About Portugal
The Capital City of Portugal is Lisbon which has a current population of 750,000
Total Country Population: 10.5 million
People: Approximately 99% Portuguese and 1% African
Religion: 96% Roman Catholic, 3% Protestant, 1% others
Health: Precautions need to be taken regarding Sunburn.
In the Southy and West, the desert or at high altitude you can get sunburned very quickly and in some case this can be serious, even when its cloudy. The southern reaches of the continent suffer from strong ultraviolet, so extra care should be taken. Use a strong sunscreen, wear a hat to protect your head and strong block-cream for your nose and lips. Calamine lotion is recommended for mild but not all sunburn.
The best time to visit Portugal is during the Peak tourist season, which is from mid-June to mid-September, except in the Algarve where it seems Summer can last thru until mid-winter. Easter is also a pleasant time to visit, when holidays are celebrated all over the country.
Currency
Portugal is one of 12 European Union countries whose official currency is now the euro.
1 euro is divided into 100 cents. The coins are in the following denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents, and 1 and 2 euros.
The notes are differentiated by their size and colour and come in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euros.
One side of each coin has a common design (the European side), and the other side has a national symbol. All euro coins can be used in any euro-zone country, irrespective of which national symbols they display.
Currency Exchange
You can exchange money at banks, which are open from 8.30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Daily Mon-Sat, at bureaux de change; and at automatic currency exchange machines.
Credit cards
In Portugal, the most commonly used credit cards are: Visa, American Express, Diners Club, Europay / MasterCard, JCB and Maestro. These are accepted in most hotels, shops and restuarants.
Getting around
Travelling by Air: Portugal’s excellent geographical position makes it a stopover point for journeys made to other airports around the country:
Lisbon - Portela Airport. Oporto - Dr. Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport, Faro - Faro Airport, Madeira - Funchal Airport, Ponta Delgada, Azores - João Paulo II Airport
There are several Portuguese airlines who offer regular domestic and international flights.
TAP - Air Portugal (www.tap.pt) is the country’s "flagship" airline and has scheduled flights to more than 50 international destinations and domestic flights between Lisbon, Oporto, Faro, Madeira and the Azores, and also between Madeira and Porto Santo.
PORTUGÁLIA (www.pga.pt) - has regular domestic flights and various flights to foreign destinations.
SATA (www.sata.pt) has regular flights between all the islands of the Azores and from the Azores to Madeira and mainland Portugal. SATA also offers regular flights to a some international destinations.
ATA - Aerocondor Transportes Aéreos (www.aerocondor.com) operates regular domestic flights and international charters.
Hi Fly (www.hifly.aero) is a charter airline but flies both domestic and international routes.
Travelling by train around Portugal is an ideal and comfortable way to see the countryside and also the interior.
CP - Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses (www.cp.pt), the Portuguese railway company, offers a vast rail network covering the whole of mainland Portugal with international train services to Vigo, Madrid and Paris. Some options are listed here:
The "Alfa Pendular" trains offer the fastest and most comfortable rail link between Lisbon and the Algarve and, in the north, Oporto, Braga or Guimarães, with stops in Coimbra and Aveiro.
The "Intercidades" or Intercity service covers the Lisbon-Oporto-Guimarães, Lisbon-Guarda, Lisbon-Covilhã, Lisbon-Alentejo and Lisbon-Algarve routes.
The international Sud-Express train and Lusitânia hotel-train leave from Lisbon.
Portugal offers a network of regional, inter-regional and suburban trains that cover most of the country.
Tourist tickets are the best choice for regular train users. They are private, non-transferable tickets that are valid for an unlimited number of journeys for 7, 14 or 21 consecutive days at any time of year and for any category and class of train.
Travelling by Road
Portugal has a good road network consisting of auto-estradas (AE, motorways), itinerários principais (IP, main trunk roads), itinerários complementares (IC, complementary trunk roads), estradas nacionais (EN, national roads) and estradas municipais (municipal roads).
Motorways are marked with the internationally recognised sign and motorists using them have to pay tolls. (See prices on www.brisa.pt or www.aeatlantico.pt) Toll gates have Via Verde channels. This is an modern electronic system enabling motorists to debit tolls to their bank account. Only holders of Via Verde identifiers supplied by Brisa can use it.
Car Rental is popular with holidaymakers especially those on self catering holidays in Portugal and who make regular short or local journeys. Car Rental Operators are available at all airports and can be found in most major towns and cities.
Travellling by Coach: There are regular coach services between Portugal’s main towns and cities. For details of routes, timetables and fares visit www.rede-expressos.pt the website of Rede Nacional de Expressos (in Portuguese only).
Using the Underground System: The underground is an important addition to the traditional forms of public transport. In Lisbon and Oporto it operates between 6 a.m. and 1 a.m. The Lisbon underground (www.metrolisboa.pt) is the older of the two and reaches a considerable part of the city. Its network has gradually been extended in recent years. Both the oldest and the most recent stations are decorated with panels of tiles by renowned Portuguese artists, making them true underground art galleries.
In Oporto, the underground (www.metro-porto.pt) is new. There are five lines in operation - blue, red, green, yellow and violet -, and most of their route is above ground.
Taxis:Taxis are usually cream in colour, although some are painted black with a green roof in the traditional Portuguese style. The fare is shown on the taximeter. The prices are affixed inside the car or you can ask the driver about them. If you phone for a taxi you have to pay an extra 0.75 euros. There is a charge of 1.50 euros for luggage, regardless of weight or the number of pieces. Carry cots, pushchairs, wheelchairs and walking aids are carried free of charge. Outside towns, taxis charge by the kilometre and the driver and passenger agree on the fare in advance. Where they exist, the passenger has to pay the road tolls there and back.
Language
Portuguese is the official language although Spanish, German and English are spoken and mostly understood. Hotel and restaurant Menus are often printed in other languages or show alternative descriptions.
Sights
The whole of Portugal offers a magnificent array of sights to visit, including Cathedrals, Monuments, Palaces, Churches, Monasteries and much much more. For further information visit the official Portuguese travel guide and sightseeing website or local office. Alternatively ckick on the following link: http://www.portugal.com/
Weather
High season in Portugal is generally accepted as being from mid-June to mid-September. In the south is where summer temperatures regularly reach 30°C (86°F).
The climate is temperate, and you'll find agreeable weather conditions in most regions of Portugal from April to October and nearly year-round in the Algarve. In the Alto Douro and the Alentejo, the summers can be extremely hot and often there are droughts. November to March is generally the wet season in most areas. The ski season lasts from January through to March, but February is the best for snow and skiing conditions.
Further Information
Portugal - 'The Beaches of Portugal''Portugal - Algarve - The South's Delight'