Portugal

You know it as a sunny destination just to the west of Spain, where the grand architecture of Lisbon and the sweeping coastlines of the Algarve bask under constant sunshine all year round. Yet for the discerning golfer, Portugal offers brilliant experiences for fans of the sport, with dozens of plush resorts and masterfully crafted courses.

As well as Portuguese dishes being massively influenced by the country's huge coastline and fishing culture, many of the spicy flavours of the cuisine came about through discoveries on their seafaring voyages of old.

Many holidaymakers fly into Faro airport and make their way to their onward destination without much thought for what the capital of the Algarve might offer. However, we think you should give it a second look as this typically-Portuguese marina city has an enticing old town, excellent shops and cafe culture as well as a strong nightlife scene.

From the coasts to the hills, the Algarve has thousands of kilometres of beautiful walking trails that span from the Spanish border in the east to Portugal's version of Land's End at Europe's most south-westerly point.

Portugal has a really fascinating history and culture, so there's always plenty to see and interesting places to explore when you visit. The popular areas of the Algarve and Madeira are no exception.

This small Portuguese island has unique character, wine like no other and is home to perhaps the greatest footballer of our time. Lying south of Portugal, off the coast of Morocco, it's close to the Canary Islands but is far more green and less arid. Of course it has plenty of Portuguese influences but read on to see what else makes Madeira tick in our round-up of top Madeira facts.

Portugal is a country that's seen a congruence of diverse people over the millennia, all making their unique impact on its history and culture. However, it remains a largely homogeneous country with a predominantly Roman Catholic population, boasting many long-standing customs and traditions.

We've all walked into our local wine shop and been blown away by the choice. The deep ruby sheens or golden nectar hues are brought to us from all corners of the globe. However, it's rare that you'll walk out of that store with a bottle of Portuguese wine.

Portuguese often slips through the cracks for us Brits. Though not in the ranks of high school languages like French, Spanish and German, there are around 210 million native speakers. That's because it's the official language in nine countries, including Brazil, Angola, Cape Verde and of course Portugal itself.

For many, a trip to Portugal is a straight throw to the Algarve, with its sprawling villa complexes, rows of sunloungers and beautiful poolside cocktail sessions. Portugal may be a tourist hotspot that's home to busy resorts and the cosmopolitan capital of Lisbon, but it's also got miles of laid-back sandy spots - secret beaches to find and call your own.