Quinta de la Rosa

Registered parcel from Portugal

Many thanks to Luis for this parcel franked with nice stamps from Portugal!

Coimbra, Portugal

Coimbra is a city in the municipality of Coimbra in Portugal. Although it served as the nation's capital during the High Middle Ages, it is better-known for its university, the University of Coimbra, which, established in 1290, is one of the oldest in Europe and the oldest academic institution in the Portuguese-speaking world.

According 2001 Census, provided by the Portuguese Instituto Nacional de Estatística (English: National Institute of Statistics), the city proper had a population of 101,069 and the municipality had a population of 148,443 in a 319.4 km² land area. Over 430,000 people live in the Greater Metropolitan Area of Coimbra, comprising 16 municipalities and extending into an area 3,372 km². Coimbra is one of the most important urban centres in Portugal (after the much larger Lisbon Metropolitan Area and Porto Metropolitan Area), playing an central role in the interior of the country. It is the principal centre in the Centro region, and seat of the District of Coimbra and the Baixo Mondego subregion.

There are many archaeological structures which date to the Roman era, when Coimbra was the settlement of Aeminium, such as its well-preserved aqueduct and cryptoporticus. Similarly, buildings from the period when Coimbra served as the capital of Portugal (from 1139 to about 1260) still remain. During the Late Middle-Ages, with its decline as the political centre of the Kingdom of Portugal, Coimbra began to evolve into a major cultural centre, with the foundation of the University of Coimbra in 1290. The university, one of the oldest in Europe, apart from attracting many European and international students, is visited by tourists for its monuments and history.

Algarve, Portugal

FDC from Portugal: Dia De Portugal 2010

Many thanks to Luis for this nice cover from Portugal!

This is Portugal

Many thanks to Luis for this nice card from Portugal!

Algarve, Portugal

The Algarve from the Arabic word meaning "the west" is the southernmost region of mainland Portugal. It has an area of 5,412 square kilometres with approximately 458,734 permanent inhabitants, and incorporates 16 municipalities. The region coincides with the Faro District, and has as its administrative centre the city of Faro, where both the region's international airport at Faro (FAO) and public university (the University of the Algarve) are located. Tourism and related activities are extensive and make up the bulk of the Algarve's summer economy. Fish, seafood and fruit production, which includes oranges, carob beans, figs and almonds, are other important activities in the region. The Algarve is the most popular tourist destination in Portugal, its population more than doubles in the peak holiday season thanks to a high influx of visitors, and receives an average of 9 million foreign tourists each year. In total, including national visitors, over 12 million people visit the Algarve every year.

Braga, Portugal

Braga, a city in the Braga Municipality in northwestern Portugal, is the capital of the Braga District, the oldest archdiocese and one of the major cities of the country. Braga is the oldest Portuguese city and, one of the oldest Christian cities in the World. With an urban population of 175,063, Braga is the seventh largest municipality in Portugal by population (including the city and suburban parishes, the municipality had a total of 62 parishes and 177,183 inhabitants as of 2009). Braga is also the center of the Greater Metropolitan Area of Minho with a population of 826,833 (2007) one of the fastest growing urban areas in the European Union.[citation needed] Under the Roman Empire, as Bracara Augusta, it was capital of the province Gallaecia. The urban area extends from the (river) Cavado to the (river) Este. Braga is serviced by regional and fast trains to Porto and Lisbon. The city of Oporto (Porto) is about 53 km. The present Mayor is Francisco Soares Mesquita Machado, elected from the Socialist Party.

What they are looking at?

People must be interested in that what these men in the picture looking at. Me too! A really funny and unique card from Portugal!

Guimarães, Portugal

Guimarães is a city in Guimarães Municipality, in the North of Portugal. In the 9th century, Vímara Peres was able to expel the Moors and founded a fortified town under his own name Vimaranis (of Vimar) which later became Guimaranis, present day Guimarães. The city is often referred to as the "birthplace of the Portuguese nationality" and also was the birthplace of Afonso I of Portugal, the first Portuguese king.

The seat of the municipality is Guimarães city, that is made of 16 parishes and, as of 2001, has a population of 52,181 inhabitants. The totality of the municipality has a population of 161,876 inhabitants in 241.3 km². Guimarães is ranked number 2 in the Portuguese most livable cities survey of living conditions published yearly by the Portuguese newspaper Expresso.

Torres Vedras

Torres Vedras is a city and a municipality in the district of Lisbon, Portugal, about 50 km north of Lisbon. It belongs to the Oeste subregion and the Centro region. The municipality covers an area of 405.89 km² distributed over 20 freguesias. It borders to Lourinhã to the north, Alenquer to the east, Sobral de Monte Agraço to the southeast, Mafra to the south and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. To the south of the municipality run the Lines of Torres Vedras, constructed on the orders of the Duke of Wellington in 1809-10.

Fishing Nets

My first card from Portugal! On the card was a postage label affixed. Although it's a self-made one, I like it a lot!