Information
- Time zone
- Western European Standard Time UTC/GMT +0 hour.
- Electricity
- For Portugal, there are two associated plug types, types C and E. Plug type C is the plug which has two round pins and plug type E is the plug which has two round pins and a hole for the socket's male earthing pin. Portugal operates on a 230V supply voltage and 50Hz.
- Currency
- The local currency is the Euro.
- Credit cards
- Credit cards are accepted in most shops and restaurants.
- Public Transportation
- Porto has many mobility options. Subway (METRO) and buses (STCP) are available. Subway is really a tram in most places, so it’s also a nice way to get around while still sightseeing at the same time. The event venue (FMUP) is next to Via Rápida/Viso subway exit.
Metro: Tickets are sold in vending machines at the subway stations. You will have to buy a card (Andante) there that you can reuse if you need to buy more tickets. You will have to know your destination station so that the machine calculates the price of the ticket because it depends on the distance you travel. There are also 24-hour and 3 days tickets available. These ones you have to buy at a desk site.
Bus: You can buy one trip ticket from the bus driver or you can use a prepaid Andante card.
Funicular of Guindais: this tram connects the steep hill from Rua da Batalha on the high side of the city centre to the Ribeira (river banks). The ride costs 3,50€. It’s a historic tram and has beautiful views of the river.
Bike: there are bike tours and bikes for rent.
Electric scooter: electric scooters are also available.
Walk: Porto is a nice city to walk around. Even the steep climbs are helped here and there by escalators. - Business hours
- Most public offices are open Monday through Friday from 9 am to 5 pm. Most shops are open mainly from 10 am to 8 pm and closed on Sundays.
- Telephone and internet access
- Check beforehand the roaming rates of your contract. Wireless connection is free at the venue. WiFi is usually free in all hotels, some restaurants, and cafes. Pre-paid cards for cell phones are available for purchase at phone operators’ stores.
- Food
- Portugal is known for its wonderful gastronomy. Here are examples of typical dishes you might like to try in Porto:
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- "Francesinha" is a steak with chorizo between two pieces of bread with a special sauce and served with fries;
- "Tripas à moda do Porto" is a stew made of pig’s intestines and beans and chorizo served with white rice
- "Codfish" – Portuguese people say that there are more than one thousand ways to cook codfish. The most popular that you can find anywhere in Portugal is “bacalhau com natas” which is a hoven dish with codfish, potatoes (sometimes fried, sometimes boiled) and cream and “bacalhau à lagareiro” which is a cut of codfish previously boiled and then grilled covered with luxurious amounts of olive oil served with boiled potatoes;
- If you just want to try a snack, typical Portuguese ones are: "caracóis" which are boiled snails and "moelas" which are stewed chicken gizzards. Both delicious!
- Water supply
- The tap water in Portugal is safe to consume.
- Climate
- Porto has mild wet winters and warm dry summers. In May we expect temperatures between 12º and 20º. Precipitation is frequent in Porto.
- Language
- The official language is Portuguese. Hotel staff and restaurant staff can communicate in English. It’s also easy to find people on the street that give you directions in English.
- For kids
- Porto is a great place to visit with your children, with no shortage of fun and relaxing activities. Some ideas: Santo Inácio Zoo in Gaia (opposite side of the river from Porto), Sealife and The World of Discoveries. You also have parks, notably the “Jardim de Serralves”, with space to run around and some of them have small animals like ducks, roosters and peacocks running around.
- Tourist Information
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Porto is a very tourist city with many places to visit and many activities to do. The official tourism website is https://visitporto.travel/en-GB/home#/
