Lisbon

Visas

Portugal is part of the Schengen visa scheme so Euro’s, Antipodeans, North Americans, most South Americans, Central American and Caribbean countries don't need a visa and get 90 days. Europeans can also stay longer under certain conditions. There are no real border checks within the Schengen area so once in you can move from country to country with ease.

Getting There

Minho and Douro Non-EU get 90 days without a visa. Porto (OPO) is linked to European cities through 15 airlines, check Transavia, Ryanair & EasyJet. Nat’l airline TAP flies from NYC & Brasil, but far more international flights arrive in Lisbon (3h drive or local flight from US$200 rtn). Porto is 8h drive from Biarritz. Galicia to Porto is 2h drive and 5h to Algarve.

Getting Around

Portugal has Europe’s highest road death rate and erratic driving is commonplace, especially on Sundays. Be careful! Portuguese roads also seem to be full of unmarked obstacles or unexpected changes to the road type or layout. Unless otherwise indicated, vehicles approaching from the right have priority at junctions. Speed limits are 120km/h on the few motorways, 90km/h on national roads and 50km/h in town. Documents and safety equipment must be carried and on the spot demands must be paid by credit card like the 600 fine for using a mobile. Fuel is as cheap as it gets in Western Europe. A car is often essential and Portugal offers super cheap hire cars (prices as low as €100 a week) that can be picked up in Faro or Lisbon by over 21’s. Free-camping in vans at the quieter beaches is normally no problem otherwise campsites are numerous and cheap, though they fill up quickly in August. A cheap but comfortable room in a guesthouse will cost around €30 in the countryside and €60 in Lisbon. Eating out is cheap in comparison to much of Western Europe. Agents for Eurolines serve Lisbon, Porto, Faro and Aveiro and many other towns with departures from almost any large European city, although these are rarely direct and can involve numerous stops and transfers. There are three companies running these services between Oporto (Inter-Norte), Lisbon (Inter-Centro) and Faro (Inter-Sul). Once in Portugal, buses go to virtually every town and village in the country and can be a cheap and reliable way to get between bigger towns. Small coastal villages may only see one bus a day or less. Be warned that there are many different bus companies and they don’t always operate from the same terminal and rarely give unbiased advice. Sometimes surfboards can be a source of trouble, check before buying a ticket whether or not they will carry surfboards.

Accommodation

Caparica is a pretty busy seaside resort with many cheap ‘parques de campismo’ to the south. Guincho is a good hub for the north side but it gets more crowds. Pens„o Mar E Sol charges $30/dble while Hotel Maia is $60/dble. A decent meal costs $10. Avoid June-Sept.

Activities

Great services, seaview restaurants (Europa Mar, CafÈ do Mar) and bars in Caparica (Waikiki, Kontiki). The Arriba Fossil shelters thick pine forests facing 30 km of virgin beaches. Lisbon contrasts greatly with the Albufeira lake area. Get a view from the Capuchos mirador.

Hazards & hassles

Avoid the tourist season, and the Caparica zone will be cool. The northern part with the best waves is very urban and thievery is common at Carcavelos and Praia Grande. The Tagus rivermouth spits out some shit and bordering beaches can be filthy. Traffic jams can be really bad around Lisbon!

Handy Hints

Plenty of shapers: Matta, Luffi, Y, Josafa F. Boards are cheap $300+: expect some bargaining. Try the Twister Surfshop in Caparica. Only take a gun for winter west coast spots. Take surfing lessons with the Clube or Bulldog surf school. There is a summer coastal train running along 11 km of Caparica’s beaches.

Due to global pandemic, Visas, Getting There, Getting Around or Accommodation information and pricing may have changed. Always check Government Travel Advice before travelling.