portugal accommodation in pousadas, estalagens, hotelsaccommodation in mainland Portugal, Azores and Madeira |
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Useful facts on Portugal | |||||||||||||||||
 Airports in PortugalLisbon - Portela Airport Porto - Francisco Sa Carneiro Faro - Faro Airport Funchal, Madeira - Funchal Airport Ponta Delgada, Azores - Joao Paulo II Airport | |||||||||||||||||
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Currency Portugal is one of 12 European Union countries whose common official currency is the euro. 1 euro is divided into 100 cents. The coins come in 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 the coins 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. Money can be exchanged at banks, which are open from 8.30 a.m. to 3 p.m. five working days a week; at bureaux de change; and at automatic currency exchange machines (these are for currency sale transactions only). | |||||||||||||||||
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Driving Motorists drive on the right in Portugal. Unless otherwise indicated, vehicles coming from the right have priority in squares and at intersections. All occupants must wear seat belts. It is forbidden to use mobile phones while driving, unless you are using hands-free equipment or an earphone. | |||||||||||||||||
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Electricity The electric current in Portugal is 230/400 volts at a frequency of 50 hertz and sockets comply with European standards. You will need a 230 volt transformer and an adaptor to use American-style flat-prong plugs. | |||||||||||||||||
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Emergencies The national number for emergencies is 112. It can be dialled from anywhere in Portugal at any time of the day or night. | |||||||||||||||||
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Health If you require medical assistance contact the local Health Centre. Hospital emergency services should be used only in serious situations (serious injury, poisoning, burns, infarction, thromboses, breathing dificulties, etc.) | |||||||||||||||||
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Internet Internet access is available on payment in some Cafes and in numerous Post Offices that have the Netpost service. In various hotels and public facilities, like Airports, Conference centres, Restaurants, Service Areas in motor-ways and Shopping centres, there are duly marked "wi-fi" areas where it is possible to access wireless Internet. | |||||||||||||||||
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Official time During winter time, i.e. from 1 a.m. on the last Sunday in October to 1 a.m. on the last Sunday in March, the official time in mainland Portugal and Madeira is the Universal Time Coordinated (UTC). The rest of the year (between 1 a.m. on the last Sunday in March and 1 a.m. on the last Sunday in October), summer time is in effect and the official time in mainland Portugal and Madeira is Universal Time Coordinated plus one hour. In the Azores, the time is one hour earlier than in the rest of Portugal and therefore one hour earlier than the Universal Time Coordinated during winter time and two hours earlier during summer time. | |||||||||||||||||
Public Holidays
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Telephones In public telephone booths, coins and special cards can be used. They are sold in Portugal Telecom shops, post offices and some kiosks and news-stands (with a sign indicating this). All telephone numbers in Portugal are composed of nine digits. To call from abroad it is necessary to dial the international access code 00 and the country code 351. To call abroad from Portugal, dial 00, the country code, the area code and then the number wanted. The dialling codes of the various countries are affixed in public telephone booths. | |||||||||||||||||
Weights and Measures
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