Roman ruins in Portugal

Facing the sheltered Sado Estuary south of Lisbon,  the old Roman port city of Cetóbriga was engulfed by the sea following a huge earthquake and subsequent tidal waves in 412 AD.

Nestling on a rugged cape midway down the enchanting Alentejo coast, the vibrant port town of Sines is the ideal base from which to enjoy the very best of south-western Portugal.

Conveniently located just to the south of Lisbon, the enchanting Setúbal Peninsula (aka the Costa Azul, or Blue Coast) exudes much of the rare authenticity that still abounds in the more rural parts of 21st-century Portugal.

Perched high on a line of hills near the Serra da Estrela mountains of central Portugal, Belmonte is a medieval village of considerable charm commanded by an imposing 13th-century granite castle.