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

The most notable attraction in Avenida da Liberdade is Avenida da Liberdade itself. This boulevard, built in the 19th century in the style of the Champs-Elysees in Paris, is the main avenue of the city. It runs north for a 1.6 km, from Restauradores Square to Marquês de Pombal Square, and is more than 90m wide. An elegant avenue with fountains, café tables shaded by trees, as well as a cobblestone pavement decorated with unique patterns. A few of the original mansions have been preserved, and many are outstanding from an architectural standpoint. In this avenue, there is also a monument to homage the Heroes of the Great War, a tribute to the 50 000 Portuguese soldiers who fought in World War I. This is also the site of the city's grander hotels and designer shops, including names like Louis Vuitton, Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, Versace, Tods, Burberry, Hugo Boss, Miu Miu, among others. Top things to do in Avenida da Liberdade

Santos is an elegant neighbourhood located in the Estrela parish. In the 18th century, it was home to mansions of the upper-classes, just as the Lapa neighbourhood. In this period, the nobility and the bourgeoisie chose these areas to settle in. Nowadays, many of the palaces are hotels, embassies or museums. Rua das Janelas Verdes is the street that mostly lives up to this heritage. It is home to one of Portugal's most important national museums - the National Museum of Ancient Art (MNAA) - located in a magnificent palace. Santos has also been assuming itself as the design district of Lisbon, hosting well-known décor stores, such as Paris-Sete, AR interiores, Re-Use, Roche Bobois, galleries, museums and artists' cooperatives. The district was officially branded as the Design District of Lisbon in 2005. Besides its artistic role, Santos also takes part in the political life of the country. It is home to the parliament of Portugal, hosting the emblematic Assembly of the Republic building. 

The Alentejo is a beautiful rural southern region in Portugal. It is a very diversified area with a rich history, known for its plains, rugged coastline, olive trees, historical fortified towns and intense summer heat. The region extends from the Algarve towards central Portugal and goes from the Atlantic ocean to the Spanish border. On the western coastline, you can find the wildest and finest wide-open beaches in Portugal, much sought-after by surfers. Alongside the beaches, you can find charming fishing towns, offering delicious local seafood. On the other hand, in the interior part of the region, there are picturesque towns rich in history and vast plains. Alentejo is also worldwide known for its music genre, named “Canto Alentejano”. It is a vocal type of music without instrumentation. In 2014, UNESCO recognised it as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, after Fado - another Portuguese traditional music genre - had been granted the same status in 2011. UNESCO has also recognised other treasured heritage of Alentejo. Évora and Elvas were both subject to UNESCO’s nominations. As this region was colonised by different peoples throughout history, from the Visigoths and Romans to the Arabs and Knights Templar, there is an incredible diversity of historical and cultural sights. You can either visit the impressive hilltop castles and fortifications, as well as the Roman temples and cathedrals. Alentejo´s history and beautiful nature landscapes make it a fascinating destination to discover.

Overlooking the Mondego river, Coimbra is the fourth-largest urban centre in Portugal, after Lisbon, Porto and Braga. Also known as the university city of Portugal, Coimbra is home to the first university in the country and one of the oldest in Europe. Founded in 1290, the Coimbra’s University Alta and Sofia, are two architectural centres composed of 31 magnificent buildings. Thanks to its important legacy, the University was classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2013. Coimbra is filled with impressive constructions from different periods of history. The Roman occupation left an aqueduct, from which the remains were later incorporated into a medieval renovation. The Muslim settlement brought a fortified palace, that was later used by the early Portuguese Monarchs. During the Middle Ages, a lot of emblematic buildings were built. Examples of those are the Santa Cruz Monastery - the Patheon where the first kings of Portugal are buried - the old Cathedral and the Monastery of Santa Clara-a-Velha - the most important Gothic work in the city. In the Renaissance period, Coimbra was considered one of the main artistic centres of Portugal, with several Manueline and Renaissance works in the town. Coimbra has also been an important musical centre in Portugal for centuries, acclaimed by its own musical genre called “Fado de Coimbra”. It is mostly related to academic traditions and is characterized by the use of a specific guitar, with a specific structure - “Portuguese guitar”.

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.

Intendente is a lively, fashionable neighbourhood that has been evolving significantly in the past years. Despite its central location, the neighbourhood has languished for years, with many of its old buildings falling into ruins. However, the area has seen huge improvements, and property prices, as well as the ethnic neighbourhoods, have been the reasons why many people are looking to buy property in Intendente. Located within the Arroios parish which was crowned as the trendiest neighbourhood in the world by Timeout, Intendente gets its name from Praça do Intendente, a funny-shaped square just a street away from Avenida Almirante Reis. This area is seen as a faithful portrait of Nova Lisboa, where cultures and trends blend in.Intendente is ideal for students and young professionals, thanks to the abundance of co-working spaces, cafés, and brunch locations. The region is laid-back while also having a vibrant nightlife, which many consider being the best of both worlds. There are also a number of interesting projects coming into life here, which will enable companies galore to further develop their small businesses.

Rich in history, right in the centre of Portugal’s Capital City of Lisbon, one can find this park in the Arroios parish over a hill that’s between the valleys that correspond to Avenida da Liberdade and Avenida Almirante Reis. This park inherits its name of Campo dos Mártires da Pátria (Homeland Martyrs’ Field) in memoriam of Portuguese General Gomes Freire de Andrade and eleven of his companions, sentenced to be hanged in a staged trial, accused of revolting and fighting against the British Military General and Portuguese Army Marshal, Lord Beresford, regent ruler of Portugal instead of king D. João VI, who was living in Brazil at the time.  Gomes Freire de Andrade was a powerful Portuguese Mason, accused by Lord Beresford of conspiring to diminish his power of rule in Portugal, in the Portuguese king’s absence. After executing Gomes Freire de Andrade and his companions, Lord Beresford then travelled to Brazil to ask king João VI for more powers, which were granted.  However, General Gomes Freire de Andrade’s execution by Lord Beresford’s sentence ignited a revolt against the British ruler’s regency, led to protests in the North of Portugal and intensified an anti-British feeling, which ignited the Portuguese Liberal Revolution and to the fall of Lord Beresford, that was stopped from disembarking in Lisbon after returning from Brazil.

Lapa and Estrela are predominantly residential areas with large houses and old palaces. It was in Lapa-Estrela that the Portuguese bourgeoisie and nobility decided to settle down in the 18th century. Since then, these Lisbon’s districts became famous among the city’s upper-class. The historic buildings were refurbished and are now home to many residents searching for tranquillity and a privileged location in Lisbon. Besides having remained one of the noblest areas of Lisbon, Lapa-Estrela is home to a large number of embassies, in particular of Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Finland, Indonesia, Ireland, Luxembourg, Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Netherlands, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Living in Lapa-Estrela, a neighbourhood that houses embassies, palaces, fountains and monuments, is to be surrounded by Lisbon's historic high society.  These are one of the most charming neighbourhoods in Lisbon, also known for their impressive views, tree-lined streets and its selection of renowned restaurants and cafes. Although isolated from the hustle and bustle of the city, these districts are just a walking distance from the most central neighbours in Lisbon. These areas have changed very little over the years, preserving a consistent identity as one of the city's most privileged and prosperous neighbourhoods.