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Portugal's Guide |
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For your convenience, we can e-mail you this guide in a variety of formats. The information provided here is to the best of our knowledge and belief.
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Geography
Portugal is the westernmost European country, 92,000 kilometres in area, or about the
size of Ireland. It borders on the Atlantic ocean, its only land frontier being that with Spain. Northern Portugal
is hilly but the southern region is fairly flat. The only true mountain range is the Serra da Estrela in the north-east.
These mountains rise 1993 metres above sea-level at their highest point. The main rivers in Portugal are Tagus,
Douro and Minho. From its source in Spain, the Tagus runs across central Portugal to the ocean, creating a natural
north-south divide.
Lisbon, the capital city of Portugal and its seat of government, is sited on seven small hills overlooking the wide estuary of the River Tagus. Lisbon, an industrial city with extensive port installations, a shipbuilding yard and steelworks, is the centre of Portugal’s import trade. It is also an important cultural centre with several theatres and concert halls, including the well-known Gulbenkian Foundation. Lisbon’s international airport, Portela, has daily connections to most European destinations and regular connections worldwide. The population of Lisbon is around two million.
Lisbon is located at the heart of the Estramadura region, which includes the promentory known as Cabo da Roca the most westerly point in continental Europe.
40 kilometres south of Lisbon, the industrial town of Setubal is rapidly developing in importance, due largely to the foreign investment which has been attracted to this area. Portugal’s largest car manufacturing plant is situated here as well as the largest shipbuilding yards.
Porto is Portugal’s second city, situated about 300 km to the north of Lisbon, and the north bank of the River Douro estuary. Porto is an industrial city, historically linked with the Port wine industry - even today all exports of this wine must pass through it’s port. It is also the centre of textile and shoemaking industries. Including the suburban area of Vila Nova de Gaia, the population of Porto is around one million.
Located 200 km north of Lisbon, the city of Coimbra is the home of one of the oldest universities in Europe, founded at the end of the thirteenth century.
The Alentejo is a vast region located to the south of Lisbon which represents almost one-third of Portugal’s total area. This region consists of low-lying, agricutural land with many cork and eucalyptus tree plantations.
The Algarve is the most southerly region in Portugal, well-known for its warm Mediterranean climate, long coastline, and tourist industry. Faro is the region’s capital city.
In the extreme north of Portugal, the Minho and Trás-os-Montes both have great natural beauty. The Minho region is lush, forested and densely planted with vineyards. It is also the centre of the area’s knitwear industry. Trás-os-Montes is a rugged, fairly inaccessible mountainous region with many rivers and natural lakes.
The island groups of Madeira and the Azores are outlying Portuguese regions. Both have administrative autonomy.
Population
The population of mainland Portugal at 9,800,000 is identical to that of Belgium. In
addition, approximately half-a-million people live on the islands of Madeira and the Azores.
Portugal has a very young population, with approximately 25% of citizens being aged 15 years or under. The birth-rate has fallen rapidly in recent years to little over 1% per annum, however.
The number of foreign residents, notably from other EC countries and Brazil, is also increasing due to Portugal’s good investment opportunities and pleasant climate.
The Climate
Portugal enjoys a mild climate which is often warm and sunny but rarely very hot. Cool
air moving in from the Atlantic ocean keeps the climate temperature.
Winters tend to be chilly and damp. Rainfall is heaviest in the northern region (about 100 inches a year), whilst Algarve winters are the mildest and driest (less than 20 inches a year).
Average temperatures are as follows:
|
January |
April |
July |
October |
|
| Lisbon |
14ºC |
19ºC |
28ºC |
22ºC |
| Faro |
15ºC |
20ºC |
29ºC |
23ºC |
| Oporto |
13ºC |
18ºC |
25ºC |
21ºC |
Rainproof clothing and warm indoor clothes are essential for the wet winter months, normally from October/November until February/March.
History
Early History
Neolithic tribes from Africa are thought to have been the earliest inhabitants of Portugal.
The Iberians arrived in the eighth millennium B.C. In the first millennium B.C., invading Celtic tribes were closely followed by the Phoenicians, who came in search of metals. The Phoenicians established a colony in Lisbon.
The Romans conquered Lisbon in 205 B.C. They founded the towns of Evora and Mertola but did not penetrate far north of the Tagus river. After several centuries of occupation, the Romans were overpowered by tribes from northern Europe.
These tribes were in their turn drive-out, this time by the Visigoths, under whose rule Christianity became the established religion.
In the 8th century A.D. the Moors conquered much of the Iberian peninsula including the area of modern Portugal. The Moors were Arabic-speaking and adherents of the Islamic religion. Some ruined forts remain as evidence of their 500 year occupation.
The Christian reconquest of the peninsula began in the north. Towards the end of the eleventh century A.D., King Afonso VI of the Castile granted the territory of what is now northern Portugal to one of his knights, Henrique, who had shown particular bravery in fighting the Moors. Henrique’s son, afonso, expanded these territories by waging further war against the Moors whilst resisting Castilian efforts to bring him to heel. Afonso became the first king of Portugal in 1139.
The Kingdom of Portugal and "The Discoveries"
Afonso I established the House of Burgundy whose monarchs continued to crusade against the Moors and finally drove them out of their last footholds in southern Portugal in 1267.
The fifteenth century in Europe is known as the "Age of Discoveries", when seafaring explorers opened up the maritime trade routes to Africa, India and America. Portuguese mariners were the pioneers of this European exploration. Prince Henry the Navigator, one of the sons of King Dom João I, did much to help Portugal’s ventures. He founded a school of navigation and also financed explorations of the west coast of Africa.
In 1487 a Portuguese explorer named Bartolomeu Dias rounded the Cape of Good Hope - being the first European to do so.
Spain had also been voyaging forth to discover new lands and in 1493 Spain and Portugal signed the Treaty of Tordesillas, which was an agreement to divide the new-found territories of the world between them. By virtue of this agreement, Portugal was eventually able to establish itself in Brazil, which was to become by far Portugal’s most wealthy and important colony.
16th and 17th centuries
In 1580 the King Philip II of Spain took advantage of the Portuguese nobilitiy’s unwillingness
to engage in a long and costly war with Spain to proclaim himself Philip I of Portugal without serious opposition.
Whilst Spain was distracted by the Catalan rebellion in 1640, the Portuguese took the opportunity to oust the Spanish king from the Portuguese throne. The Duke of Bragança was crowned King João IV and the ruling house of Bragança was established.
His son, João V, received enormous wealth from Brazilian gold and diamonds. Modelling himself on Louis XIV of France, he spent much of this fortune on grandiosse building projects which included the palace and monastery at Mafra. Little was left for the benefit of the Portuguese nation.
18th and 19th centuries
Dom José, the next in line, was a weak ruler dominated by an autocratic minister
Marquês de Pombal.
In 1755 there wa a devastating earthquake which destroyed large areas of Lisbon. The Marquês was put in charge of rebuilding the city and he masterminded the geometrically laid-out design with its broad boulevards and stately, classical buildings. The waterfront square known as the Praça de Commercio and virtually all the Baixa commercial district were created at this time.
In 1807 Napoleon invaded, and his brother ruled as king for a brief period. The French troops were expelled from Portugal with the aid of the British in 1811.
End of the Monarchy
In 1908, King Dom Carlos and his eldest son, Luis Filipe, were assasinated by republicans
who opposed the monarchy. His younger son became King Manuel II, but two years later he fled into exile fearing
for his life.
The republic was then declared.
Television
Portugal has colour television and at there are 4 television channels (2 national
: RTP 1 and RTP 2, 2 private SIC and TVI.
Foreign films are usually screened in their original language with Portuguese subtitles.
Satellite TV
Satellite television is popular since it greatly increases the choice of viewing. The
channels which can be received in Portugal are as follows: Sky One, Skynews, Eurosport, Teleclub, SAT 1 (Germany),
PRO 7 (Germany), RTL (Lux), NORDIC (Sweden), PTT-NL-AVVC (Holland), TV 5 (France), Worldnet (USA), Galavision (Mexico),
BBC Europe (de-coder needed), CNN (USA), Discover (USA), Children’s Channel.
Radio
There are 4 national radio stations. One of the national stations - Radio Renascence
- is run by the Roman Catholic church. There are also numerous pirate radio stations but since a number of official
local radio broadcasting licences were recently awarded tougher measures are being taken to close down the pirates.
Several international stations can be received on VHS or longwave frequencies, including the BBC World Service and Voice of America.
Newspaper
One English language newspaper is published weekly: the Anglo-Portuguese News (APN).
International daily papers are available at good newstands and stationers, either late on the day of issue or following day.
Shopping
Although luxury prices continue to be charged for many basic items, the variety of shopping
venues in the Lisbon area is exceptional and should be enjoyed.
Opening hours are generally from 10.00am-13.00pm, followed by a 2-hour lunch break, with shops reopening from 15.00pm-19.00pm. The majority of shops close at 13.00pm on saturdays and are not opened at all on Sundays or Public Holidays.
Supermarkets and Commercial Centres usually offer late-night shopping and are open all day on both Saturday and Sunday.
Twice yearly sales, regulated by the government, occur in August/September and January/February.
A great tradition in Portugal is the monthly or weekly country fair. These are fun to visit and offer fresh produce, handicrafts, clothing, toys and antiques etc. all at bargain prices. Market days vary from region to region.
In most of the main towns there is also a permanent municipal market, selling fresh foodstuff daily.
To help you find your way around in Lisbon, we havve briefly outlined the best known shopping areas:
Shopping in Lisbon
The network of streets known as "The Baixa", which is situated between
Praça do Comercio and the Rossio is still Lisbon’s main shopping area. One of these streets, Rua Augusta
is a pedestrian thoroughfare with many excellent shops.
The nearby "Chiado" has been reconstructed after the fire in 1988, which burnt down much of the area including three of Lisbon’s best-known department stores.
The modern Amoreiras Shopping Centre offers shopping under one roof for all the family. Hundreds of shops include branch stores of the best Lisbon establishments e.g. "Loja das Meias" and "Casa da Batalha" as well as some international names: "The Body Shop", "Esprit", "Stefanel" and "Mother Care" for exemple.
The complex also comprises restaurants , hair and beauty salons, a health club, and 10 cinema screens. There is underground carparking with plenty of capacity.
The modern Cascaishopping commercial centre in the Cascais area is also very popular.
Traditional Portuguese Arts & Crafts
Portugal offers a delightful mixture of home-produced arts and crafts. These range from
hand-woven rugs with designs which vary from region to region to exquisite handpainted ceramics.
Portugal’s traditional handpainted ceramic tiles are still reproduced and widely available. Some factories will even transfer your designs onto tiles.
Atlantis, the makers of fine handmade crystal ware and Vista Alegre, the company producing hand-painted porcelain are both famous names in portugal.
Look for work by talented young artists at craft galleries and exhibitions.
Sport Facilities
Golf, tennis, horseriding, sailing, winsurfing swimming and waterparks are available
in the Lisbon and Cascais areas.
There also exist several Health clubs situated at the Sheraton Hotel, the Amoreiras centre, the Estoril Sol Hotel and Caesar Park Penha Longa.
Social Clubs in the Lisbon Area.
Here below is a short list of some of the clubs and societies existing in Lisbon:
26 December, or Boxing Day, is not a holiday. Moveable Feasts: Good Friday and Corp Christi, which is usually in June.
Note: Public holidays falling on a weekend are not moved forwards to the following Monday.
Banks,post offices, offices and shops are all closed on Public Holidays.
Each town and region also has its own special holidays in addition to those given above.
Portugal uses Greenwich Mean Time and goes over to summer time in the Spring (clocks go forward 1 hour) and clocks go back again in the Autumn.
Present-day Government
The new constitution of 1978 finally established Portugal as a modern representative democracy
with a popularly elected president and a Prime ministerial regime. The President of the Republic is elected by
universal suffrage every 5 years.
General elections in Portugal are held every 4 years. General elections in Portugal, are always held either on a Sunday or a national public holiday.
Language
The Portuguese language is a romance language with an ad mixture of Arabic. It is similar
to Spanish except in pronunciation. Portuguese is the fifth most- widely spoken language in the world and is spoken
in Brazil, the former African colonies, a few communities in India, parts of China and Indonesia, Macau and Timor.
In total close to 200million people now speak Portuguese.
Whilst French is the official second language of Portugal, young professional Portuguese now increasingly speak English as their second language.
We encourage you to acquire a working knowledge of the Portuguese language. It will make an enormous difference to your stay in Portugal if you can converse at a basic level.
Ideally, language lessons should be taken prior to moving to Portugal. If lessons are not available, we recommend the book and cassette tapes which accompanied the BBC television course called "Discovering Portuguese", available at W.H. Smith in the UK.
Religion
About 97% of Portuguese people are Roman Catholics.
The Roman Catholic church was disestablished on the declaration of the Republic in 1911 but in 1940 was once more recognised as a lawful body with certain privileges.
There are several churches and a synagogue serving the English-speaking international community in the Lisbon area.
Portuguese Society
Portugal’s economy is developing rapidly but nevertheless, in relation to most other
EC nation’s, Portugal is still catching-up economically and culturally.
The 1978 Civil Code gave Portuguese women the same legal rights as their menfolk. However equality of the sexes has been slow in reaching Portugal and only gradually are Portuguese women breaking out of the traditional mold and filling executive positions.
The traditional Roman Catholic basis of the society is shown in the high marriage rate. In 1995 there were 7 marriages per 1000 of the population, the highest rate in any EC country. Divorce is also still far less common than in many other societies.
Family-ties are extremely important and the Portuguese love children. Portuguese society is organised around extended family rather than nuclear family units.
The "Fado" or typical Portuguese folksong illustrates a romantic, fatalistic streak in the Portuguese make-up.
Portuguese society is class-stratified. Before the 1974 revolution, several aristocratic families controlled most of the Portuguese economy. Although these families are still influential, members of an educated modern middle-class today occupy many of the country’s key positions.
In general the Portuguese are friendly and courteous to foreigners. Both men and women greet each other formally. A male acquaintance is greeted with a handshake and a female acquaintance by kissing both cheeks.
Mourning is strictly observed. No entertainment may be given or received for some time after a funeral, and the female relatives of the deceased will dress in black for several months afterwards.
Education
Education in Portugal is compulsory between the ages of 7 and 15 years and free state
education is provided. From the age of 15 years, a secondary education is voluntary and low fees are charged in
state schools. There are also a number of private, Portuguese schools.
There are 8 universities in Portugal and some polytechnics. At present less than 20% of students go on to higher education due to the lack of available places.
Expatriate parents generally choose to send their children to one of the private, international schools in Portugal. These schools offer a curriculum with that of the mother country.
The international schools are very full and most have waiting-lists for places. Enrolments for the new school year should be made by the end of May at the latest.
Should you opt to send your child(ren) to a Portuguese state school, you will need to obtain official permission to do so from the Ministry of Education.
Legalising Residence in Portugal
Since 1993 there has been free movement of other EC citizens to Portugal.
For non-EC nationals the situation is more difficult, as the number of Residence Permits granted to applicants from outside the EC is strictly limited.
In view of these conditions, it is particularly important to receive expert and well-connected assistance when applying for permission to work and reside in Portugal.
Normally, the authorisation to reside in Portugal is acquired in two stages:
A residence visa is acquired in the country of origin by application to the Portuguese Consulate General. The process of acquiring the visa may take 3 months or longer. The visa is issued as a stamp in the applicants’s passport. The visa is valid for 120 days after the date of issue and gives authorisation for the bearer to reside in Portugal for up to 90 days. The visa may be extended for two further periods of 90 days by application to the Serviço de Estrangeiros in Portugal. (The applications should be made well in advance of expiry dates).
The residence permit, or "Residência", is obtained by the application to the Serviço de Estrangeiros in Portugal. It should take 3-6 months to receive the permit.
Note: If there has not been sufficient time to acquire a residence visa in the country of origin prior to moving to Portugal, the whole application process will need to be done in Portugal through the Serviço de Estrangeiros and will normally take at least 1 year.
Residence permits are issued in the form of a card, and may authorise a period of residence for 1, 5 or 20 years. The 5-year European Community Residence Card may be acquired by EC nationals in certain circumstances, and is easier to obtain than the old-style residência.
Important
Once a residence permit has been acquired, the holder must apply for a Potuguese
identity card or "Bilhete d’Identidade" and a Portuguese driving licence. We can help you with both applications.
The main office of the Foreign Residents service or "Serviço de Estrangeiros" is located at António Augusto Aguiar, 18, 1000 lisbon.
Applying for a work permit in Portugal
All visitors to Portugal require a work permit in order to be employed on a temporary
basis in this country. Foreign persons who have a legalised work contract with a Portuguese company will be able
to obtain residence status on the basis of this contract, as long as there are no contra-indications. Foreign persons
who acquire a Portuguese residence status may be employed in Portugal without a work permit.
Foreign persons who gain residence status and are self-employed do not require a work permit.
Legalising work contracts
Portuguese companies wishing to employ foreign personnel must make an agreement with
the Portuguese government concerning the maximum number of non-Portuguese persons to be employed at any time. The
agreement must also contain a proposal concerning the training of nationals to fill technical and management positions
in the near future. At present the government requires a ratio of no more than 1 foreign employee for every 10
national employees.
An employer should obtain an authorised work contract for each expatriate member of staff by application to Portuguese Ministry of Labour.
Note to Professional persons
Doctors, dentists, lawyers etc. may not set up a practice in Portugal on the basis
of qualifications gained in their country of origin. It is necessary to present their credentials to appropriate
Portuguese body who will then decide whether to grant permission for individual concerned to practice in this country.
Market conditions
There is a scarcity of suitable rental properties in Portugal as Portuguese law is
clearly weighted in favour of the tenant and not the owner. Rental prices in Portugal are not regulated by the
government therefore it is an open market.
Once a rental contract has been signed, however, the annual rent increase should not be higher than the official percentage set by the government towards the end of each year. This percentage is linked to the official rate of inflation but is normally slightly lower. Due to the high demand/short supply situation, especially in the Lisbon-Cascais area, rental prices are amongst the highest in Europe. Properties in the most exclusive areas may be rented out at more than 800,000 escudos a month! Suitable properties are usually rented out quickly, therefore an expatriate looking for a rental home must be prepared to make a fast decision.
The availability of properties fluctuates depending on the time of the year. During the summer months there is little on the market and landlords are often away.
Residential Areas
The resort towns of Cascais and Estoril offer pleasant surroundings and excellent
leisure and shopping facilities and are therefore very popular with expatriates, especially those with families.
Most of the international schools in the Lisbon area are situated within 15 kilometres of Cascais.
Other expatriates prefer to live within easy commuting distance of their workplace. This means living in Lisbon or its suburbs. Lapa and Estrela are the prime residential areas of Lisbon, although new areas are developing e.g. around Benfica and Alvalade.
Type of Housing
The type of housing available is quite varied. Both older and modern villas may be
found. In the typical Portuguese villa, garage/store space is situated on the ground floor, with the living space
on the first and second floors. A villa will normally have a minimum of two bathrooms and four/five bedrooms. Fireplaces
are common but central-heating is rarely installed. Costly electric-wall heaters are the norm. A Portuguese villa
will have balconies, and either a small garden or patio at ground level.
Apartments may be found in older converted properties or new condominiums. Apartments with more than four bedrooms are rare, unless duplexes. Two bathrooms is the norm. Once again, fireplaces are common but central-heating is usually installed in luxury blocks. Lifts are normal in blocks of 2-stories or higher. Fitted cupboards and fitted kitchens are installed in modern apartments. Balcony space is usual. Luxury blocks may have a communal garden and swimming pool. High-quality condominiums are serviced and the most exclusive have 24-hour security guards. Most apartments have garage space.
Properties may be available to rent with or without furniture. The rental price does not vary between unfurnished and furnished accomodation.
The Lease Agreement
Once the decision to rent a property has been made, a lease agreement between
the landlord or owner and the tenant will be drawn up to be signed by both parties and a guarantor. Some points
in the agreement will be standard but others may be open to negotiation e.g. the price, the contents of the property
and the length of the contract.
It is important to visit the house once more before signing the contract so that you can make a note of any specific changes or repairs you wish to make prior to entry. Many expatriates find the Portuguese houses inadequately heated in the winter months. Make sure that you think the house or apartment will be sufficient. Also check that the electrical voltage supplied to the house or apartment will be adequate to run your household machines. In some cases, the electrical supply is insufficient. If the electricity supply needs to be increased, the landlord will need to apply to the electricity company.
If the house is partly or fully-furnished it is important that an inventory of items is made prior to entry date. We will arrange for an inventory to be made and will also ensure that electricity, gas, water and telephone counters have been read and that all these services are connected.
Normally a deposit of one month’s rent is required on signing the lease agreement, plus at least one month’s rent in advance. The deposit will be held against damage or loss of house contents, or for payment of any utility bills left by the tenant. In certain cases a company guarantee will suffice and no deposit is required. Rental payments in Portugal are legally required to be made by the 8th of each month and are paid a month in advance. Some lanlords may request that the rent is paid quarterly in advance.
In most cases the landlord will be responsible for paying the property taxes, whilst the tenant will be responsible for paying the utility bills. In the case of a serviced apartment, find out whether you or the owner will pay the quarterly fees.
If repairs to the property become necessary oncce you have moved in, the owners should be alerted. Some owners are happy to allow the tenant to arrange for minor repairwork to be carried out and for the cost to be deducted from the rent payment.
Importing Household Possessions
Both furnished and unfurnished rental accomodation is available in Portugal.
Unless you are coming to live in Portugal for a long period, it is probably advisable to rent furnished or part-furnished accomodation and to bring only essential possessions.
There are two methods of transporting your possessions, air freight, sea or road. Transportation by sea is less expensive than by air or road. This method of course takes slightly longer.
Whichever method you choose, it is available to use a removal company, and we recommend that you use one which has an agent in Portugal.
The electricity supply is 220 volts, 50 Hz
Portuguese televisions still use the old 405-line system now discontinued in most other countries. It is costly to convert a television set to this system and we not advise you to bring yours with you. VHS video machines will also need to be converted so that they can be run in conjunction with a Portuguese television. This conversion is not expensive.
Electrical appliances, computers, answerphones etc. are all relatively expensive to buy in Portugal, so it is probably worth bringing any such equipment that you will need.
Portuguese Currency
The unit of currency in Portugal is known as the Escudo. 1
Euro = 200$482 Escudos
One thousand escudos is known as a Conto. The 100th of an escudo unit known as the centavo is not commonly used anymore and the fifty centavo coin has been withdrawn from circulation.
The coins currently in usage are as follows:
1
escudo (bronze) 5
escudos (bronze) 10
escudos (bronze) 20
escudos (silver, 8-sided) 50
escudos (silver, 8-sided) 100
escudos (bronze centre, silver rim) 200
escudos (bronze centre, silver rim)
The notes currently in usage are as follows:
500
escudos 1.000
escudos 2.000
escudos 5.000
escudos 10.000
escudos
In Portugal the escudo is indicated by the $ sign. It is placed after the whole amount e.g. 1,000$00 or replaces the decimal point.
When a fraction of an escudo is indicated e.g. 95$20.
Portuguese Banks
In 1975 all commercial banks in Portugal were nationalised. Many of these banks have
now been privatised or are in the process of becoming so. Privatisation and competition with foreign banks operating
in Portugal has led to increased efficiency in Portugal’s banking systems.
The major portuguese commercial banks are the Banco Português do Atlantico (BPA) and the Banco Espirito Santo e Comercial de Lisboa. Privately-owned banks have been established, such as Banco Português de Investimentos (BPI), Banco International de Credito (BIC) and Banco Comercial Português (BCP), Banco Internacional de Funchal (Banif). The caixa Geral de Depositos is the national savings bank.
There are a number of foreign banks operating in Portugal.
Banking hours: are 8.30 am to 3.00 pm from Monday to Friday. Most banks no longer close during the lunch period, as was formerly the case. The banks are also closed on Public Holidays.
Currency exchange: Most banks have an exchange or "cambio" department and current rates of exchange will be displayed. If you wish to exchange large quantities it is available to give the bank prior to notice of the transaction required.
Please remember to take your passport or identity card with you to the bank whenever you wish to make a transaction.
Health and Medical Care
Portugal has a comprehensive state health care service with reasonably adequate but variable
standards. State hospitals are overcrowded and have long waiting-lists, and private treatment is generally preferable.
Due to the high costs of private medical care in Portugal, we strongly recommend that you obtain private medical
insurance cover for yourself and your family if you are not already covered under a company scheme.
We would be pleased to provide you with a list of companies offering expatriate medical insurance schemes, together with details of their representatives in Portugal.
Emergency medical treatment is available in all the main cities and larger towns.
Emergency situations: Should you or a member of your family require emergency treatment, we advise that you ask a Portuguese-speaking friend or acquaintance to accompany you to the hospital. Although many doctors speak English or French, it may be difficult to communicate fully in an emergency situation. Due to overcrowding, hospital staff are relunctant to make on-the-spot admissions in any but the most serious cases.
Minor injuries:in the case of minor injuries you may go to the casualty department of any major hospital. They operate a 24-hour service. If in doubt, contact your general practitioner first.
Public Utilities
The general standard of utility services in Portugal has improved considerably during
the past few years. Nevertheless the supply of utilities does not always run as efficiently as you will have used
in your own country.
Good heating is essential in every Portuguese home, especially during the damp winter months. All methods of heating are expensive here, however, since Portugal is heavily reliant on imported fuel. Electric wall heaters are particularly expensive, though common, method of heating.
Electricity
The electricity voltage in Portugal is 220 V. 50 Hz. Plugs are normally 2-pin round
and all lamps fittings are of the screw-type.
Gas
Only a small area of Lisbon is served by a natural gas distribution network. It is planned
that, by 1996, 14 municipalities in Greater Lisbon will be linked to the network, including those of Cascais and
Oeiras. At present bottled butane gas is widely available as an alternative, and is commonly used for domestic
cooking, heating water and heating the home. Various private companies supply bottled gas, as do many small general
stores. Gas bottles of 13 kilos are normally used in individual homes. Abottle of this size will last an average
family approximately one week.
Most modern apartment complexes have a central reserve of several large gas bottles from which gas is piped to the individual homes. Always find out who the delivering agent is in case you should need to contact them.
Gas bills are still delivered by hand and payment may be made on the spot or at the supplier’s office.
Water
Tap water is considered safe to drink in most parts of Portugal. The water is metered
and each household is billed according to usage. In the Lisbon area the water supply is adequate although shortages
do occur in high summer and may result in watercuts lasting up to a few hours.
Water bills are delivered by hand and may be settled immediately or at the local office. You may also pay by standing order.
Important: utility bills should be paid within the time period stated. Failure to pay promptly will result in the utility concerned being cut off without further warning.
The Telephone
The telephone company in Portugal is state-owned and the telephone system operates reasonbly
well for the most part. It is currently undergoing modernisation and within the next three years Portugal will
have one of the most up-to-date telephone technologies in the world. Automatic dialling to most countries of the
world is now possible throughout most of Portugal. In a few regions it may still be necessary to seek the operator’s
help. For the international service dial 00, followed by the individual nimber. There are English-speaking operators
to assist with placing international calls should you experience any difficulty.
Driving in Portugal
Portugal uses international traffic regulations and road signs. Driving is on the right-hand
side. Traffic should therefore keep to the right, whilst overtaking is done on the lefthand side. The lefthand
side of the vehicle lane is used when making a left-hand turn.
Foreign residents may drive on their original driving licences for up to 6 months if they are non-EC citizens or up to 12 months if they are from an EC country.
If you wish to import your car into Portugal, you should begin importation proceedings within 3 months of your arrival. We would be pleased to provide you with a fact sheet giving further information about the process and costs involved.
New cars are very expensive in Portugal.
Driving Conditions
Portugal has a very high accident rate and extreme caution should be taken at all
times when driving here.
Speed limits
60 kph in built-up areas
90 kph outside built-up areas
120 kph on motorways
Seatbelts
The driver and front passenger must wear seatbelts when driving outside built-up areas.
Priority
Priority is given to vehicles approaching from the right at junctions, roundabouts etc.
except where otherwise indicated.
At a roundabout where there are no other indications, priority goes to vehicles coming onto the roundabout. If a roundabout has hakt signs at the entrances, priority is given to vehicles on the roundabout.
Overtaking
Overtaking is on the lefthand side. It is however permitted to overtake a vehicle making
left turn on its righthand side.
Trams may be overtaken on the righthand side except if it is stationery in order to let passengers on and off.
Change of direction
The lefthand turn across oncoming traffic is a highly dangerous manouvre. Be alert for
other vehicles making this manouevre, especially as they may not signal their intention. If you are used to driving
on the left, remember to re-enter the right-hand side of the road after any manouvre involving a change of direction.
Parking
Street parking is permitted except where indicated or where the curb is marked with a
yellow line. Parking meters exist in cities and larger towns. Most larger towns have at least one car-park with
inexpensive rates.
You will be fined on-the-spot for illegal car-parking and in Lisbon your car may be towed away and impounded.
Pedestrians
At pedestrian crossings, pedestrians have the right of ways as soon as they step onto
the crossing. (Beware! Many drivers ignore this ruling). When a vehicle changes direction and enters a new road,
pedestrians crossing at that point have the right of way.
Documentation
Drivers are legally required to carry the following documents:
Driving licence and "Bilhete d’Identidade" or passport
Car Insurance papers
"Livrete" or car owner’s manual
"Titulo de Propriedade" or proof of ownership
Current road tax stamp
Alcohol
The legal limit in Portugal is 0.5 grammes per litre. Fines for exceeding this 50,000-200,000
escudos, and the offender will have his driving licence suspended for 1-6 months. His vehicle may also be impounded
on the spot. Serious offenders may receive prison sentences.
Car Insurance
If you presently benefit from a non-claim bonus and plan to own a car in Portugal,
bring a letter or statement from your current insurance company giving full details. You may be able to transfer
the reduction to an insurance policy taken out in Portugal.
Third Party insurance is obligatory in Portugal, and because of the high rate of accidents in Portugal, we strongly advise you to take out a fully comprehensive policy. We further recommend that the policy should be taken out with an international insurance company because there is no "knock for knock" agreement between Portuguese insurance companies. All claims presented to such a company will normally be paid without argument to clients holding fully comprehensive policies.
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Portugal's Guide |
