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DISCOVER PORTUGAL
An independent kingdom since 1143, Portugal
established its continental frontiers in 1297 and is one of the
oldest nations in Europe.Situated on the west side of the Iberian
Peninsula, its geographic location along the Atlantic coast soon
determined its vocation to the sea.In 1415, the Portuguese set sail
on an epic voyage that would make them the first to discover the
ocean routes to India, Brazil, China and Japan, and at the same time
founded settlements on the east and west coasts of Africa.Traces of
this worldwide historic presence may be seen as trademarks of the
Portuguese genius. The Portuguese language became one of the most
widely spoken in the world, and the Portuguese people were
privileged for being exposed to so many different civilizations. The
vast monumental, artistic and archaeological heritage does witness
not only the 850 years of history of encounters with distant
cultures, but also the presence in the territory of more ancient
peoples (Celts, Suevians, Visigoths, Romans and Arabs).The natural
advantages of a sunny country with such diverse geographic features
have turned Portugal into a chosen destination for many
holidaymakers, an ideal place for practicing water sports and
playing golf, offering modern tourism facilities, and quaint and
personalized means of accommodation, such as ‘turismo de
habitação’ (privately owned homes ranging from wonderful
farmhouses to manor houses), ‘hotéis de charme’ or ‘pousadas’.A
member-country of the European Union since 1986, Portugal currently
enjoys a steady economic growth. For centuries Portugal has kept the
greatest treasure of a renowned reputation for hospitality that
makes the country a haven of congeniality and safety.
Travel Info: For those visiting or planning a holiday in
Portugal, here is some general information that may be useful.
Further help is available from Icep Portugal offices or at tourist
information posts within Portugal.
Entry requirements: A valid passport is the only requirement
for US citizens. All other nationalities, please contact the nearest
Portuguese Consulate in order to obtain any requirements
information. (see list at bottom of page)
Going to Portugal:International
airports are: Lisboa, Porto, Faro, Funchal (Madeira), Ponta Delgada
(São Miguel, Açores), and Lajes (Ilha Terceira, Açores). The
national airline is TAP-Air Portugal. The regional air company, SATA,
flies connections to the Açores Islands. There are also air links
between Funchal (Madeira) and Porto Santo. Portugalia (www.pga.pt)
and Air Luxor also operate schedule flights to and from Portugal in
Europe. Every day, international trains run between Paris and Lisbon
(Sud Express); Lisbon-Madrid train Lusitânia, and Porto-Vigo
Customs: Residents or
non-residentswho leave or enter Portugal
territory are free to take with them national and foreign currency
in coins and notes, travelers cheques and other securities intended
to pay for the travel expenses, but are obligated to inform the
customs authorities if the values involved exceed 12,000 Euros
(approximately US$13,000.00).Travelers over 17 years old, may bring
in the following items, duty free: 2 bottles of table wine, 1 bottle
of hard liquor, 200 cigarettes or 250 grams of tobacco, 1.75 ounces
of perfume and small quantities of tea or coffee for personal use.
Bringing fresh meat into Portugal is forbidden. For further
information, contact the Embassy services or the Portuguese
Consulates.
Time: Continental Portugal and Madeira Island are on the
Greenwich time - five hours ahead of Eastern Time & eight ahead
of Pacific Time. The Azores Islands are 1 hour behind the Portuguese
mainland. Daylight savings time begins the last Sunday in March
(clocks are turned one hour ahead) and ends the last Sunday in
October (clocks go back one hour).
Climate: Mild year round. Summers are
dry and clear, with warm sunshine extending long into Autumn.
Winters are moderately cool and are the rainiest time of year,
except in subtropical Madeira, where there is little rain.
Mid-Summer temperatures range in the 70 F, while Winter temperatures
range from the low to mid-50s.
Getting around: Urban public transport
In the main towns there is a complete public transport network. In
Lisboa there are buses, the underground, and trams. One may also use
public elevators (lifts). Tourism Information Centers at Carris (Lisboa)
and STCP (Porto) sell tourist tickets every business day from 8 am
to 8 pm.Taxis are painted mostly cream with a roof-light to identify
them. However, there are still some taxis which keep the old colours,
green and black. In towns they use taximeters, but once outside
urban boundaries the service is charged by the kilometre, and
includes the price of the driver’s return trip to his starting
point. From 10 pm to 6 am the rate increases by 20%. It is normal to
give a tip of 10% on top of the fare. Luggage is charged according
to a fixed rate. All taxis have an updated chart in two
languages.Express trains run between Lisbon and Porto stopping in
Coimbra (Alfa trains), while regional trains (Intercidades and
Inter-regional) connect the different parts of Portugal. These
trains have first and second class carriages, except for local and
suburban trains, where there is only one class. Special tickets -
including tourist tickets valid for 7, 14 or 21 days, may be bought,
while there are special return ticket discounts on “blue days”
for trips exceeding 100 km.
Business hours: Banks open from 8:30 am
to 3 pm from Monday to Friday; closed on bank holidays. Shops open
rom 9 am to 1 pm and from 3 pm to 7 pm (working days). On Saturdays,
most shops close at 1 pm. In the shopping malls located in larger
towns, shops are normally open on 7 days a week and holidays from 10
am to 11 pm.Museums open from 10 am to 12:30 am and from 2 pm to 5
pm. Closed on Mondays. Some palaces also close on Wednesdays.
Pharmacies open from 9 am to 1 pm and from 3 pm to 7 pm, Monday to
Friday, and Saturday mornings. There are also 24 hour pharmacies
which operate according to an official chart displayed on Pharmacy
windows. |
