Custom Designed Program - Perfect Portugal

Portugal’s fairly isolated location in the far south-western corner of Europe makes it the continent’s least visited and most underrated tourist destination. Fewer crowds make for a more relaxed, authentic experience. Pack your itinerary with visits to hilltop medieval castles, ornately decorated palaces, cobblestone villages and architecturally-stunning cities. The country abounds with fascinating culture, breathtaking natural beauty and a host of fun and varied activities. A single day can be spent hiking in lush green mountains, mingling with the friendly locals, and wandering through scenic vineyards sipping on famous, velvety port wine. Throw in plenty of fresh seafood, a coastline strewn with remote sandy beaches and an affordable price tag, and it makes for an ideal choice of holiday destination.

Currency

Euro (EUR; symbol €) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of €500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of €2 and 1, and 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents.

Credit cards

American Express, MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted, even outside cities, while petrol stations usually take credit cards and cash.

ATM

There are ATMs (Multibanco) at most of the larger supermarkets and shopping areas in most towns with instructions available in English if required. You can only take out a maximum of €200 and if you see six asterisks, not four, just put in your normal four numbers and hit continue. If you receive a ‘service unavailable’ message, it is most likely that the machine is out of cash - especially at weekends and on Monday mornings. The machine will have an icon with a cross through it.

You can also find Multibanco machines in every small town and even villages all around Portugal. You will be charged for an international transaction. Currency conversion booths spring up wherever there is a steady flow of tourists but, be warned, the closer they are to tourist attractions, the worse the rates they offer.

Banking hours

Generally, Mon-Fri 0830-1530 (certain banks in Lisbon are open until 1800). In smaller towns, a bank may close for lunch, while many branches no longer offer a foreign exchange service.

Currency exchange

You can buy or exchange Euros very easily at cambios (bureaux de change), hotels and shops. Many banks no longer offer foreign exchange, while the best rates and commissions are normally found at the bureaux in larger towns. The worst rates by far are at the airports and hotels. The best thing is to keep an eye out while you’re shopping and always check the commission rates.

Portugal duty-freeOverview

Portugal is within the European Union. If you are travelling from outside of the EU, you are entitled to buy fragrance, skincare, cosmetics, Champagne, wine, selected spirits, fashion accessories, gifts and souvenirs - all at tax-free equivalent prices.

Air

TAP Air Portugal (www.flytap.com) runs services between Lisbon, Faro, Madeira, Porto Santo, Porto and the Azores. Charter flights are also available. The airline for the Azores is SATA (Sociedade Acoriana de Transportes Aereos) (www.sata.pt), which operates its Air Açores service between the various islands.

Portugal is not a huge place, therefore it is probably wiser to drive between the mainland cities unless you want to fly between Porto and Faro at the opposite ends of the country.

Road

The routes between the main cities and towns along the coast are of sufficient standard. Some of the smaller roads further into the countryside can be rough and ready at times however, though you’ll get there eventually. Portuguese drivers themselves can be erratic too, so be watchful at all times.

Petrol stations generally open 0700-2000, although some are open 24 hours.

Travel by motorway is subject to a Via Verde electronic toll system in your car or the usual cash and card payments, according to distance covered and type of vehicle.

Side of the road

Right

Car Hire

Available from major and local providers in main towns and airports, with or without driver. You must be at least 21 to 25 to hire a car.

Taxi

Taxi drivers are not generally tipped, but passengers commonly round up the fare.

Bike

You can take bikes to Portugal by plane and train, but not by coach. The European cycling boom is well catered for in Portugal, with several operators offering tours if you prefer to cycle in a group. Bikely (www.bikely.com) provides a handy list of routes. Local bike hire is commonplace if you just want to ride for a morning or afternoon.

Coach

You can travel internally by bus using operators InterCentro (tel: +351 707 200 512; www.intercentro.pt) and its affiliate InterNorte.

Documentation

International Driving Permits or foreign driving licences are accepted. Third-party insurance is compulsory. Under the requirements of the Portuguese Road Code, those wishing to drive a car must possess a valid national/international driving licence, other official documentation with photograph, log book or rental contract and adequate car insurance. Failure to produce, on request to the authorities, any of the above will result in an on-the-spot cash fine. A Carnet de Passage is needed for a van.

Urban travel

Transportes de Lisboa operates Lisbon's public transport, including an extensive underground system, trams, buses, and ferries across the Tagus. The city's suburban rail lines, operated by Portuguese Railways, are useful for covering longer distances. Porto also has an underground (Metro de Porto), trams and buses. Taxis are readily available in both cities, much like the rest of the country.

Rail

Comboios de Portugal - CP (www.cp.pt) is the Portuguese national rail service provider. Alfa Pendular trains offer the fastest rail link from Lisbon to the Algarve and from the capital to the north (Porto, Braga or Guimarães, with stops in Coimbra and Aveiro); the Intercidades (Intercity) service covers Lisbon, Porto, Alentejo and Lisbon to Algarve routes.

A vast network of regional, inter-regional and suburban trains covers the country. The tourist areas of Cascais and Sintra are connected to Lisbon by frequent express trains. High-speed Alfa trains run between Lisbon and Porto via Coimbra and Aveiro.

Water

Several tour operators run cruises along the spectacular River Douro. There is no longer a ferry from mainland Portugal to Madeira.

Portuguese cooking is not too well known in other parts of Europe, or the world for that matter; nevertheless it is definitely worth exploring properly. Seafood is a regular staple, especially the salt cod that is very much a love it or hate it thing. It forms the base of hundreds of recipes and you should try it at least once. Anchovy, bass, clams, mussels, salmon, sea bream, sole and swordfish are easier on the palate and also popular.

The spice peri-peri is widely used to flavour chicken and shrimp, while Goan curry spices also add extra flavour to a variety of dishes and broths eaten widely. Meat lovers can gorge on espetada (grilled skewers of beef with garlic), leitão (suckling pig) and cozido à portuguesa, which mixes beef, pork, sausage and vegetables in a delicious dish. Another traditional delicacy is porco à alentejana (pork and clams Alentejo-style).

Sweets such as chocolate mousse and arroz doce (lemon and cinnamon-flavoured rice pudding), together with classic egg-yolk and sugar-based cakes, can be seen on tables up and down the country to finish off a superb meal. As you would in many other smaller European countries, take the time to seek out local shops, bars and restaurants to ask what the locals eat and drink.

Tipping

More often than not, a service charge is not added to hotel and restaurant bills, so tip around 10 to 15% if you are satisfied with your experience. A couple of Euros for hotel maids and porters is considered appropriate. Round up your taxi fare to the nearest five Euros should you not wish to hand over 10%. Service charge is more casual in the less touristy north than the busy south.

Portugal is mainly characterized by a warm temperate, mediterranean climate with a distinct wet season in winter. During winter, Portugal experiences a similar temperature pattern to the Spanish coastal towns, i.e. average daytime maxima of about 16°C (61°F). However, the Portuguese resorts are much wetter, with only about 14 dry days on average. On average 5-6 hours of sunshine can be expected per day. A gradual warming-up process takes place during the spring months, daytime average maximum temperatures reaching up to 22°C (72°F) by May. The Atlantic-facing coast remains wetter than the Mediterranean-facing Spanish coast, with about 18 dry days per month

Light- to medium weights and rainwear are advised (Portugal has one of the highest rainfalls in Europe). In summer, wear very light fabrics, preferably linen, as temperatures can soar and prove very uncomfortable if you have packed wrongly. Should you travel in spring or autumn, pack a combination of both.

Electrical sockets in Portugal are one of two electrical socket types Type C (CEE 7/16 Europlug) and Type F (CEE 7/4 Schuko). If your appliance's plug doesn't match the shape of these sockets, you will need a travel plug adapter in order to plug in. Travel plug adapters simply change the shape of your appliance's plug to match whatever type of socket you need to plug into. If it's crucial to be able to plug in no matter what, bring an adapter for all types.

Electrical sockets in Portugal usually supply electricity at 220-240 volts AC. If your appliance isn’t compatible with 220-240 volts, a voltage converter will be necessary.