Portugal Map and Travel Resources

Use our Map of Portugal to plan your trip

Here's a travel map of Portugal showing some prime tourist destinations. Click the Rail Map button to toggle the major train routes on and off. You'll need the Flash plugin to see the Portugal map.

(Right click the map to zoom in or to print the Portugal map)

Map of Portugal © 2003 by James Martin, Licensed to About.

Portugal in a Nutshell

Portugal is a country with strong traditions that is changing rapidly with its inclusion in the European Union. For this reason, the festivals in Portugal are outstanding.

Portugal isn't a cheap as it once was, but if you're looking for a European destination in which splurging won't cost you an arm and a leg, Portual's system of Pousadas will fit the bill. The historic inns are now mostly managed by a private company, and offer a great value in luxury lodging and good food that follows the traditions of the land.

Most visitors to Portugal will spend time in the capital, Lisbon. An inflow of EU money has meant that Lisbon continues to update its infrastructure and modernize, while retaining the traditional feel of the Portugese capital. I enjoyed my last stay in Lisbon very much. See our Lisbon Travel Planner, or take a look at the Lisbon Picture Gallery for a virtual tour.

Other Maps of Portugal

There is also a Portugal Regions Map with travel planning information on the five regions of Portugal and the tourist destinations you'll find in each.

Portugal Resources on Europe for Visitors

Be sure to check out our Portugal Travel Information Directory.

Resources on Europe for Visitors: Pictures

See our Portugal Picture Gallery. We also have some Azores Picture Galleries. The Azores Islands offer the traveller to see a quite different part of Europe in the Atlantic.

Portugal Essentials: Currency

The currency in Portugal is the Euro. At the time the Euro was adopted, its value was set at 200.482 Portuguese Escudos. [more on the Euro]

Portugal Essentials: Language

The Portuguese language is derived from the Latin spoken in the western part of the Iberian Peninsula. A few words were picked up from invading Germanic tribes from about 400-711. Then invading Moors conquered the peninsula and many of their words got added to the language. Modern Portuguese began in the 16th century with the first grammar texts. But the language kept evolving, adding Castilian words and later, modern technological words.

English is spoken in large cities serving tourist populations, but in the smaller, out of the way places you might have a bit of trouble. Don't let that deter you. Pointing and smiling can work wonders with the friendly people of Portugal.

Portugal Essentials: Restaurants

Portugal offers a wide variety of food for the tourist. Coastal regions offer great seafood, and sometimes the seafood is combined with meat, as in the classic dish of Pork with Clams.

Lunch is generally served between 12 and 3, while dinner is served from 7:30 to 11pm. Be prepared to wait, eating the bread and olives that are served you, as it is tradition in Portugal to prepare fresh food from scratch. Other foods you haven't ordered may come to your table just after you sit down. You'll be charged for the plates you eat from, so it's best to wave off what you don't want as it's presented to you.

Food in Portugal is slightly less expensive than most of the rest of Europe. Many people are surprised at the quality of wines as well. Ask for a "vinho da casa" for the house wine. Afterwards, remember that the Portuguese are known for their fortified wines, Port and Madeira.

In Portugal's Alentejo region, you can drink Vinho de Tahla, a wine made the way the Romans made wine 2000 years ago. And it's usually quite good.

Restaurant Types:

• "tasca" (tavern) may serve a "casa de pasto" (a three-course tavern meal)
• " cervejaria" (beer joint, often with food)
• "restaurante"
• "marisqueira" (fish and shellfish specialties)
• "churrasqueira" (spit roasting).
• Look for the "prato de dia" (dish of the day) for bargains in the smaller places.

Portugal Travel Essentials: Tipping

While service is included in the bill, a tip of 5-10 percent is not uncommon. For two, a tip of 2 to 5 Euros is recommended. Do not leave fewer than 2 Euros, as this would be considered an insult.

Portugal Hotels

Portugal has an extensive network of historic lodging called Pousadas. I recommend staying in one on your vacation, as they tend to be less expensive in Portugal than other countries. See our Pousada Resources for more, including a review of a pousada.

If a hotel is what you're looking for, the booking agent I use most is Venere, who maintains a list of hotels in Portugal ranked by people who've stayed in them.

Portugal Essentials: Transportation

The Portuguese Railways have an extensive network of trains, look for the English link on the upper right . There are around 2,850 km of tracks, mostly broad gauge in Portugal.

A Eurail pass can save you money when traveling in Portugal. You can get a single country pass (check prices) or a pass that includes Spain (check prices).

There are almost 60,000 km of paved roads in Portugal, 797 km of that are expressways. With lots of construction, we highly recommend a good road map of Portugal.

There are large airports in Lisbon, Porto Faro, Ponta Delgada, and Madeira and they can be accessed by the umbrella site Aeroportos de Portugal SA.

Portugal Essentials: Weather

The weather in Portugal varies with altitude and proximity to the sea. For representative temperatures in various Portuguese cities, see GeographyIQ.