A

Admission Charges

Portugal’s museums and galleries are relatively inexpensive, ranging from around €3–6 for an adult ticket. Over-65s and students generally pay half price upon proof of identification. You can expect to pay in the region of €15 for entrance to theme parks and water parks. Both Lisbon and Porto offer discount cards: the Lisboa Card and the Porto Card, which offer substantial discounts on multi-sights and often include some transport options. For more information, check the respective tourist offices.

B

Budgeting for your trip

Portugal remains one of the cheapest countries in southern Europe for tourists. Some average costs are:

A beer: €1

A glass of house wine: €1.50

Main course at a budget/moderate/expensive restaurant: €8/€10/€20

Double room in a cheap/moderate/deluxe hotel: €50/€70/€170

Taxi journey from Lisbon airport to the centre: €10

Single bus ticket or metro ticket: €1.40

C

Children

Like its neighbour, Spain, Portugal is a seriously child-friendly country. Children are made welcome just about everywhere, including hotels, restaurants and bars. There are plenty of kiddie-geared activities on offer, as well, particularly in Algarve, with water parks, boat trips and beaches. Watch the strength of the sun in summer, however, and always ensure your child is wearing a hat and plenty of sunblock. Most hotels can supply a cot if notified in advance, and babysitting is generally provided at 4- and 5-star hotels. Otherwise, tourist offices may be able to recommend babysitting services. Children’s meals are not always available, but most restaurants are happy to provide a smaller portion. On public transport, children under five travel free while 5- to 11-year-olds pay half fare (on trains only; full fare on Metro and buses).

Climate

Spring and summer are the best times of year to visit Portugal. Southernmost Algarve enjoys mild winters with many fine sunny days.

Around Lisbon, winters are mild with an unpredictable mixture of sunny and showery days, while in the northern and central regions winters are rainy, and while not freezing, are surprisingly chilly. In the mountains it’s even colder, and variable snow falls on the Serra da Estrela and mountains to the north and east between November and February (sometimes enough for ski enthusiasts, although conditions are far from ideal). Winters are short, beginning in November or December and ending in February or March.

Generally, the weather starts getting warm in May and June throughout the country, and usually stays warm to very hot until September.

Along the western coast, the Atlantic tends to be cool (22°C/72°F) until July. The southern coast warms up earlier.

Some inland areas experience extremely high temperatures in summer – Alentejo in the south and the Upper Douro in the north often top 40°C (104°F) for long periods. Algarve in contrast tends to be moderately hot in summer (31°C/88°F), enjoying the benefit of cooling westerlies.

Customs Regulations

You can bring currency up to €10,000 into the country without declaration. The duty-free allowance for travellers over 17 years of age from non EU countries is 200 cigarettes and 1 litre of spirits or 4 litres of wine. EU residents can bring in 800 cigarettes, plus 10 litres of spirits, 20 litres of fortified wine, 60 litres of sparkling wine, 90 litres of still wine or 110 litres of beer.

D

Disabled Travellers

Portugal is gradually catering more to travellers with disabilities and there is a handful of organisations that may be able to advise you further. Accessible Portugal (Rua João Freitas Branco, 21D, Lisbon, tel: 926 910 989, www.accessibleportugal.com) offers a wide choice of itineraries, including city breaks, overnight trips, accommodation and tours. They speak English. Ourico do Mar (tel: 289 414 687; www.ouricodomar.com) offer wheelchair-accessible holiday accommodation, with wheelchair-accessible transport on the Algarve. Newer and larger hotels generally have disabled-accessible rooms and adapted toilets, and museums and major sights are gradually providing ramped access.

E

Electricity

Mains voltage is 220V, which is fine with equipment intended for 240V. Plugs are the European two round-pin variety. Adaptors are sold at airports, hardware stores and supermarkets.

Embassies

Embassies are listed in phone books (under Consulado or Embaixada). Most are in Lisbon, Porto or Faro.

Embassies in Lisbon:

Australia

Avenida da Liberdade, 200

Tel: 213 101 500

Canada

Avenida da Liberdade, 196, Edifico Victoria

Tel: 213 164 600.

Republic of Ireland

Rua da Imprensa à Estrela, 1, 4°

Tel: 213 308 200.

South Africa

Avenida Luís Bivar, 10/10 A

Tel: 213 192 200.

UK

Rua de São Bernardo, 33

Tel: 213 924 000

US

Avenida das Forças Armadas, 16

Tel: 217 273 300.

Emergencies

To contact the emergency service (police, ambulance or fire) dial 112 (toll-free). Most operators speak at least two foreign languages, usually including English.

Entry Requirements

Visas & Passports

European Union nationals may enter Portugal with only a national identity card. Citizens of Great Britain and Australia need only a valid passport for a three-month stay. The same applies to Americans and Canadians staying for 60 days or less.

All other non-EU visitors must show a valid passport when entering Portugal, and this will be stamped with a 60-day tourist visa. No one with a tourist visa is permitted to work.

Bureaucracy is a serious problem, so you should apply for an extension at least one week before your time runs out.

Visas or extended-stay visas can be obtained at any Portuguese consulate abroad, or contact the Serviço de Estrangeiros (Foreigners’ Service) at Avenida António Augusto de Aguiar, 20, tel: 213 144 053, Mon–Fri 8.30am–4.30pm, www.sef.pt.

The British office that deals with extensions to visas is at the Portuguese Consulate, 62 Brompton Road, London SW3 1BY, tel: 020-7581 8722.

Etiquette

The Portuguese are usually courteous and hospitable. Taking a short while to learn and use the language basics will serve you well ( for more information, click here).

Here are a few helpful hints:

If you are invited to someone’s house, it is polite to bring flowers for the hostess or a small toy or sweets if there are young children.

There are always orderly queues at bus stops. Be certain to respect them.

For some reason, stretching in public (on the street or at the table) is considered rude. Otherwise, use common sense and a smile and you shouldn’t go far wrong.

G

Gay and Lesbian Travellers

In a country heavily influenced by the Catholic Church, attitudes towards gays are not as tolerant as elsewhere in Europe. Lisbon is the most important city in Portugal’s gay scene and offers a number of bars and clubs catering to a gay crowd. In certain enclaves of the Algarve, such as “the Strip” in Albufeira, gay visitors will find accommodating bars and restaurants.

The website www.portugalgay.pt contains a travel guide with information in English and other languages.

H

Health and Medical Care

Portugal enjoys a healthy climate and no vaccinations are necessary. Bring enough prescription medication to last through your stay, if only to avoid confusion with brand names and/or language. Although the Portuguese health service has reciprocal emergency-treatment arrangements with other EU countries (take your ehic card, available on line at www.ehic.org.uk and from main post offices), it is advisable to have additional health insurance, as well as insurance against loss, theft, etc.

All narcotics and illegal drugs are banned and customs keep a close watch.

There are no special health precautions. Beware of sunburn, especially on misty days when the combination of a cool breeze and filtered sunshine can cause serious burning. Use sunscreen, and wear a hat if the sun is fierce.

Tap water is generally safe but sometimes not very palatable, so it is best to use bottled water (água mineral).

Insect bites (usually by mos­qui­toes) can be a problem in the summer, so bring repellents. In the countryside, snakes are not uncommon but they are rarely a problem: apart from one species of viper in the north, other venomous snakes have fangs at the back of their mouths, so even if they were to strike, it is unlikely to do you any major harm. There is no rabies in Portugal.

Useful Numbers

Ambulance Tel: 112 (emergency number)

INEM (Instituto Nacional de Emergência Médica)

Tel: 213 508 100

Portuguese Red Cross

Tel: 213 913 900

Linha Vida (for information on drug use and abuse)

Tel: 1414

Chemists

When closed, all chemists (farmácias) have a list on their doors highlighting the nearest one that is open. Newspapers also publish a list of chemists that stay open late.

Hospitals

Every town has a centro de saúde (health centre), some with 24-hour emergency service.

Lisbon

There are half a dozen large hospitals in Lisbon. The following have accident and emergency departments:

Hospital Cruz Vermelha, Rua Duarte Galvão, 54 (situated behind the zoo), tel: 217 714 000.

Hospital de Santa Maria, Avenida Prof. Egas Moniz (in the Cidade Universitária area not far from Sete Rios), tel: 217 805 000 for general enquiries or 217 805 111 for emergencies.

Hospital São Jose, Rua José A. Serrano, tel: 218 841 000.

The British Hospital, Rua Tomas Fonseca, Torres de Lisboa, tel: 217 213 400; or Rua Saraiva de Carvalho, 49 (overlooking the British cemetery near the Jardim de Estrela), tel: 213 943 100. No casualty department, but takes outpatients and may be able to help as all staff speak English.

Porto

Centro Hospitalar do Porto, Largo Prof. Abel Salazar, tel: 222 077 500.

Private Clinics

Lisbon

Clinica de Santo António, Avenida Hospitais Civis Lisboa, 8, Reboleira, 2720 Amadora, tel: 214 999 300.

Porto

Hospital da Ordem Trindade, Rua Da Trindade, tel: 222 075 900.

I

Internet

Wi-fi is increasingly available in mid-range to top-end hotels. There will generally be at least one internet terminal for guests’ free use as well. Wi-fi zones are also on the increase in the larger towns and cities. Internet cafés come and go, but there are generally a healthy number, again in the larger cities. Expect to pay around €2–3 an hour. Public libraries generally provide free internet access, as do post offices, many of which have NetPost terminals, where you pay with a special card.

M

Media

Newspapers & Magazines

Portugal has several daily newspapers, two of which are dedicated solely to football!

The principal general newspapers are now published in both Lisbon and Porto and tend to have a regional bias, as indicated: Diário de Noticías (Lisbon), Jornal de Noticías (Porto), Público (Lisbon and Porto) and Diário Económico (Lisbon and Porto).

Weeklies include the Expresso (up to Sunday Times/Observer standard).

The Anglo-Portuguese News (http://lisbon.angloinfo.com) is a website including news and listings and The Portugal News (www.theportugalnews.com) likewiseprovides local and international news, plus listings and classifieds. In the Algarve, The Resident (www.algarveresident.com) is a popular weekly English newspaper primarily aimed at the local expat community.

Television

RTP, the state-owned corporation, operates two national television channels (rtp 1 and rtp 2), two regional stations and one international (rtp Madeira, rtp Azores, rtp Internacional). There are also two commercial stations (SIC and TVI).

Films are transmitted in the language of origin, with subtitles, as are many serials and documentaries. There is a high content of soap operas (many Brazilian) and quiz shows.

Most hotels have satellite/cable TV, which will include Sky News, Eurosport, cnn and CNBC.

Radio

There are four national and five regional RDP (state-owned) radio stations as well as more than 300 local radio stations. Among them are Antenna 1, which broadcasts popular music and news, and Antenna 2, a classical music station. There are also commercial radio stations, among them TSF and RR, which offer a similar mix of news and popular music.

Money Matters

Currency

The euro is the national currency of Portugal. It is divided into 100 cêntimos which is the basic unit of currency. The smallest coin is the 1 cêntimo piece; and the largest is the 2 euro coin. Notes go from 5 to 500 euros. The symbol for the euro is € and is written before the figure, eg €7.50 is 7 euros 50 cêntimos.

Exchange

While you may want to buy a small amount of euros before you leave home, you will get a better exchange rate if you wait until you are in Portugal. Once you have bought euros, however, it may be costly to re-exchange them for foreign currency. The most economical policy is to change money as you require it.

Money is best changed at banks, rather than at hotels or travel agencies. Outside normal banking hours, atms (cash machines), usually called Multibanco, are widely available and there are currency exchanges at Lisbon’s Santa Apolónia railway station as well as at the airports. Major credit cards are accepted. atms taking all the major cards, including credit cards, are widespread throughout the country.

Exchanging money at a bank or cashpoint works out far cheaper than paying the higher rate of commission on traveller’s cheques.

Traveller’s Cheques and Credit Cards

Traveller’s cheques are accepted in all banks, although, as already mentioned, the commission charge is higher than for changing cash. It is best not to use them in stores, where, if they are accepted at all, you will be charged at a disadvantageous rate. Major credit cards can be used in most hotels, restaurants and shops, but check in advance to avoid embarrassment. Country restaurants and pensãos may only accept cash.

Tipping

A tip of 10 percent is sufficient in restaurants and for taxi drivers. Barbers and hairdressers expect to receive the same.

O

Opening Hours

Most stores open for business Monday–Friday 9am–1pm, and from about 3 to 7pm, Saturday 9am–1pm, and are closed Sunday and holidays. Some shops in central Lisbon are open on Saturday afternoon and some malls and supermarkets are open on Sunday and all day during the week.

Major banks are open Monday–Friday 8.30am–3pm.

Museums usually open 10am–12.30pm and 2–5pm, and are closed on Mondays.

P

Postal Services

Postal services, both international and domestic, are generally reliable and efficient. Allow five days for delivery within Europe. For next-day delivery within Portugal, use correio azul, an internal express service.

The post office also provides services such as express mail (expresso), postal money orders (vales), general delivery (poste restante), registered mail (registos), insurance on packages (seguro), and telephone and scanning services.

Post offices are open Monday–Friday 9am–6pm; smaller branches close for lunch from 12.30–2.30pm. In district capitals, the main branch is usually open on Saturday morning. Mail is delivered Monday to Friday.

To buy stamps, stand in any queue marked selos (stamps). To mail or receive packages, you need to go to the queue marked encomendas.

Be certain to write Via Aérea on all airmail items. To send large parcels home, if speed is not important, consider the less expensive alternative of surface mail.

R

Religious Services

Portugal is a Catholic country with around half of the more traditional north’s population attending Sunday Mass (fewer in Lisbon and the south of the country). Many of the country’s festivals have their roots in religion and Fátima attracts some 300,000 pilgrims every May and October, the most important months on this site’s calendar. Although around 80 percent of the population is Catholic, the Portuguese are, overall, very tolerant of other religions.

S

Security and Crime

Portugal has a well-deserved reputation for non-violence, and crime rates are low. However,petty theft and muggings can be a problem in some of the more run-down areas of Lisbon and Porto, close to some of the larger shopping centres, and some of the major resorts. Foreign-registered cars or cars obviously rented may be targets for thieves if left unattended in out-of-the-way locations.

Use your common sense and the usual degree of attention, and, as in most places, take special care walking around late at night in resorts and in the larger cities.

Stolen Property

In the event of theft, report it to the police within 24 hours to reclaim insurance. In Lisbon the main Policia de Segurança Pública (PSP) station dealing with foreigners who have been robbed is at the Palacio Foz, in the Praça Restauradores.

Lost Property

All lost property given to the Lisbon police ends up being dealt with at Olivais police station, Praça Cidade Salazar. You will need to wait 24 hours before trying to reclaim your property, tel: 21 853 5403.

T

Telecommunications

All phones are equipped for international calls and most accept coins.

A Portugal Telecom phonecard can be bought at kiosks and many shops. Instructions for using the phone are written in English and other major languages. You can also make calls (international and local) from post offices. Go to the window for a cabin assignment and pay when the call is finished. PT Comunicacãos is the national communication company. Many of the internet cafés in the larger cities also have several telephone booths. In general they can be found near train stations.

Many village stores and bars in Portugal have metered telephones. Phone first, pay later, but be prepared to pay more than the rate for call-box or post-office calls. As elsewhere, calls made from hotels are higher still.

For US phone credit card holders, the major access numbers are:

AT&T: tel: 800 800 128.

Verizon: tel: 800 800 118.

Sprint: tel: 800 813.

Mobile Phones

Mobile phone (cellphone) use is widespread, with the main local operators being Vodafone, TMN and Optimus. You can buy a pre-paid SIM card to insert in your GSM mobile phone. You can also buy a pay-as-you-go cheap local phone at the airport or numerous mobile phone shops, which is generally cheaper than renting.

Tourist Offices

The national tourist office (ICEP) has offices in Lisbon, Porto and at Faro airports. Most towns have Turismo (tourist offices), which are generous with maps and information. Some of the smaller ones close at weekends off season. Regional capitals have separate city and regional offices. Portugal’s official website is www.visitportugal.com.

Aveiro

Rua João Mendonça, 8

Tel: 234 420 760

Azores

Rua Ernesto Rebelo, 14

Horta, Faial

Tel: 292 200 500

Beja

Largo Dr. Lima Faleiro

Tel: 284 311 913

Braga

Avenida da Liberdade, 1

Tel: 253 262 550

Bragança

Avenida Cidade de Zamora

Tel: 273 381 273

Castelo Branco

Avenida Nuno Álvares, 30

Tel: 272 330 339

Coimbra

Largo da Portagem

Tel: 239 488 120

www.turismodecoimbra.pt

Estoril

Avenida Clotilde, Edifício Centro

de Congressos, 3º A

Tel: 214 647 570

www.estoril-portugal.com

Évora

Praça do Giraldo, 73

Tel: 266 777 071

Faro

City

Rua de Misericórdia, 8

Tel: 289 803 604

www.visitalgarve.pt

Algarve region

Avenida 5 de Outubro

Tel: 289 800 400

Guimarães

Largo Conego José Maria Gomes

Tel: 253 421 221

www.guimaraesturismo.com/

Lagos

Praça Gil Eanes

Tel: 282 763 031

Lisbon

Lisboa Welcome Centre

Rua do Arsenal

Praço do Comercio

Tel: 210 312 700

www.visitlisboa.com

City and National (ICEP)

Palacio Foz, Praça dos Restauradores

Tel: 213 463 314

Madeira

Avenida Arriaga, Funchal 18

Tel: 291 211 902

www.visitmadeira.pt

Porto

City

Rua Clube Fenianos, 25

Tel: 223 393 472

www.portoturismo.pt

Setúbal

Travessa Frei Gaspar, 10

Tel: 265 539 135

Tomar

Rua Serpa Pinto, 1

Tel: 249 322 427

Viana do Castelo

Rua do Hospital Velho

Tel: 258 098 415

Portugese Tourist Offices Abroad

Ireland

Portuguese Trade & Tourism Board, 25/26 Windsor Place, Lower Pembroke Street, Dublin 2

Tel: +353-1-670 91 33/34

Spain

Núñez de Balboa, 33 - 7ª planta, 28001 Madrid

Tel: +34-91 761 72 30

United Kingdom

11 Belgrave Square, London, SW1X 8PP

Tel: +44 20 720 1666

United States

590 Fifth Avenue, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10036-4785

Tel: +1-646 72 30200

Tours

There are numerous travel and tour companies that offer comprehensive packages. Most are booked via the internet, including the following:

Portugal: www.portugal.com. A wide range of accommodation options, including pousadas, manor houses and rural stays, as well as packages that include sightseeing, including week-long tours of Lisbon and northern Portugal.

Lisboa Sightseeing: www.lisboasightseeing.com. Offers custom-designed tours of the capital, including boat tours, jeep safaris of the surrounding countryside and sightseeing days in Porto.

Affordable Tours: www.affordabletours.com. A US-based company that offers a variety of reasonably priced tours.

Euro Adventures: www.euroadventures.net. A Spanish-based company offering food and wine tours of Portugal and Spain.

Saranjan Tours: www.saranjan.com. Customised tours including a 7-day cooking school, bicycle tours and market and craft fairs tour.

W

Weights and Measures

Portugal uses the metric system of weights and measures.

Women Travellers

Women travelling alone should take the normal precautions, although, overall, the incidences of sexual assault and other forms of violence are low. Bag snatching is more of a problem and women should avoid carrying a bag late at night in quieter areas of the cities. The north of the country tends to be more conservative, and in smaller villages it may be more prudent for unmarried couples to check in under the same name.