ALICE’s winter tour across Portugal

Once upon a time, Alice decided she didn’t know much about her own country and that it was time to undertake a journey to discover her country’s historical and natural landmarks. As summer time was crowded with foreign tourists and national holiday makers, she decided winter time was the best season to undergo this experience.
She started her journey when all the leaves had already fallen from the trees, rivers had overflowed banks and there was echo of the first snow flakes in the highest hills.
While crossing the country from North to South, Alice was amazed. She quickly became aware of its natural diversity and beauty and well preserved evidence of a nine-hundred-year-history.
Interested and curious, she met people who told her about ancient folk traditions; she learned about dialects and archaeological sites; she witness the growth of modern cities which contrasted with villages lost in time; she appreciated the Atlantic ocean breeze and smell along the 1230 km continental coastline. However she felt Azores and Madeira archipelagos were charmingly overwhelming.
Whenever she felt tired, wet and cold, in desperate need of an energy booster, she would stop at local cafés and restaurants to try the delights of Rich Mediterranean and Moorish influences and the wide variety of available ingredients which offered her the best flavours and textures. She was fully satisfied with both the hospitality and friendliness with which she was saluted everywhere.
She decided to stop her journey in front of the Monument to the Discoveries, which is homage to the Portuguese who set sail to unknown worlds, just like her own journey through her own country’s unknown. Like those sailors, she felt at home.