Madeira has never been easier to get to. TAP Portugal offers easy connections from Lisbon – and with non-stop service to Portugal from 9 US cities on five airlines, getting a connection is easy. TAP now has a 1 stop from Boston, DC, New York and Newark, Miami, Chicago and San Francisco. It is a 1.5-hour flight from Lisbon, Porto or the Azores and it takes about 15 minutes to fly between the two islands in the group—Madeira and Porto Santo. Madeira’s Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport and the Porto Santo Airport serve the archipelago.  The airport on Madeira is about a 30-minute drive to Funchal, the archipelago’s capital.  Madeira has also become a major stop for cruise ships. Read more →

Going North is also worthwhile when exploring Portugal. Make Porto your base and visit Northern cities like Braga or Chaves, or drive along the Douro River into Spain. And if you’re looking to be in touch with nature, venture in to the mountains and explore Portugal’s only National Park, Peneda-Gerês. Here you’ll find paradise-like waterfalls, challenging hiking trails and rewarding views. The surrounding towns and villages are good options for a more comfortable night’s sleep. And another mountain destination is Serra da Estrela, in the northern countryside Beira Interior, which is also close to quaint villages like Piódão. Read more →

Not all castles are the same. In Portugal, most are walled defensive structures built to protect a region. They were built around a main keep, and housed soldiers placed there to defend them. But you also had forts and fortified palaces. Portugal has hundreds of cables, but very few walled palaces, a mix of the defensive and the high living. Most date from the 15thcentury, when King D. Afonso V gave the nobility unprecedented powers, and his wars in North Africa and expansion of trade brought wealth to Portugal enriching the noble class. All the palaces here date from that brief period, as Portugal transitioned from the Middle Ages into the Renaissance. Read more →

TAP Air Portugal is celebrating a record-breaking year of growth and expansion with a special 20% discount on all flights from the USA and Canada to Portugal, Europe and Africa. Read more →

For the first time, more than one million US guests have visited Portugal this year, following five years of double-digit growth.  Read more →

This happened with other European nations as well. But, in Portugal – once the dark night of fascism ended, the dictatorship was gone – but its propaganda remains. In fact, I often have to pause and explain to colleagues that calling Portugal’s golden age an “Age of Discovery” can come off as colonialism and racist. Read more →

Ah, Portugal - warm, safe, and wonderful! In fact in 2019 more foreigners applied for residency than in any year since they started keeping records. But can you pass the citizenship test? From the list of 30 blew, you could face 10 questions - and being able to get the answers right is crucial for you to be a son or daughter of the Republic. Think you are ready? Try your luck on our "So you want to be a Portuguese" test Read more →

The United States and Portugal recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Youth Mobility that allows American students and university graduates to apply for a new 12-month Study, Work and Travel Program in Portugal. Read more →

Portugal was anointed as the World’s Leading Destination at the World Travel Awards 2019, for the third year in a row. Read more →

The Holidays are a magical time of the year and in Portugal, the season has a special flavor. Everywhere streets are lit up, extravagant nativity scenes are recreated in some towns, and the pleasant winter temperatures allow people to enjoy time outside at Holiday fairs with attractions, or pop-up markets selling local cheeses, jams and other delicacies. Read more →