Portugal is located in southwestern Europe, in the western part of the Iberian Peninsula. Its membership also includes the Azores and Madeira archipelago, located in the Atlantic Ocean. Azores include nine islands and are in 1500 km from Lisbon. Madeira archipelago consists of islands of Madeira and Porto Santo and the uninhabited Desertas and Selvagen. It is located in the Atlantic Ocean, 500 km from the African coast and 1000 km from the mainland. The area of the country, together with the islands is 92,391 square meters. km. On the east and north it is bordered by Spain and the east and south by the Atlantic Ocean.
Northern Portugal has busy strongly dissected plateau borderlands Meseta. The average altitude in the region 1000 – 1200 m and the maximum – 1993 m (Mount Estrela mountain range in the Serra da Estrela). Estrela is also the highest point of the mainland. The southern and central parts of the busy Portuguese lowlands, hills and low mountains. To the east of Portugal is bordered by the lowland plateau, some parts of which reach 600-1000 m along the Atlantic Ocean lowly and poorly dissected, beaches – sandy. Madeira and the Azores Islands – an archipelago of volcanic origin. Their landscape is dominated by mountainous terraces, rising from the coast to the central regions of the islands. On Pico Island, owned archipelago, is located the highest point of the whole of Portugal – Volcano Peak (2351 m).
The river network is dense in Portugal. Major rivers in its territory are Douro (Duero), Tagus and Guadiana. In the mountains, rivers typically occur in narrow and deep valleys have steep fall.
In principle, in Portugal, you can go at almost any time of year. The exceptions are the regions of Alto Alentejo, and Duro, where summer is unbearably hot, and clouds appear in the sky once a month. The official rainy season lasts from November to March, with most precipitation falls in the northern parts of the country and the mountain range of Sierra da Estrela. Peak tourist season falls in the middle of summer. The best time for skiing – January or February.