Get to know the perfect european holiday destination all year round - Intendente

Located along the Douro River estuary in northern Portugal, Porto is Portugal’s second-biggest city and one of the oldest European centres. Its historical core was proclaimed a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996. The western part of its urban area extends to the coastline of the Atlantic Ocean. Its settlement dates back many centuries when it was an outpost of the Roman Empire. Its combined Celtic-Latin name, Portus Cale, has been referred to as the origin of the name Portugal, based on transliteration and oral evolution from Latin.Port wine, one of Portugal's most famous exports, is named after Porto, since the metropolitan area, and in particular, the cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia, were responsible for the packaging, transport, and export of fortified wine. In 2014 and 2017, Porto was elected The Best European Destination by the Best European Destinations Agency.

In the highest of the seven hills lies the historic district of Graça, which belongs to the São Vicente parish. The whole of São Vicente comprises both iconic and historic venues such as monuments, parks and viewpoints, neighbourhoods and restaurants.  Here, you can feel a genuine Lisbon atmosphere and witness a truly cosmopolitan environment. Indeed, many young newcomers that come to work in Lisbon, choose to live in Graça due to its centrality, lively neighbourhood activity and a large offer of public transportation. Due to this multicultural environment, one can find an extremely rich and varied offer of restaurants and cultural activities. The Graça district is one of the most beautiful and oldest neighbourhoods of the Portuguese capital, located next to the iconic São Jorge Castle, known for its superb views over the city and the Tagus River.  Two of this neighbourhood’s highlights are well-known viewpoints: the Miradouro da Graça and the Miradouro da Senhora do Monte. But they are on top of one of the steepest Lisbon hills, so prepare for a good climb if you choose to walk.

Located in western Lisbon, Belém is famous as a museum district, as it is home to many of Portugal’s notable monuments such as The Belém Tower, The Jeronimos Monastery and the Bélem Palace (which is the current official residence of the country’s president). Originally, Belém was the location of Lisbon's shipyards and docks, and from here departed the 15th century voyages that discovered sea routes to India, East Africa and Brazil.  This rich heritage is still shown in Belém through extravagant buildings funded by the vast wealth that flowed into Portugal from the newly discovered colonies. For visitors, Belém is one of the finest areas of Lisbon, as it offers outstanding tourist attractions, informative museums and magnificent views.

Carvoeiro is a town and a former civil parish in the municipality of Lagoa, Algarve. It is located about 5km south of Lagoa. Formed from a picturesque fishing village, with a long history of settlement, the parish slowly transformed into a tourist area in the municipality of Lagoa, owing to its number of sandy beaches protected by cliffs! From the 1960s onwards, tourism became the main source of the economic base in the area with many new shops, hotels and roads being built to help attract potential and existing tourists back to the area. Overall, the weather in Carvoeiro is warm and pleasant all year round, with the Algarve area getting around 300 days of sunshine a year! It is the perfect place to relocate too if you want to get away from gloomy days. 

Castelo Branco is the capital of the old province of Beira Baixa. Located just twenty kilometres from the Spanish border, most of the historical character of Castelo Branco has an attractive atmosphere to it, with generous parks, wide boulevards and bustling squares.  Full of history and with a heritage of infinite value, this secular city has a great diversity of spaces and multiple activities, with a close and familiar environment, where the mountains and the city come together. Castelo Branco is a very good foundation from which to explore the border region of central Portugal.

Vila Real is a quiet yet vibrant city in north-eastern Portugal, located at the foothills of the majestic slopes of Serra do Marão. Vila Real was established in 1289 by King Dinis and played a significant role in Portuguese history and has long had a strong association with the Portuguese royal family.  It was the birthplace of Diogo Cão, the first European to cross the Congo River, and António da Silveira Pinto da Fonseca (also known as the Count of Amarante), a powerful member of the Portuguese military who led several protests against the Liberal constitution. During the 16th and 17th centuries, many aristocrats constructed grand palaces in Vila Real, giving the city's literal name, "royal villa".

Guarda is the capital city of the County to which it borrows its name. The entire region is marked by granite, by the contrasting mountain climate and by its pure, cold air that allows for the curing and manufacture of high-quality smoked meats and cheeses.  After the Roman Empire period, followed periods of occupation by the Visigoths, later by the kingdom of Asturias and also by the Islamic civilizations. Only after the Portuguese reconquest process was it confirmed the importance of the city and the region. The event that clearly marked the birth of the Portuguese Language happened here in Guarda, when a Galician troubadour wrote a song in Portuguese for his beloved lady, in 1189. It is well connected to major Portuguese cities such as Porto and Aveiro by the A25 highway and to Lisbon by the A23 highway. The good geographical position and accessibilities make Guarda an excellent place for the storage and transport of goods from Portugal to the rest of Europe (and vice versa). In this sense, private entities together with the City Council created the Platform Business Initiative Logistics (PLIE), which is a cross-border platform that seeks to boost the regional economy and attract industrial flows and investments.

Évora is the capital of Alentejo’s region. Filled with impressive historical and cultural landmarks, the city is one of the most popular places to visit in Alentejo. The Historic Centre of Évora was elected a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1986. The city’s roots go as far back as Roman times. Évora still retains ruins from that period, such as from the Temple of Diana. Three centuries later, during the Moorish period, a fortified gate was built to improve the city’s defensive system, as well as a Kasbah. The presence of the Moors can also be felt through the old labyrinthine quarters of the city, which are filled with typical Moorish arches.  Évora is also home to a beautiful Cathedral built during medieval times, in the 13th century. In the 15th century, when Évora became the Portuguese king’s residence, a number of royal buildings started to pop up. St. Claire Convent, the royal church and the convent of São Francisco are some examples of those. The Manueline style of architecture characterises these remarkable buildings.Besides Évoras’s rich monumental heritage, the city is also known for its beautiful whitewashed houses decorated with tiles and wrought-iron balconies, its colourful handicraft stores and the family-run cafés and restaurants, which offer the tastiest gastronomy in the land.