The biggest wave ever surfed is in Portugal


Surfer Sebastian Steudtner from Germany broke the Guinness World Record for the Largest Wave Surfed in October 2020 and this incredible feat took place off the coast of Praia do Norte in Nazaré. The wave itself measured an enormous 86 feet and helped Steudtner to not only break the record but to also take home the 2021 Biggest Tow Award at the 2021 Red Bull Big Wave Awards. The record for Largest Wave Surfed (female) was also recorded by a surfer off the coast of Nazaré, with Maya Gabeira from Brazil successfully surfing a 73.5 ft wave.


The oldest bookstore in the world is in Portugal


Lisbon is home to another record breaker, with the oldest operating bookstore, Livararia Bertrand in Chiado still opening its doors to customers after initially opening in 1732. The shop was opened by Peter Faure as a little shop which then went on to become a hub for Portuguese intellectuals. In 2010 the shop became part of the Porto Editora group which has stores across the country however it remains an important cultural landmark and a haven for book lovers.


The largest cork forest in the world is in Portugal


Cork is not just useful for keeping your wine from spoiling, it is also used for everything from wall and floor coverings to shoe insoles and even for the lining of satellite capsules, and if you are looking for cork then the best place in the world would be Portugal. The country produces over 50 percent of all of the cork in the world and is also home to the largest cork forest, which makes up 34 percent of the world’s cork forest. When you travel around Portugal you will notice trees where bark from the trunk has been removed – these are cork trees after harvesting.


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Drugs have been decriminalized in Portugal


Portugal became the first country in the world in 2001, to decriminalize all drugs. The new laws make drug possession and personal use legally prohibited, with drug trafficking a criminal offense. The change in rules were brought in to help combat rising drug use and HIV levels in the 1990’s and since its implementation Portugal now has some of the lowest rates of drug use in the European Union, with the scheme now being assessed by other countries across the globe.