I am going to Portugal!! My first time! advice?

haagen_dazs

haagen_dazs

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Hey folks
I am going to Portugal for work!!
Anyone knows what i can do there?
I only have time in the evening/night after work to check the place out
i have about 4 nights there

I have never been to Portugal
What are some of the foods i HAVE to try ? (i love to eat haha)
Any advice on places to check out?
Thank you all in advance!

This is a great community.
 
Are you flying to Lissabon? If so ....

You can take a streetcar to Belem and there you will find a very old and large cafe with delicious famous pastries: Pasteis de Belem

I also remember some kind of delicious garlic soup with egg that I had in several different places.

Pulpo (octopus) with fresh coriander was tasty as were the grilled fish specialties.

Also don't miss the Bairro Alto (at night) for lots of great places to eat!
 
I'm guessing Lisbon?

Food: Go down a side street and find a place where office workers eat. Fish soup, grilled sardines, or bitoque (fried pork, egg and chips). For a snack a bifana, sort of like a burger, but a grilled pork minute steak in a peasant bread. No tip needed. Shouldn't be at all expensive, say €5 to €10 tops including olives and starters, a beer, and a coffee.

Photos: People, streets, trams, bars and so on. Like I try to do. It's very photogenic. Light is great and people are relaxed.

Days out: Cascais or Estoril. On the coast west of Lisbon, just a short train ride away. Your hotel will direct you to 'Cais do Sodre' railroad station.

Driving: Do not.

Taxis: Seat belt, and keep a good sense of direction and over-charging.

Buses: Pickpockets.

Nights: Classic is 'Fado', traditional music. Your hotel will advise where. Newer is some nightclub such as 'Elefant Branco' where young women hook up with men. And you pay for it.

Enjoy.
 
Food - Grilled roballo or dourado (fish).

For sight seeing and picture taking (to keep this on topic), go down town and take the #28 tram to Graca. If you have time, walk over to the terrace in front of the Convento do Graca for a fabulous view of the city (day or night).

Get back to the tram stop and take the tram going the other way to Estrela. This will give you an overview of the older parts of the city, the Alfama, the Baixia, and the Bairo Alto.

Have fun and post some pictures when you get back.
 
If you have the chance to, please visit Sintra, it is quite near lisbon. It was the summer residence of portuguese kings, and is a small friendly village.

Have fun at Portugal!
 
Hi Mark,
assuming you are going to stay in Lisbon, you could start by visiting Chiado area (just beside downtown Lisbon), drink a cafe in "A Brasileira", where in the past the poets get together; Go for a good city perspective at "Ruinas do Carmo" and "Elevador de Santa Justa". After dinner you should not loose the opportunity to go to a "Casa de Fado" - the spaces where our popular music gender is played, live almost every night.

All of this are places near each other, that you could do between the afternoon and after dinner...

Avoid some of the old (photo appealing) places when you feel you are the only one in there. Try choosing places with more people in the streets like "Alfama" and "Bairro Alto".

If you need any info, please ask. Like Raid said (thank you Raid for your kind comment about us) I believe that in general you will find generous people, but Portuguese people, special in Lisbon, are not a very communicative kind of people - this you will found more in the north of our little country.

Regards,
Joao
 
Lisboa

Lisboa

If you go to the capital, buy some madre deus CD's or look at the Wenders movie before ...:angel:
About food:
- near to the rossio you will see a smal shop called gingina, there you can drink a nice cherry liqueur;
- a good place to eat is the Bacchus in the bairo alto, they have colares red wine from setubal;
- pastrei de belem are famous as dessert.

Portuguese are very friendly people, if you have the opportunity to be in a cafe watching a football Benfica-Porto drinking a super bock beer you 'll see a thing to remember; and if you know something about Benfica you will make friends.:angel: :angel:

In Lisboa an expresso is called bica....😉
 
Lisbon is FANTASTIC for photography. In addition to the architecture (at times you feel like you're in the Old West) you have great street opportunities too. Plenty of graffitti if that's your thing (some of it very good, some of it pure vandalism). Food and beer good, wholesome, and unfussy. Local cafe/delis are brilliant - simple cheap food made from the best ingredients and once again great photography opps. Fish, meat, chocolate mousse, vegetable soup, perfect. Women invariably gorgeous 🙂

Tourist central is "Ruinas do Carmo" and "Elevador de Santa Justa" as mentioned above - spectacular views open up from nowhere and are truly breathaking.
Having a beer on top of the escalator providing its warm and sunny is great.

Another highlight for me was the approach to Lisbon airport - flew in over the city at sunset and it felt like we were skimming the rooftops.

Not wanting to spoil the photo opps but if you search my Flickr tags for "Lisboa" you'll find a load of shots I took last year. I only had a couple of days there and good have done with a whole week, so much I didn't see...
 
Wine Wine Wine Go for it !!

Wine Wine Wine Go for it !!

Regeungos de monsaraz are very good wines, but a bit heavy for my taste.
But the secret is to find where local people go..... 2 years ago I was malikng a short trip from Tavira to Villareal de San Antonio and took a bus to visit but then it was 12.00 I was thirsty and hungry... I was near the Castro Marim castle... it was a small village with one cafe called "casa de pasto rodriguez".... I asked for a drink and eat ..?
the owner let me go behind the first room for ...jantares....Women in white clothes were cooking arroz de "couteaux"'ein french i do not knowm the portuguese name, it is a clam called "knife".... the perfume in the room was superb ... I have got a lot and needed a bottle of wine a big one to finish... My best meal in life !!!!!
 
Bring film, lots of it. You may not find easily your prefered films, and if you do, they may not be so cheap as you expect...
For specific tips, it would be helpful to know where you will be stayin at.
Have a good time
Joao
 

Ahhh My trip was postponed until now!
I will be finally going (fingers cross) this saturday... Have to be stationed there for about 2 weeks

1) My company will be putting me up at the Tivoli Lisbon. Is that a good hotel? How is the location like?
2) Will i need taxi;s to get to places from this hotel?
3) I understand that this Friday Apr 25th will be a holiday in Portugal. What is the occassion? Will tourist attractions be open or will it be all closed (somewhat like thanksgiving in the USA)?
4) During that holiday, are there any special things to watch/see/observe?
5) I heard that seafood is really good in Portugal. Any great cusine to recommend? =)
6) Do most people speak english?
7) I am going to have to be based there for about 2 weeks. If i have that Friday Apr 25th, Saturday, Sunday free, should i stay in Lisbon or take a short trip to some place? Any city to recommend? (prefer to be in the same country as i dont want to get into any customs complications)
8) Now onto lenses. SHould i bring wider lenses eg 28mm 21mm... I am thinking that would make more sense than a tele lens. I am planning to bring my xpan.
9) Is Lisbon generally safe to carry cameras around in the open?
10)Where are the danger spots to avoid? (day or night or day and night)

11) what kind of souvenirs are unique to POrtugal? (that i could buy and bring back... food or stuff i dont mind)
12) HOw do i get to Sintra? How much time should I budget getting there, checking it out and back?




SOrry if the qns are silly.. =)
 
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