{"id":888567,"date":"2026-10-22T12:40:15","date_gmt":"2026-10-22T11:40:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/?p=888567"},"modified":"2026-10-22T12:42:48","modified_gmt":"2026-10-22T11:42:48","slug":"portugal-unpacked","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/portugal-unpacked\/","title":{"rendered":"Portugal, Unpacked by Travel Director Sara"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

“Portugal has a kind of a dual personality…if it were a zodiac sign, it would be Gemini.”

Famous for its unhurried beauty \u2014 found in azulejo<\/em> tiles and creamy custard tarts \u2014 Portugal is one of Europe’s oldest nations and was unrivalled on the sea during the Age of Discovery. Alongside this legacy, found in the quiet of untouched medieval towns and slow fishing villages, it looks to the future with bustling tech hubs being built along its coast. This is a country of contrasts, conquests and delicious custards unpacked by Sara Veloso, who has led guests here as a Trafalgar Experience Director for the best part of a decade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s your personal connection to Portugal?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy husband. We met in London, but decided to raise our family in Portugal, where he\u2019s from. So I\u2019ve been living here for 14 years now. I\u2019m originally from British Columbia, Canada, so a long way away. They\u2019re worlds apart. The weather obviously is quite different, so the climate is a significant change for me, but I love it. I was a Travel Director for about 10 years. When I started, I was doing European trips that cross through many European countries, then I specialised in UK and Ireland trips, and when I moved to Portugal, I specialised in Portugal and Spain. Now I’m in the TTC office, where I am able to take my on-road knowledge and understanding exactly what the guest experience was, and translate that into the content work I\u2019m doing now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Sara
Portugal’s borders that have remained largely unchanged since 1139, which is remarkably rare for Europe’s tumultuous history.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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What was your favourite place to visit on tour, and why?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen I was running trips, one of my favourite places to visit was Monsaraz. It\u2019s a little hilltop town in the middle of rural Alentejo. You\u2019ve got narrow cobblestone streets, only accessible by foot, typical whitewashed houses, a medieval fortress, and panoramic views across the surrounding plains, hills, lake, and even into Spain. The views are incredible. The thing with Monsaraz is that it\u2019s quite far off the beaten track. It\u2019s not one of those commonly visited towns or cities, so it\u2019s not a place that our guests would probably travel to on their own. And it\u2019s completely unexpected. When I was working as a Travel Director, it always delighted me to see the wonder on their faces when they would see Monsaraz for the first time, because it really is a special place in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You may also like: Spain vs Portugal: which country should top your travel list? <\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If Portugal were a person, how would you describe their personality?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is a difficult one to answer, because Portugal has a kind of split personality, or dual personality. You\u2019ve got its historic impact during the Age of Discoveries. It\u2019s undeniable how important Portugal\u2019s history is and how interconnected it is with the rest of the world, and it still reflects those strong maritime traditions. But then you look at modern Portugal and you see it\u2019s also a very forward-focused country. Look at Portuguese inventions that have influenced the world, and ongoing development in the tech industry too. It\u2019s a country that is holding on tight to its past while also looking very fixedly at the future. So I would say it\u2019s got a dual personality. If it were a zodiac sign, it would be Gemini. You really feel it in the north, that tech investment, basically between Porto and Braga.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Monseraz provides a window into the past with its car-free cobbled streets and 13th century castle<\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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What\u2019s the biggest misconception visitors have about Portugal?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat it\u2019s nothing more than a beach holiday destination. Don\u2019t get me wrong, it\u2019s got almost 1,000 kilometres of coastline, and the beaches are great, but the country has fascinating history. The nature is gorgeous, food is excellent, hospitality is generous, and the lifestyle is relaxed. So it\u2019s a great place to visit. When you get away from the coastline, there is so much to dive into.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is there a stereotype about Portugal that makes you laugh because there\u2019s a grain of truth to it?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDefinitely: that it\u2019s a very slow-paced country. It is very relaxed here, so there\u2019s always time for a quick coffee and a chat. Generally, people don\u2019t appreciate a rushed lifestyle. They opt instead for long meals with extended conversations. So the slow pace is a stereotype that I would say is true. You find very hardworking and industrious people, but they know how to have a good time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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\n <\/i><\/span>\n Go on tour<\/span>\n <\/div>\n
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Best of Portugal<\/p>\n\t\t\t
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