Portuguese culture is based on a past that dates back to prehistoric times and has been heavily influenced by a rich variety of countries and customs over years.The eras of the Roman and Moorish invasions as well as the ancient societies before that have all left traces in a rich legacy archaeological remains that can be found throughout Portugal.The ancient cave paintings at Escoural,the Roman township of Conimbriga,The Temple of Diana in evora and the typical Moorish architecture of the Southern towns olhao and Tavira are just some examples of extraordinary culture gems that can be found in the country.

Traditional Dances

Each region of Portugal has its own style of dance and songs with the most traditional tunes played at a slower rhythm compared to those heard in spain.Some of the best example of the regional dances are the vira,chla,corridinho,Tirana, where couples perform a lively dance usually to a fast beat of hand-clapping, guitars and accordions.Many of these dances reflect the courting and matrimonial traditions of the area and are often passionate and exciting to watch.

Music

The music of Portugal includes many different styles and genres,as a result of its history.These can be broadly divided into classical music,traditional/folk music and popular music and all of them have produced internationally successful acts, with the country seeing a recent expansion in musical styles,especially in popular music.In traditional/folk music, fado has had a significant impact, with Amalia Rodrigues still the most recognizable Portuguese name in music,and with more recent acts,like Dulce Pontes and Mariza. Regional folk music remains popular too,having been updated and modernized in many cases, especially in the northeastern region of Tras-os-Montes.Some more recent successful fado/folk-inspired acts include Madredeus and Deolinda, the later being part of a folk revival that has led to a newfound interest in this type of music.

Visual Arts

Sculpture has found rich expression in Portugal over the centuries.From the 12th to the 14th century,sculptors carved ornate limestone tombs,including notable monuments such as the tombs of the kings at Alcobaca. Following the extraordinarily inventive Manueline period, during the Renaissance and baroque periods,sculptors in Portugal did their finest work for the church,producing finely carved reliefs, altarpieces, and pulpits.Painting in Portugal dates from prehistoric times;some of southwestern Europe finest Paleolithic cave paintings can be seen at Escoural.The foremost painter of Portugal golden age was Nuno Goncalves,whose powerful realism was widely influential. In the 20th century Portuguese-born abstract painter Maria Elena Vieira da Silva achieved international renown.

Architecture

Architecture of Portugal refers to the architecture practiced in the territory of present-day Portugal since before the foundation of the country in the 12th century.The term may also refer to buildings created under Portuguese influence or by Portuguese architects in other parts of the world, particularly in the Portuguese Empire.Portuguese architecture,like all aspects of Portuguese culture,is marked by the history of the country and the several peoples that have settled and influenced the current Portuguese territory.These include Romans, Suebians among other related Germanic peoples,Visigoths and Arabs,as well as the influence from the main European artistic centres from which were introduced to the broad architectural styles:Romanesque, Gothic,Renaissance, Baroque and Neoclassicism.Among the main local manifestations of Portuguese architecture are the Manueline, the exuberant Portuguese version of late Gothic;and the Pombaline style,a mix of late Baroque and Neoclassicism that developed after the Great Lisbon Earthquake of 1755.

Literature

The beginnings of Portuguese literature are to be found in medieval Galician poetry,originally developed in Galicia and northern Portugal.The Golden Age is located in the Renaissance, with the writings of Gil Vicente,Bernardim Ribeiro, Sa de Miranda and especially the great epic poet Luis de Camoes,author of national and epic poem The Lusiads.The seventeenth century was marked by the introduction of the Baroque in Portugal and is generally regarded as the century of literary decadence,despite the existence of writers like Father Antonio Vieira,Padre Manuel Bernardes and Francisco Rodrigues Lobo. The writers of the eighteenth century to counteract a certain decadence of the baroque stage, made an effort to recover the level of the Golden Age -The Neoclassicism,through the creation of academies and literary Arcadias.

Language

Language is probably one of the biggest areas affecting expats moving to Portugal.Thousands of residents live outside the main centres, often causing them to feel isolated and without recourse to social opportunities.In many Portuguese towns, there are schools or organizations which offer free or low-cost Portuguese language classes,from beginners to more advanced speakers.The local tourism office, school or library will usually have details of these.Most courses are held in the evenings,last between one and three hours, and are taught by a variety of Portuguese teachers in a number of different styles.Learning the language is a key element to feeling more at home in Portugal,managing one way through the system and, of course,being able to share conversation with the locals.It is also a key element to help new arrivals integrate themselves more smoothly, and feel like less of an outsider.