Portugal Travel Facts & Tips

ATM Availability	Available

Captial City	Lisbon

Dialing Code	(00) 351

Emergency Numbers	Ambulance, Police and Fire 112

Weather	Summers in the south of Portugal are warm with very little rain. A permanent breeze makes the high temperatures during July and August bearable. Winters are generally cold and wet, particularly in the northern and west coast regions. Spring and autumn are probably the best times to visit as hotel rates are cheaper and the beaches are less crowded. Temperatures in summer frequently reach 30ºC or more. Winters are relatively wet and windy, with temperatures around 10ºC.

Tourist Board website	http://www.portugalinsite.com/

Most Famous For	Port wine, azulejos (tiles), salted cod

Useful Phrases	Bom dia (hello), adeus (goodbye), obligado/-a (thank you), desculpe (sorry)

Accommodation	There is a network of inns housed in historic buildings, castles, palaces and convents called ‘pousadas’ that are a good bet when looking for good accommodation. These are often situated in regions a bit off the beaten track so giving people the opportunity to see a side of the country they wouldn’t normally see. From luxury hotels, boarding houses and inns to simple guest houses, manor houses, campsites and youth hostels Portugal has the right kind of accommodation to suit every taste and budget. Most of the hotels have private swimming pools and serve international cuisine as well as some traditional Portuguese dishes. Hotels are classified in the international 1 to 5-star system, while apartment hotels are rated from 2 to 4 stars, motels from 2 to 3 stars and boarding houses from 1 to 3 stars. Self-catering accommodation, such as that in private houses and on farms all over Portugal is also available. Youth Hostels are a great opportunity to get to know other people. They are located in most bigger towns and also in the countryside and coastal areas. There are also a few camping and caravan parks near beaches and woodlands where some have swimming pools, supermarkets and restaurants.

Business Hours	Banks are open Monday - Friday 08.30-14.45/15.00. Shops are open Monday - Friday 09.00/10.00-13.00, and then from 15.00-19.00. On Saturdays they will normally open 09.00-13.00. Some larger shopping centres are open daily from 10.00-23.00.

Visas	For stays of up to 90 days, visas are not required for EU nationals and citizens of the following countries: Andorra, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, El Salvador, Estonia, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong (SAR), Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Korea (Rep), Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Macau (SAR), Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Romania, San Marino, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Switzerland, Uruguay, Vatican City and Venezuela. For stays of over 90 days these countries will need to obtaine a visa.

Tipping	The servicio charge is something you generally don’t find in Portugal as being added to your bill as standard. Restaurant bills generally only contain charges for your food and drinks, so it is quite common to leave a tip. Depending on how satisfied you are with the service you’ve received, you can leave 5- 10%.

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