Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Over the centuries, Portugal and Spain have had a love-hate, on-again-off-again re-
lationship, but they have almost always remained separate, each with their own distinct
language and culture. The Portuguese seem humbler and friendlier than the Spanish. In
Spain, if you ever feel like you can't do anything right, you'll find it's just the opposite
in Portugal—you can't do anything wrong. Portugal is also more ethnically diverse than
Spain, as it's inhabited by many people from its former colonies in Brazil, Africa, and
Asia. The Portuguese continue to have a special affinity for their Brazilian cousins.
Portugal bucked the Moors before Spain did, establishing its present-day borders 800
years ago. A couple of centuries later, the Age of Discovery (1500-1700) made Portugal
one of the world's richest nations.
Portugal's Prince Henry the Navigator sponsored the voyages of explorers who
traveled to Africa seeking a trade route to India. Bartolomeu Dias and Vasco da Gama,
building upon the knowledge of previous generations, actually found the way.
Portuguese-born Ferdinand Magellan, sailing under the auspices of Spain, was the first to
undertake a voyage that successfully circumnavigated the globe (though he himself died
en route).
