Country info for backpacking in Portugal

Portugal is 900 years old, and even though it has a relatively small area, it played a crucial role in world history. During XVI century Portugal started a major chapter in world history with the New World Discoveries ("Descobrimentos"). It established a sea route to India, and colonized areas in Africa (Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde...) and South America (Brazil), creating an empire. The Portuguese language continues to be the biggest connection between these countries. In 1910, the Republic was established, abolishing the Monarchy. However, this Republic was fragile and a military dictatorship was implemented, which lasted for 40 years, plunging the country into a marked stagnation. In 1974, Portugal became a free democracy, and in 1986 it joined the current European Union, quickly approaching European standards of development.

Climate

Portugal is one of the warmest European countries. In mainland Portugal, yearly temperature averages are about 15°C (55°F) in the north and 18°C (64°F) in the south. Madeira and Azores have a narrower temperature range as expected given their insularity, with the former having low precipitation in most of the archipelago and the latter being wet and rainy. Spring and Summer months are usually sunny and temperature maximum are very high during July and August, with maximums averaging between 35°C and 40°C (86°F - 95°F) in the interior of the country, 30°C and 35°C in the north, and occasionally reaching 45°C (113°F) in the south. Autumn and Winter are typically rainy and windy, yet sunny days are not rare either. Temperatures rarely fall below 5°C (41°F) nearer to the sea, averaging 10°C (50°F), but can reach several degrees below 0°C (32°F) further inland. Snow is common in the mountainous areas of the north, especially in Serra da Estrela. Portugal's climate can be classified as Mediterranean (particularly the southern parts of the Algarve and Alentejo, though technically on Atlantic shore). Note from a reader. There are warmer countries in Europe, namely Spain and Greece. The Portuguese west coast is often swept by Northwestern winds cooling down the temperature. The more exposed a coastal area is to the Northwest direction the cooler it is in the summer. Some coastal regions near Sintra (Greater Lisbon) have maximum summer day temperatures of 30º celsius, while other regions of Portugal reach 40º

Portugal is generally a safe country. This does not mean that you should throw caution to the wind and let down your guard, but generally speaking, you are safer in Portugal than in most other western countries. In particular, there is a refreshing lack of boozy stupidity at the weekends, despite the profusion of bars open to all hours in the major cities. Also, there are no internal conflicts to speak of, and no terrorism-related danger. Like any big city, there are some areas of Lisbon and Porto that you might want to avoid, especially at night. Also like in any other tourist areas, you might want to have in mind that pickpockets do tend to target tourists more frequently - but some common sense should be enough to keep you safe.Wear a money belt;most places accept major credit cards.

Major cities are well served with medical and emergency facilities. The national emergency number is 112. Bottled/spring water(agua mineral) is recomended. Members of the European Union receive free medical healthcare as long as they hold an European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).