Rest in Portugal: sea, beaches, cities, beautiful places, hotels. Independent journey through Portugal: how to get, visa, map, tongue, money, food and accommodation with children, reviews

For most Russians, Portugal is a dark horse, few choose it for relaxation. Meanwhile, Portugal is famous among Europeans with first -class beaches and excellent excursion routes.

Where is Portugal on the map?

Portugal is a small country on the western bank of Eurasia. On land, Portugal borders only on one European country - with Spain. The waters of the Atlantic Ocean are washed on Portugal on all other sides. Portugal also belongs to several islands, the most noticeable of which is the island of Madeira, the birthplace of the famous fortified wine "Madera".

Visa to Portugal

Portugal is a member of the Schengen agreement, but she has one of the most loyal rules regarding the design of a visa. You can issue a visa to Portugal through one of the visa centers. Detailed information about the addresses of visa centers in Russia, the rules for filling out the questionnaire, the list of necessary documents and much more will be found on the site Portugal's single visa center in Russia.

If some information about the visa to Portugal on the site will be incomprehensible or insufficient for you, you can seek advice by phone, a full list see here.

Map, language, money in Portugal

Portuguese is one of the most common languages \u200b\u200bin the world. In addition to Portugal, it is the official language of Brazil, Angola, Macau (China) and a number of other states of different parts of the world. Such a geographical scatter is explained by the fact that Portugal, despite its modest size, was one of the most powerful states that had colonies around the world.

Portuguese is closest to Spanish, but still it exists on its own. If you own Spanish, you will not be able to freely explain with the Portuguese. By ear, the Portuguese seems to be very melodic and abounds with hissing-seeing sounds. The most popular hit on Portuguese is the unforgettable “nose-noses” to Michel to the body, so that any of you can sing at least a couple of lines in Portuguese.

The official currency of Portugal is Euro. It is quite problematic to exchange rubles in the country if you are going to Portugal with cash, it is better to exchange them back in Russia. If you are taking money on a bank card, then no problems will arise - in Portugal, the banking sector is very well developed, ATMs and banking offices are in any even the most seedy village. However, it must be taken into account that banks in Portugal are closed quite early - at 15 o’clock in the afternoon.

You can also pay a bank card almost everywhere. Prices in Portugal compared to other European countries are very democratic. The budget of expenses for the day will be approximately 40-50 euros per person (travel, food, small expenses), economical tourists are completely able to meet 25-30 euros. For the purchase of things and expensive excursions, additional amounts need to be allocated.

You can see the detailed map of Portugal in Russian here. The map marks sights, museums and exhibitions, public transport stops, catering establishments and much more. There you can download the most interesting options for you on a mobile phone or gadget. The map is provided by Google.

How to get to Portugal?

It is possible to directly fly to Portugal from Russia only by the Moscow-Lissabon flight (departs once a week), but the ticket cost is quite high. There are no direct regular flights to Portugal from other cities of Russia. The flight can only be ordered with a transplant in Europe, such a flight will cost you much cheaper than a straight line. From the regions there are inexpensive flights through Istanbul. You can get by train, but again with a transplant in one of the European cities.

There are international airports in Portugal in Lisbon (Center of the country), Faro (South Coast) and Porto (North). You can get to the islands of Portugal only through Lisbon - there are daily direct internal flights for a small price.

What vacation to choose: beaches or cities?

Most tourists go to Portugal for the sake of excursion rest. In the beauty and number of historical attractions, the Portuguese cities are one of the best in Europe. Excursion bus tours are very popular in several cities (there are one-day options, or for 2-4 days with an overnight stay in hotels on the route).

The beach vacation in Portugal is not as popular as excursion. The coast of Portugal is impregnable rocks, cut by small sandy bays. Atlantic waters are rarely calm, not everyone will dare to swim in them, and the bathing season is limited to a couple of months a year (from July to September). But even in these months, the water temperature rarely exceeds 20-22 degrees, since the cold currents of Gibraltar do not allow water to warm up more.

The best sandy beaches of Portugal are located in the south, in the Algarve region. It is here that you need to go if you are a lover of a lazy beach holiday. In the center of the country, not far from Lisbon, there are also several small resort cities (Kashkaysh, Estheril, Karkavelush) with good beaches, but this area is more suitable for surfers - there are too large waves for ordinary swimming. In the north of Portugal, the beach vacation is not developed due to cold movements.

Regardless of which region of Portugal you rest and how good you are a swimmer, you should get out for a couple of days on the coast, in order to at least just observe the ocean, feel its unique smell, see all the power and beauty of the ocean surf. Still, Portugal is a country of the greatest geographical discoveries and first-class sailors, and you can feel this craving for the overseas shores only on the edge of the ocean.

Lisbon and its surroundings: Description of attractions

Lisbon (Lisboa-Lisboa)-the capital of Portugal, one of the oldest cities in Europe. In his lifetime, Lisbon came under the rule of the Romans, Arabs, Knights-Crosses, Spaniards and Napoleon’s troops. Each era of government left its mark in Lisbon, therefore, in historical and architectural terms, Lisbon is a real storehouse of discoveries for a tourist.

Monastery Zheronimush It was built founded by the Portuguese king Manuel I as gratitude to God for the successful swimming of Vasco da Gama.

The great navigator discovered the sea route from Europe to India, from where expensive tacdies and spices that were valued in those days worth its weight in gold poured into Portugal. The opening of this path brought fabulous wealth to the crown of Portugal, in many ways the construction of the monastery was carried out precisely at the expense proceeds from the trade of Indian goods.

After the construction, the monastery was given to the possession of the-heior monks, from where it got its name. There is a marine museum in the monastery building, telling about the times of great geographical discoveries. The official website of the monastery www.mosteirojeronimos.pt, the site of the sea museum http://museu.marinha.pt

Belem Tower (or Beleni) It was built at the beginning of the 16th century as a fort for protecting the city harbor and urban buildings at the mouth of the Taju River from Pirate raids. Later, the Belem Tower at different times was used as a prison, a lighthouse, an arms warehouse and a customs office. The official website of the tower www.torrebelem.pt

The castle of St. George - This is the highest point in Lisbon. The walls of the castle can be seen from any area of \u200b\u200bthe city. It was built even during the reign of the Romans, then several was rebuilt during the times of the knights-crossbars and Muslims. The castle served as a residence for the first king of Portugal Afons.

You can get to the castle on foot from the Square of Commerce in the center of Lisbon through historical quarters. It is better to plan a walk for the whole day. In addition to ancient items and medieval interiors inside the castle, you will find a review site, several cafes, you can participate in interactive entertainments, for example, to learn to shoot from a medieval crossbow.

Baysh district - The historical quarter of Lisbon, in which there are several significant attractions of the city at once:

• Triumphal Arch Opens the pedestrian zone of Rua Auguster - a beautiful historical street and a great place for shopping

• Commerce area - The main square of Lisbon, which opens an amazing view of the embankment of the River of Theju. Street artists often perform on commerce Square, holidays are held, there is also a stop of excursion buses

• Figer Square Previously, it was used as a platform for the city market, now it is a tourist place, but Figer Fairs are still held on Figiir Square. One of the most interesting attractions of the Figer Square is the doll hospital-a museum-store where old broken toys are accepted, put in order, and then sold to everyone

• Russio Square - The place of public executions and the arena for fighting with bulls (the Portuguese call such entertainment "Torada"). Fairs are often arranged on the square, the most beautiful of them are Christmas

• Elewador Santa Kruguster - The structure in the center of Lisbon in the form of a tower with a lifting passenger cabin inside. The elevator is used to quickly move between the areas of Lisbon, which shares too steep a slope. A panorama of adjacent streets opens from the upper point of the elevator. You can drive on the elevator only in the daytime, the passage is paid

• The palace of the open - The Royal Palace, the residence of Luis I. At present, the palace works as a museum, it contains a collection of painting, royal porcelain, jewelry and interior items belonging to the royal family. The official website of the museum http://www.palacioajuda.pt

• National Park - The entertainment quarter built for the ESCPO World Exhibition. There is everything for an excellent pastime: entertainment centers and walking alleys, casinos and a cinema, Teleferico cable car. In the territory of the National Park is the Oceanarium Lisbon, in which you can visit a unique attraction: "Night with sharks." Official website of the Oceanarium Lisbon: https://www.oceanario.pt/en

• Tram number 28 - Perhaps the most popular tram route in the world. It is mentioned in each advertising prospectus as one of Lisbon's main attractions. The tram route runs through the most beautiful corners of the old Lisbon, past the most famous attractions. The passage along the entire route will take about an hour.

• The fare is the same as on any other routes, because this is an ordinary city branch of public transport. If you buy a day travel, you can use a tram No. 28 instead of a sightseeing bus on Lisbon: go out at each stop, slowly inspecting the sights, and go to the next station on the next tram

• National Museum of Karete - One of the most interesting Museums of Lisbon. The unique genuine samples of carriages from all over Europe are collected here. The museum is located in the premises of the riding school at the Royal Palace, the official website of the museum: museudosCOCHES.pt

• Bridge Vasco da Gama - One of the most recognizable places in Lisbon is a bath bridge, the longest bridge in Europe. The bridge is named after the great Portuguese navigator and is a kind of visiting card of the city

Sintra and its sights

Sintra is a city near Lisbon, one of the few cities in the world that is recognized by the UNESCO World Heritage Object (not individual buildings and structures, but the whole city entirely). Sintra for a long time served as the summer residence of the kings of Portugal. Even in Sintre there is a unique tram route laid from the city on the coast.

Palace Peni -The royal palace, with its outlines and colors, something reminiscent of a cartoon castle. The palace was built on the site of an old monastery destroyed during an earthquake.

Initially, the architect decided to build a palace on the model of German and Bavarian castles, but King Ferdinand, who ordered construction, was very actively intervening in the initial construction plans, and added everything that seemed to his head at that time.

As a result, the palace is woven from completely incompatible styles and elements and painted in rather original colors. It just makes him a completely unique building.

Cuinta da regaleira) - the estate and the same park around it. The owner of the cuinta and regaleyra, according to rumors, belonged to one of their powerful Masonic lodges and led his pedigree from knights-cloths. The park is replete with mystical structures and Masonic signs, the most famous of which is a well of initiation.

Cape Rock - The most extreme point of the Eurasian continent, to which you can get away from Sintra by bus. A very strong wind always blows on Cape Rock, and its direction is constantly changing, and gusts can sometimes be knocked down. It is worth being extremely careful, especially when you are standing at the rocky edge of the cape: you never know where the next gust of wind will come from and what force it will be. In winter, visiting Cape Rock is completely unsafe for life.

Montserrat Palace -A luxurious villa for the court nobility, which Byron sang in his poem “The pilgrimage of Child Harold” (therefore the Montserrat Palace is a special success among English tourists). Villa acquired a modern type of Villa thanks to the investments of the English industrialist and phrasis Cook's philanthropist.

Sinentra National Palace, in the common people called "village", for a long time was the summer castle of the kings of Portugal. As expected, Sintra's palace has small sizes and modest interiors compared to city palaces, but, nevertheless, this royal building is considered one of the most important sights of the city.

North Portugal: Porto

Porto is the second largest city in Portugal. It was the port that gave the name to the whole country, because during the time of the Romans the city was called Portus Cale.

Ribeira district - A very colorful historical area to the port, the main tourist attraction of the city. Ribeira houses are painted in bright colors, many are decorated with the traditional Portuguese ceramics "Azulezh". It is difficult to describe in words the whole charm of this area. A completely unique atmosphere reigns on narrow prayed streets, local cafes and restaurants that offer excellent port and local cuisine are added to it.

Church San Francisha - One of the most beautiful in the city. The church looks rather unusual by the standards of Catholic religious canons: it is decorated with a unique wooden carvings, reminiscent of the work of Russian architects. The dome and walls of the Church are painted with scenes from biblical plots, however, in the drawings, not the faces of saints, but images of animals and plants are much more common.

Due to the unusual and too bright internal decor of the Church, the Catholic clergy refused to use the church for prayers, and now it is a museum open to everyone to visit. In addition to the Church itself, those who wish can visit neighboring catacobms-the burial place of citizens in the XVIII-XIX centuries.

Luis's Bridge is the first - One of the most unusual structures in the port and an excellent observation deck. The bridge consists of two levels, both have pedestrian paths. From the bridge, simply amazing views on the banks of the Doru River open. The bridge itself, as an architectural structure, also deserves a separate picture: these impressive sizes are made in the style of Eiffel by one of its students.

Cathedral to the port - A place unique not so much in architectural as in historical terms. It was from this structure that the city of Porto originates: the first building of the church served as a fortress rather than a Catholic church around which the city of Porto gradually began to grow.

Another well -known historical fact: in the Cathedral of the port the port was baptized by the Henry of a sailor - a member of the Portuguese royal family and organizer of many marine expeditions of the era of great geographical discoveries.

Himarainsh castle - The medieval protective fortress near the port. At different times, the fortress belonged to the most famous kings of Portugal, served as a fortification during numerous defensive wars and a gloomy medieval prison. At the moment, the Himmaraish fortress is the UNESCO World Heritage Object.

Faro and region of Algarve

Farah is a small city in the south of Portugal, the capital of the region of Algarve. The city has a very rich and interesting story, in which the times of Roman rule, Arab conquerors, numerous pirate raids and knights of reconquists are interwoven.

Capella of bones - The church, the walls and internal weapons of which are erected from the human bones of monks and ordinary citizens. Despite the creepy decoration, such a decision during construction has a quite prosaic explanation.

The Church belonged to the Order of the Franciscan monks, which the people were called the "begging order", since the Franciscans vowed uninforced and did not have the right to start personal property, especially digging wealth. Having no means to build a church, as well as money for the purchase of land for the burial of deceased counterparts, the monks found an original exit from the situation in the form of this building.

The old city of Faru - An interesting historical area in which you can find a lot of small local attractions, narrow paved streets, family restaurants with centuries -old history and unique pictures of the life of local residents, adhering to family traditions for centuries. In the Old City of Farah, an amazing atmosphere of a typical seaside city, which has lost time, reigns.

Mauritan castle in Silvesh - This is a fortress in the Arab style in the middle of orange and tangerine plantations. Next to the castle is an archaeological museum with a rich collection of finds from the time of the Paleolithic to the present day.

Albuofeira - A small old fishing city, built in the Moorish style. The city has several historical museums of local significance, the remains of the ancient Arab mosque, the fortress of the XII century Castelo de almoad and the Zoo Marine Marine Park, on the territory of which there are regular representations of dolphins and marine cats.

Fort Baleyira - The remains of the old fortification fortress near the city of Sagresh. The fortress was built to protect against pirate raids, who haunted local fishermen and whales. Piratov, however, this fortress did not stop at all from raids. As a result, the fort was destroyed by the team of the legendary marine robber Francis Drake and no longer restored.

Cathedral Santa Maria-Du-Kashtelu - A beautiful old church in the city of Tavira, which is assigned the status of a national monument to Algarve. In the Church of the sconces, a unique collection of objects of cult and jewelry of the XV-XVIII centuries. Also, several tombstones with the remains of knight-Crestonets of the Order of St. Jacob were preserved the churches.

Cathedral of Silvisha For a long time he served as the main diocesan center of the entire region of Algarve. The church is a typical sample of the Catholic style of Portugal: white walls and skeletons of red sandstone. Inside the church, you can find interesting burials of wealthy citizens of different centuries.

Features of the choice of hotels in Portugal

The price of accommodation in Portugal cannot be called cheap. Inexpensive hotels in 2* -3* here are not so many mainly they can be found in Lisbon. In the resort zone, hotels are prevailing 4*-5*, especially in the suburbs of Lisbon, in the areas of Kashkaysh-Eashtolyl-Karkavelush.

If there is a need for inexpensive housing, you can look for a place in a hostel or camping - this type of placement in Portugal is more in demand than in neighboring European countries. Also, good options can be found on the Airbnb website, where apartment owners offer their services directly (advice: look for apartments and apartments on the outskirts, and not in the city center - save on price).

Very popular options for living in rural houses, estates and inns. This type of relaxation is very in demand among Europeans, as it involves healthy village food, a lot of entertainment in the fresh air (riding, contact farms, excursions to vineyards) and a warm home welcome. The main problem may be ignorance of the language, but with the help of a phrasebook and expressive gestures of the language barrier, you can overcome.

Another accommodation option is the Vuzada hotels - restored and converted historical buildings (medieval monasteries, castles, palaces of a local nobility). Accommodation in such hotels will leave very vivid impressions, but the prices here will be very high, and only very wealthy tourists can afford this option.

Transport and food in Portugal

Transport in Portugal

In Lisbon and Porto, the most convenient mode of transport is the metro. You can buy a ticket for the whole day - it will be more convenient and cheaper than a separate ticket for each trip. The map-travel in Portugal must be applied to the turnstile not only at the entrance, but also at the exit of the metro. You can find out more about the Lisbon metro here, Read about the metro in the port here.

In addition to the metro in Lisbon and the port, there are bus, funiculars and tram lines. It is most convenient to buy a single travel for all types of transport. Such a travel card is purchased separately for each passenger, you can use it as much as you like, since it is replenished.

Freason is sold in machine guns at metro stations, in the post office, in magazine kiosks. Plus buying a card in the machine: there are inscriptions in English. When buying a travel card in other places, the seller may not own English, which will cause difficulty in communication.

The trip is considered paid only after you put the card to a special vehicle inside the vehicle interior - these are such small devices with a round reading device in the center and a small screen in the upper part.

When you apply a traveling rod to the reader, a green indicator should light up above the screen, and the remaining number of trips, the amount of the monetary balance on the card, or the date of the end of the travel card will be displayed on the screen.

If a red indicator caught fire above the screen, then you do not have enough funds on the card to pay for travel. It is worth being attentive and replenishing the amount on the card in a timely manner, since there are often controllers in Portugal.

In small cities, in the suburbs of Lisbon and on the coast of Algarve, it is most convenient to use buses or rented cars. Tickets for the bus can be bought from a driver or in special kiosk automats.

Bus message on Algarva is not very convenient, as there are many seasonal routes that often change the schedule and traffic scheme. In addition, buses run only until 6-7 pm, later there will be only a taxi at your disposal.

The national bus carrier of Portugal is called Rede Expressos. The fare, possible routes and conditions for the sale of tickets, see the official website of the company.

Buses stop at stops only at the request of the passenger. To stop the bus, you need to raise your hand, otherwise it can pass by. If you need to get out of the bus, you need to inform the driver about this by pressing the red button on the handrail inside the cabin.

In addition to the bus for travel between small cities, you can use suburban trains. Tickets are sold at stations, when selling, the cashier may require your passport. Trains go strictly on schedule. If you get on a train at the station where there is no station (this happens in very small cities), then the ticket can be bought from the conductor.

The official website of the railways of Portugal can be viewed here.

Food in Portugal

Most often, Portuguese hotels offer their guests only breakfasts, so you will have to solve the issue with lunch and dinner yourself. In any, even the smallest city of Portugal, you will easily find where to eat.

Coffee with a sandwich will cost you 2-3 euros. For a regular lunch or dinner in a cafe (hot and drink), you will have to lay out 12-15 euros per person. Prices in restaurants start at 25 euros, and lunch in a restaurant with live music is more expensive than in an institution without it. Prices for a bottle of local wine vary from 2-3 euros to infinity (it all depends on the brand and class of the drink).

Portugal cuisine is similar to the national cuisine of the midst of the time: a lot of greenery, vegetables, seafood and olive oil are required. The dishes are mostly simple, but satisfying. Very large portions. Of the drinks, the most popular is young Portuguese wine.

Be careful! Often in restaurants and a cafe you can put food on the table that you did not order (meat cut, cheese, baking). Such dishes are not a compliment of the institution, they will have to pay for them. If you do not intend to spend more than you ordered, you should not touch these treats-even if you try one or two pieces, you will have to pay for the entire plate.

If you intend to cook yourself, then food will cost you even cheaper. In local supermarkets, you can buy any products. Moreover, the smaller the town, the lower the price.

Products with an expiring shelf life are folded into special baskets, and a discount is provided on them, its size depends on how soon the product will deteriorate. In addition, supermarkets often arrange sales for a certain category of products, the discount can reach 30% of the initial cost.

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