With its mild climate, 3.000 hours of sunshine per year and 850 km of splendid beaches bathed by the Atlantic Ocean, Portugal is the perfect destination all year round.
Portugal has the oldest borders in Europe, with an exceptional range of different landscapes just a short distance away, lots of leisure activities and a unique cultural heritage, where tradition and modernity blend together in perfect harmony.
Its superb cuisine, fine wines and hospitable people make this a tourist paradise of the highest quality.
Situated in the extreme south-west of Europe and including the Madeira and Azores archipelagos in the Atlantic Ocean, just a few hours from any of the other European capitals, Portugal attracts visitors from all over the world.
Mainland Portugal occupies an area of 88,889 km2. It is 218 km wide and 561 km long. It has 832 km of the Atlantic coast and a 1,215 km border with Spain.
The climate in Portugal varies considerably from one region to another and is influenced by the latitude and proximity to the sea, which offers mild winters, especially in the Algarve. There are often warm, sunny days in autumn.
The delights of Portuguese cuisine have been influenced over the years by Europe, North Africa and the East where, in the XVI century, the Portuguese brought back a great variety of spices.
There are restaurants of all categories and for all tastes, from the most luxurious to the simple tavern where visitors will be surprised to find how low the prices can be.
Local specialities are fish and shellfish, all well worth trying. Among dishes which should be mentioned are – fish stew, grilled robalo, sole, dried codfish, shellfish rice, grilled lobster, stuffed crab, etc. Portuguese people usually have a continental breakfast, lunch from 12.00-14.00 and dinner from 19.30 onwards.
Portugal has an enormous choice of excellent wines. As an aperitif try chilled white Port, with fish try a "green" wine (vinho verde) from the Minho or white wine from the centre and south of the country, with meat a mature red wine from the Douro or a demarcated region such as Dão or Alto Alentejo. Desserts should be accompanied by a sweet Port or Moscatel from Setúbal. A Portuguese brandy is a perfect complement to your coffee. Local wines from this area include Colares (near the Sintra hills) and Bucelas while for an aperitif or sweet wine ask for the rare and much appreciated Carcavelos.
The unit of currency is the Euro (€). Major credit cards are accepted in most hotels, shops and restaurants. Travellers’ cheques and currency can be changed at exchange bureaus or hotel reception. Automatic changing and cash dispensing machines linked to international networks are also widely available.
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 used together with an adapter plug.
For Police and Ambulance emergencies dial 112.
With the exception of vaccination certificates for persons coming from areas where yellow fever is endemic, at the present there are no special health requirements.
Portuguese is Latin in origin and the third most widely spoken European language in the world. It is the mother tongue of about 200 million people
The Portuguese law, in accordance with Regulations in force in the majority of European Countries and the USA, does not allow smoking in any public transportation or in any closed public areas. (Some restaurants, bars and clubs can designate a percentage of their space for smokers if they are larger than 100 square meters). Non-compliance with this ban can lead to prosecution and a fine.
Tipping is optional, but adding 10% to the amount is a regular practice in taxis, restaurants and bars.
BY AIR
Lisbon International Airport is located only 7kms from the city centre and 13kms from the Congress Venue. Served by the main international airlines and just 3 hours away from the main European capitals, it is very easy to reach. Lisbon Airport is now connected with direct flights to a lot of European cities.
BY RAIL
Scores of national and international trains arrive in Lisbon every day. In addition to Santa Polónia terminal station, the city now has the Gare do Oriente, which opened in 1998 adjacent to the Parque das Nações. Both stations have direct bus or underground connections to the city centre.
BY SEA
The Port of Lisbon is the busiest port on the European Atlantic coast. It has three terminals for cruise ships: the Alcântara, Rocha de Conde d’óbidos and the Santa Apolónia terminals. Lisbon is often a port of call for many cruise ships (coming from many different places). Furthermore, the city also has marinas for pleasure boats in the docks of Belém, Santo Amaro, and Bom Sucesso. Alcântara and, most recently, the Olivais Docks.
BY ROAD
Arriving in Lisbon by road is a pleasant experience, as the visitor can enjoy the beautiful countryside along the way. The city has good road access, and the most frequently used routes are the A1 motorway, the 25th April Bridge, the new Vasco da Gama Bridge, and the CREL, the outer ring road for the Lisbon region.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
BUS - Carris has exclusive rights as the mass public transport operator in Lisbon.
AEROBUS - Linking the Airport to downtown Lisbon and Cais do Sodré (every 20 minutes from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.).
Underground - The Lisbon city underground has four major routes: Blue Line, Yellow Line, Red Line and Green Line.
TAXIS/UBER - Available all around.
