2. Portugal Portugal is a small country located in southwestern Europe, with approximately 10,5 million inhabitants.

4. Soup is served at most meals. One of the most popular is caldo verde, made from potato purée, thinly chopped cabbage and slices of chouriço.

5. Many of Portugal's dishes are fish- based due to the country's situation on the Atlantic coast. From tuna to octopus, tinned or preserved fish is huge in Portugal. The most famous fish is dried, salted cod, bacalhau. Another popular fish is sardine, especially grilled (sardinhas assadas).

6. “Cozido“ is a rich boiled meat and vegetable dish. On the island of S. Miguel in the Azores, next to the Furnas lagoon (Lagoa das Furnas), “cozido” is cooked underground in a huge pot.

7. A pastel de nata, is a Portuguese egg tart pastry, common in Portugal. Their popularity normally results in long queues at the take-away counters, in addition to waiting lines for sit-down service.

8. Port wine Port wine is a fortified wine of distinct flavour produced in Douro normally served with desserts. Established in 1756, the port wine producing Douro region is the third oldest protected wine region in the world.

9. The traditional vineyard scenery, dominated by the old, narrow, stone-walled terraces

10. In football, we have Cristiano Ronaldo that was considered the best football player in the world and Jose Mourinho who won the title of best football couch in the world!

11. Rui Costa clocked 7 hours, 25 minutes, 43 seconds over the marathon-like 272- kilometer (169-mile) route to become the first Portuguese winner of the coveted rainbow jersey in the race’s 86-year history. Portuguese tennis player João Sousa became the first Portuguese tennis player to win an ATP Tour title after beating French fifth-seed Julien Benneteau to win the Malaysian Open in Kuala Lumpur. Portugal’s Atlantic coast is prized by surfers and windsurfers across Europe.

13. Fado, urban popular song of Portugal Fado is a Portuguese music genre, meaning 'fate' and closely related to the word 'saudade', a word that exists only in Portuguese and represents a very Portuguese feeling of yearning, missing and suffering. Mariza, a leading contemporary performer. Fado was elected as Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

14. Amália Rodrigues remains today as Portugal's most famous “fado” singer. Uniquely Portuguese guitar - a pear-shaped instrument with twelve strings

15. Braga is the Portuguese city that celebrates this Holy Week with greater solemnity.

16. The feast of St. John the Baptist is the largest festival of the Municipality of Braga.

17. In Portugal there are some places where you can see bullfights. It’s forbidden to kill the bull in the arena.

18. Most of the Portuguese are true-blue Catholics. On the 13th May there is a big pilgrimage to the Sanctuary of Fátima. People walk many kilometres to get there, usually to fulfill a vow to Virgin Mary.

19. Portugal has a rich heritage of jewelry of timeless beauty. “Minhoto” Heart pendant“Viana” Beads necklace

20. Portuguese Filigree is unique. Gold is the most used material, but silver is also widely used, and for example today you can see in the traditional folklore of the Minho region, women wearing several of these pieces of art.

21. Galo de Barcelos is the unofficial symbol of Portugal. In any souvenir shop you will find the symbol represented by a ceramic rooster and in the motif embroidered on towels, aprons, stamped on key chains, etc The legend of the Rooster of Barcelos tells the story of a dead rooster's miraculous intervention in proving the innocence of a man who had been unjustly accused and sentenced to death.

22. Sweetheart Handkerchiefs or Fiancé Handkerchief or Proposal Handkerchief (lenços dos namorados) are handkerchiefs made of linen or cotton and embroidered with several love patterns and amorous phrases. They were used by young single women who would embroider sweet messages to their boyfriends who were sent off to sea or war to the former colonies.

23. Escola Secundária Sá de Miranda (Sá de Miranda Secondary School) is a Public school, located in Braga, Portugal. Europe Day was celebrated in Sá de Miranda Secondary School with several dozens of students forming a European Union Flag.