Lisbon Tourism Association

Portugal Virtual

Geographical Situation

Lisboa is the capital of Portugal and lies on the north bank of the Tagus Estuary, on the European Atlantic coast. 
It is the westernmost city in continental Europe. Greater Lisboa has an area of approximately 1,000 km2. 
The city lies more or less in the centre of the country, approximately 300 km from the Algarve in the south and 400 km from the northern border with Spain.
Lisboa offers a wide variety of options to the visitor, including beaches, countryside, mountains and areas of historical interest only a few kilometres away from the city centre.

Climate

Due to the influence of the Atlantic Ocean, Lisboa/Almada has a pleasant climate throughout the year.
In July the Lisbon weather is usually warm and sunny (dry). Average temperatures: 17 – 26°C (62 – 79°F). Light clothing is suitable with somewhat warmer clothing for the evening.

Language

Portuguese is Latin in origin and the third most widely spoken European language in the world. It is the mother tongue of about 200 million people. 
Portuguese is the official language in several countries: Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, São Tomé e Príncipe in Africa, and Brazil in South America. 
In Portugal itself a considerable number of people can understand and communicate in foreign languages. 
The official language of the Congress is English. No simultaneous translation will be provided.

Electricity

Voltage: 220/380 volts at a frequency of 50 Hertz. 
All sockets follow European standards. To use American-type plugs, a 220-volt transformer should be used together with an adapter plug.

Currency

The unit of currency in Portugal is the Euro €. For an up-to-date conversion, use a currency converter.

Schedules 

Opening hours in Portugal are similar to those in the rest of Europe.
The visitor has access to all normal services at any time of the day and on all days of the week - not only in Lisboa, but also in the rest of the country.
Pharmacies keep the same opening hours as the rest of the shops but, in order to guarantee 24-hour service, some stay open after 7 p.m. Generally speaking, restaurants are open for lunch from 12 mid-day to 3.p.m and for dinner from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Cinema showings begin at around lunch-time, and at some cinemas there are sessions until 2a.m.
Theatres and other shows usually start between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m

Time Zone

Mainland Portugal is 1 hour behind European Standard Time [CET].

France Paris +1h 
Germany Bona +1h 
Holland Amsterdam +1h 
Italy Rome +1h 
Spain Madrid +1h 
UK London = 
USA Chicago -6h 
USA Los Angeles -8h 
USA New York -5h 
USA Washington -5h