Directory A-Z

Directory A–Z

Accessible Travel

A The term deficientes (Portuguese for ‘disabled’) gives some indication of the limited awareness of disabled needs. Although public offices and agencies are required to provide access and facilities for people with disabilities, private businesses are not.

A Lisbon airport is wheelchair accessible, while Porto and Faro airports have accessible toilets.

A Parking spaces are allotted in many places, but are frequently occupied. The EU parking card entitles visitors to the same street-parking concessions given to disabled residents.

A Newer and larger hotels tend to have some adapted rooms, though the facilities may not be up to scratch; ask at the local turismo. Most campgrounds have accessible toilets, and some hostels have facilities for people with disabilities.

A Lisbon, with its cobbled streets and hills, may be difficult for some travellers with disabilities, but not impossible. The Baixa’s flat grid and Belém are fine, and all the sights at Parque das Nações are accessible.

Download Lonely Planet’s free Accessible Travel guide from http://lptravel.to/AccessibleTravel, or for more information, contact one of the following organisations:

Accessible Portugal (%211 338 693; www.accessibleportugal.com; Rua António Champalimaud, Lote 1) This Lisbon-based association promotes accessible tourism and is the brains behind the excellent TUR4all Portugal app (Android and iOS), which works like a database of accessible tourist resources and services throughout Portugal and Spain.

Secretaria do Nacional de Reabilitação (%217 929 500; www.inr.pt; Av Conde de Valbom 63) The national governmental organisation representing people with disabilities supplies information, provides links to useful operations and publishes guides (in Portuguese) that advise on barrier-free accommodation, transport, shops, restaurants and sights.

BOOK YOUR STAY ONLINE

For more accommodation reviews by Lonely Planet authors, check out http://lonelyplanet.com/hotels/. You’ll find independent reviews, as well as recommendations on the best places to stay. Best of all, you can book online.

Accommodation

Seasons

In popular tourist destinations prices rise and fall with the seasons. Mid-June to mid-September are firmly high season (book well ahead); May to mid-June and mid-September to October are midseason; and other times are low season, when you can get some really good deals. Outside the resorts, prices don’t vary much between seasons.

In the Algarve, you’ll pay the highest premium for rooms from mid-July to the end of August, with slightly lower prices from June to mid-July and in September, and substantially less (as much as 50%) if you travel between November and April. Note that a handful of places in the Algarve close in winter.

We list July (high-season) prices in reviews.

Guesthouses

Guesthouses are small-scale budget or midrange accommodation, with a personal feel that can be lacking in larger hotels. Most are family-run places.

There are various types of guesthouses; prices typically range from €50 to €90 for a double room with private bathroom (and as little as €35 for the simplest lodgings with shared bathroom).

Hostels

Portugal has scores of hostels, particularly in Lisbon and Porto. If you’re thinking bare-bones, smelly backpacker lodging, think again: Lisbon’s hostels are among the best in Europe, with stylish design, often in heritage buildings, and excellent amenities.

A High-season dorm beds typically cost around €20. Many hostels also offer simple doubles with shared bathroom, and some have small apartments.

A Bed linen and breakfast are usually included in the price. Standard features include kitchen, lounge with wi-fi access and computers for guest use.

A In summer reserve ahead, especially for doubles.

A Many of the hostels outside Lisbon are part of the Pousadas da Juventude network (www.pousadasjuventude.pt) affiliated with Hostelling International (HI).

A If you don’t have an HI card, you can get a guest card, which requires six stamps (€2 per time) – one from each hostel you stay at – after which you have paid for your membership.

SLEEPING PRICE RANGES

The following price ranges refer to a double room with bathroom in high season. Unless otherwise stated breakfast is included in the price.

€ less than €

€€ €‑120

€€€ more than €120

Pousadas

In 1942 the government started Pousadas de Portugal (www.pousadas.pt), turning castles, monasteries and palaces into luxurious hotels, roughly divided into rural and historic options. Today the pousadas are run by Pestana, a Portuguese company and member of Historic Hotels of Europe. July prices range from €120 to €250; prices in August are €10 to €20 more. Off-season, you can sometimes score deals as low as €75 a night. Most pousadas are cheaper during the week; they have lots of discounts and deals, plus reduced prices for those aged over 55.

Turihab Properties

These charming properties are part of a government scheme, through which you can stay in a farmhouse, manor house, country estate or rustic cottage as the owner’s guest.

High-season rates for two people, either in a double room or a cottage, range from €70 to €150. Some properties have swimming pools, and most include breakfast (often with fresh local produce).

There are three types of Turihab lodgings:

Aldeias de Portugal (www.aldeiasdeportugal.pt) Lodging in rural villages in the north, often in beautifully converted stone cottages.

Casas no Campo (www.casasnocampo.net) Country houses, cottages and luxury villas.

Solares de Portugal (www.solaresdeportugal.pt) Grand manor houses, some of which date from the 17th or 18th century.

Camping & Caravan Parks

Camping is popular in Portugal: there are many campgrounds, often in good locations and near beaches. Prices for sites are typically calculated per person, per tent and per vehicle – usually €5 to €6.50 for each. Keep in mind that many sites get crowded and noisy at busy times (especially July and August).

A Nearly all campgrounds have hot showers, electrical hookups and a cafe. The best campgrounds also have a pool, restaurant, laundry service, children’s playgrounds and perhaps a tennis court.

A Generally, campgrounds run by Orbitur (%226 061 360; www.orbitur.pt) offer the best services. Some towns have municipal campsites, which vary in quality.

A For detailed listings of some 228 campsites nationwide, pick up the Roteiro Campista (€8.50; www.roteiro-campista.pt), updated annually and sold at turismos and bookshops. It contains details of most Portuguese campgrounds, with maps and directions.

Private Rooms

In coastal resorts, mostly in summer, you can often rent a quarto (private room) in a private house. These usually have a shared bathroom, are cheap and clean, and might remind you of a stay with an elderly aunt. Prices generally run from €35 to €45 per double.

Rental Accommodation

Plenty of villas and cottages are available for rent. Major sites like Airbnb list hundreds of private houses and apartments for rent.

Children

The great thing about Portugal for children is its manageable size and the range of sights and activities on offer. There’s so much to explore and to catch the imagination, even for those with very short attention spans.

The Algarve has to be the best kid-pleasing destination in Portugal, with endless beaches, zoos, water parks, horse-riding outfits and boat trips.

Kids will also be happy in Lisbon and its outlying provinces. Attractions include: trams, puppet shows, a huge aquarium, a toy museum, horse-drawn carriages, castles, parks and playgrounds.

As for fairy-tale places, Portugal has these in spades. Some children enjoy visiting churches if they can light a candle, and they’ll enjoy the make-believe of the castles and palaces sprinkled about the country.

In towns, hop-on, hop-off tours can be good for saving small legs, and miniature resort trains often cause more excitement than you would have thought possible.

Kids are welcome just about everywhere. They can even get literary: the late Nobel Prize–winning author José Saramago wrote a charming children’s fable, The Tale of the Unknown Island, available in English.

For an entertaining guide packed with information and tips, turn to Lonely Planet’s Travel with Children.

Practicalities

A The Portuguese are generally quite laid-back about breastfeeding in public as long as some attempt at discretion is made.

A Formula (including organic brands) and disposable nappies (diapers) are widely available at most pharmacies and grocery stores.

A Turismos, as well as most hotels and guesthouses, can recommend babysitters.

PRACTICALITIES

Weights & measures Portugal uses the metric system. Decimals are indicated by commas, thousands by points.

Newspapers Main newspapers include Diário de Noticias, Público, Jornal de Noticias and the tabloid bestseller Correio da Manhã. English-language newspapers include the long-running daily, the Portugal News (www.theportugalnews.com).

Radio National radio stations include state-owned Rádiodifusão Portuguesa (RDP), which runs the stations Antena 1, 2 and 3 and plays Portuguese broadcasts and evening music (Lisbon frequencies are 95.7, 94.4 and 100.3). For English-language radio there is the BBC World Service (Lisbon 90.2) and Voice of America (VOA), or a few Algarve-based stations, such as Kiss (95.8 and 101.2).

Television TV channels include Rádio Televisão Portuguesa (RTP-1 and RTP-2), Sociedade Independente (SIC) and TV Independente (TV1), with RTP-2 providing the best selection of foreign films and world-news coverage. Other stations fill the airwaves with a mix of Portuguese and Brazilian soaps, game shows and dubbed or subtitled foreign films.

DVDs Portugal uses the PAL system, incompatible with both the French SECAM system and the North American NTSC system.

Smoking Allowed in some restaurants and most bars. Restaurants that allow smoking are supposed to have separate smoking sections, but inadequate ventilation means nonsmokers will be breathing in the fumes. Many hotels still offer smoking rooms.

Discount Cards

A Portugal’s network of pousadas da juventude (youth hostels) is part of the HI network. An HI card from your hostelling association at home entitles you to the standard cheap rates.

A A student card will get you reduced admission to almost all sights. Likewise, those aged over 65 with proof of age will save cash.

A If you plan to do a lot of sightseeing in the main cities, the Lisboa Card and Porto Card are for you. Sold at tourist offices, these offer discounts or free admission to many attractions and free travel on public transport.

Electricity

Embassies & Consulates

There’s no New Zealand consulate in Portugal. The nearest New Zealand embassy is in Madrid (%91 523 02 26; www.mfat.govt.nz; 3rd fl, Calle de Pinar 7, Madrid; mGregorio Marañon). The following embassies are in Lisbon; the Spanish consulate is in Porto and the UK Consulate is in Portimão.

Australian Embassy (%213 101 500; www.portugal.embassy.gov.au; Av da Liberdade 200, 2nd fl)

Canadian Embassy (%213 164 600; www.canadainternational.gc.ca; Av da Liberdade 198-200, Edifício Victoria)

French Embassy (%213 939 294; www.ambafrance-pt.org; Rua Santos-o-Velho 5)

German Embassy (%218 810 210; www.lissabon.diplo.de; Campo dos Mártires da Pátria 38)

Irish Embassy (%213 308 200; www.embassyofireland.pt; Av da Liberdade 200, 4th fl)

Netherlands Embassy (%213 914 900; http://portugal.nlembaixada.org; Av Infante Santo 43)

Spanish Embassy (%213 472 381; www.exteriores.gob.es/embajadas/lisboa/es/Paginas/inicio.aspx; Rua do Salitre 1)

Spanish Consulate (%225 363 915; Rua de Dom João IV 341, Porto; h9am-2pm Mon-Fri)

UK Embassy (%213 924 000; www.gov.uk/world/organisations/british-embassy-lisbon; Rua de Saõ Bernardo 33)

UK Consulate (%213 924 000; www.gov.uk/world/organisations/british-vice-consulate-portimao; Avenida Guanaré, Portimão; h9.30am-2pm Mon, Wed & Fri)

US Embassy (%217 273 300; https://pt.usembassy.gov; Av das Forças Armadas)

Food

For detailed information about eating in Portugal, see the Eat & Drink Like a Local chapter.

EATING PRICE RANGES

The following price ranges refer to a main course.

€ less than €10

€€ €10–20

€€€ more than €20

Health

Portugal has a high-quality healthcare system, with pharmacies and doctors readily available countrywide.

Before You Go

Recommended Vaccinations

WHO recommends that all travellers should be covered for diphtheria, tetanus, measles, mumps, rubella and polio, regardless of their destination.

Since most vaccines don’t produce immunity until at least two weeks after they’re given, visit a doctor at least six weeks before departure.

Health Insurance

Citizens of the EU are eligible for free emergency medical treatment if they have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), which replaces the no-longer-valid E111 certificate. It will not cover you for nonemergencies or emergency repatriation.

Citizens from other countries should find out if there is a reciprocal arrangement for free medical care between their country and Portugal. If you do need health insurance, consider a policy that covers you for the worst possible scenario, such as an accident requiring an emergency flight home. Find out in advance if your insurance plan will make payments directly to providers or reimburse you later for overseas health expenditures.

In Portugal

Availability of Healthcare

Good healthcare is readily available, and for minor illnesses pharmacists can give valuable advice and sell over-the-counter medication. Most pharmacists speak some English. They can also advise when more specialised help is required and point you in the right direction.

Heat Exhaustion & Heatstroke

Be mindful of heat exhaustion, particularly on hot summer days in the Algarve, and when engaging in vigorous outdoor activities anywhere in the country during the hottest months. Heat exhaustion occurs following excessive fluid loss with inadequate replacement of fluids and salt. Symptoms include headache, dizziness and tiredness. To treat heat exhaustion, replace lost fluids by drinking water and/or fruit juice or an oral rehydration solution, such as Dioralyte, and cool the body with cold water and fans.

Heatstroke is much more serious, resulting in irrational and hyperactive behaviour and eventually loss of consciousness and death. Medical treatment should be sought. Rapid cooling by spraying the body with water and fanning is ideal. Emergency fluid and electrolyte replacement by intravenous drip is recommended.

Jellyfish & Sea Urchins

In general, jellyfish aren’t a major problem in Portuguese waters, though there are rare sightings along the southern beaches. Stings from jellyfish are painful but not dangerous. Douse the wound in vinegar to deactivate any stingers that haven’t ‘fired’. Applying calamine lotion, antihistamines or analgesics may reduce the reaction and relieve the pain.

Watch for sea urchins around rocky beaches. If needles become embedded in skin, immerse the limb in hot water to relieve the pain. To avoid infection visit a doctor and have the needles removed.

Rabies

Rabies, though rare in Portugal, is a risk. It is transmitted via the bite of an infected animal. It can also be transmitted if the animal’s saliva comes in contact with an open wound. If you’ve been bitten by a wild animal, begin a treatment of shots at once.

Tap Water

Tap water is safe to drink in Portugal.

TRAVEL HEALTH WEBSITES

It’s a good idea to consult your government’s travelhealth website before departure, if one is available.

Australia (www.smarttraveller.gov.au)

Canada (www.travel.gc.ca)

UK (www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk)

USA (wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel)

Insurance

Don’t leave home without a travel-insurance policy to cover theft, loss and medical problems. You should get insurance for the worst-case scenario; for example, an accident or illness requiring hospitalisation and a flight home.

Check the small print as some policies specifically exclude ‘dangerous activities’ such as scuba diving, motorcycling or even trekking. If these activities are in your sights, either find another policy or ask about an amendment (usually available for an extra premium) that includes them.

Make sure you keep all documentation for any claims later on. Some policies ask you to call back (reverse charges) to a centre in your home country, where an immediate assessment of your problem is made.

Worldwide travel insurance is available at www.lonelyplanet.com/travelinsurance. You can buy, extend and claim online any time – even if you’re already on the road.

Internet Access

Wi-fi access is widespread in Portugal. If you have your own laptop, most hotels, hostels and midrange guesthouses offer free wireless access. Many cafes and some restaurants also offer free wi-fi. Cybercafes are now rare.

We use the icon @ to indicate places that have a physical computer where guests can access the internet; the wi-fi icon indicates where wireless access is available.

Another option is using a biblioteca municipal (municipal library).

Legal Matters

A Fines for illegal parking are common. If you’re parked illegally you’ll be towed and will have to pay around €100 to get your car back. Be aware of local road rules, as fines for other transgressions will also be enforced.

A It’s illegal in Portugal to drive while talking on a mobile phone.

A Narcotic drugs were decriminalised in 2001 in an attempt to clear up the public-health problems among drug users and to address the issue as a social rather than a criminal one. You may be brought before a commission and subject to fines or treatment if you are caught with up to 10 doses of a drug.

A Drug dealing is still a serious offence and suspects may be held for up to 18 months before coming to trial. Bail is at the court’s discretion.

LGBT+ Travellers

In 2010 Portugal legalised gay marriage, becoming the sixth European country to do so. Most Portuguese profess a laissez-faire attitude about same-sex couples, although how out you can be depends on where you are in Portugal. In Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve, acceptance has increased, whereas in most other areas, same-sex couples would be met with incomprehension. In this conservative Catholic country, homosexuality is still outside the norm. And while homophobic violence is extremely rare, discrimination has been reported in schools and workplaces.

Lisbon has the country’s best gay and lesbian network and nightlife. Lisbon and Porto hold Gay Pride marches, but outside these events the gay community keeps a discreet profile.

Maps

National and natural park offices usually have simple park maps, though these are of little use for trekking or cycling. The following offer a good range of maps:

East View Geospatial (www.geospatial.com) US company that sells excellent maps, including 1:25,000 topographic maps.

Stanfords (www.stanfords.co.uk) Good selection of Portugal maps and travel products in the UK.

Money

ATMs

ATMs are the best way to get cash in Portugal, and they are easy to find in most cities and towns. Tiny rural villages probably won’t have ATMs, so it’s wise to get cash in advance. Most banks have a Multibanco ATM, with menus in English (and other languages), that accepts Visa, Access, MasterCard, Cirrus and so on. You just need your card and PIN. Keep in mind that the ATM limit is €200 per withdrawal, and many banks charge a foreign transaction fee (typically around 2% to 3%).

Changing Money

Note that banks and bureaux de change are free to set their own rates and commissions, so a low commission might mean a skewed exchange rate.

Credit Cards

Most hotels and smarter restaurants accept credit cards; smaller guesthouses, budget hotels and smaller restaurants might not, so it’s wise to have cash with you.

Taxes & Refunds

Prices in Portugal almost always include 23% VAT (some basic foodstuffs and services carry reduced rates of 6% and 13%, respectively). Non-EU passport holders can claim back the VAT on goods from participating retailers – be sure to ask for the tax-back forms and get them stamped by customs. Refunds are processed at the airport or via post.

Opening Hours

Opening hours vary throughout the year. We provide high-season opening hours; hours will generally decrease in the shoulder and low seasons.

Banks 8.30am–3pm Monday to Friday

Bars 7pm–2am

Cafes 9am–7pm

Clubs 11pm–4am Thursday to Saturday

Restaurants noon–3pm and 7–10pm

Shopping malls 10am–10pm

Shops 9.30am–noon and 2–7pm Monday to Friday, 10am–1pm Saturday

Post

Post offices are called CTT (www.ctt.pt). Correio normal (ordinary mail) goes in the red letterboxes, correio azul (airmail) goes in the blue boxes. Automated red postal stands dispense stamps, saving you the hassle of waiting in line at the post office. Post to Europe takes up to five working days, and up to seven for the rest of the world. Economy mail (or surface airlift) is about a third cheaper but takes a week or so longer.

Public Holidays

Banks, offices, department stores and some shops close on the public holidays listed here. On New Year’s Day, Easter Sunday, Labour Day and Christmas Day, even turismos close.

New Year’s Day 1 January

Carnaval Tuesday February/March – the day before Ash Wednesday

Good Friday March/April

Liberty Day 25 April

Labour Day 1 May

Corpus Christi May/June – ninth Thursday after Easter

Portugal Day 10 June – also known as Camões and Communities Day

Feast of the Assumption 15 August

Republic Day 5 October

All Saints’ Day 1 November

Independence Day 1 December

Feast of the Immaculate Conception 8 December

Christmas Day 25 December

Safe Travel

A Compared with other European countries, Portugal’s crime rate remains low, but some types of crime – including car theft – are on the rise. Crime against foreigners is of the usual rush-hour-pickpocketing, bag-snatching and theft-from-rental-cars variety. Take the usual precautions: don’t flash your cash; keep valuables in a safe place; and, if you’re challenged, hand it over – it’s not worth taking the risk.

A Take care in the water; the surf can be strong, with dangerous ocean currents.

GOVERNMENT TRAVEL ADVICE

The following government websites offer travel advisories and information on current hotspots:

Australian Department of Foreign Affairs (www.smarttraveller.gov.au)

British Foreign Office (www.gov.uk/foreign-traveladvice)

Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs (www.travel.gc.ca)

US State Department (http://travel.state.gov)

Telephone

To call Portugal from abroad, dial the international access code (00), then Portugal’s country code (351), then the number. All domestic numbers have nine digits, and there are no area codes. Most public phones accept phonecards only – available at most newsstands – though a few coin-operated phones are still around. You can also make calls from booths in Portugal Telecom offices and some post offices – pay when your call is finished.

Long-distance and international calls are cheaper from 9pm to 9am weekdays, all weekend and on holidays.

Mobile Phones

Portugal uses the GSM 900/1800 frequency, the same as found in Australia, the UK and the rest of the EU. Mobile-phone usage is widespread in Portugal, with extensive coverage provided in all but the most rural areas. The main domestic operators are Vodafone, Optimus and TMN. All of them sell prepaid SIM cards that you can insert into a GSM mobile phone and use as long as the phone is not locked by the company providing you service. If you need a phone, you can buy one at the airport or at shops throughout the country with a package of minutes for under €20. This is generally cheaper than renting a phone.

Time

Portugal, like Britain, is on GMT/UTC in winter and GMT/UTC plus one hour in summer. This puts it an hour earlier than Spain year-round. Clocks are set forward by an hour on the last Sunday in March and back on the last Sunday in October.

Toilets

A Finding public toilets in major cities such as Lisbon and Porto can be difficult. Most towns and villages that draw tourists have free public toilets.

A The mercado municipal (municipal market) often has free toilets. These are generally fairly clean and adequately maintained.

A In more built-up areas, your best bet is to look for a toilet in a shopping centre or simply duck into a cafe.

Tourist Information

A Turismo de Portugal, the country’s national tourist board, operates a handy website: www.visitportugal.com.

A Locally managed postos de turismo (tourist offices, usually signposted ‘turismo’) are everywhere, offering brochures and varying degrees of help with sights and accommodation.

Visas

Nationals of EU countries don’t need a visa for any length of stay in Portugal. Those from Canada, New Zealand, the USA and (by temporary agreement) Australia can stay for up to 90 days in any six months without a visa. Others, including nationals of South Africa, need a visa unless they’re the spouse or child of an EU citizen.

The general requirements for entry into Portugal also apply to citizens of other signatories of the 1990 Schengen Convention (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Sweden). A visa issued by one Schengen country is generally valid for travel in all the others, but unless you’re a citizen of the UK, Ireland or a Schengen country, you should check visa regulations with the consulate of each Schengen country you plan to visit. You must apply for any Schengen visa while you are still in your country of residence.

Volunteering

Online resources such as Global Volunteers (www.globalvolunteers.org/portugal), Go Abroad (www.goabroad.com) and Transitions Abroad (www.transitionsabroad.com) list opportunities for volunteers in Portugal – including teaching English and helping out on social projects.

World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF; www.wwoof.pt) sometimes has opportunities in Portugal. In exchange for your volunteer help, you’ll receive food and lodging, and learn about organic farming as well.

Women Travellers

A Women travelling alone in Portugal report few serious problems. Women should take the same precautions they’d take when travelling anywhere – be cautious where you walk after dark and don’t hitch.

A If you’re travelling with a male partner, people will expect him to do all the talking and ordering, and pay the bill. In some conservative pockets of the north, unmarried couples will save hassle by saying they’re married.

A If you’re a victim of violence or rape while you’re in Portugal, you can contact the Associação Portuguesa de Apoio à Vítima (APAV, Portuguese Association for Victim Support; map; %213 587 900; www.apav.pt; Rua José Estêvão 135), which offers assistance for rape victims. Visit the website for office locations nationwide.

Work

The most likely kind of work you will be able to find is teaching English, if you have Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certification. If you’re in the UK, contact the British Council, or get in touch with language schools in the area where you want to teach.

Bar work is a possibility in the Algarve, particularly in Lagos; ask around. You can also try looking in the local English press for job ads.