Tip 1: Holidays in Portugal. Sintra

Travel and tourism

Tip 1: Holidays in Portugal. Sintra

Just a couple of dozen kilometers from Lisbonone of the most beautiful Portuguese cities - Sintra. It was built in the XII century at the foot of the Sierra and Sintra - low, but picturesque mountains. Reminiscent of the green paradise, located on the slopes of the hill, the city was a summer residence for the Portuguese monarchs. Sintra is an incredibly romantic city, in which every house can rightly be called a work of art, not to mention its sights.

Despite the fact that the construction of the city beganin the 12th century, its history dates back to the 8th-9th centuries, when the Moors erected a fortress there. But later Alfonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal, took the fortress from the Moors, and within its walls ordered the construction of a church that became a place of pilgrimage. Later, a monastery was built here, and then houses, palaces and other structures, thanks to which the city began to grow. Sintra is rich in sights. One of them is Pena - the National Royal Palace. Rebuilt in the XV-XVI from the palace of the Moors, it proudly rises on a high hill and is one of the wonders of Portugal. Not far from Sintra is the palace and park complex of Quinta da Regalera, built in the Neo-Gothic style. In the park you can see an unusual and romantic palace, lakes, caves, tunnels, fountains, grottos, wells, fountains and a chapel. The architecture of the park was influenced by the Italian artist and architect Luigi Manini, invited by the millionaire Carvalho Monteiro, the first owner of the castle. An interesting monument is the fortress of the VIII century Morush. It was built by the Moors and is a squat structure of red sandstone. The fortress is located above the sea level at an altitude of 412 meters and from it you can see fascinating views of the city and its surroundings. The fortress is partially destroyed, but it is also possible to appreciate its former grandeur in the remaining buildings. The National Palace of Sintra, surrounded by a park with exotic plants, also attracts both the Portuguese and the guests of the country. Once upon a time the palace was a Muslim village, and in the 15th century the construction of a royal palace began, the architecture of which combines several styles - Moorish, Manueline and Gothic. You can find the palace by the two chimneys towering over it. To get acquainted with how the Capuchins once lived, it is possible in the Capuchin Monastery, founded in 1560. The monastery is designed in strict style, its cells are dark and cold, which is typical for the knights of the Franciscan order, who built this monastery. If you go to Sintra with children, you can visit the Toy Museum, although it will be interesting to many adults. The exposition of the museum was collected by Joao Moreira and includes more than 20,000 exhibits. There are modern toys and toys, the history of which is about 3000 years. Rest in Sintra can be combined with a visit to Cape Cabo da Roca, which is the westernmost point in Europe. Above the headland is a lighthouse, on which one can see the words of one of the Portuguese poets Luis de Camoes, saying that here the earth ends and the sea begins.

Tip 2: Beach vacation in Portugal: the finer points of summer holidays

The Lisbon Riviera is a coastal strip stretching for several tens of kilometers. In the Lisbon Riviera are the most popular beach resorts in Portugal.

In the south and west Portugal is washedAtlantic Ocean. Atlantic coast of Portugal is a string of beaches that alternate with rocks and picturesque capes, the landscape of the coastline is very diverse. The most popular beach resorts in Portugal are located on the Lisbon Riviera, as well as in the Algarve and Madeira.

Lisbon Riviera

Approximately 20 kilometers from the city of Lisbonstretched a strip of luxury resorts - the Lisbon Riviera. Once there rested only representatives of the European aristocracy and notable people, including the kings of Portugal. And now the beaches of this region have been chosen by tourists from different countries, and the Riviera has turned into the most popular resort region of Portugal. The Lisbon Riviera includes several small coastal cities: Estoril, Cascais, Carcavelos, Costa de Caparica and Sintra. It is dominated by the Mediterranean climate, because of the Gulf Stream it is quite mild, and the inter-seasonal variations in air temperature usually do not exceed 10 ° C. The beach season lasts from May to the end of October. The hottest summer months are June and July, when the air temperature rises to +37 ... + 42 ° C during the day. If you are planning a holiday in the resorts of the Lisbon Riviera in the height of summer, it's better to take care of booking a hotel room in advance. In addition, it is difficult to find inexpensive housing in the summer. Part of this is due to the fact that prudent Europeans are starting to book accommodation five to six months before the trip. As a result, by the beginning of the summer season, all low-cost rooms have already been booked.

Resort Features

The most prestigious resort of the Lisbon RivieraEstoril is considered. It should be noted that in the summer it becomes quite noisy and crowded. Young people like to rest here. The resort has many entertainment facilities, as well as bars and restaurants. Cascais is also considered a youth resort. On many beaches of Cascais, vacationers can play beach volleyball, football and tennis. Near the beaches there are restaurants, cafes, bars and night clubs. Karkavelos and Sintra also boast excellent conditions for recreation and entertainment. However, these resorts are more attractive to tourists who want to combine beach holidays with an excursion program. Costa de Caparica is a small resort on the banks of the River Tagus. Here, mainly locals rest. The undoubted advantage of this resort is the presence of eucalyptus and pine thickets near the beaches. Therefore, lovers of relaxation in secluded places can enjoy here a quiet and peaceful atmosphere. Also in Costa de Caparica there are places for picnics. And this town is famous for its restaurants, where they prepare dishes from fish and seafood.

Tip 3: How best to relax in Portugal

Portugal is compelled to be in the shadow of itsa neighbor of Spain, but meanwhile it is no worse than that and offers its guests many places for recreation and entertainment. Unforgettable beaches, monuments of culture, a separate word deserves Lisbon - the capital of the country.

Instructions

One of the main attractionsPortugal is considered Fatima - a holy place, located 130 km north of Lisbon. According to the legend, the name of the place was given by the name of the Moorish princess who took Christianity to marry the local count. The holy place was announced after the Virgin Mary appeared to the three shepherds here on May 13, 1917, and said that on the 13th of each month it will be announced. On October 13 of the same year, she appeared in front of 70,000 pilgrims and since that time more than 4 million believers have come to Fatima every year.

In Portugal, however, one of the longestthe bridges of the world Ponte Vasco da Gama, the length of which is 17.2 km. This bridge has acquired the glory of this attraction and connects Lisbon with the cities of Alcoçeta, Montijo and Setúbal.

The peculiarity of the geographical locationPortugal has led to the fact that it is here that the most western point of Europe is located. Cabo da Roca is located at an altitude of 1140 meters above sea level. Waves of the Atlantic Ocean, breaking on steep rocky coasts - this is what every tourist who has come to the country should see.

Lisbon is the capital of Portugal. The tourists who come here are eager to visit the world famous museum of electricity, which not only exhibits that tell about the past, present and future of energy, but also conducts numerous experiments, in an entertaining form that allows you to touch the secrets of science.

If you want to spend a day or two inabsolute silence, you can visit the national park Peneda Gerês, founded on May 8, 1971. On an area of more than 700 square meters. km. There are numerous campsites, hiking trails, streams and rivers, as well as mountains reaching a height of 1500 meters.

The beaches of Portugal are quite peculiar and capable ofnot everyone is to be liked. After all, the coast of the country is washed not even by the sea, but by a real ocean. That is why even in calm bays here it is unlikely to hide from strong wind and large waves. But the surfers have such a situation only on hand, where else they will be able to find the same conditions for practicing their favorite sport.

But if you want you can find a calma place for swimming. Families with young children like to come to the island of Ilha de Tavira. Here they are met not only by the calm sea, but by a flat landscape, spreading shady trees, playgrounds. And you can get to the island by ferry in a few minutes.

The possibilities for recreation in Portugal can not be counted. And the most diverse - from the usual beach to cultural. Therefore, it is not worth dumping this country, it is no worse than Spain, and in some ways even exceeds its big neighbor.

Tip 4: 7 things you should not do in Lisbon

Lisbon - the capital of Portugal, the country of greatseafarers and pioneers, mesmerizing the beauty of their ancient cities with centuries of history and nature. Going to visit Portugal and stopping in its capital, one should adhere to several rules, so that the impressions of the trip remain positive.

Instructions

Do not plan a trip just for the weekend.Portugal - a country with a rich history, magnificent architectural monuments, stunning scenery and picturesque with its distinctive culture, with which it is impossible to meet for 2 days. Plan longer trips to Portugal, at least for a week to look at a relaxed pace and the nearby capital city of Lisbon to Sintra, Cascais, Mafra, the peninsula of Troy and Serra da Arrábida.

Do not try to speak Spanish.Most tourists, when they come to Portugal, try to speak Spanish, thinking that the Portuguese will understand without seeing any difference between the two languages. In fact, it is impolite, and Portuguese is very different from Spanish not only in writing, but also in sound. If you do not know in which language to start the conversation, it will be nice first to clarify with the interlocutor, to speak in English or in Spanish.

Do not eat until 20:00.Portuguese rarely eat dinner early, often after 9 pm. Before dinner, most residents of Lisbon prefer to relax, sleep and refresh themselves. This is because the Portuguese like to stay out late at bars and restaurants, stay at the table, slowly dine, listen to melancholic melodies of fado, or just talk with the other person. Bars only start to fill up after 11 pm, but close at 1 in the morning, 3 or even at 6 in the morning.

Do not overpay for mediocre food andFado-show. Fadu is a special style of traditional Portuguese music, part of the history and culture of Lisbon, but in most restaurants prices for mediocre dinner and fado are unjustifiably inflated for tourists. There are enough places in the capital where you can listen to free fado, for example, on Mondays and Wednesdays, the restaurant "A Tasca do Chico" in the Bairrou-Altu district provides this opportunity.

Do not travel by tram No. 28 during rush hour.This tram is also a tourist attraction of the city. It appeared more than 70 years ago, the design of which has not changed since then. A tram is one of the best and most inexpensive means of traveling around the city. But from 6 to 8 pm in Lisbon, the rush hour and the tram are crowded, so it is worthwhile to find other means of transportation, or to abandon them altogether and walk on foot. From 9 to 11 am - the ideal time when city trams are empty and you can enjoy a leisurely trip through the capital.

Do not worry when you see abandoned buildings.Among the various ancient architectural monuments you can often see broken or painted abandoned buildings, which makes the impression of a poor and neglected country. In fact, since 2009 the city council specifically created an association dedicated to the promotion of graffiti and street art within the cultural development of the city, where young people paint graffiti on the walls of abandoned buildings and arrange contests for the best drawings. Also over the past five years, the government has developed a number of programs to restore damaged buildings.

Do not drink the same sorts of wine as at home.The Portuguese are proud of their wine, because it is an important element of Portuguese culture. Despite its tiny 92,000 km2, Portugal has 14 officially recognized large winemaking regions and a number of smaller ones, and these are already hundreds of local varieties of wine, which you can try in different wine bars. Therefore, do not limit yourself only to the Cabernet and Merlot, when you can taste a wide variety of other varieties.

Tip 5: How to apply for a visa to Portugal

To apply for a visa in Portugal it is necessary to collect documents confirming the fact, purpose and material security of the trip, to provide them to the Consular Section and pay a visa fee.

Instructions

Fill out the form for registration of the Schengen visa. The form can be downloaded on the official website of the Embassy of Portugal in Moscow in the section "Formularios". Print it on one sheet on both sides. Fill in block letters or on the computer. In total you need 2 copies of the questionnaire. Put a signature.

Make color photos.

Take a copy of the page of your passport withphotograph. Make sure that the passport is valid for at least 3 months from the end of the trip. Also make copies of all previously issued Schengen visas.

Get a round-trip ticket. Remove a copy of the ticket or make a printout of the electronic itinerary receipt.

Formulate a health insurance policy with coverage in all countries of the Schengen Agreement and an insurance amount of at least 30,000 euros.

Book your hotel for the period of your stay in the country. Print a reservation confirmation.

Prepare documents showing yourfinancial solvency. Confirmation of this can be a certificate from the work, printed on the letterhead of the organization, indicating the position and size of the salary. You can also make an extract from your bank account or purchase traveler's checks.

Make an appointment at the Consular Section of the Embassy of Portugal by calling 495-783-66-23 or 495-974-25-08. Please note that the service is chargeable, the cost of one minute of conversation is 76 rubles.

Visit the Consular Section of the Embassy of Portugalat the designated time. It is located at Botanicheskiy Lane, Building 1. If you have questions about the documents, you can pre-call 495-981-34-14.

Pay a visa fee at the Consulate building, heis equivalent to 35 or 60 euros for normal and urgent clearance, respectively. The visa is issued for a minimum of five days. Check the stage of registration of documents can be on the official website of the Embassy of Portugal.