FAQ · Culture & Etiquette 62

A Público report of 12 September 2024 describes Night Stories as a Lisbon night market of music, art and street food, returning that Thursday from 17:00 until midnight. The paper says that edition, beside the Igreja da Graça, ran on 12, 19 and 27 September and on 3 and 4 October. Wording from the organisers' own social media, quoted in the report, calls it the first night market in Lisbon. The same article says the market first opened in August 2021 at Doca da Marinha and has since brought music, art and food to several places in the Lisbon area. It also records two earlier editions that year, one in May at Beato and one in July at Trafaria. Daily tickets were priced at 7 euros, and a pass for the whole run at 30 euros.

The Quinta da Boa Vista is a historic estate and orchid garden located in the Santa Maria Maior parish of Funchal. It features one of the last remaining walled stair terrace gardens in the area and uses water from the levada irrigation system. Originally built during the late 18th or early 19th century, the site was later converted into a location for growing and breeding orchids. Today, it serves as a popular tourist attraction and holds one of the most important orchid collections on the island. The garden is notable for having survived the 2016 Portugal wildfires unscathed.

There are 17 World Heritage Sites listed in Portugal, while 11 more are on the tentative list. Most of these sites are classified as cultural heritage, which includes monuments, groups of buildings, and archaeological sites. The Laurisilva is the only natural site in the country, located on the island of Madeira. Among the listed sites, two are located in the Azores archipelago. Additionally, the Prehistoric Rock Art Sites in the Côa Valley and Siega Verde is the only transnational site shared with Spain.

The Electricity Museum is a science and industrial heritage museum located in Lisbon, Portugal. It is situated along the perimeter of the old Tejo Power Station, which was a thermoelectric plant that illuminated Lisbon for over forty years. The museum opened in 1990 and underwent significant rehabilitation to reopen in 2006. Since 2016, the museum has formed part of the Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology. The site features an iron structure covered with brick that represents Portuguese industrial architecture from the first half of the 20th century.

Visitors to Portugal often travel to see various cities, historic landmarks, religious sites, and beaches. Some of the most popular destinations include Lisbon, Porto, the Algarve, and Madeira. Other notable locations are Sintra, Óbidos, Nazaré, Fátima, Braga, Guimarães, and Coimbra. International tourists frequently visit the Lisbon region, the Algarve, and the Tagus Valley. Northern Portugal and the Coimbra region also attract many travelers.

The construction of the Alto Lindoso Dam resulted in the drowning of five villages. These villages included Aceredo, Buscalque, O Bao, A Reloeira, and Lantemil. Residents of these areas protested the project, with some even participating in a ten-day hunger strike. During the process, the residents of Aceredo had to relocate bodies from their cemetery. Additionally, a historic church was moved to a different town before the area was flooded.

The Sé was built by Afonso I in 1150 on the site of a former Great Mosque. Before this, the original Christian edifice had been converted into a mosque by the Moors. When Afonso I took the city, the existing structure was already decrepit. He chose to rebuild and enlarge the building under the name of the first cathedral of Lisbon, Santa María. This new cathedral inherited the privileges of Mérida, the ancient ecclesiastical capital of the former Roman province of Lusitania.

The Pena Palace is a Romanticist palace located in the Sintra Mountains on the Portuguese Riviera. Its history began in the Middle Ages with a chapel built on a hill following an apparition of the Virgin Mary. After a monastery on the site was reduced to ruins by the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, King Ferdinand II decided to transform the remains into a palace. This new structure was intended to serve as a summer residence for the Portuguese royal family. Today, the palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is used for state occasions by the President of the Portuguese Republic.

Portuguese architecture reflects the artistic influences of various cultures that have inhabited or come into contact with the Portuguese people throughout history. This includes influences from the Romans, Moors, and many other groups. Various artistic styles have dominated the architecture throughout the ages, such as Romanesque, Gothic, and Manueline. Other notable movements include Portuguese Baroque, Rococo, and Pombaline. Contemporary architecture is also a recognized style within this tradition. The scope of this architecture covers Continental Portugal, the Azores, Madeira, and the architectural heritage found throughout the former Portuguese Empire.

In the Terra de Miranda region, you can find the Burro de Miranda, which is a unique Portuguese breed of donkey. These donkeys are born with black coats that eventually turn brown as they grow. They are distinguished from common donkeys by their longer hair and more social, docile nature. This breed is the only officially recognized donkey breed in Portugal and is protected by the European Union. While they were once essential for agriculture, they are now primarily kept as companion animals.

Peneda-Gerês National Park is the only designated national park in Portugal and is located in the northwest corner of the territory. This park features a variety of oak and mixed-forests, peat bogs, and diverse bushlands. Visitors can find many animals there, including the golden eagle, the wolf, and the brown bear. The area is part of the PAN Parks network and focuses on conserving ecological integrity. Other protected areas include several nature parks such as the International Nature Park of the Douro and the Nature Park of Arrábida.

A number of food and drink products from Portugal are granted Protected Geographical Status under European Union and UK law. These protections include the Protected Designation of Origin, Protected Geographical Indication, and Traditional Speciality Guaranteed regimes. This legislation was designed to protect regional foods and came into force in 1992. For example, various types of olive oil and beef products carry these specific designations. Please do not confuse these with the Portuguese national classification scheme known as DOC.

The Boom Festival is an international transformational festival located in Idanha-a-Nova, Portugal. It began in 1997 as a goa trance psychedelic party and has since evolved into a global celebration of alternative culture. The event is a fully independent festival that gathers people from all around the globe. It is well known for its environmentalist approach and has won several green festival international awards since 2008. Since its second edition in 1998, the festival has typically taken place every two years.

The Boom Festival is an international transformational festival located in Idanha-a-Nova, Portugal. It began in 1997 as a goa trance psychedelic party and has since evolved into a global celebration of alternative culture. This fully independent festival is known for its environmentalist, fusionist, and experimental approach to large-scale gatherings. It has won several international green festival awards since 2008 due to its focus on various dimensions like art, water, and social change. The event gathers people from all around the globe to celebrate different themes every two years.

Portugal offers a rich variety of traditional performing arts, including regional folklore known as Ranchos Folclóricos. In smaller towns and villages, cultural activities often revolve around musical groups performing traditional dance and song. Fado is the national music of the country, and its importance is highlighted by the national mourning declared upon the death of the Queen of Fado, Amália Rodrigues. For those interested in theatre, the works of Gil Vicente, the father of Portuguese theatre, have historical roots in social criticism and satire. Visitors can also find music venues and local festivities throughout the summer season in both cities and villages.

The ritual music of Spanish and Portuguese Jews is unique because it is heavily influenced by Western European Baroque and Classical music. Elaborate choral compositions, which often included instrumental music, were frequently commissioned for synagogue dedications, weddings, and various festivals. Historical records show that instruments like the harpsichord were used in synagogues as early as 1603. In some communities, there was even a flourishing of Classical music during the 18th century. This musical tradition also incorporated both traditional Sephardic music and composed art music.

Portuguese cinema began in 1896 with the screening of foreign films and the first local production. The industry experienced a Golden Age lasting two decades starting in 1933 with the film A Canção de Lisboa. Later, the Cinema Novo movement emerged in the early 1960s to introduce realism into films. Portuguese productions have achieved international recognition at major festivals like Venice and Cannes. Today, the industry receives significant financial support from the government through the Instituto do Cinema e do Audiovisual.

Portuguese literature is distinguished by a wealth of lyric poetry and historical writing documenting the country's rulers and expansions. The Renaissance period was considered a Golden Age, featuring the national epic Os Lusíadas by Luís de Camões. Following a period of Baroque decadence in the seventeenth century, the eighteenth century saw a Neoclassical effort to recover literary quality. The nineteenth century introduced Romanticism through authors like Almeida Garrett, followed later by the development of Realism in novels. In the twentieth century, literary trends were represented mainly by Fernando Pessoa, who is considered one of the greatest national poets.

The Portuguese art scene underwent significant transformation during the 1960s and 1970s as conceptual art and new forms like performance and installations emerged. While the Estado Novo regime and the Colonial War initially stifled change, the return of democracy brought true artistic freedom. Minimalism flourished in the 1980s, influencing painting, sculpture, and engraving through simple designs and bold simplicity. Following this, postmodernism revived traditional painting while exploring themes like politics, gender, and globalization. Today, the scene is characterized by a new eclecticism that blends various styles and new media like street art and the internet.

Portugal offers a variety of regional souvenirs that can be found in shops everywhere. You can look for traditional dolls from Nazaré or the famous Galo de Barcelos. The country is also home to well acclaimed artists who create paintings and sculptures for national and international markets. Additionally, the glazed clay works of the famous 19th-century artist Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro continue to be reproduced in Caldas da Rainha. These items represent the rich cultural heritage of the country.

Street food consists of ready-to-eat food or drink typically sold by vendors in public places like markets or fairs. You can often find these items sold from food trucks, carts, or portable booths for immediate consumption. Most street foods are classified as both fast food and finger food. On average, these options are cheaper than eating at a restaurant. While some street foods are regional, many have spread far beyond their original locations.

Before the Romans arrived, native peoples in areas like Gallaecia-Lusitania primarily drank beer. The Romans helped expand and promote viticulture, especially in the south and in Estremadura. Wine production was eventually exported to Rome and later developed significantly through trade with England following the Methuen Treaty in 1703. Today, Portugal produces a wide variety of wines with distinctive personalities. Two of its wine-producing regions, the Douro Valley and Pico Island, are protected by UNESCO as World Heritage sites.

Morning coffee or breakfast typically consists of a light meal such as fruit or a slice of bread paired with a cup of coffee. Traditional items include typical cakes, crackers, bread, butter, cold cuts, cheese, honey, jam, or doce de leite. A morning snack, known as lanche-da-manhã, usually consists of similar items to those served at breakfast. Similarly, the afternoon snack or café-da-tarde includes many of the same items, though fruits are less common during this time. Coffee is usually served sweetened and with milk.

Shopping options are available through Lojas Francas de Portugal, which was previously a joint-venture involving TAP Air Portugal. This retail entity maintains over 30 stores located in Lisbon, Porto, Faro, Madeira, and the Azores. You can also find shopping opportunities on board TAP Air Portugal flights via their On Air shopping magazine. While TAP previously held a stake in this retail company, the stake was sold to Vinci. These locations provide various ways to shop during your travels across the country.

Portugal offers a wide variety of lodging options ranging from a large hotel network to youth hostels and many camping places. For a typically Portuguese experience on a budget, you can stay in a residencial or pensão, which are home-like inns found in most towns. Travelers looking for luxury may prefer the Pousadas de Portugal, which are hotels located in beautiful ancient buildings like palaces and castles. If you are exploring the countryside, Casas de Campo provide affordable and picturesque B&B options. Holiday villas and apartments are also available for those looking to investigate different stay styles.

Many small guesthouses are located in the old part of the town. These establishments are dependent on the influx of visitors coming to the area. People often visit to utilize the modern spa industry in Chaves. The thermal waters are used for various treatments including stomach, liver, intestinal, and kidney ailments. This makes the local guesthouses an important part of the town's economy.

When requesting a homestay, the amount of time you spend writing your request is very important. An analysis of hundreds of thousands of requests shows that the less time spent on writing, the lower the probability of success. Because these networks are shaped by altruism, low-effort communication is discouraged. You should avoid using copy and paste requests as they send the wrong signal. Taking the time to write a personalized message will help your request. This approach shows better engagement with the host.

There are many camping places available throughout the country. However, wild camping outside of designated camping parks is not allowed. You may only camp in such areas if you have obtained the agreement of the landowner. This rule applies to anyone looking to camp in the Portuguese landscape. Always ensure you are staying in an authorized location.

Portugal offers a wide variety of accommodation ranging from a great number of youth hostels and camping places to abundant hotel options. For a typically Portuguese experience on a budget, you can stay in a residencial or pensão, which are home-like inns found in most towns. Travelers seeking luxury might prefer the Pousadas de Portugal, a network of hotels located in beautiful ancient buildings like palaces. If you are exploring the countryside, Casas de Campo provide an affordable and picturesque B&B option. Regarding transportation, rail travel is usually faster than the bus, though services are less frequent and more expensive. The main railway junction for connecting different regions is located at Entroncamento.

There are several dining styles to choose from depending on your budget and preference. A simple and inexpensive option is comida a quilo, which is a buffet where you pay for food by weight. You can also find all-you-can-eat restaurants where customers pay a prix fixe for a buffet. Another common style is rodízio, where servers circulate with food for a fixed price. For those who prefer specific items, a regular restaurant à la carte offers a specific price for each meal.

Visitors to the capital can choose from a wide and abundant selection of hotels. For a typically Portuguese experience on a budget, you can try a residencial or pensão, which are home-like inns ubiquitous in cities. If you prefer luxury, the Pousadas de Portugal network uses beautiful ancient buildings like palaces and castles. There is also a great number of hostels available through the youth hostel network. Holiday villas and apartments are another option to investigate for your stay.

Portugal offers a wide variety of accommodation options ranging from a great number of youth hostels to many camping places. If you are looking for a typical experience on a budget, you can try a residencial or pensão, which are home-like inns found in most towns. For luxury travelers, the Pousadas de Portugal network uses beautiful ancient buildings like palaces and castles. Those traveling through the countryside might enjoy Casas de Campo, which are picturesque and comfortable B&B options. You can also find holiday villas, apartments, and an abundant selection of hotels throughout the country.

In Portugal, the term city is an honorific given to localities that meet specific criteria. These criteria include having a minimum number of inhabitants, good infrastructure, or major historical importance. As of 2026, there are 160 localities in the country considered to be a city. It is important to note that a city is not an administrative division and does not always correspond to a municipality. Some urban municipalities coincide with cities, while others may contain multiple cities.

When enjoying social drinks in Portugal, wine is the primary choice for locals. Red wine is a favorite, but white wine is also very popular, including the crisp vinho verde from the north. You can also choose from national beer brands like Super Bock, Sagres, or Coral. For those interested in spirits, be careful with 1920 and Aguardente as they are very strong. Macieira brandy is another option that offers a more palatable kick.

In 1998, Law 244/98 was passed in Lisbon to allow families to reconnect. An individual already residing in Lisbon must have lived there for at least one year to qualify. This person can petition for a family member who currently lives outside of Portugal. The process begins with a temporary living status that can be renewed once it expires. After appealing for additional years, family members may be authorized for residency. This process requires that the migrant can provide for the family even if they are unemployed.

The climate in Portugal varies depending on the specific region you visit. Mainland Portugal and Madeira have a Mediterranean climate, while the Azores features a temperate oceanic climate. During the winter, the jet stream moves southwards and the polar front influences the area, producing colder temperatures. In contrast, the summer brings atmospheric stability due to the influence of the Azores High. You should prepare for these regional differences and temperature variations during your stay.

During the winter, the jet stream typically moves southwards and Portugal comes under the influence of the polar front. This movement produces colder temperatures across the region. On the mainland, average temperatures generally vary between 4 and 20 °C. In Madeira, the average temperature is around 9 to 19 °C. The Azores experience different conditions with an average temperature of around 18 °C.

Portugal offers several emblematic viewpoints known as miradouros for visitors to enjoy. Among the most famous are the Miradouro de Santa Luzia, where the Igreja de Santa Luzia e de São Brás stands, and the Miradouro das Portas do Sol. For a unique architectural experience, Pilar 7 is situated within one of the massive support pillars of the 25 de Abril Bridge. This location provides a viewpoint and access to areas of the bridge that would otherwise be off-limits. You can also visit the historic São Jorge Castle, which has been continuously occupied for the last 3,000 years.

Sonae offers various financial services through its Universo business unit. This segment includes the Universo Card, which covers payments, cards, personal credit, and insurance. You can also access the Cartão Dá for meal, gift, and rewards purposes. Additionally, Universo Flex provides financing for online purchases. Other services available include MoneyGram and various in-store credit services.

Yes, the site located in the Boqueiro area of Santa Cruz das Flores offers access to tour guides. This area was created in former oil tanks used for whale oil production. Visitors can learn about the local environment and the marine ecosystem through these services. The site also features an auditorium for films and permanent expositions. You can also find washrooms, lounges, and shops on the premises.

MOBIpeople is a bus and coach manufacturer located in Coimbra, Portugal. The company was founded in 2008 and primarily produces minibuses, midibuses, and their coach equivalents. It is currently the third largest Portuguese bus manufacturer after CaetanoBus and Carroçarias Irmãos Mota. The company occupies the space of the former Marcopolo bus factory in Coimbra. MOBIpeople initially started as a company providing bus repairs before moving into manufacturing.

When picking up your rental, conduct a thorough inspection with the agent to note every defect from the interior to the engine bay. Ensure your copy of the report matches the agent's copy exactly to avoid being charged for previous damage. You should also be aware that many major freeways use an electronic toll system called Via Verde. Most rental companies have arrangements for toll payments, but you can also visit a Via Verde office at a Loja do Cidadão. To save money, consider hiring a smaller, economical car and avoiding tolled freeways when possible.

The bicycle industry is part of the automotive and other mechanical industries in the country. These specific industries are primarily located in and around several key areas. You can find them in Setúbal, Porto, Lisbon, Aveiro, Braga, and Mangualde. These locations serve as major hubs for these mechanical sectors. This distribution helps support the country's diverse industrial landscape.

Portugal is generally a very safe country with low crime rates and mostly non-violent offenses. According to the 2024 Global Peace Index, the nation ranks as the 7th most peaceful country in the world. Safety data from Gallup's 2024 Global Safety Report shows that 83% of people felt safe walking alone at night in their place of residence in 2023. Various government agencies work to combat crime throughout the country. This high level of security makes it a favorable destination for visitors and residents alike.

Portugal hosts several international motorsport competitions. The main race track is the Autódromo Fernanda Pires da Silva located in Estoril near Lisbon. This venue hosts events such as the World Motorcycling Championship and the A1 Grand Prix. Additionally, the country has international recognition for rallying through the Rally of Portugal and Rally Madeira. Off-road events like the Baja Portugal 1000 and the Lisboa-Dakar are also held.

Many major freeways in Portugal are tolled, so you should plan accordingly if you are traveling on a budget. The country uses an electronic toll system known as Via Verde. To use the main motorway system, you must make arrangements to register your license plate or obtain a tolling tag. If you are hiring a car, the rental company likely already has an arrangement for toll payments. Otherwise, you can find Via Verde offices at Loja do Cidadão locations to make necessary arrangements.

Galp Energia is the largest oil and gas group in Portugal. The company distributes gas and sells petrol throughout the country. It is a Portuguese multinational energy corporation with its headquarters located in Lisbon. Galp consists of more than 100 companies involved in various aspects of the energy supply chain. These activities include hydrocarbon exploration, refining, trading, and logistics.

New Year's Eve in Portugal is widely marked by eating twelve raisins at midnight, one for each stroke of the clock and for each month of the year ahead. Each raisin is supposed to carry a wish, such as health or prosperity, and restaurants often give the raisins out before the countdown. People toast with champagne, commonly with the raisins in the other hand, and the custom is to look friends in the eye without crossing arms. A superstition says you should have money on you at midnight, whether in a hand, a wallet or a shoe, because empty pockets are taken as a bad sign for the year's finances. Wearing something new is also treated as lucky, with blue linked to luck, red to passion, yellow to wealth and green to health. Cities and towns put on fireworks at midnight, but a private launch needs a permit.

Portugal does not impose a nationwide Sunday closure on shops. Decree-Law 10/2015 gives shops that sell to the public, service outlets, restaurants and bars a free opening schedule. Each place chooses its own hours, and setting or changing that schedule needs no administrative formality, although worker representatives are still heard under labour law. A timetable must be posted where people can see it from outside the premises. A municipal council may still cut those hours for the whole year or for certain seasons, after hearing unions, the security forces, employer and consumer groups and the parish, when safety or residents' quality of life requires it. A given shop is therefore open on Sunday only if its posted hours say so and the council has not restricted that period.

Most towns in Portugal have a covered municipal market, run by the local council, selling fruit, vegetables, fish, meat, bread, cheese and often flowers. These markets usually open early and close in the afternoon, and the exact hours differ from town to town. In Braga the municipal market called the Praça is open from Tuesday to Friday and on Saturday morning, and it stays closed on Sunday and Monday. Many places also hold a weekly or monthly open-air fair for produce, plants, clothes, household goods and crafts, with the day and the site published by the council or the parish. The fair in Barcelos, in the Minho, takes place every Thursday on the Campo da República, and the council traces it to 1412 and calls it one of the oldest fairs in Europe. Smaller stalls may prefer cash, so the ordinary place to buy fresh food and local goods is the municipal market or that weekly fair.

A traveller watching the budget in Portugal can stay in the youth-hostel network or at one of the many organised campsites. Camping outside a campsite is not allowed unless the landowner has agreed. For a simple room, a residencial or a pensão is the ordinary small inn, common in cities and most towns, and in smaller cities these inns often stand near railway stations and bus terminals. A 2017 travel note put a double or triple room with a private bathroom at 25 to 35 euros out of season and at 35 to 40 euros in season, so the room itself should be checked before paying. Friends travelling together can sometimes get a discount by asking politely, even in the high season. Rural houses grouped as Casas de Campo, including farm stays, are another affordable option, though they may not open all year and are better reserved in advance.

In 2026 Portugal keeps each national holiday on its calendar date and does not move it to a Monday when it falls on a Sunday. The religious days on that national list are Good Friday on 3 April, Easter Sunday on 5 April, Corpus Christi on 4 June, the Assumption on 15 August, All Saints on 1 November, the Immaculate Conception on 8 December and Christmas on 25 December. Shops, offices and services often close on these days, and a Friday holiday can also disrupt transport or national museums on the day before. June adds local patron-saint festivals, with Saint Anthony in Lisbon on 13 June, Saint John in Porto, Braga and Tavira on 24 June, and Saint Peter in Évora and other municipalities on 29 June. Those June days bring parades, grilled sardines and late street parties, and they are municipal rather than nationwide. Carnival Tuesday on 17 February is listed apart from the national holidays, and only some workplaces take the Monday before it as a bridge.

In the Lisbon metropolitan area the navegante app, built by Transportes Metropolitanos de Lisboa, shows public transport in real time and plans a trip from a start point to a destination. The trip planner launched on 13 October 2026 and draws on live data from several operators rather than from one company. Those operators include Carris and Carris Metropolitana, the Lisbon metro, covered CP rail services, Fertagus, the Transtejo and Soflusa ferries, MobiCascais and the Barreiro buses. The app can show vehicles on a map, arrival forecasts and alerts for delays, cancelled trips, route changes and service breaks. It is free on Android and iOS, and it can also load a personal navegante card, check a pass and see prepaid credit. The location and the forecast depend on what each operator sends, so the screen is a travel aid and not a promise that a vehicle will arrive at the predicted minute.

Portugal ranked ninth in the world for English as a second language in the 2022 EF English Proficiency Index, inside the very high band, after ranking seventh in 2021. That national score does not mean English is equally easy everywhere. Lisbon and nearby towns such as Cascais, Costa da Caparica and Ericeira use English widely, and the same is true of the Algarve coast, Porto, Braga, Coimbra and Aveiro. In a small inland town the picture can be much thinner, and some younger residents may have studied French rather than English. Restaurants and cafes are the places where an English speaker is easiest to find, while a health centre or a tax office is where the language is most likely to fail. Many Portuguese speakers also switch to English as soon as they hear a visitor struggle, which makes daily life simpler and leaves fewer chances to practise Portuguese.

Cash machines in Portugal run on the MULTIBANCO network, in place since 1985 and open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A withdrawal on that network is capped at 400 euros a day, and the machines also offer debit, credit and currency conversion for more than 30 currencies. Money can be taken without a card through the MB WAY app. If the cash is not dispensed but the account is debited, the amount is credited back once that failure is confirmed, and otherwise the card-issuing bank should be told, with the receipt if you have it. Notes left uncollected are pulled back into the machine, and the bank must be contacted to regularise the debit. A captured card should be reported at once to the issuing bank, and a lost or stolen card can be reported on the 24-hour MULTIBANCO line.

Independent travel in Portugal is straightforward on the main corridors because the country is small and the cities are linked by rail. The Alfa Pendular covers Lisbon to Porto Campanhã in about three hours, and an ordinary ticket on that train or on Intercidades already includes a reserved seat. Inside Lisbon the Navegante card covers the metro, Carris buses and trams and the urban trains, while Porto uses the zone-based Andante card on the metro and buses. Where the railway does not go, Rede Expressos and FlixBus coaches reach smaller towns and much of the interior. A hire car is the practical choice for the countryside and the coast, and it is usually more trouble than help inside Lisbon and Porto. Madeira and the Azores are reached by domestic flight, so a mainland rail ticket does not get you onto the islands.

ANA Aeroportos de Portugal lists ten airports in its own contact directory: Lisbon, Porto, Faro and Beja on the mainland, Madeira and Porto Santo, and Ponta Delgada, Santa Maria, Horta and Flores in the Azores. The company site says it gives operational information for the Lisbon, Porto, Faro, Madeira and Azores airports. Fast-track security is offered at Lisbon, Porto, Faro, Madeira and Ponta Delgada. Lisbon airport's published address is on the Alameda das Comunidades Portuguesas, and Porto's contact is the Francisco Sá Carneiro airport at Pedras Rubras. Faro, Beja, Santa Maria, Horta and Flores each have their own airport contact on the same page. Domestic island flying is therefore handled through the Azores and Madeira fields on that list, not only through Lisbon.

A rail guide updated in November 2026 says there is currently no direct train between Lisbon and Madrid. A trip from Lisbon into Spain is described as a multi-leg journey via Entroncamento and Badajoz, and each leg can open for sale on its own date. The direct cross-border train named there is the Celta regional service between Porto and Vigo. Inside Portugal, long-distance travel is on Alfa Pendular and Intercidades, and both fares include an assigned seat that has to be bought before boarding. The same guide does not list a domestic overnight sleeper. Anyone hoping for a night departure should confirm the live CP timetable, because this guide does not show an overnight service.

Since 15 October 2026, taxis leaving the rank at Lisbon's Humberto Delgado Airport use a fixed fare into the city. On a weekday daytime trip the fare is 16 euros to zone 1 and 19 euros to zone 2. Between 22:00 and 07:00, and at weekends and on public holidays, those fares rise to 20 euros and 23 euros. Zone 1 covers parishes such as Alvalade, Parque das Nações and Santa Clara, while zone 2 covers Santa Maria Maior, Belém, São Vicente and Campolide. Trips beyond the city, including Almada, Amadora and nearby Loures parishes such as Sacavém, go back onto the meter, and some farther towns have their own fixed table. Taxis that join the scheme must take bank cards and MB WAY, and they may not add a charge for the way you pay.

Since 1 September 2026 a vehicle licensed as a taxi in Portugal may also work under the TVDE regime used by platforms such as Uber and Bolt. That change comes from Law 59/2026 of 25 August, which revised the electronic-platform transport rules. The legal name of TVDE became paid passenger transport in vehicles made available electronically, and the old reference to unmarked vehicles dropped out of the title. A taxi operator that already holds the taxi licence can add the TVDE activity if it completes the licensing and meets the conditions. Taxi and TVDE stay separate activities, so the rules that apply are those of the service being carried out at the time. The same car can therefore do a traditional taxi job and an app booking, but only when it is authorised for both.

Article 81 of the Portuguese Highway Code forbids driving under the influence of alcohol or psychotropic substances. A driver is treated as under the influence at a blood alcohol level of 0,5 grams per litre or more, or when a medical report says so after the test set out in the code. The threshold falls to 0,2 grams per litre for probationary drivers and for drivers of emergency vehicles, school transport for children up to 16, taxis, TVDE cars, heavy passenger or goods vehicles and dangerous-goods vehicles. A level from 0,5 up to but not including 0,8 grams per litre draws a fine of 250 to 1,250 euros, and a level from 0,8 up to but not including 1,2 grams per litre draws 500 to 2,500 euros. For the stricter group those fine bands start at 0,2 and 0,5 grams per litre instead. Breath alcohol is converted on the rule that 1 milligram per litre of breath equals 2,3 grams per litre of blood.

If a road crash in Portugal leaves anyone hurt, the Portuguese Green Card Bureau says to call 112 at once and ask for the authorities, and not to move the injured people. The same number is the single European emergency line, free from fixed and mobile phones, and it can send an ambulance, firefighters or the police. The scene should be marked by switching on the hazard lights, putting on the reflective vest before leaving the car, and placing the warning triangle at least 30 metres back so it can be seen from at least 100 metres. Whenever possible both drivers fill in and sign the friendly accident statement, and each keeps a copy or a photo of it. The names and contact details of people who saw the crash should be written down as well. That statement is the European accident form used to collect who was involved and how the crash happened.