Page 269 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide: Great Places to Stay in Europe

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sea fort; the Quinta da and bath combined.
Alfarrobeira, a relaxed In some simple
Algarve villa at Lagos (page guesthouses, bath-
274); the Casa de Sezim, a rooms are shared.
relaxing and chic privately
owned manor house with OTHER
guest rooms in Guimaràes PRACTICAL
(page 274); and the Convento INFORMATION
de São Francisco, a cliff top
monastery at Sào Miguel in OME OF the
the Azores (page 278). Spousadas in
historic buildings
FOOD AND DRINK have just a few
rooms which fill
HERE ARE MORE than 365 quickly; Lisbon’s
Trecipes for bacalhau hotels and popular
(salted codfish), the places on the coast Pousada de Santa Marinha, page 273
Portuguese national dish, so are also often full at
if you wish, you can eat it a peak times. can make use of the phone
different way every day of Breakfast is usually buffet- in almost any bar. It will be
the year. People either love it style, a spread of juices, metered, and charged by the
or hate it, but it can be very breads and preserves, fruit, unit. For calls within Portugal,
good, especially cooked with cheese, cold meats, cake dial the entire nine-digit
chickpeas, olive oil and and sometimes wine. Eggs, number including the first
parsley. Other specialities are bacon and sausage are often digit of the area code. To call
based on fish, often baked provided in the pousadas. Portugal from the UK (or the
with potatoes and tomatoes Portuguese housekeeping US), dial 00 351 (011 351).
in an earthenware dish. There standards mean that even
are also simple meat dishes the simplest place is usually Public holidays 1 January;
such as grilled rabbit, and spotlessly clean, and service Good Friday; 25 April
more sophisticated ones such extremely polite. (Anniversary of the
as steak in Madeira sauce. Note that signposting can Revolution); 1 May; 6 June
Often, people find that the be non-existent in rural areas, (Corpus Christi); 10 June
simple country dishes are the and in town centres there are (Camões Day); 15 August;
most delicious. complex one-way systems. 5 October (Republic Day);
Portuguese wines can be Faxing ahead for a locator 1 November; 1 December
excellent, and their styles map is often worthwhile. (Independence Day);
illustrate the country’s wild But ask anyone the way, 8 December (Feast of
variations in climate: acidic and they will invariably take Immaculate Conception),
vinho verde and luscious great trouble to help you. 25 December.
ports, for instance, come from
neighbouring regions. The Language English is often not USEFUL WORDS
deep reds of the Douro and spoken – or understood.
Dão whites are also worth Breakfast Pequeño-almoço
seeking out, along with the Currency From 1 January Lunch Almoço
fruity southern reds. 2002, the European euro Dinner Jantar
Lunch runs from 1–3pm; (written ‘EUR’), made up of Free room? Tem algum
dinner from 8pm to midnight, 100 cents. quarto livre?
though all the pousada How much? Quanto?
restaurants close promptly at Shops Generally open Single room Quarto
10pm. As part of the cover 10am–7pm Mon–Fri, but individual
charge, you’ll be brought a many close for lunch or if Double room Quarto de casal
dish of savouries such as business is slack, and, in
black pudding, grilled cheese Lisbon, for all of August. PORTUGAL PRICE BANDS
and marinated olives. Some open 10am–1pm on
Saturdays. Sunday opening is URPRICE bands refer, as
BEDROOMS AND an alien concept. Banks are Oelsewhere in this guide,
BATHROOMS open 8:30am–3pm Mon–Fri. to the cost of a standard room
in high season. Breakfast is
F YOU want twin beds, ask Tipping A 10 per cent tip is usually included in the room
Ifor them specifically when the norm in restaurants; price. Prices quoted tend to
booking. Unlike some other tipping taxi drivers is not include all taxes, although this
countries, double does mean obligatory, unless they have is not invariably the case.
a double – there’s no sliding been particularly helpful.
down the gap between two ¡ under 75 EUR
single mattresses pushed Telephones Public call boxes ¡¡ 75–125 EUR
together. Most bathrooms are are few. They take coins or ¡¡¡ 125–175 EUR
en suite and have a shower phonecards. You ¡¡¡¡ over 175 EUR