Holidays in Portugal

Once upon a time, a vacation in Portugal seemed impossible for a Russian tourist – the huge distance and European prices seemed unaffordable. But now any holder of a Schengen visa can find himself in the country of port wine, football and the most outstanding architecture in the world. It remains only to choose the direction of travel and think over the route through the ancient cities and the golden beaches of the Atlantic.

Pros and cons of Portugal

Advantages

  • A variety of recreation – from beaches to UNESCO monuments and modern multimedia museums
  • Prices are absolutely below the European average
  • Low crime rate
  • Friendly attitude towards foreigners
  • A unique culture that has no analogues in the world

Disadvantages

  • Long flight, sometimes with transfers
  • You need a Schengen visa to travel
  • The Atlantic is colder than the Mediterranean
  • Summer is very hot, even compared to Spain
  • The specific rhythm of life that affects the service

Climate

According to toppharmacyschools.org, the general characteristic of the climate of Portugal refers to the subtropical zone with the strongest influence of the Atlantic air masses. The temperature by months differs from the south only in the north-east of the country, where frosts are possible in January. In general, the summer here is warm and sometimes very hot, and the winter is rainy and relatively cool, but without sub-zero temperatures.

Precipitation is uneven. In the central regions, drought is often observed, and mountainous and coastal areas break records in terms of air humidity and the amount of rainfall, which can reach 1500 mm per year.

Visa and customs

Holidays in Portugal in 2017 for Russian citizens are possible only after a long procedure for obtaining a Schengen visa, since the country has been in the zone of this European agreement since 1995.

In order to obtain a single entry visa valid for 30 days, the following documents are required:

  • Passport valid for at least 90 days at the time of return home
  • 2 copies of the completed application form in English or Portuguese
  • 3 photographs 3.5×4 cm on a light gray or blue background, complying with the rules: the face occupies 75-80% of the image area, white margins must be at least 2 mm. Two photos must be pasted in the appropriate field of the questionnaire, the third photo must be attached to the application, carefully writing the full name and passport number on the back
  • Confirmation of the room reservation with all contact details of the hotel, including the administrator’s phone number
  • Copies of round-trip air tickets, or certificate of booked seats
  • A certificate from the place of work indicating the position, monthly salary and length of service. Or a document on registration of an individual entrepreneur with notifications of receipts from the tax service
  • An extract from a bank account on the availability of the necessary amount for living in the country, at the rate of: €75 for the first day and €50 for each subsequent day
  • For minor children – a birth certificate and a notarized permission of the second parent to travel abroad
  • For pensioners – a pension certificate and a guarantee from the trip sponsor

To get a multiple Schengen to Portugal, you must already have a mark in your passport about visiting this country with the proviso that it was not accompanied by any precedents. For the second trip, a visa is issued for 60 days, for all subsequent trips – for a year.

If you have a valid multiple entry Schengen visa for any country in the agreement area, then no additional documents will be required to visit Portugal. The only caveat is that the trip in this case cannot exceed 30 days.

Read more about the conditions of entry into the country, as well as customs regulations, read here.

Frequently asked Questions

Question:

When is the best time to plan a holiday in Portugal in 2017? They say that it is not worth going in the summer because of the large influx of tourists.

Answer:

The rumors are actually justified, and from June to the end of August the country is literally crowded with guests, especially near architectural monuments. Plus, it also creates transport problems – some buses go non-stop during peak hours, because they are simply overcrowded. To avoid such problems, it is better to come from September to mid-October, when it is still warm, but there are noticeably fewer foreigners. Spring is not much different from summer, so leave autumn as a priority.

Question:

Do Portuguese hotels have a rating system, and how to choose inexpensive accommodation closer to the city center? Is it possible?

Answer:

Yes, it’s possible. The name of the hotel should contain the word “Residencial”, although, in their format, they are closer to boarding houses than to classic hotels. But when checking into such a room, remember that they are located in old buildings where there is no sound insulation, and you will hear everything that happens on the street. Otherwise, if we are talking about international networks, then the number of stars on the sign directly affects the high cost of the room, and five-star complexes are unlikely to suit the economical tourist.

Question:

How is the security situation in the cities of Portugal? Who to call if you need emergency help?

Answer:

The crime rate is one of the lowest in Europe, with the exception of coastal cities and resorts, where there are a lot of migrants from the African region. There are regular reports of tourists being robbed by unemployed refugees, but the detection rate for such violations is about 95%. In case of emergency, you should immediately call the short number 112 from any mobile device and tell in English what happened to you. If you are in trouble on an intercity highway, dial 115 or 308. You must notify the consular department of the Russian Embassy by calling the 24-hour emergency department: + (351) 91-594-03-05.

Holidays in Portugal