For those visiting or planning a vacation in Portugal, here is some general travel information that may be useful.
Culture, Nature and plenty of entertainment
Portugal invites you to enjoy the region’s sunny climate, whether exploring the wilderness of Guincho beach and the lush green retreats of Sintra and Mafra, or experiencing the relaxing cosmopolitan atmosphere of Cascais and Casino Estoril’s exciting nocturnal entertainment. The Condes de Castro Guimarães Museum, the Sea Museum and the permanent expositions of Cascais Cultural Centre are worth a visit. Set between the Atlantic Ocean and including the Sintra hills is the verdant landscape of the Sintra-Cascais Nature Park, a must for nature lovers. Also not to be missed is Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of continental Europe.
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.
Beaches
The region boasts a wide variety of beaches that have been awarded the prestigious blue flag by the European Union for the quality of their sea water, infrastructure and back-up services.
The Estoril Coast has delightful beaches, many of them in coves overlooked by elegant villas and palaces, very much like the Côte d’Azur, with walkways by the sea, esplanades and a wide range of lively, cosmopolitan bars.
The coast to the north of Cabo da Roca has dramatic cliffs interspersed with rocky beaches. The water has a high iodine content and the natural environment is still absolutely unspoiled. Some of the smaller beaches are somewhat inaccessible and therefore almost empty.
The beaches at Oeiras, Sintra and Mafra are also well worth visiting.
Where to Eat
There is a vast choice of restaurants, some up-market and sophisticated and others simple and basic. Prices vary enormously.
Electricity
220 Volts, AC. 50 Hz.
Money and Credit Cards
Almost all the Portuguese banks and many major European ones have branches in Cascais and Estoril. Currency exchange, withdrawals and bank transfers are easily done. All international credit cards are valid and widely accepted throughout Portugal.
Exhibitions
Exhibitions of painting, sculpture, tapestry, photography, etc. are held in the area’s numerous private galleries as well as at the Estoril Casino, the Cascais Cultural Centre and at local town council galleries.
Opening Hours:
Banks: Monday – Friday from 8.30 – 15h.
Shops: Monday – Friday from 9 – 13h and 15 – 19h. Many shops close on Saturdays at 13h.
Major supermarkets and shopping centres are open every day from 10.00 – 23h.
Pharmacies: Monday – Friday from 9 – 13h and 15 – 19h. Saturdays from 9 - 13h. There is an out of hours rota with two pharmacies in each area open. Ask your hotel reception for details or consult the rota on display at any pharmacy.
Public Services and Utilities: Monday – Friday from 9.30 – 12h and from 14 – 17.30h.
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.
