Portugal is fast becoming the go-to location for Brits to explore…
Not just resorts, villas and golf courses, Portugal’s rich and varied locations are attracting millions of us with its year-round sunshine and generous welcome for a holiday to remember. Now Michael travels in search of its heart and soul, revealing the secrets of places we know well, and taking us to discover those we don’t.
In the north, Michael discovers its cosmopolitan second city Porto, where 3 million visitors sample nose to tail eating – that’s all of the animal – every part – chic shopping boulevards and historic Port wine every year. In between the tourist hotspots, Michael reveals the hidden places that tell of the city’s proud chequered past, as it’s industrial and cultural richness made it the ‘Manchester of Portugal’.
Nearby he discovers the ancient Roman cities of Coimbra, Portugal’s original capital, and Braga, aka the ‘Rome of Portugal’, home to the awe-inspiring Bom Jesus shrine, built into the side of a mountain. He visits one of Portugal’s biggest festivals, the Feiras Novas, that hosts a million revellers over three days of singing and dancing, and discovers a network of busy, pretty canals in nearby Aveiro, reminiscent of Venice.
Further south, Michael explores the magical region of Sintra, near Lisbon, which for centuries was home to Portuguese Royalty, and some of the world’s most romantic Palaces. Here he also discovers the pristine beach where Portugal’s last King, Manuel II, sailed into exile in 1910. In the country’s southernmost region Michael goes behind one of the world’s most popular holiday destinations to discover and explore the secret Algarve.
Best known for over 125 miles of beaches and resorts, Michael encounters the area’s rich Islamic past, wild seafood delicacies caught daily by daredevil fishermen, and a golden archipelago, beneath the flight path into Faro airport. Michael’s Portuguese adventure also takes him outside the mainland, to a subtropical island paradise, Madeira, where he discovers Portugal’s historic links with Brazil, via its carnival, and an indulgent fortified wine that cemented historic alliances with Britain.
With some of the best year-round weather anywhere in the world, its reputation as Portugal’s jewel of the Atlantic is well earned.
Portugal with Michael Portillo begins Saturday 1 March, 8.30pm on Channel 5
