Portugal: Generalities, tips & Extras

The most difficult part of preparing our trips is gathering all the information that we need isn’t it? So YES don’t worry, I am here to tell you a little bit of everything you might need for your trip to Portugal.

It was my first Solo trip, and well I had to plan it well and look for all the information that I needed.

So in this small Article, I will tell you all you need to know for you to prepare your trip to Portugal!🤩

What are the things not to be missed in Portugal?

  • The relaxation on the beach. There are several marvelous beaches that you can check out: Cascais & Albufeira are towns with perfect beaches!
  • The sea food: eat Salmon and Fish as much as you can! Actually don’t eat anything else. Portugal offers one of the best sea food in the world for a very affordable price.
  • The wine! Porto wine and nothing else. I still miss the Red Porto wine that comes from the Douro Valley
  • The admiration of the beautiful landscape and the walk in the small neighborhoods full of traditional colorful Portuguese houses.
  • The traditional Portuguese dessert called “Nata”. Which is a custard tart.

Generalities:

  • The country is relatively small and all along the cost. If you are coming from outside of Europe, I advise you to make it minimum a 1 week trip and enjoy more than one city.
  • Lisbon is one of the least expensive capital cities in Europe to visit!
  • If you have any European SIM card, this one works perfectly fine in Portugal. Just make sure to switch on roaming plan. And in case you don’t, SIM cards are available from Phone House and Worten branches. The prepaid SIM card brand is ‘M Movél Prépago’ and sold at around 10 euros.
  • Portuguese is the official language there. But the majority in restaurants and pubs actually speak French. Don’t get cold feet they also speak English!
  • Euro is the official Currency! Make sure to have some of them in cash on you.
  • To move around the Country you can either rent a car or take the Trains. The bus can also be an option if you are moving around from a small town.

Tips & Extras😎

  • Uber works perfectly fine and is not expensive at all! So I suggest that you use it in case needed.
  • Although there is a subway in Lisbon, most of tourists prefer to hop on the famous old Tramway which is a symbol of the city.
  • The hotel Room in Lisbon can be a bit small, make sure to check the area of the room before booking.
  • Don’t visit Portugal just to see its Capital. Trust me there is much more to see than Lisbon.
  • If you decide to go on a tour from Lisbon, I advise you to buy the tour ticket online in advance.
  • In case you are moving from a city to another you can either take the train or the bus. The ticket can be purchased on the same day directly from the station. However, if you want to secure your place on a precise timing, get them in advance.
  • Porto’s Wine is one of the Best wine! My Recommendations to you try the Porto Cruz Red wine.

Cool Cities to visit in Portugal🤩

So as we all know it, Lisbon is the Capital of Portugal and the number 1 city to visit there. But this is not the whole experience and here are some of the cities that you should consider visiting.

PORTO!🍷

This is by far my favorite one! Porto is a beautiful small city in the North west of Portugal known for its fabulous wine. I recommend everyone to go there for a Weekend. It is the best getaway you can have. It takes about 2h30min to reach Porto from Lisbon.

Cascais⛱

If you want to spend a day a the beach and not far from Lisbon, Cascais is the place to chose. At 30Km from the Capital, you can spend the day on the beautiful sand beaches and discover the medieval old town.

Sintra

This is one of the best towns in Portugal. I really enjoyed Sintra and its magnificent nature and most of all iconic Castles. Pena Castel remember that name and whatever you do in Portugal, put it on your schedule!

Faro & Algarve🌊

Algarve is popular for its Atlantic beaches and Golf resorts. If you are going to Portugal in Summer and looking for a beach destination this one should be on top of your list. At 20min from Algarve make sure to make a stop by Faro this fascinating coastal city known for its well-preserved old town and delicious seafood.

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