Portugal

Portugal has a long connection with India: Vasco da Gama sailed from Lisbon to Calicut in 1497–98, and Goa was Portuguese until 1961. Lisbon spreads over hills above the river Tagus, with yellow trams, tiled façades and viewpoints at every turn, and the palaces of Sintra and the Atlantic cliffs of Cabo da Roca make an easy day trip.

Porto, about three hours north by train, rises in steep terraces above the Douro river, and in the south the Algarve has sandstone cliffs, sea caves and long beaches. A week covers Lisbon, Sintra and Porto comfortably; add three days for the Algarve, or cross into Spain for Seville and Madrid.

Spring and autumn are warm and uncrowded, and summer is for the beaches. Portuguese menus lean heavily on fish and meat, but Lisbon has a large Indian community and many Indian restaurants, and vegetarian cafés are increasingly common. An evening of fado music in one of Lisbon's old quarters is a highlight for couples.