As Europe’s oldest nation, Portugal has a lot to offer. Enviable beaches and colourful architecture, lush vineyards and quaint fishing villages with boats that bob evocatively in the harbour, cities that offer delectable cuisine and enticing short breaks. It can be distinguished by two halves: in the north, the scenery is rustic and rolling, scrubby vineyards overlooking the staggering coast and quaint towns where the way of life hasn’t changed in decades. In the south, the main draw is the beaches. Mile upon mile of sandy swathes, the coast littered with unflustered resort towns and hillside villages. The capital, Lisbon, is ideal for a long weekend. Nibble custard tarts as you meander its sleepy cobbled streets lined with houses resplendent in traditional blue and white tiles.