Culture
Experience the Portuguese culture - Self-catering holidays
Portugal is the perfect place for a cultural self-catering holiday in Southern Europe. The Portuguese are proud of their culture of Fado and folk dances. Although the country has focused on the future in recent years, most national heritage dates back to the time of exploration. There are lots of beautiful classic monuments and attractions spread across Portugal waiting to be discovered during your stay in one of our holiday villas to rent in Portugal, many of them are easily accessible from your self-catering holiday home. Portugal is sure to have something for everyone; whether travelling in a group, with friends, as a family or with your partner you will find whilft self-catering Portugal a host of cultural treasures on offer in regions across the country.
Holiday homes in Portugal - culture and history
'Azulejos' are another integral part of Portuguese culture and history and are even displayed in some of our holiday homes in Portugal. These intricately painted tiles were traditionally used to present Portugal’s glorious maritime history. During your self-catering holiday in Portugal you are almost guaranteed to come across these beautifully decorated glazed tiles; they adorn everything from park benches to palaces and feature in many Portuguese homes. They are an important part of Portugal's unique charm and one of the many things which make its towns and cities so lovely.
Self-catering villas in Portugal
Religion plays an important role in Portuguese culture to this day. In fact, during your self-catering holiday in Portugal, you are likely to find that almost all public buildings proudly display a cross or a holy statue. Throughout the year, many of the ancient sacred religious festivals are still celebrated with passion and vigour and can prove to be a memorable day out and experience during your stay in our villas in Portugal, we would suggest trying to catch some of the wonderful Portuguese Easter festivities if self-catering in Portugal at this time of year, which take place across the country.
Cultural offerings from Portugal
Portugal has many cultural aspects which contribute to memorable Southern European self-catering holidays. Another important part of Portuguese culture is bullfighting. Even though the Portuguese approach the sport with less fanaticism than the Spanish, bullfighting remains an important part of many Portuguese celebrations and festivals and can be an interesting thing to see during your self-catering holiday in Portugal. A further uniquely Portuguese cultural offering is the art of 'Fado'. Fado music is very specific to Portuguese culture, and is a very unique genre of music. Fado expresses “saudade” (longing, nostalgia), an elusive melancholy, longing for something lost or unreachable. We would highly recommend experiencing an authentic Fado performance whilst renting your NOVASOL villa in Portugal.
Holiday accommodation in Portugal – Lisbon
Lisbon was proclaimed the cultural capital of Europe in 1994 by the EU, in appreciation of the rich Portuguese culture. Portugal is one of the most culturally enriching countries in Europe, it could be the perfect destination for your next self-catering holiday in Europe. Book your holiday home with NOVASOL today and experience it for yourself. If you choose to spend your self-catering holiday in or near Lisbon you are bound to find a charming mix of ‘old-world’ and modern culture; the perfect blend of contemporary conveniences with traditions that date back centuries.
Food and Culture in Portugal
Food and culture intermingle in Portugal in a wonderful combination for your self-catering holiday in Portugal. Whether in your holiday home or in the local town, Portuguese food will pleasantly surprise you, and you can an enticing array of ingredients for a home cooked meal in your Portuguese holiday homes, yet the Portuguese eat out almost daily. Being a seafaring nation, fish and seafood are an important part of Portuguese cuisine, and the Portuguese are among the best in Europe at preparing it. Since the Portuguese economy consists of many small scaled companies and farmers, the quality of Portuguese products is very high, yet absolutely affordable.