Area Guide to Portugal
Bordering the west of Spain, Portugal embodies the westernmost coast of Europe and overlooks the Atlantic Ocean. Portugal is heavily influenced by the sea both in climate and in historical background and it is a driving force in the lifestyle and tourist industry of Portugal today.
Portugal offers a rich diversity in landscape, including green mountains and vineyards in the north, dry rock faces and near-desert conditions in the certain central regions, and popular sandy beaches on the southern shores of the Algarve. For years, the southern coast has enjoyed a strong tourist trade, offering idyllic beach and golfing holidays for northern Europeans. Meanwhile the windier and more rugged shores and cliffs of the Atlantic in areas north of Lisbon on the Silver Coast, are now attracting much interest among a new set of visitors looking for more rural retreats away from the tourist hubs of the south.
Rich in cultural identity, Portugal abounds with religious festivals, pilgrimages, carnivals and fairs that are synonymous with life on the Iberian peninsular and southern Europe in general. Visitors are attracted by the laid-back nature of the people and the numerous wining and dining opportunities. Portugal boasts an interesting historical heritage, including much evidence of past Moorish and Oriental eras in its beautiful architecture and culture today. Historical buildings abound in Portugal, particularly in the capital city of Lisbon and Porto, Portugal's second largest city.
Climate & Natural Factors
The land mass of Europe and the long coastal strip of the Atlantic affect the Portuguese climate, with strong Atlantic winds blowing in from the ocean, making summers cooler and winters milder than elsewhere in south western Europe, although summers are still long and warm. On average, Portugal boasts more than 300 days of sunshine per year with maximum temperatures rising to a relatively comfortable 24°C in August.
The British tend to gravitate to the south-west corner of Portugal for the hotter sunshine and sheltered shores of the Algarve while Portuguese inland regions can achieve very high temperatures during summer. Winters are generally mild and pleasant, without the heat many Europeans find oppressive.
Sandy Beaches
Prerequisite to all tourist locations, Portugal boasts some perfect white sandy beaches and the Algarve coast is today a highly popular resort among British package holidaymakers. The more rugged Atlantic shores further north around Lisbon are increasingly popular among the more adventurous set, seeking surfing opportunities or a more rustic holiday option. Here the property market is now picking up to cater for this relatively new trend for more rural property in easily accessible locations.
Golf Courses
Portugal not only offers excellent beach facilities, but investors are also tapping into the golfing holiday market as it offers a longer rental season. With the largest area covered by golf courses in southern Europe, many of which are of championship status, Portugal is a golfers' paradise, offering many opportunities to purchase prime first line golf property within luxury new resort developments.
English Widely Spoken
The language barrier is rarely a problem as most people, particularly in popular areas, will speak some English. Legal, financial and property purchase professionals are all very accustomed to dealing with English speakers and translations are normally readily available. In fact, property purchase in Portugal is a well trodden path for English speakers and the general stability and transparency of the buying process go a long way to increase investor confidence.
Sightseeing
Portugal abounds with interesting sights and historical heritage for visitors to enjoy. Much of Portugal's sightseeing is based upon the stunning natural beauty to be found here, from mountains and vineyards of the north, to dry rocks in southern areas and from stunning beaches to world class golf courses, Portugal appeals to all tastes.
Meanwhile, an interesting historical heritage, including much evidence of past Moorish and Oriental eras, create a delightful mix of architecture and culture for visitors to enjoy today. Historical buildings are plentiful in Portugal, particularly in the capital city of Lisbon and Porto, Portugal's second largest city.
Rich Culture
Rich in cultural identity, Portugal is always celebrating some kind of religious festival, pilgrimage, carnival or fair, a characteristic typical of life on the Iberian peninsular and southern Europe in general. Visitors and those relocating to Portugal are attracted by the laid-back nature of the people and the numerous wining and dining opportunities that are synonymous with the Portuguese lifestyle.
Accessibility
Portugal's popularity as a tourist and property destination has encouraged ease of access via direct two and a half hour charter flights from the UK, including services from BA, EasyJet, Ryanair and TAP Air Portugal.
An excellent EU standard transport infrastructure within the country makes Portugal a hassle-free option for those looking to reach their final destination in Portugal quickly and comfortably.
History of Portugal
Portugal possesses a long history of empires created by its own Vasco da Gama who set to sea in search of a passage to India in the 15th century and was responsible for the making Portugal into a then world colonial power, with territories in Brazil as well as Africa and Asia. To this day, all these countries have been left with gentle reminders of these colonial times, while Portugal's culture has itself been heavily influenced by these colonies, eg. the melancholy Fado music, probably derived from Brazil.
Portugal has also undergone grave losses, including the devastating destruction of it capital city of Lisbon following an earthquake in 1755. Further devastation was experienced when Portugal became occupied during the Napoleonic Wars and with the loss of its colony of Brazil in 1822.
More recently, for most almost half of the twentieth century, Portugal underwent dictatorship under Antonio de Oliveira Salazar who refused to grant independence to Portugal's colonies, resulting in bloody wars in Africa. In 1974, Portugal experienced a coup, known as the Revolution of the Carnations, resulting in the overthrowing of the dictatorship and independence for the colonies by the end of 1975, while the last of the Portuguese colonies, Macau, was handed to Chinese administration in 1999.
Medical, Water and Vaccinations
Vaccinations are not needed when travelling to Portugal, although for frequent travels to Portugal the Hepatitis A vaccine is recommended.
The water is perfectly safe to drink all over Portugal, although bottled water is also widely available.
Travelling to Portugal
Many no-frills airlines now fly to Portugal making it cheap and easy to access. Major airlines currently flying to Portugal are BA, EasyJet, Ryanair and TAP Air Portugal.
Information Required when Travelling to Portugal
Visas
Not required for visits of up to 90 days
Vaccinations
No vaccinations are required
Time Zone
The time is the same as GMT
Electricity
Current is 230 volts/50mhz
Currency
The Euro
Weights and Measures
The metric system
Tel. Dialing Code
00+351 (country code) + area code + number
Portuguese Cuisine
The Portuguese have historically been influenced by many cultures but it is surprising how little known the food is outside Portugal. Portuguese food boasts a wide variety of flavours, including strong influences from Macau and Goa. These were introduced during the age of Vasco de Gama's discovery of a sea route to India at the turn of the 16th century when many exotic curry spices were brought to Portugal. Peri-peri, a Brazilian spice came to the former Portuguese colonies in Africa, and is now used to flavour chicken and sea food.
For such a small country, Portugal offers an enormous range in gastronomic delights. The region around Lisbon is typified by seafood from its famous fish market in Cascais, just outside Lisbon. Meanwhile, the popularity of cheese and sausages elsewhere, adds a further dimension to Portuguese food. Often confused with Spanish food, Portuguese cuisine is markedly different while spices from Brazil and India give it a truly distinctive flavour.
Fish
A staple favourite in Portugal, fish forms an integral part of Portuguese cookery. Anchovies, swordfish, sole, sea bream and salmon are most popular and usually cooked to perfection. Bacalhau, salted cod, is the most famous Portuguese fish dish and forms a base for some 365 recipes, one for each day of the year. The most famous is Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá, essentially a cod casserole with potatoes and onion which is served particularly in Oporto and considered by many to be Portugal's best bacalhau recipe. Bacalhau á bràs, scrambled eggs with salted cod, potatoes and onions is popular around Lisbon.
Shellfish, including clams (amêijoas) and mussels (mexilhões) are also of very popular in Portugal. Crab meat and squid are often stuffed, and lulas recheadas à lisbonense (stuffed squid Lisbon-style) are well known specialities.
Meat
Meat lovers enjoy Espetada, grilled beef skewers with garlic or suckling pig (leitão). Cozido à portuguesa, a one-pot meal containing beef, pork, sausages and vegetables, echoes the Spanish style cocido.
Porco à alentejana (pork Alentejo-style) is an unusual combination of pork and clams, while na cataplana mixes pork with mussels, with the wok-like cataplana pan sealing in all the flavours.
Tripa à moda do Porto is a highly popular tripe dish eaten in and around the city of Oporto and people from Oporto are even nick-named tripeiros, or tripe-eaters.
Broiled chicken (frango grelhado), seasoned with peri-peri, garlic and olive oil, is well known outside Portugal for its aromatic flavours. Peri-Peri chicken is commonly served in specialist restaurants all around the world where there is a large Portuguese community.
Soup
Soup forms an integral part of the Portuguese culinary experience and Caldo Verde (literally green broth) is even considered to be a national dish. Made from dark green cabbage, potatoes and a slice of salpicão or chouriço sausage, this comforting soup originates from the northern province of Minho. Other popular soups are canja de galinha (chicken broth), caldeirada de lulas à madeirense (squid stew Madeira-style) which is spiced with ginger and curry, and açorda, consisting of vegetables or shellfish added to thick, rustic bread to create a 'dry' soup.
Desserts
The Portuguese have a sweet tooth and there is a great variety of desserts, pastries, cakes and sweets to choose from. Favourites in restaurants are typical, thick, smooth chocolate mousse and arroz doce, rice pudding with cinnamon and lemon. Many of Portugal's sweets are heavily influenced by Moorish cooking, making egg yolks and almonds important ingredients. Egg custard is most popular in and around Lisbon, while in Sintra queijadas de Sintra (a type of cheese tart) are sold in the streets.
Healthcare in Portugal
The Portuguese healthcare system has come a long way since government reforms in 2002 which have made it far more cost effective and efficient than in previous years. It is now available to all eligible residents in Portugal and runs efficiently and in a similar manner to other EU states.
As short term visitors, all EU nationals are entitled to free healthcare under the EU reciprocal health agreements. You will need to acquire an E111 form from the local main post office in your country of origin and submit it to the clinic or hospital should healthcare be necessary while in Portugal.
However for those moving to Portugal to live as EU residents, free basic healthcare is an entitlement within the Portuguese health system, including free doctors' appointments and basic medicines. Retired EU nationals, who plan to live permanently in Portugal, need form E121. EU citizens who retire before qualifying for a state pension can receive free health cover for two years by obtaining form E106. Should this temporary cover expire before reaching retirement age, two options are available: Either, you can make voluntary social security contributions, or take out private health insurance. All non-EU nationals will need to take out private health insurance to obtain treatment in Portugal.
If you work in Portugal and are contributing to their social security system, you will be entitled to free treatment across the medical spectrum. Remember that what are considered to be non-essential medicines are not free and charged at between 40 and 100% of the full cost. As pharmacies in Portugal are manned by qualified chemists, many medicines can be bought over the counter at full price, without a prescription from your doctor, making life easier than other systems such as in the UK where a doctor's prescription is mandatory.
As a resident in Portugal, you will be eligible for a medical card allowing free medical assistance from your own GP at a local health centre. To get the card, you will need to submit your residency permit and social security card (issued with the residency permit) and present it at the health centre.
Despite the availability of the state run healthcare system, private medical insurance has its benefits: continued cover wherever you are in the world and faster access to specialists and private hospital treatment.
Emergency ambulance tel. 112
Driving In Portugal
When driving in Portugal you may find the road habits to be quite different from those “back home”, and this includes driving on the right hand side of the road.
Be aware that Portugal has one of the highest rates of car accidents in Europe – on Portuguese islands narrow cobbled streets, blind bends, unprotected embankments, herds of cows in country roads and speeding drivers are just some of the hazards awaiting unsuspecting drivers. However, improvements to the road infrastructure and police intervention are going a long way to reduce the risks, while fines for driving offences are substantial and usually charged on the spot to foreigners. Should you be unlucky enough to be fined, make sure you receive an official receipt from the officer collecting the fine. Increasingly, particularly on mainland Portugal, police radar records traffic offences and offenders receive fines in the post.
Drink driving
Portugal has strict drink driving laws. The limit is 0.05% and penalties range from a severe fine, withdrawal of your licence to imprisonment.
GB stickers
Euro plated vehicles do not need to have a GB sticker when driving in European Union countries.
| Speed limits: | |
| Motorways | 120 km/hr |
| Open roads | 90-100 km/hr |
| Towns | 50 km/hr |
Documents
You will need to carry your driving licence, registration document (V5) and insurance documentation. In addition, if you have no photograph on your licence, you will need to have your passport with you. Finally if the car is not in registered in your name, you will need to carry a letter from the owner stating you have permission to drive the vehicle.
Lights
Headlamp converters are compulsory in Portugal. Dipped headlights must be used in poor daylight and motorbikes must use dipped lights during the day at all times.
Crime and Police in Portugal
Portugal is a democratic and civilized EU nation with no specific threats of violent or terrorist related crime.
However petty crime is on the rise in Portugal and travelers can become easy prey to pickpockets particularly in the large cities and popular tourist locations at Sintra, Cascais, Marfa, Fatima and the Algarve.
As in any country, you should be cautious when taking out money from ATMs and never leave anything valuable in an unlocked or parked car. Visitors are also advised to carry limited amounts of cash and credit cards and leave extra cash, personal documents and cards in a hotel safe or locked up at home.
Portugal has a compensation programme for some victims of crime, including foreigners and sometimes their dependents, who are unlucky enough to receive serious injuries that stop from working for 30 days or more. This applies to crimes committed on Portuguese territory as well as on board a Portuguese ship or aircraft. Within one year of the incident, claimants must complete an application form provided by the Comissão de Protecção às Vítimas de Crime Violento and have proof the crime occurred, often in the form of a police or medical report.
The Portuguese national emergency telephone number is 112.