Fishing  - The northern part of Portugal receives abundant rainfall and contains rugged hills and some of the best-supplied streams in the Iberian Peninsula. Noteworthy are the Minho River, the Vouga River, the Lima River, and the Serra da Estrela streams and lakes. For fishing in the area in and around Lisbon, contact  Club Lisbon Fishing Amateur,  Travessa do Adro 12, 1800, Lisbon (tel.  21 / 68-48-05  ) or the  Sports and Cultural Club Amateur Costa do Sol fishing,  Rua das Fontainhas 8, 2750 Cascais (tel.  21 / 484-16-91  ). For information on fishing in other parts of the country, contact regional tourism agencies.

Inland fishing is limited compared to fishing along the 800 km of coastline. Deep-sea fishing in fish-rich waters swept to Europe from the northeast-flowing ocean currents produces abundant catches. Fishing boats can be rented, sometimes unmanned, throughout the Algarve.

Golf  - With its underutilized land extensions and its cultural links with Britain, Portugal has developed a passion for golf. Most of the best courses in the country date from the late 70 s .  The most important are in the Algarve; many are world class. Others were developed near Lisbon and Estoril, near Porto, and even in Madeira and the Azores. Generally by the sea, most courses incorporate dramatic topography, and famous golf course designers such as Robert Trent Jones (Sr. and Jr.), Henry Cotton, and Frank Pennink designed most. For more information and an overview, contact the  Portuguese Golf Federation,  Av. From Tulips 6, Miraflores Building, 1495-161 Algés (tel.  21 / 412-37-80;  www.fpg.pt).

Horse Riding  - The Portuguese take pride in their equestrian skills since their first battles against Roman invaders. Most resorts along the Algarve, as well as some in Cascais, maintain horse-stocked stables for long hill trekking, along beaches and through ancient sunny villages. For more information, contact the  Portuguese Equestrian Federation, Av. Manuel Maia 26, 1000-201 Lisbon (tel.  21 / 847-87-74;  www.fep.pt).

Equitours Best Available  Offer,  PO Box 807, Stalnaker 10 Street, Dubois, WY 82513 (tel.  800 / 545-0019  or 307 / 455-33-63; www.ridingtours.com), is an 8-day program. 7 nights, with Lisbon as a meeting point. The price is from $ 1,740 to $ 1,995 per person, and the weight limit is 185 pounds. Special accommodations and transfers are included in this tour, "The Blue Coast Ride". The tours go through some of the most scenic parts of Portugal, passing through valleys, passages and ancient waterfalls.

Nature Watching  - Walking in Portugal is great for bird watchers. The westernmost tip of continental Europe lies along the main migration routes between Africas warm wetlands and the coldest breeding grounds of northern Europe. The wet and rugged terrain of northern Portugal is especially suited for nature watching, particularly in Peneda-Gerês, where wild boars, wild horses and wolves still roam the hills and forests.

Water Sports  - With much of its national identity linked to the sea, Portugal offers a variety of water sports. Outside the Algarve, few activities are highly organized, although the countrys 800 km of Atlantic coast is richly dotted with secluded beaches and fishing villages. A recent development, especially in the Algarve, is the construction of a series of water parks with large swimming pools, wave machines, water slides and fun fountains.

Navegar em embarcações oceânicas bem concebidas pode ser organizado no Iate Clube de Cascais, em qualquer das marinas do Tejo, perto de Lisboa, ou ao longo do Algarve - particularmente perto da marina de Vilamoura. O surf ao longo da costa varrida pelo vento no Guincho atraiu fãs de toda a Europa. Para informações sobre eventos náuticos e aquáticos, contacte a Associação Naval de Lisboa (Associação Naval de Lisboa), Doca de Belém, 1400-038 Lisboa (tel. 21 / 361-94-80; www.anl.pt); a Federação Portuguesa de Vela, Doca de Belém, 1300-038 Lisboa (tel. 21 / 365-85-00; www.fpvela.pt); ou a Federação Portuguesa de Actividades Subaquáticas,Rua José Falcão 4, 1170-193 Lisboa (tel. 21 / 816-65-47; www.fpas.pt).

•