Those who have recently discovered Portugal and specifically, its capital city Lisbon, will have wondered how this Atlantic jewel managed to remain for so long off the tourist map. The reasons for this are many but for those who stumble on the shell and discover the pearl hidden inside, it matters little. They are already addicted.

On December 1 (sic) in the year 1755 Lisbon suffered one of the planet's worst ever earthquakes, followed by an equally devastating tidal wave. Twenty per cent of the population was killed or seriously injured and a great part of the city's infrastructures crumbled. Many of those that remained, burnt.

Praia da Falésia (Albufeira), Praia da Rocha (Portimão) and Praia da Marinha (Lagoa) currently are the three best beaches in Portugal, according to visitors’ votes for the 'Travellers Awards 2017' on TripAdvisor.

In the list of the Top 10 beaches in Portugal, the Algarve stands out with eight in the Top 10, with the saddening omission of Dona Ana which has been altered so severely by the regional environment agency that people are spending their time elsewhere.

One person died and two were badly injured in the early morning on Sunday when two cars collided on the notorious EN125 near Estômbar, Lagoa.

According to brief information the official Civil Protection website, the collision took place at 04:35 and the victim died at the scene.

Portugal’s Left Bloc leader wants the governor of the Bank of Portugal to be sacked, as does the leader of the Communist Pary, Jerónimo de Sousa.

Catarina Martins says that the bank’s governor, Carlos Costa, is not fit for office and refers to the many serious errors of judgement that he has made during his time at the helm of Portugal’s central bank, especially in his supervisory role.

Portugal’s Environment Minister says he has asked Spain for more information on the Almaraz nuclear power plant and the new nuclear fuel dump planned at the site just 100kms from Portugal’s border.

"Today, Friday, we are going to send a new request to Spain for additional information on the project and on the environmental impacts and particularly on the trans-boundary environmental impacts," said Minister, João Matos Fernandes.

The new law that elevates animals from the status of ‘thing’ was published this Friday in Diário da República.

The new legal status of animals, which recognises them as living things endowed with sensitivity and able to interact with humans and their surroundings, enters into force on May 1st, 2017.

A detailed study of the Lisbon short-term property rental market shows that most of the properties that now are being let were lying empty before being converted.

The study, commissioned by the national accommodation association, concludes that 59% of properties that are let to tourists were empty but only 32% of owners said the neighbours were happy.

As part of the government’s thrust to devolve powers to localcouncils, the task of valuing property for the collection of the municipal property tax (IMI) is to be included. The Tax Authority will be responsible only for collecting the money.

This measure appears in the Government's draft law on the decentralisation of powers to municipalities which was published on Wednesday.