Once a mighty empire that stretched from South America to Africa to the Pacific, Portugal is currently the oldest nation in Europe with the same borders, which speaks to its rich and storied past. With a high quality of life and relatively low cost of living, it is one of the best value travel destinations in Europe. It boasts a staggering natural diversity that one wouldn’t expect to find in such a small territory, and with its dynamic and youthful cities, like Lisbon and Porto, idyllic beaches in the Algarve, and picturesque expanses of wine country, there is no shortage of reasons to visit Portugal.