Holiday Portugal – Useful information

People with their own transport will have no difficulty in moving around and orientating themselves within the Alentejo. Cyclists should be aware that there are no cycle lanes or tracks except for small sections close to urban centres. There is a good network of roads, with rapid transit along the principal routes: motorways (signalled by ‘A’) and main roads (signalled by ‘IP’). If you use the motorways you will need to pay tolls. Once you are in the Region, you should choose to travel by secondary and ‘municipal’ roads. The latter are the best, since they are simply the oldest asphalted routes through the countryside and carry little traffic, thus offering the best means of enjoying the landscape, of getting to know traditional ways of living and working, of coming across the most hidden cultural heritage and of making contact with a people who are naturally courteous and welcoming. When planning to travel by public transport, you should note that the timetables are designed to cater for residents and are not always best suited for the purposes of tourist travel. There are taxi services in almost every locality.

The Alentejo occupies an area of 27.000 kms2 and has around 500.000 inhabitants. The population density is low, varying between six and fifty inhabitants per square kilometre. Space and silence never fail you.

24-HOUR HEALTH PROVISION
In the case of an accident, phone the national emergency
services number: 112

Pharmacies:
There is always a pharmacy open 24 hours in each of the towns and cities that are the administrative centres of concelhos. Information about these is posted in all of the pharmacies. In some shopping centres there are Áreas de Saúde (‘health areas’) where some medicaments can be bought.

OPENING HOURS Traditional Commerce Weekdays: 9.00/9.30 – 19.00/19.30
Lunchtime closure: 13.00 – 15.00
Saturdays: 9.00/9.30 – 13.00/13.30
Some establishments do not close at lunchtime and remain open on Saturday afternoons.