Portugal, Diverse and Delightful

The climate of Oporto is temperate and the "Portuenses", as the inhabitants are called, are traditionally industrious and enjoy the simple life.

Bom Jesus, conspicuously set on the on the wooded Monte Espino, near Braga, is a remarkable pilgrimage center, not so much for the building but for its grandiose stairway and the view from its terrace of the Cávado river and mountains in the distance

In the coastal communities of Portugal fishing remains the most emblematic trade, and it is not uncommon to see men and women mending nets, processing the day's catch, or drying the fish in the sun.

After a wedding, family and friends gather outside a church in Oporto for the mandatory official portrait

Colorful house in the Bairro Alto, Lisbon

The Monument to the Discoveries in Lisbon, built in 1960, is a stylized caravel with figures representing the Portuguese who took part in the great adventure. Standing on the prow, Prince Henry the Navigator looking out to sea.

Portugal is famous for its "azulejos" tiles that were originally designed exclusively in blue but later were made in many colors.

The Portuguese take advantage of the Mediterranean sun to dry the family's clothes, ignoring the curious looks from passersby.

The soups and stews of Portugal are frugal and filling, nourishing and soul-satisfying. All they need for accompaniment are a glass of wine and a crust of bread.