namesake for the “Coimbra Group,” an association of traditional research universities in Europe.
- England and Portugal Are Very Old Friends
The friendship was established in 1373 when England and Portugal signed the Anglo-Portuguese Alliance, and it has been valid ever since.
Both countries have each other’s backs, helping out one another in politics and even at wartime in the past. Now that’s loyalty!
- Lisbon Was Hit By an Earthquake
And not by just any earthquake – one of the strongest ones in European history.
It all happened on November 1st, 1755, and the city was struck with a tremor of 9.0 magnitude.
Over 275k people died, and 85% of the buildings were utterly destroyed. If that was not enough, the earthquake was immediately followed by a tsunami and fires, adding more to the damage.
By now, you must be an expert in all things Portugal! Travel with the confidence of knowing all these details but always keep your ears open to hear even more exciting and fun facts. Have a great time!