Month: January 2018

What to know when travelling to Portugal   We hope these facts about Portugal, Madeira and the Azores will help you plan your holiday and ensure that it goes smoothly. Portugal is part of the European Union, so travelling from the UK, Ireland and other EU countries is easy and as Portugal is safe and friendly it is the perfect, affordable destination for weekend breaks, longer holidays and adventure travel. If you need any more information about Portugal please feel free to contact me. General Facts about Portugal Preparing to go Visas Travelling to Portugal, Madeira and the Azores Travelling around Portugal Social Issues, Safety and Accessibility General Facts about Portugal.   Location: Portugal is in the south-west corner of Europe, next to Spain. The Azores are nine beautiful unspoilt islands that form an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, 930 miles (1,500km) from Lisbon and 2425 miles (3,900km) from North America. The sub-tropical archipelago of Madeira is located in the North Atlantic, 535 miles (860km) from Lisbon and 360 miles (580km)from the African coast. Language:  The national language is Portuguese. English is widely spoken in tourist areas and many older Portuguese people speak French. Currency and Money Matters:  The national currency is the Euro. Travellers' Cheques can be cashed at banks. You can use some foreign debit and credit cards to withdraw cash from the Multibanco ATM machines, how much you are charged depends on your bank- as a guide mine charges £2.50 per transaction. Major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express) are accepted in some restaurants, hotels and car hire companies but probably won't be much use in rural areas. It is possible that in the near future you will be able to use debit cards from any major bank in the EU in Portuguese shops without incurring a