Finca Portugal

Do you want to spend your holiday in a rural and agricultural area with cosy cottages adjacent to a woodland or plantation? You can check the finca offer on the website of Nature house.

Plant species in Portugal

Portugal's nature reserves include one national park, twelve nature parks, nine nature reserves, five nature monuments, and seven protected landscapes. The climate and geographical diversity have shaped the Portuguese flora. In the Portuguese forests, you can enjoy pine, chestnut, cork oak, island oak, Portuguese oak, and eucalyptus is also very common. The carob tree is an impressive, shrubby tree that can grow up to 20 meters or more. The seeds(beans) are processed in the food industry. The Algarve coast has subtropical vegetation with abundant flowering oleanders and camellias.

The slopes of Serra da Estrela are covered with extensive forests, consisting mainly of Portuguese oak and pine trees. South of Tagus, declining vegetation is determined by evergreen trees and shrubs. The cork oak with its knotted trunk with an irregular shape is most characteristic of them. The leaves are gray-green on the underside and shiny green on top. The "collection" of the cork is done by removing the trunk of its cork. Portugal is the largest producer of cork in the world. With the impressive progress of the screw cap for wine bottles, in which Portugal is one of the largest European wine producers, the demand for cork decreases. But for now, cork oaks cannot be ignored in the Portuguese landscape.

You will find eucalyptus forests almost all along the west coast, often deep inland. These fast-growing tree species are planted for the timber and paper industries. The trees reach an average height of 80 meters, but with their deep fountain roots, they extract much of the already scarce groundwater. Between the Rio Douro and the Rio Tajo stretches a soft transition zone, where viticulture thrives and the gray-green of the olive trees betrays a dry and warm summer. Typical of southern Portugal are fig and almond trees, orange groves, and locust trees - species that do not occur naturally here but were once imported by the Moors.

Animal species in Portugal

The mammal fauna is diverse and includes fox, badger, Iberian lynx, Iberian wolf, chamois, wild cat, rabbit, weasel, ferret, chameleon, mongoose, civet, brown bear, and many others. Portugal is an important stopover for migratory birds, in places such as Cape St.Vicente or Mount Monchik, where thousands of birds can be seen in the spring, flying from Europe to Africa in the autumn or vice versa. They gather there because the Iberian Peninsula is the closest place in Europe to Africa. Portugal has about 600 species of birds and there are new reports almost every year. The islands have some species of American, European, and African origin, while the continent shares European and African bird species. Portugal has over 100 species of freshwater fish and ranges from the giant European catfish(Tejo International Nature Park) to some small and native species that live only in small and located lakes. Some of these rare and specific species are extremely endangered due to habitat loss, pollution, and drought. The marine number of fish species is in the thousands of marks and includes sardine, tuna, and Atlantic mackerel. Marine bioluminescence is very well represented(in different spectra of colors and shapes), with interesting phenomena such as flaming plankton that can be observed on some shores. In Portugal, it is also possible to observe rapidly increasing phenomena, especially on the west coast, which makes the sea extremely rich in nutrients and biodiversity. Portuguese seawater is one of the richest in biodiversity in the world. Book a finca near the beach and enjoy the marvelous sea on your doorstep.

There are many native species of insect that are found only in some places in Portugal, others are more common such as only the male beetle and the cicada. The Macaronesian Islands (Azores and Madeira) have many native species (such as birds, reptiles, bats, insects, snails, and slugs) that have evolved differently from other parts of the world due to their isolated locations and thus very unique species developed there. In Madeira, more than 250 species of terrestrial gastropods can be observed on the island. Laurissilva is a unique type of subtropical rainforest in Europe and in the world. It is found in Madeira and the Azores.

Activities in Portugal

Portugal is rich in specially protected virgin sites. The largest and most famous is the Penede-Gerês Park, famous for its shady groves, wild birds, and animals. Near the high water Duro, there is a park of the same name, optimally suited for families with children. The tropical Monte Garden, located in Madeira, offers guests an unforgettable cable car ride as well as a relaxing walk in the Botanical Garden. The village of the same name will allow visitors to Portugal to feel the unique taste of the country. The small town of Furnas, located on the island of San Miguel in the Azores archipelago, will delight lovers of exploring the beauty of nature with its unique clean lake, distributed in the crater of a long-extinct volcano. Bucasu Park, located west of Serra to Estrela, is the former territory of the monastery, carefully guarded by monks of the Carmelite Order from the 17th century. The vast territory (more than 400 hectares) is abundantly planted with centuries-old cedars brought to the country from Goana. In addition to the relict trees, about 400 rare plant species grow in the park. The center of the reserve is the San Mamede ridge. The protected natural area is a traditional place for ecotourism, which is popular in the modern world. The Natural do Estuario do Sado, located near the Sado River, is the final destination for the migration of more than 200 species of migratory birds. At the eastern end, storks traditionally stop, making a nest here. The waters are home to dolphins that travel daily from Sado to the Atlantic Ocean and back.

Climate in Portugal

Portugal has a Mediterranean climate. The ocean has a huge influence on its formation. The air masses coming from the water contribute to the lower temperatures in Portugal than they should be for this climate zone. High humidity is observed in mountainous areas. These areas receive an average of 2,000 millimeters of rainfall per year, while the south receives no more than 500 millimeters. The weather in the southernmost regions is hotter and drier. The climate on the island of Portugal is milder, without scorching heat and severe cold. In general, the country has the largest number of sunny days in all of Europe.