Thanks for the feedback…
We are just now sending out our researchers to every corner of Europe as we update our series of guidebooks. My assignment: Portugal — where, for 10 days, I’ll visit these cities with a long list of places to check and feedback to run down. We used to get feedback by mail. Now it comes to us by email. My staff collects and distills it. This pile of suggestions from our readers (we focus our energy mostly on the negative ones) is what I’ll pack along with my little bag as I fly away in a few days…ready to make our Rick Steves’ Portugal guidebook better than ever. (Remember that all of this feedback is unverified — take it with a grain of salt…just like I do.)
Portugal Feedback, distilled March 2008
General
Car Rental: Include info about CDW when renting cars in Portugal. Had CDW coverage with credit card, so didn’t purchase from the rental company. But when we got to Portugal, they didn’t honor that since our agreement is with credit card, not the car rental company. We had to buy the additional CDW (approx. 100 Euros), so our rental was 33% more expensive than planned. The lady at the counter said that if we’d booked our car through the rental company’s Portuguese website instead of the international site, we’d have been told this.
Money: Get cash before entering Portugal. Many people couldn’t use Mastercard/debit card in Portugal. Readers had bankers insist that it would work because it had the Mastercard logo on it, called their bank confirming there were no holds and that everything was okay, they had plenty of money and the bank knew they were traveling. Had trouble for hotel payments, ATMS, at restaurants. NOTE FROM A READER: The Portuguese banking system is still primitive by international standards. MultiBanco is a Portuguese bank association. Most merchants, especially outside the main tourist areas, only take MultiBanco credit cards, but many merchants are not even aware that they are not the same thing as Mastercard, etc. When you go to a specific MultiBanco ATM it only connects to the international ATM networks associated with the owning bank. So the Mastercard symbol means that you can probably get a cash advance out of the machine, but can’t get money from your personal bank account. To get money from your U.S. bank account, look at the other symbols on the back of your ATM card to find the associated ATM networks. Almost all machines will accept either Star or Cirrus.
Food: Had a few excellent meals, but food in general was disappointing. Many restaurants in the book are closed/opening times incorrect, add more translations of soups.
Language: No one says Adeau; use Ciao for goodbye.
Lisbon
Lisbon General
Viuva Lamega tile shop: moved from Chiado; store in the NE part of Baixa–Largo do Intendente, 25 1100-285 Lisboa Tel: 218 852 408. Belem: Map needs adjusted–suggests that the Alges train stop is right next to the tower of Belem, while almost a mile apart (map suggests it is drawn to scale, which is misleading).
Several readers disappointed with city–dirty and overrun with drugs and prostitution. Getting through the airport was an absolute nightmare; it was totally chaotic and the immigration agents had no control over the unruly crowd. My 52-year-old mother was literally shoved to the ground and similar incidents happened about every 15 minutes. It took us over two hours just to get our passport stamped so that we could leave the country.
Parking: very expensive (used an underground car park in Restauradores and didn’t move the car 3 days while in Lisbon–cost €130, almost $200).
Took the train from Lisbon to Lagos from the Entrecampos station–easier and faster to get to from my hotel by bus and/or metro than Oriente.
No longer Amex office (p. 46).
No “free guided tour” for Sao Jorge (p. 59) (Oct 2007).
Trolley fares: reader confused as to who and when you pay fare. In one place we say pay the driver, then lower down we say pay the conductor. Are these the same guy? Also, reader shook down on the #15 to Belem by 4 uniformed men who took their passports and then fined them ¬210.60 in cash on the spot for not having already paid the fare. The readers say they really were intending to pay but didn’t see anyone to pay on board. Is the procedure different for newer buses? Were the uniformed guys legit? If so, we should add a warning about how not to run afoul of them. If not, we should warning about scam.
Lisbon Sights
Barrio Alto overlook view from a terrace near the Gloria funicular was fenced off for renovations.
LisboaCard is not necessary if you have a student card–then most museums are 1/2 off/free).
Cristo Rei: In Cacilhas across the Tagus from Lisbon, bus 101 doesn’t operate every 20 minutes–sometimes there is a 40-minute gap, so allow plenty of time. Also, the Carris transit cards don’t work, so get a ticket at Cacilhas before taking the bus.
Lisbon fado museum (near Santa Apolonia) is really wonderful and a great intro to fado.
Directions in 2007 book for getting to the Gulbenkian Museum are terrible–provide street names and distances rather than “walk downhill”.
Bus is so easy but never mentioned. Also, include name of sight in Portuguese, not just English.
Lisbon walking tour: called Lisbon, city of Spies. José, a super friendly/charming, awesome price, good English, gave a fab 2.5 hour tour.
Your recommended guide had to cancel but set us up with Rita Mateus, 011-351-966, who was great.
Lisbon Sleeping
Pensao Santa Cruz: Oswald was VERY kind BUT it is truly for the BUDGET conscious.
Hotel Lisboa Tejo: Our room was extremely spacious and clean–but street on the west side of the building was full of young and very busy prostitutes–pretty social in the later hours of the evening and the noise made it difficult to sleep.
Pensao Residencial 13 da Sorte, Lisbon on page 99 of 2007 book no longer open mid-Nov 2007. A sign referred guests to another location in the city.
Lisbon Eating
A Baiuca in the Alfama: once it fills up (about 8 PM), the earliest space available is 11 pm, so get there before 8 and make reservations. Reader rec: Restaurante Maria da Fonte, Largo Chafariz de Dentro (Alfama), Rua de S. Pedro, 5-A for a nice fado experience Thu-Sun. Three singers and two guitarists in this tiny resaurant with no more than twelve tables. It was a thoroughly enjoyable show and the food was not bad at all.
Reader rec: Bonjardin has the most flavorful roasted chicken, french fries & sangria, setting is great fun, outdoor seating in a lively area.
Fix map on Barrio Alto to reflect both fado places with the same name – Canto de Camoes. Only the overpriced one is included on the map–so missed the more authentic place. Describe better the location of the jijinga (sp?) bar since it’s hard to find when it’s closed.
Fatima
If you take the train from Lisbon to Fatima, you’ll be stuck with a big taxi fare. Upset people in the train station were pooling their money.
Sintra
Queluz-Belas–good stop on Sintra train line, easy, 20-min walk from station to Queluz Palace–no crowds, made seeing Tile Museum redundant.
Reader rec: Sidecar Touring Co: 8 1/2 hr-guided tour in a motorcycle with sidebar for 112 euros (20% off with the Lisboa card) for two people, owner, Joao de Lemos Soares, door to door service, 14 bikes in great condition, drivers go through all sorts of training, never felt in danger, www. sidecartouring@netcabo.pt.
Pena Palace: Sun morning discounts apply to the gardens–not the palace itself. There are Sunday morning discounts for the Moorish castle, though–so reverse book rec. so people visit Moorish Castle first and then Pena PalaceT. Cost is 10 euros combo ticket for Pena Palace/Moorish Castle. Sunday day trip to Sintra from Lisbon not cheap (with 3.20 euros round-trip by train and the 4.00 euros 434 Scotturb bus).
Inside Lisbon gave great daytrip to Sintra/ Cascais, guide Edgar fantastic, much better than the walking tour guides with the same company, http://insidelisbon.com/EN/en_passeios_sintra.htm. Reader rec: Hotel Alif, http://www.hotelalif.pt/.
Cabo da Roca: TI that sells certificates closes at 18:30 or 19:00, and the bus from Cabo da Roca stops running at a certain time…about 19:45 or so. I just barely made the last bus.
Evora
Restaurante Cervejaria 1/4 Para As 9 (quarter to nine) has wonderful arroz de tamaboril – rice and seafood stew. Owner rec: www.monteserralheira.com, monteserralheira@mail.telepac.pt, Lucia van der Feltz. Batata Quente Restaurante has closed (now a pizzeria there). Alentejo area section incomplete: really interesting places, wineries, cheesemaking places, great place to visit. Portuguese people said that about three years ago people from North America stopped visiting and they have no idea why.
Nazare & Nearby
Some places recommended in Nazare are now closed.
Locate Nazaré Amada rooms on the map and try to get a specific address on Rua Adrião Batalha, tel. 262-552-206, mobile 962-579-371). Percebes available only in the spring/summer, so I was told. The beach dancers are on their break until about late March or so. Reader rec: Quinta Princesa do Pinhal, 3 KM north of Nazare, this beautiful B&B, 9 bedrooms, a swimming pool and fresh fruit from Leonhilde’s orchard, fluent in English, www.princesadopinhal.com. In the summer, almost as touristy as the Algarve–can’t believe there’s a chapter on this place.
Julia Pereira rooms: Asking for ocean view means you face plaza, which has very noisy bar, very loud music until 4 am and then people come out yelling, talking, whistling. You also couldn’t see the ocean because of the distance to the water and the large stage. Alcobaca: National Wine Museum (p. 187) permanently closed. (10/07)
Coimbra
Felt book overrated this destination.
Had very bad time driving into the city, and chose badly from suggested activities.
Driving to Coimbra from Spain was difficult-not clearly marked.
Porto
Cover Porto better–wonderful, but not if you try to drive in it. The Port lodges in Vila Nova de Gaia are worth a visit.
Solar do Vino do Porto just showcases of lots of bottles of Port, unfriendly, unhelpful guy there, four of us were the only visitors there on a Saturday afternoon.
Guimaraes: great side trip from Porto.
Add more detailed directions from Porto to the Douro Valley–info gap between Armarante and Mesao Frio; hard to find N-101 just east of Armarante near Maladena.
Douro Valley
Many readers said include more on Duoro Valley– highlight of trip yet book coverage seemed an afterthought.
Pousada Solar da Rede: For the expense and stiffness of service, the quality of the food was not worth the splurge.
Reader rec: D.O.C., a delightful riverside restaurant in the Douro Valley, is located between Regua and Pinhao (closer to Regua). Roy, the owner, walked us through everything he served, providing commentary in broken English on preparation, ingredients and anything else he wanted to talk about. He worked hard to ensure that we savored the meal at his new restaurant. It was a memorable dining experience, a definite worthwhile splurge. Tel: 254-858-123. Email: doc@arisdouro.com.
Reader rec: Casa de Vilarinho de S. Romao, lovely restored 16th-century quinta between Pinhao and Sabrosa (drivers only). Six lovely rooms, private baths, swimming pool, outstanding view, vineyards, great breakfasts, relaxing porch, owned by helpful Christine Olzafabel von Zeller, must wind up/down gorgeous mountains on narrow roads with hairpin turns, but the surrounding villages worth it, just 2.5-hour drive to Santiago de Compostela.
Reader rec: Casa do Visconde de Chanceleiros outside Pinhao, Eu 120/day, breakfast included; dinner Eu 30, www.chanceleiros.com, owners (Ursula Bocking and her husband) are very knowledgeable, friendly, and fluent in English. The staff are local, have been with them for years, and the food is local, traditional, and wonderful. Pinhao had tiles), river boat tour, and walk by the river. Peso da Regua: Duoro Museum closed while the new museum is being built (7/07).
Santuario de Panoias near Vila Real, pre-Roman/Roman site of worship and animal sacrifice is a National Monument, connected to the Instituto Portugues do Patrimonio Arquitectonico. 7 km from Vila Real, through Mateus via EN322 toward Sabrosa. Brief film with audioguide in English and guide info around the various rocks, still marked with inscriptions and basins used in various sacrificial ceremonie; friendly bar across street.
Rick……………I know I can rely on your listings so I can relax…..if there is a small issue …i.e. – they are somewhat brusque and businesslike in that hotel…you mention………..I can usually tell by your description the atmosphere and value of a place before I arrive……….many times I find I have seen the owner or staff on your PBS shows …..that adds to the sense of fun………….AND……..your restaurant listings have improved greatly in the past 5 years……they used to be hit and miss and I had stopped using them …now I use all the time………..thanks again to you and your staff for all their great work………..
Rick that was a great overview of what you are looking for,,,any chance you could do each country every few weeks so we can see the feedback. My friend Marie and I are heading to France for 2 weeks in August and it would be great to see others feed back so far. One thing I would note to everyone…I rarely take cabs but back in 2005 when I was in Rome at Christmas I handed the cab driver a 20 and 5 euro. When I turned my head to get my stuff together he pushed the 20 up is sleeve and down came a 5 and he said you only gave me 10. I know that I had given him 25 but what choice did I have on Christmas, stand and argue take his cab number, worry he was going to take off with my stuff. So I told him I knew what he had done and to consider it a Christmas gift. Now when I give a cab driver money I SAY 20 and 5 as I had it to him.
Thanks Rick – about to go on your spain/protugale tour later this month – so any updated info you get on Portugal before aprill 22 would be great to take on the tour! thanks again!
Disagree that it’s possible to overrate Coimbra, lol! Probably my favorite place in Portugal. However, I arrived and left by train, I wouldn’t want to drive there! (Unnecessary, too.) Haven’t looked at the latest edition of the guide book – do you include Conimbriga, reachable by bus from Coimbra – good Roman site, the fountains still play if you feed them money! WRT port caves in Porto, my take was: “only Taylors has an elegant rose garden with white fluffy Japanese hens and a peacock, and Taylor’s LBV, rich and robust, was my clear favorite among the ports I tried”. I think you can eat there, too.
GO Rick GO! Glad to see you are back in our beloved Europe! How about some raw video from some of your research?
Rick, I really appreciate your honesty. This feedback shows people griping (maybe quibbling) with your book. It takes a solid sense of self to publish these comments on your blog. (I know the Graffiti Wall gets even more candid, so props to you for letting that stuff be public too.)
Rick, This post gave us a sense of the unbelievable amount of detail you have to wade through for every one of your guidebooks. It gave me an even greater appreciation of all the work you do!
We visited Portugal in 1979, and here are comments from our Journal, just to see what might be different if you visit these days. Lisbon was basically a beautiful city, but we found it cluttered with trash on the streets, graffiti on the buildings, and poverty all around. A young couple we met in a campground told us that many things, including the cleanliness of the towns, became much worse a few years earlier when some Portuguese colony was lost in Africa, and a million people had to move to Portugal. Many of these people had never lived in a regular building, and most of them lacked job skills. They said we must be very careful of the Portuguese drivers, especially the taxi drivers. We spent an hour in the lobby of the Sheraton Hotel, just to get over the culture shock. We wonder if anyone else would be as surprised as we were to find a tiny ferry boat was needed to cross from Portugal to Spain. At Vila Real de St. Antonio, Portugal, we found the Guadiana River was very wide and there was no bridge, just a small ferry boat with room for our RV and a couple of cars, for the ride to Ayamonte, Spain. The parking lot was huge, I can imagine the long wait in the busy season. The Spanish Custom’s man saw our passport cover, didn’t open them, just said, “Americans,†and waved us on.
My wife and I are leaving for Portugal in mid April and will spend a couple of nights first in Lisbon, then rent a car and drive to the Algarve and stay for 8 nights. We are seasoned travelers however this trip has us a bit nervous since this is our first trip to Portugal and have read some of the recent posts on your blog – i.e. regarding the condition of Lisbon, security, quality of food, airport chaos, etc. I know Lisbon is one of your favorite European cities and we have seen your videos and read your travel guides but is there any additional advice you can give us before we depart? I listened to you on NPR today and really enjoyed your comments. Also understand you will be in Lisbon possibly at the same time. Maybe we’ll even meet up with you in a Fado bar one evening!
You couldn’t pay me enough to go back to Lisbon. Its the filthiest and most dangerous city. Our group of 150 people were on an incentive trip that stopped there for 2 nights. We checked into our rooms at an upscale U.S. hotel and met for a welcome drink in the lobby. While we were out for an hour, 30 rooms were robbed. They stole jewerly,clothes and even pantyhose. Neither the police NOR the hotel management cared less. They were totaly useless. PS: I haven’t stayed at a Hilton property since.
My wife and I spent a week in Portugal this last October. Our favorite city was Braga and then Porto. Obidos was also very nice. It seemed like the North was definitely more unspoiled than the South.
I just returned from 10 days in Portugal, where our group of 20 had a wonderful time. One hint: the best attractions of the country are not in Lisbon. Porto, Coimbra, Sintra, and the Batalha monastery were some of my favorites. Also, there aren’t many hotels in the tourist areas of downtown Lisbon. Stay near a metro stop or within a 20-30 minute walk of downtown(say, the Pombal square area). Lisbon is certainly no worse than Rome or Florence for thieves, probably less so, but take ordinary precautions. I felt extremely safe elsewhere in the country. The top attractions in Coimbra, such as the utterly magnificent university library, are up steep cobblestone streets. If you have difficulty walking, Coimbra may not be a good choice for you. Most Portuguese people in tourist-related jobs speak a little English. We found the people to be pleasant, unassuming, and generous when dealing with Americans who can’t speak Portuguese.
Ok, I have to add my two cents here. I was in Lisbon in October and just have to share this. Getting to the Gulbenkian Museum from the metro station was one of the most frustrating experiences I have ever had in Europe. What should be a 10 minute walk took 45 minutes because the directions were awful. Rick, you really do need to be a little more clear about what streets to go down and where to turn because we were so lost trying to find it. And I was extremely irritated when I got there. rick, I like your books and always use them but that day I used some very unpleasant words with your name thrown in there trying to find that museum. And my wife is pretty good with directions and she couldn’t find it either. Please update the directions and give more details as to how to get there because you really have no clue where to go once exiting the Metro.
Just to add to this. I am surprised by some of the comments about Lisbon. Honestly, Lisbon is one of the top 2 or 3 cities I have been to in Europe and I have been to 16 countries. I never considered it dangerous by any means. Lisbon would get my vote as place I would most like to live. So I am surprised to hear about the negative experiences there. I am originally from the South but now live in CA and for me, I LOVED the diversity there mingling together (as oppoed to more segregated) that you don’t often see in many other cities. I loved the lay out and geography of Lisbon as well. It just seemed like a very liveable city, not too big and not too small. Enough to do but not enough to overwhelm. And if we could, my wife and I would love to open a Casa das Sandes here in the US. :)
We took our two teenagers to Portugal last summer. At your guidebooks suggestion spent three days in Salema in the Algarve. It was the best part of our trip. Salema is a sleepy fishing village, with narrow cobblestone streets, old world charm and colorful boats pulled ashore on a huge beach. Plus very few tourist. The locals were so friendly, shop owners welcomed us and introduced us to their entire families. We stayed, again at the guidebooks suggetion, at a very clean B & B in a residential neighborhood, the nicest accomodations of our trip. We all loved our visit to Portugal, but when you ask each member of our family what they liked best they all will tell you Salema.
I’ve been living in Lisbon for the past year and half and found your comments interesting. Certainly gives some insight into what it takes to write a guidebook. About the trolley fairs, the fines are very steep if you don’t have a ticket. The inspectors are definitely legitimate and not a scam. If you don’t have a some kind of pass (which is always cheaper than buying on board), you can buy a one-way ticket from the driver (bus or trolley), _except_ for the modern #15 light-rail line which has a machine inside. Drivers give change, the machine does not. Also, be very very careful with pickpockets on the trams through downtown. I have personally seen pickpockets several times. Final note, the Barrio Alto overlook at the top of Gloria funicular is now open and the funicular itself is running again too.
Also, regarding the comment about parking for three days in the downtown garage and paying 130 euros–who parks a car somewhere for three days without asking the price first? The downtown parking is like short-term airport parking–there is big penalty for keeping the car there too long. Contrary to the poster, I actually think parking in Lisbon is cheap. Most rates are .60-1.20 an hour–I’ve never paid more than 2-3 euros for parking somewhere a couple hours. If you know where to look (probably not easy if you’re a tourist) there is even free parking which is almost unheard of in other European capitals.
Ack, ack, somehow my post ended up in an entirely different section. So sorry. Lisbon — We were there May 6-8. The #15 bus to Belem only had a ticket machine and only accepted exact change. Tickets could not be purchased from the driver. We were only able to purchase 3 tickets for 4 persons so glad we didn’t get caught. We took the Bairro Alto stroll and indeed the Gloria funicular was working and the Miradoura was open. Sao Roque church was open although construction or repair was going on. Viuva Lamego is now a clothing store. Gulbenkien is a long downhill walk, but we asked for help along the way and got good directions. I loved the museum; great descriptions in the book. We enjoyed Canto Do Camoes for dinner and fado, 26 euros per. Pensao Residencial Geres was fine, clean and comfortable, plumbing was up-to-date and modern, daily service, paid 70 euros for room in front, facing street. Room in back was 55 euros. It’s quite a climb up the stairs, no lift. The intense security could either make you feel safe or uneasy. Buzzer to get in, buzzer to reach reception, reception has to buzz you through to your floor. Also has video surveilence. Delicious fresh fish lunch at Restaurante Os Jeronimos in Belem. We had no trouble departing from the Lisbon airport, no chaos at all. A fairly long line for passport check but that’s why you get there two hours early. The Steves’ book was wonderful for us. Posted by: Edna Kelly – May 16, 2008 9:40 PM
Evora — We were there May 4-6. We did the Evora walk. Never could figure out how to get into the university to see the azulejos. Lovely azulejos at Igreja de Sao Joao next to the posada and Igreja da Misericordia (possibly not always open), not mentioned in Steves’ book. Ate delicious rice and seafood stew at Restaurante Cervejaria 1/4 Para As 9. Unable to make a booking at any of the Steve’s recommendations, so went with Lonely Planet Casa dos Teles, very well located about a block from Giraldo square, Rua Romao Ramalho 27. Our two rooms, 30 euros each, shared one bath. A bit grimy and very noisy bed, room faced the street. No breakfast. Drove to the interesting megaliths. Took a dirt road ‘shortcut’ back to Evora, scraping the bottom of the rental car and having to ford a stream, but made it okay. Part of the adventure. Our day and a half in Evora was plenty of time there.
Alentejo – We enjoyed the region. Spent a week driving from Faro to Evora. Drove from Faro east to Vila Real de Santa Antonio, up to Alcoutim and then to charming Mertola on Rio Guadiana. We loved Mertola, interesting museums, Roman ruins, church/former mosque, quartos accomodations, castle was closed while we were there. From there drove to Serpa, Beja, Estremoz, Borba, Elvas, Vila Vicosa, Marvao, and finally to Evora. In Borba, we stayed at Patio do Talha, 30 euros, seemed new, spotlessly clean, ensuite bath, parking, only 4-5 rooms and we had the only two occupied. Highly recommend. Owned by the same person who owns the well-known A Talha restaurant. Would love to go back to Vila Vicosa, Elvas, Marvao.
I would always recommend taking the CDW insurance option on cars. It gives peace of mind at least. For some good tips on driving in Portugal try this link: http://www.faro-airport-car-hire.my-algarve.com/drivinginthealgarve.htm
Before hire/rental a car,you should know the TIPs on Car Hire|Car Rental,this to avoid any hidden charge will be imposed to you because you pay them and you deserve it to get the perfect ones! Cheers Get the TIPs at: http://tenerife-car-rental.blogspot.com
My husband and I spent two weeks in Portugal for our honeymoon in September 07. It was amazing! We highly recommend Sagres as our favorite town (our first stop). We also loved driving through the country side and stopping in random towns in the Alentejo. We took the Rick Steves guide book with us and it made our trip so easy!
I have lived in Portugal for thirty years, and of course I don’t expect much from a report on a very short trip. The problem is that Rick isn’t “wrong,” I am sure: his experience was his experience. But his coverage of Portugal is so partial, so uninformed, so accidental as to be pretty useless.
Hi I can’t find no where info or photos of Julia Pereira rooms. I know I can’t ask for much for the price been. But I still want to check for some additional feedback. Is it walking distance from the beach; is it in a safe area, etc. I would like to have some more details please if it’s possible. Thank you, Jade
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We rode a bicycle camping trip with some stays in Residencials in Sept 2010 and found… that ATMs were everywhere and easily accessed, all had English. The airport in Porto was fabulous and we were through immigration in a jiffy. Coimbra is lovely, start from the top and walk your way down. Don't miss Tomar, a quaint city, home of the Templar Knights, but skip the little tour train in town. Cacais a nice sea town to relax in and has free bicycles to ride anywhere for the day and separate bike paths along the sea. We really enjoyed Guimaraes. We missed the crowds by going in September, were well treated by all and indulged by many. Showing your interest in the culture gets you far in experiences. We learned Portuguese but many, many people spoke English. We deliberately missed Lisboa and don't regret it.