Insider Tips and Recommendations: Your Guide to Traveling to Portugal

If you are ever looking to travel to a destination with strong religious influence, Portugal is a great country to visit. It has a rich culture that draws visitors from all over the world.

With several countries in the European Union having diplomatic ties with Portugal, it is easy to go there. The Portuguese government does not pressure visitors to adopt their religion, so you can travel around relatively free of apprehension.

This article will help you learn how to travel to Portugal without problem!

How does Traveling To Portugal Effect You?

When traveling abroad, the number one thing that people think about but do not typically do. They get put on probiotics and shipped off to an isolated spa where they spend hours in an recliner on the verge of comas.

We strongly recommend this type of treatment for anyone who travels, as it can be very expensive and hard to schedule in advance. The only way is by request or invitation from the host or host’s family members.

Book your flight

Once you are in Portugal, you will need to find a way to get to Portugal. There are many ways to travel to Portugal and most of them are expensive.

If you can fly into either Lisbon or Porto, you will have a much easier time finding transport to the portside city of PORTO where your hotel is.

If not, then try looking up travel websites for boats and ships that take tourists and see if there are any ship or boats that connect with airports and land in the same country. The more distant the two countries, the lower the cost usually is.

If possible, try finding a cabin on a ship or boat so you can come back home with your belongings. It is cheaper than buying an open air cabin where it is hard to hide anything.

You can also try traveling aboard an ferryboat which takes you from porto to lisbon or vice versa.

Book your hotel

If you are traveling to Portugal as a married couple, then you should book your hotel room early. Because of the high number of sex tourist in Portugal, the Portuguese authorities have established strict guidelines on where and when they can stay.

In order to visit a bed-and-breakfast, a camping site, or any other kind of private accommodation, you must apply for permission at least two weeks before your planned stay.

Many hotels offer second and third rooms to sex tourists, so it is worth checking if this is the case for you and your husband or boyfriend.

If you plan on staying in a public hotel or motel, then again book early.

Create a travel itinerary

The most important part of the travel process is deciding how to get there. You can do a quick trip-and-return plan, or take your time to visit each place you want to visit in detail. It is totally up to you!

The best way to create your travel itinerary is by breaking down your visits into smaller blocks of time. This way, you can estimate how long it will take you to get to and from your destinations and know what to expect.

For example, take a flight from the United States to Lisbon airport at mid-day on a weekday. That will give you about 5 hours of time on your feet and 2 days of visiting Lisbon.

Or, if you wanted to spend more time in Portugal, go on a weekend day trip or weekend! This gives plenty of time for sightseeing and getting around town, but also for flying back on Sunday evening.

Pack for Portugal

When in Portugal, you will need to be prepared. There are some things you can do in advance to make your stay more comfortable and fun. In the case of emergencies, you can call for help from portuguese embassies and consulates all over the world.

In the case of tourist attractions, make plans for what you want to see and how to get there. Most important, have a Portuguese language dictionary with you!

Have a Portuguese language dictionary with you!

Portuguese is not a European language like French or German so there are no European languages that have the same number of speakers. Instead, there are around 200 languages worldwide with over 100 million speakers. About half of those speakers speak Portuguese! So if you know another Portuguese language, it makes finding someone in Portugal very easy.

Get a Portuguese visa

Before you can travel to Portugal, you must have a short-term visa in the Portuguese Republic. This allows you to enter the country for less than one month.

To get a visa, visit the Portuguese Embassy or Consulate in your country and provide proof of income. You will also have to pay a fee, but it is much lower than if you applied for a visa in Portugal.

The average cost is around €200, making this an essential part of your travel plan. You can apply up to one month before your trip, so plan ahead!

After receiving your visa, go to the Portuguese Embassy or Consulate in your country and request an Arrival & Departure Card. This allows you to enter Portugal via their National Airport and gives you access to public transport and shopping facilities close to the consulate.

Make tourist plans

Before you go, make a list of things you want to do in Portugal and estimated times you need to be there. This way, you will have extra time to relax and explore the country.

You can also make a tourist plan- this includes visiting famous sites, eating and drinking places, and events happening in the country. It is important to update your list to include new information due to new events or developments.

Most places update their tourist lists regularly, so this is not a problem!

Location-minded travelers should keep an eye out for local festivals and stuff that happens around town.

Take a Portuguese language class

Most people learn Portuguese through a course, but you can also listen to podcasts and watch videos. It is best to start studying the language as soon as you arrive in Portugal, as your Portuguese will be limited until you learn the basic vocabulary.

The hardest part is probably learning how to structure sentences correctly. Most of all, try to learn how to use plural pronouns correctly!

Many people find that they learn new words by using them in conjunction with existing words. For example, we often use the word trático to mean a street or lane, so when we visit a tráficos (tràt-â-ĩs) store, we look there for things to wear and shop.

Visit during festival times

Most cities in Portugal have a festival or two per year, and they are a great time to visit. The cities that have these festivals during the summer months are awesome!

Many of them are family-friendly and have fairs or events for the public and just-out-of-the-door professionals. These events bring in a lot of tourists, so be prepared to make your visit accommodating!

Many of them are religious in nature, so be prepared for a long wait! But it is worth it since you get to see the city center and its landmarks.

Festivals typically last several weeks, so be sure to plan ahead if you are planning on visiting during one of them.