|
Portugal
Currency 
- Escudo
The unit of currency in Portugal is the escudo (PTE).
Portuguese coins in circulation are 200$00, 100$00, 50$00, 20$00, 10$00, 5$00, 1$00.
Portuguese bank notes have face values of 10.000$00, 5.000$00, 2.000$00, 1.000$00 and 500$00.
1 Euro = 200.482 PTE
- Banks
Banks are open to the public from 8.30 a.m. to 3 p.m. over the five working days.
There are some counters in Lisbon and turistics resorts, more important than others, which close at 6 p.m.
All banks are closed on weekends and public holidays.
- Automatic cash machines (ATMs)
 There is a national network of
automatic cash machines identified by MB (MULTIBANCO), from which cash
can be dispensed 24 hours a day.
The maximum amount that can be drawn per day with an MB card is 40.000$00.
In several stores, restaurants and other public services, the MB card can be used for the payment.
- Exchange
Currency is exchanged at banks and at exchange offices and automatic machines (available only for
sale of currency operations).
Web currency conversors
- Credit cards
In Portugal the most widely accepted credit cards are: VISA; MASTERCARD; AMERICAN EXPRESS; EC-EUROCHEQUE;
EUROCARD; BANKSYS (Belgium); DINERS CLUB; 4B (Spain); CLAU (Andorra).
Services
- Embassies
Foreign Missions and Embassies in Portugal:
http://www.min-nestrangeiros.pt/mne/portugal/corpodippt.html
- Emergencies
In the event of an emergency, you should dial 112 at any time of the day or night,
and wherever you are in Portugal.
- Post Offices (Estações de correio)
 Post Offices are open from Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Central Post Offices and those at airports are open on Saturdays.
Stamps (selos) are sold at Post Offices, street kiosks and at all locations marked with a
red horse, or a white circle on a green background.
- Telephones
Phone booths (cabina telefónica)
Symbol: Portugal Telecom
Payment: Coins, specific cards - Credifone or Telecom Card and some compatible credit and debit cards.
Credifone and Telecom Card are on sale at Telecom Portugal shops, at Post Offices and at some kiosks and
tobacco/newspaper stores.
National information service (phone numbers and addresses) : dial 118.
The codes for other countries and for the national telephone network are displayed in the booths.
To telephone from Portugal to an overseas country, dial 00, the code for the country and the city,
followed by the desired number (click here for
a list of international codes).
Daily
- Time
Portugal and Madeira time are Greenwich Mean (GMT) time except for Azores which is two hours
behind Portugal.
- Meals
Generally speaking restaurants are open for lunch from 12 noon to 3 p.m. and for dinner from 7 p.m.
to 10 p.m. There are also a large number of restaurants with longer opening hours.
Tips are not "compulsory" in Portugal. However, if you want to thank for the service you can
tip from 5% to 10%.
- Shopping time
The normal opening hours for shops are from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. (working days).
Shops close at 1 p.m. on Saturdays. There are also a large number of shopping centres that are open for longer
periods, generally from 10 a.m. to midnight.
- Electrical power
Voltage: 220 / 380 volts at a frequency of 50 Hertz.
All sockets follow European standards.
To use American type plugs, a 220 volt transformer should be applied together with an adapter plug.
- Climate
Portugal's latitudinal position and its ocean-facing western aspect largely explain the general characteristics
of its temperate climate.
Exposure to passing disturbances caused by the polar front, more frequent in autumn and winter, and the dominant
influence of the Azores anti-cyclone during the summer determine the pattern of rainfall and link the rainy period
to lower temperatures whilst the summer is particularly hot and dry. In winter, the anti-cyclonic influence from
the continent can favor the occurrence of clear bright days and relatively cold nights, which lead to frost
frequently forming over a large part of the interior. In contrast, in the summer the steady heating up of the
peninsula's interior contributes to the formation of depressions that can cause thunderstorms accompanied at times
by torrential rain.
Despite the small difference in latitude (37°N to 42°N) and the narrow width of the country, the moderating effect
of the ocean together with the altitude and relief of the land create considerable differences between the north
and south and between the coast and inland.
An example of these differences is provided by the average temperatures in January and July:
| | January | July |
|---|
| Porto | 8,8°C | 19,6°C |
|---|
| Lisboa | 10,6°C | 21,3°C |
|---|
| Faro | 11,6°C | 24,0°C |
|---|
However, sometimes temperatures can be very low (near 0°C) or very high (35°C).
In Coimbra temperatures can observe big variations.
Weather Forecast
- Public holidays - Year 2000
| Holy Mary Mother of God | January 1st |
| Shrove Tuesday (Carnival) | March 7th |
| Good Friday | April 21st |
| Easter | April 23rd |
| Freedom Day | April 25th |
| Labour Day | May 1st |
| Portugal Day | June 10th |
| Corpus Christi | June 22nd |
| The Assumption of Our Lady | August 15th |
| Founding of the Republic | October 5th |
| All Saints | November 1st |
| Restoration of Independence | December 1st |
| Immaculate Conception | December 8th |
| Christmas | December 25th |
Travelling
- Airlines
The Portuguese air transport companies are:
TAP - Air Portugal: regular flights to more than 50 cities in Europe, Africa,
Middle East, Macao and the Americas and domestic flights between Lisboa, Porto, Faro
and the Autonomous Regions of Madeira and the Azores, as well as the Islands of Madeira
and Porto Santo.
- Bookings: 351 808 205 700 ; 21 841 69 90 - Fax: 21 841 65 40
- Lisbon Airport: 21 841 54 19 - 21 841 54 23
- For further information and bookings on-line: www.tap.pt
PORTUGÁLIA (Companhia Portuguesa de Transportes Aéreos, S.A.)
Aeroporto de Lisboa: Regular domestic flights between Lisboa, Porto and Faro and
international flights to Madrid, Brussels, Hannover, Cologne-Bonn, Stuttgart,
Mulhouse-Basle and Turin.
- Phone: 21 847 13 06 - 21 847 22 59 - Fax: 21 847 05 73
- For bookings please contact:: Phone.: 21 840 58 49 /59 - Fax: 21 840 13 07
- For further information: www.pga.pt
Airports:
- Lisboa, Aeroporto da Portela de Sacavém
- Phone: +351 21 841 37 00
- Porto, Aeroporto Francisco Sá Carneiro
- Phone: +351 22 941 31 41
- Faro, Aeroporto Internacional de Faro
- Phone: +351 289 800 801
- Ponta Delgada, Aeroporto João Paulo II
- Phone: +351 296 629 385
- Funchal, Aeroporto de Santa Catarina
- Phone: +351 291 524 941
A connection between the airport and the center of the city centre is assured in:
- Lisboa
- "Aero-bus" - transfer service between Cais do Sodré and the airport and vice-versa
every 20 minutes and every day between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m.
However, since the airport is very close to the center of the city travelling by taxi
is not expensive. You just should make sure that the taxi driver has the counter on.
- Porto
- Bus number 56 provides connections between the airport and the city center.
For further information please contact Carris (Lisboa): 21 363 20 44,
or the STCP (Porto): 22 56 81 14.
- In the city
All main locations have a complete collective transport network. Lisboa has an extensive underground network
that connects the main areas of the city.
In the cities of Lisboa and Porto, tourist passes (passe turístico) and 1 and 3 day tickets are on sale at
Carris information kiosks (in Lisboa) or STCP kiosks (in Porto), open every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Fares vary according to the means of transport and whether you are leaving the urban area or not.
Lisbon
- In Lisboa, the buses (autocarros) generally run between 6 a.m. and 9/11 p.m, with some exceptions.
For further information www.carris.pt.
The subway (metro) starts operating at 6.30 a.m. and closes at 1.30 a.m.
To further information please contact Metropolitano de Lisboa - Phone 21 355 84 57 or
www.metrolisboa.pt (where a complete
network diagram may be seen).
Just a note to mention that most of the subway stations are worth seeing,
since they were decorated by well-known Portuguese artists.
Porto
- In Porto, the buses start at about 5 a.m. until 2 a.m., with some of them running all night.
For further information: www.stcp.pt.
For users on wheelchairs there is a door-to-door service operated by a mini-bus which has to be booked at
least 2 days in advance, and to which regular transport fares apply:
- Lisboa (Carris): every day from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. including Sundays and national holidays.
(tel: 21 758 56 76)
- Porto (STCP): every day from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. including Sundays and national holidays.
(tel: 22 606 71 18).
- Coimbra (SMTUC): Monday to Friday.
(tel: 239 44 14 41 / 44 19 60 / 1 / 2 / 3).
- Taxi
There are taxis available 24 hours a day. There are many in the major cities and they are not very expensive.
Generally they are painted in cream-color or a few in green and black. They have a light signal on the top.
When this sign is on and you can read the word taxi it means that it is free.
The price to be paid within the city perimeter (Lisboa, Porto, Coimbra, Setúbal, Almada, Gondomar, Braga,
Cascais, Amadora, Oeiras) is shown on the fare meter at the end of the journey.
From 22h00 to 6h00 the tariff is more 20%.
In all other areas the tariffs are based on the distance covered in kilometers, with VAT included.
An additional rate of Esc. 150$00 is covered for taxi called over the phone (Radio Taxis).
Some phone numbers to call a taxi:
- Lisboa - Phone: 21 811 90 00 / 21 793 27 56
- Porto - Phone.: 22 507 39 00 / 22 550 77 27
- Coimbra - Phone. 239 48 40 45
In Lisbon it is easier to stop a taxi in the street or to look for a taxi stop (praça de táxis),
especially in the center and main areas of the city.
- Intercity buses
Regular coach services connect all cities, towns and main locations in Portugal and also assure connections
with trains in nearly all railway stations.
High quality Express Services (Expresso) cover the main routes, specifically Lisboa-Algarve,
Lisboa-Coimbra, Lisboa-Évora, Lisboa-Porto, Porto-Viana do Castelo, etc.
Tickets can be purchased at travel agencies or directly at the coach stations.
For further information please contact the Rede Nacional de Expressos - Phone: 21 354 54 39 / 354 57 75 / 354 58 63,
or www.rede-expressos.pt.
- Trains
Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses - CP provides its customers with a network of express trains serving the
whole of the Portuguese mainland.
There are direct trains connecting Lisbon, Coimbra and Porto (combóios Alfa Pendular) and inter-regional
(Intercidades and Inter-Regionais) and regional (Regionais) trains.
There are 1st class and 2nd class (primeira classe e segunda classe) tickets in all trains except
suburban trains. You can also choose the option smokers (fumadores) or non-smokers (não fumadores).
For connections between Lisboa and Porto you can use the top of the line trains, called "Alfa Pendular", which also serve the cities of Coimbra and Aveiro according to the timetable.
Connecting the main areas of the national rail network, the "Intercidades" (Intercity) train offers links between
Lisboa/Porto/Braga, Lisboa/Guarda, Lisboa/Covilhã, Lisboa/Alentejo and Lisboa/Algarve.
The rail lines that connect to Coimbra are: Lisboa-Entroncamento-Guarda and Lisboa/Pragal-Porto/Campanhã-Braga.
The trains stop at Coimbra-B station, where you can get a connection to the more central station Coimbra-A. Since
it is a small distance you can also get the taxi-stop in Coimbra-B.
In Lisbon, the most comfortable train station is Estação do Oriente (one stop before Santa Apolónia or Pragal).
From Oriente you can get the underground to any part of the city. Santa Apolónia is closer to downtown. Then it’s
better to get a taxi to downtown.
Timetables are available at the information kiosks at the train stations or at tourists agencies. You can also
find them on the webpage.
Alfa/Pendular and Intercidades timetables:
http://www.cp.pt/horarios/alfa_ic/p_horarios.html.
Slower trains stoping in more places are Inter-Regional (main regional stations) and Regional (all stations).
International trains leave from Lisboa and Porto to Spain and France and then on throughout Europe, with the
Sud-Express and the Lusitânia (hotel-train).
- Cars
Renting
At airports, international railway terminals, and important locations there are rent-a-car services. For drivers
disabilities, adapted or vehicles with automatic gears are available.
To rent a vehicle you must be over 21 years old, present some identification (identity card for EU citizens or
valid passport for others) and a driver's licence held for more than one year.
The green card is obligatory and ensurance is advisable.
For further information contact:
Associação dos Industriais de Aluguer de Automóveis Sem Condutor - ARAC(Car Rental Association)
Phone.: 21 356 38 36 / 7 - Fax: 21 356 37 37.
For further information relating to transports for the disabled, please contact:
Turintegra - Turismo Integrado, CRL
Phone - Fax: 21 859 53 32.
How to drive
All vehicules run on the right side of the roads. Safety belt is compulsory. The law is very rigid concerning
driving under the effect of alcool. The maximum speed inside cities is 50 km/h, outside cities and in the highways
is 90 and 120 Km/h. Gas stations are open from 7h00 to 20h00. In the highways gas stations are open 24 hours.
Some usefull links
- Portugal in Lonely Planet
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/dest/eur/por.htm#gta
- The site of the portuguese presidency of the European Union. Includes useful information about Portugal
http://www.portugal.ue-2000.pt/
- The page of the official organization for the promotion of the Portuguese Investment, Trade and Tourism (ICEP)
http://www.portugal.org/indexhtml/index2.html
- Touristic information about Portugal, per region (only in Portuguese)
http://www.turismo-portugal.com/
- Touristic information (accomodation, recreation, restaurants, shop, and so on)
http://www.portugalvirtual.pt/indexp.html
- Newspapers, TV stations, radio stations, webcams, and so on
http://www.portugal-live.com/P/index.html
- About Coimbra
http://travel.roughguides.com/content/2509/
- Useful information about the centre region of Portugal (only in Portuguese)
http://www.regiaocentro.net/lugares/coimbra/index.html
|
