Travel attractions and rent a car providers in Portugal 2023: The spindly, needle-like Torre de Clérigos is one of Oporto’s defining landmarks. Standing 75 meters above the streets and overlooking the old town, this slender tower was built in the 18th century by Nicolau Nasoni and exudes a bold sense of the Baroque. Designed as part of the Igreja dos Clérigos, the tower was completed in 1763 and at the time was the tallest building in Oporto. To reach the top, visitors need to climb upwards of 200 steps, but the huffing and puffing will all be forgotten as you embrace truly magnificent views of the city and the River Douro. Its commanding position crowning a hill and overlooking Lisbon’s bustling Baixa (downtown) district defines Castelo de São Jorge as the city’s most visible historic monument. Hugely popular with locals and tourists alike, the foundations of this impressive castle date from the late 12th century when King Afonso Henriques recaptured the city from the Moors and built a palace over the ruins of their hilltop citadel. In 1511, the royal residence was extended and reinforced with sturdy battlements. The great earthquake of 1755 leveled much of the structure, and what remains today is largely the result of substantial renovation. Exploring the castle is great fun. Visitors can walk the ramparts and the castellated towers, one of which, Torre de Ulisses, has a camera obscura that projects views of the city onto the inside walls. The walls enclose an archaeological site with the remains of the original Alcáçova palace and ancient Moorish foundations. If you are looking for a vehicle to travel between Portugal’s holiday destinations you can see extra info at car rental in Porto Portugal
Those wishing to go back in time a few centuries have something to see in Portugal: this is the Alto-Doro Valley, a popular wine region at the head of the Douro River, near the city of Porto. The region, known for producing quality wine, does not use any modern technology or advanced achievements. Manual labor still thrives here as a way to reproduce all the winemaking processes. The Alto-Doro area has long been known for having produced wine of exceptional taste and quality for 2 thousand years. The local climatic conditions have the kind of weather peculiarities that allow for generous harvests of different grape varieties. The area is characterized by its steep terrain, protected from wind and moisture by the mountains of Montemuro and Maran, which creates a dry and hot climate, most favorable for the ripening of grapes and for the production of aromatic fortified wines. The wine produced here has won first prizes in international competitions, which once again confirms the quality of the local products. Travelling through Portugal’s wine attractions you can have a wine tasting in one of the local wineries and purchase a delicious wine or port. If you wish, you can take part in the harvest and the subsequent wine festival, a taste of life in this beautiful and fertile land.
Top vacation attractions and rent a car providers in Portugal: Cabo Girão is located in the southern coast of Madeira, in the Portuguese archipelago with the same name. At 570 meters (1,870 feet), the cliff is often referred to as the highest sea cliff in Europe but at least three European cliffs are higher. The view down the almost sheer drop to the ocean is thrilling nonetheless. In 2012 a glass-floored platform was installed creating an even scarier viewing experience. The São Jorge Castle is one of the top tourist attractions in Lisbon as it can be seen from all over the city. It dates back to Roman times, though the Moors rebuilt the fortifications in the 10th century. The castle was freed from Moorish rule in 1147 during the Siege of Lisbon in the Second Crusade. It later served as the residence of King Alfonso III. The castle has been destroyed and rebuilt several times. Today, walls and 18 towers that visitors can climb remain.
The Universidade de Coimbra is Portugal’s oldest seat of learning, founded in 1290 by King Dinis. Acknowledged by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, the historic buildings of the Velha Universidade, or old Coimbra University, surround a beautiful colonnaded central square, the Paço das Escolas. The Alta and Sofia wings of the university – a former royal residence – reward visitors with a number of star features, including the astonishing Biblioteca Joanina, a sumptuously decorated library installed in 1717 by King João V. A tour also takes in the dazzlingly ornate 16th-century Capela de São Miguel. Those with a head for heights can climb the landmark 18th-century clock tower for a grand perspective over Coimbra, one of the country’s most attractive cities.
Travel destinations and car rental services in Portugal today: The age of the great discoveries has brought a lot of memorable events and historical monuments to world history, and thanks to this modern tourists will definitely find something to see in Portugal. For example, the Portuguese capital Lisbon houses a unique monument of Portuguese architecture – Torri de Belem, which has become the most important landmark of Portugal. It was originally built to commemorate the world-famous expedition of Vasco da Gama, who discovered the trade route to India. The tower played the role of a lighthouse, showing the way to sailors on long voyages. Its construction lasted six years, from 1515 to 1521, during the reign of King Manuel I. It was from these shores that daring and adventurous sailors set out in search of new trade routes. During the Napoleonic wars the structure fell into a dilapidated state, but was completely reconstructed in 1845. For a while the walls of the tower even housed a prison and an armory.
Arguably Portugal’s most popular and family-friendly visitor attraction, Lisbon’s oceanarium is brilliantly conceived to highlight the world’s diverse ocean habitats. This is one of Europe’s best and largest oceanariums, containing a vast array of fish and marine animals. Four separate sea- and landscapes recreate the ecosystems of the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, and Antarctic oceans. A huge central tank, visible from different levels, teems with shark, ray, and many other finned wonders and denizens of the deep. The transparent plexiglass design is such that smaller tropical species housed in separate aquaria set around the main tank appear to be swimming with their larger cousins. Complementing this amazing spectacle are the open-air landscapes, where penguins, sea otters, and other cute and cuddly birds and mammals co-exist in carefree harmony. Read extra information at https://www.carrentalinportugal.com/.