Know before you go
Booking your flights
Portugal has direct connections to most European capitals, several cities in Brazil, some cities in the East coast of the United States and some cities in Africa.
Check the following websites to book your flight:
Visas and documents
Citizens of the European Union, Switzerland, Andorra and Liechtenstein only need an ID card to travel to Portugal.
Citizens from the following countries must have a valid passport but they do not need visa for trips up to 90 days: Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Romania, San Marino, Singapore, South Korea, United States, Uruguay, Vatican, Venezuela, Honk Kong and Zimbabwe.
Citizens from all other countries should obtain a valid visa at the Portuguese consulate.
Language & helpful words
The official language in Portugal is Portuguese. In urban areas, English is spoken, or at least understood, by the majority of the population under 50 years old.
French isn’t commonly spoken by the younger generations, but it is understood by the older generations.
Portuguese people can easily understand Spanish.
Some usefull words…
Good morning - Bom dia
Good afternoon - Boa tarde
Good evening/night - Boa noite
Thank you - Obrigado
Hello - Olá
Taxi - Taxi
Bus - Autocarro
Train - Comboio
Bicycle - Bicicleta
Bread - Pão
Water - Ãgua
Food (in general) - Comida
Seafood - Marisco
Steaks - Bifes
Octopus - Polvo
Sardines - Sardinhas
Codfish - Bacalhau
How much is it? (price) - Quanto custa …?
Where is...? - Onde é...?
When is…? - Quando é…?
Insurance
09ºWest, through its «mother-company» Papa-Léguas, has all necessary insurances required by the offices of Tourism of Portugal. However, it is mandatory that the traveller has his own travel insurance that covers, at least, health expenses and repatriation costs.
Research & Readings
There are numerous books and websites about Portugal. Check Lonely Planet, Rough Guides or Petit Futé, among others.
Health
In Portugal there are no cases of infectious diseases or diseases transmitted by insect bites. There is no need for any type of prophylaxis to visit our country.
Security
UNICRI, the ONU's agency for research on Crime and Security, published a study in 2007 on security in cities. Among all European cities, Lisbon was the rate of victimization (having been the victim of a crime last year) the lowest in Europe. In the rest of the country the scenario is identical. However, as in any big city, you are advised not to leave your belongings outside surveillance. Portugal is a country generally calm and safe for travelers.