Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Country Intro
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Brief History
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The Portuguese Republic is the westernmost country of mainland Europe and is situated on the
Iberian Peninsula. Further to the west, the Azores and Madeira archipelagos also form part of
the Portuguese Republic. Like its neighbor Spain to the east, Portugal has been inhabited for
millennia since the Stone Age. Later on, Celtic tribes that migrated from central Europe came
to control much of the Iberian Peninsula for more than six hundred years until the arrival of the
Romans in the year 218 BC. The Romans were attracted to the fertile soil and Atlantic Ocean
access that the western lands could provide them, thus the Latin title
Portus Cale
(Big Port)
was born.
Fast forward to the Middle Ages, when an Islamic force from North Africa began conquering
the peninsula then known as
Hispania
and establishing kingdoms collectively known as Al-
Andalus. The Moors dominated the land until the centuries-long Reconquista movement (718-
1492) eventually drove them out of Spain and Portugal for good. During the Reconquista,
several Christian kingdoms were able to emerge. At first, Portugal formed part of the Kingdom
of Galicia, but eventually gained its independence. On June 25, 1139, Afonso Henriques
proclaimed himself the first monarch of the land, becoming King Afonso I of Portugal.
Weather
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Portugal has a temperate, Mediterranean climate with a particularly wet winter season. During
