One of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe, Portugal is renowned for it's sunny climate, sandy beaches and picturesque villages. With some of the beaches in Portugal registering temperatures of over 35°C each summer it is not hard to understand why people flock to the nation's shores for their summer holidays. In the winter months however the slopes of Serra de Estrela in the region of Centro are popular for skiing, making Portugal a suitable holiday location all year round. Fortunately as Portugal has a population of just over ten million and a land area of less than a hundred thousand square kilometres, it is easy to explore by car. As the coastal region is linked by A1, A2 and A3 motorway network it is also incredibly simple to get from one destination to another. Possible destinations in the south include Faro and Loule, whilst the central coast that lies on the Atlantic Ocean is home to Lisbon and Sintra. On the north coast lie Porto and Aveiro.
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Portugal is serviced by a number of large and regional airports. Portela Airport in Lisbon is by far the largest in terms of passenger numbers (close to fourteen million used the airport in 2007), and has two terminals in use. Faro Airport and Aeroporto Internacional Dr. Francisco de Sa Carniero (Porto's major airport) are also busy year-round. Car hire is recommended for holidaying in Portugal and is easily arranged from all the airports that accept international flights. Rental companies include Hertz, Avis, National, Europcar and Budget.