Europe is considered the hot spot for artisan cheeses, but Portugal has always stood out from the crowd. You'll see Portugal's cheeses in America's specialty cheese stores, but better yet--visit Portugal and discover them for yourselves. Here are a few cheese favorites:

- Serra da Estrela is the king of cheeses, made for centuries by shepherds in the high mountains of the Beiras/Centro region. Entirely handmade, the Serra da Estrela is so soft it is almost spreadable. It is rich and sweet, with a slight burnt toffee character.

- Rabaçal - Brought is a high-fat, sheep's milk cheese brought to Portugal by monks, delicious with local wine or marmalade. It is a high fat content cheese and is made from sheep's milk.

- Sabugal is not only a castle, but a cheese as well. It is creamy, tasty and fragrant but not strong. It's delicious!

- Sao Jorge, from the Azores island of the same name, comes from a land where there are more cows than people, and the cheese will make anyone who taste it swear off cheddar forever.

Take a tour of Portugal's cheese country and discover these, and more, for yourself! Here is one cheese route through the Alentejo Region