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Welcome to the Campingcar Portugal portal (CCPortugal): the portuguese portal for motor-caravans activities. The main purpose of this portal is the diffusion of this form of tourism in great expansion in all Europe and the research of ideas and solutions to reach an improvement in all aspects of reception, technical and leisure stoppages, related to those touring in our country. We should appreciate help from anyone towards the enrichment of this portal. Good journey and a pleasent stay in our country! The CCPortugal Team GENERAL MATTERS: In similar circumstances and conditions to the portuguese, we would be very pleased to have the company of our fellow motor caravaners from abroad to our encounters or others, where we will seek on your behalf, the necessary authorization. Please consult our "Eventos" and "Calendário" and make your registration intent, directly to us. Between the european countries, Portugal enjoys a low ratting concerning "petty crime". Please help us to reduce even more this incidence, taking some basic procedures:
To reach Portugal, you may have to cross other countries. To be in the safe side, fit a peripheric/volumetric alarm and a gases alarm (propane, butane and ether). Many peripheric/volumetric alarms, open the doors, when the panic button is pressed. Bad intent people know that and you are dizzy by your sleep. At night, on your vehicle's cabin pass a strong strap or a steel towing cable through the door's arm rests and tie the remainning under one of the front seats. Judge yourself the importance of your alarms and precautions, if you have fitted to the back of your van a step ladder rightly leading anybody to your roof openings. By helping you with simple precautions you are assisting all of us in the fight against crime. We thank you for that. Assistance: Police 112 - Fire Brigade 117 - Citizens Band - countries emmergency channels - Automóvel Clube de Portugal (A.C.P.)=(A.A.) Tel. 707 509 510 (from abroad) + 351 707 509 510 Green Card Assistance - Cares - Tel. 214 405 008 New Car - Tel. 808 204 000 Express Glass - Tel. 808 211 690 Glass Drive - Tel. 808 246 246 Car Glass - Tel. 808 235 353 CODE OF THE ROAD: The portuguese code of the road is getting more and more in line with the European Union, driving and regulating laws. Unless stated, when you drive on the right lane,normally, you have precedence over incomming vehicles from your right. Human nature being what is. distracted, absent minded, careless, agressive, criminal or simple ignorant, make us to convey to you, allways, a basic way of avoiding disasters : Be on guard at all the times, practice a deffensive driving and expect the unexpected, from the other road users. Speed limits:
Overspeed and the traffic light turns to red or risk of finne. All can be overrulled by limitting restrictions to the usual speeds (ex. motorway works, reduced to 80 kms.) Tollerance Zero ("Tolerância Zero"), as the name presume, means, even going over, say, 10% above limit, you may be finned. THE FINES ARE PAID ON THE SPOT, IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES, UNLESS, YOU CAN ASSURE THE AUTHORITIES SOMEONE IN THIS COUNTRY IS GOING TO DO IT FOR YOURSELF. Breakdown:
LEGISLATION: The portuguese law specifies that a motor caravan, not exceeding 3.500 kgs ladden, is treated as a "veiculo ligeiro de passageiros" meaning "automobile" and as such entitled to run and park in the places allowed to them. Therefore, the general acceptance is : If you are parked in a permitted area, showing no signs of camping, as tables and chairs outside, clothes hanging, waters running, electric steps and canvas protruding or artifacts to level up your vehicle, THERE IS NO LAW BROKEN, and so there is no impediment to your stay on the place. Mind you, the childrens noises outside, ball playing, dogs barking, occulting windows views, shops and restaurants, sea views or disrespecting municipal signs, may be considered as a nuissance or other legal infraction. The portuguese policial authorities are very comprehensive and allways sympathetic to foreigners necessities. Ask them, where should you stay. Avoid any conflicts. If you think the rights assist you and you are being discriminated or abused by anyone do not hesitate, call the Police. You can, also, in a very difficult situation, appeal to your Consulate. After all, our laws are similar to yours. Think about it, act as you were in your country and everything will be allright. GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS: The majority of the portuguese people mainly, in the coastal areas and towns deals quite well with the english language questions put to them. Be slow and clear in your inquiries. Use gestual language, whenever you think helpfull. We do not pretend to correctly speak or write your language. Likewise, we don't expect great knowledge, when you say our phrases. More, we feel as good as you do, when we hear somebody saying in our language, the very yours, "Good Morning". Some current expressions...
Say it slowly, please » Diga devagar, por favor I do not understand » Eu não compreendo Understood » Comprendo Do you mind repeat it ? » Importa-se de repetir, por favor ? Good morning » Bom dia Good afternoon » Boa tarde Good evening » Boa noite See you tomorrow » Até amanhã, vejo-o/a amanhã Left » Esquerda Right » Direita Ahead » Em frente Back » Atrás Here » Aqui There » Lá, além Turn » Voltar Follow me » Siga-me, vá comigo Roundabout » Rotunda Do you accept cards ? Visa? » Aceita cartões? Visa ? Only Multibank » Só Multibanco (sort of card, mainly used in Portugal/border with Spain) Can I use your phone ? » Posso usar o seu telefone ? Where is it ? » Onde está ? Onde é ? The road is good ? » A estrada é boa ? Is the place signalled ? » O local está sinalizado ? Street » Rua Market » Mercado Is it open ? » Está aberto ? Closed » Fechado Which are the festivities, near by? » Que festejos há aqui à volta ? What is the distance from here ? » Qual é a distância daqui ? Where can we stay in safety ? » Onde podemos estar/ficar em segurança ? Overnight » Durante a noite Do you mind looking after my motor-caravan? » Importa-se de olhar pela nossa autocaravana ? Tea » Chá Toast » Torrada Cup » Chávena Bread » Pão Bread Rolls » Carcaças Cheese » Queijo Coffee and Milk » Café com leite Bica Coffee and milk in a larger cup » Meia de leite, escura, café de máquina Bread milk, butter and ham » Pão de leite com fiambre e manteiga Beer tin or in a bottle » Cerveja em lata ou em garrafa Beer in a glass » Imperial or Fino Beer in a large glass » Caneca de cerveja See a dish appealing to you, ask: What are they eating over there ? » O que estão a comer ali ?
Just a few numbers...
1 - "Um" / 2 - "Dois" / 3 - "Três" / 4 - "Quatro" / 5 - "Cinco" / 6 - "Seis" / 7 - "Sete" / 8 - "Oito" /9 - "Nove" 10 - "Dez" / 11 - "Onze" / 12 - "Doze" / 13 - "Treze" / 14 - "Catorze" / 15 - "Quinze" / 16 - "Dezasseis" 17 - "Dezassete" / 18 - "Dezoito" / 19 - "Dezanove" / 20 - "Vinte" / 21, 22, etc. - "Vinte e um", "Vinte e dois", etc. 30 - "Trinta" / 31 - "Trinta e um" / 32, 33, etc. - "Trinta e dois", "trinta e três", etc. / 40 - "Quarenta" 50 - "Cinquenta" / 60 - "Sessenta" / 70 - "Setenta" / 80 - "Oitenta" / 90 - "Noventa" / 100 - "Cem" 200 - "Duzentos" / 300 - "Trezentos" / 400 - "Quatrocentos" / 500 - "Quinhentos" / 600 - "Seiscentos" 700 - "Setecentos" / 800 - "Oitocentos" / 900 - "Novecentos" / 1000 - "Mil" , and so on , and so on. BEACHES: Publicised by an important daily newspaper in Portugal ("Jornal Público") you can gain access to all portuguese river and ocean Atlantic beaches, specifying locals or detailed by Districts. Please enter: http://www.praia.publico.pt/pesquisa.asp ARTESANY EVENTS: Most of the artesany events are connected to Fairs and Festivals. Cheap and original products can be obtained here. Please consult: http://www.ppart.gov.pt BARRAGENS - DAMS: A very comprehensive map, photos and technical data, of all dams in Portugal, can be found at: MOTOR-CARAVANS FOR HIRE: See "Informação Útil" on our portal.
PHARMACIES AND CHEMISTS: By districts on 24 hours function, can be obtained on consult at the site: SOME PARKING AND SERVICE AREAS: We tought it as useful a special mention additional to the entries elsewhere for service areas on which, some of our members, have had a personal intervention Service
Area of Lorvão - Penacova - From
Coimbra (in the West) or Guarda (in the East of the country) take the IP 3
(Itinerary Principal 3), when you find the sign "LORVÃO" follow it until
you see signs "Mosteiro" (Monastery). Keep going straight ahead, and a
certain point on your left you will see a newly asphalted road and in the
corner,the familiar sign ( We took some comments from one of our members to describe it. "What a week-end" Lorvão place of gentle people, already a reference, figures high the panorama national of caravaning. Besides the environmental conditions where it is established, has to all of us a sense of "well being", with the best possible facilities, with an impecable parking site of large dimensions and surrounds, allowing an extended stay for visiting and exploring neighbouring villages, where so much is to be seen. Windmills, scenery, raft and cannoeing on the river, escalating, rappel, adventurous tours on foot or on donkeys, seems, everything is at hand. The Lorvão Monastery. the tombs, their rich and centuries old wood carvings, certainly, all will be appreciated. The cultural events (surprising being a small village) are a frequent happening. The village itself, cafés, small and old shops, fresh bread delivered (twice) in the parking, every morning, restaurant with regional dishes, the people gentleness to caravan users, all seems, make us delay our leaving intentions. The local municipality, governed by a young and active President, assisted by enterprising members of the community, leave nonetheless, all caravaners, free, in their peaceful ways of enjoying life. Make a visit to the Junta de Freguesia to find out more ways to fulfill your choices of entertainment in the open air. Service Area of Vermoil - Pombal - Situated around 6 kms from IC2 (Complementary Itinerary 2) or from EN 1 -10 kms south of Pombal, follow sign to VERMOIL. In Barracão or Meirinhas(as the people call it) belonging to the Pombal Municipality, within a triangle formed by, Leiria, Pombal and the beaches' region, close to the football grounds, the Service Area was created. Thanks to the good efforts of two members of the Clube Desportivo e Recreativo de Vermoil, whom, with their enthusiasm and work, made a project become a reality. Nowadays, is the Clube Desportivo de Vermoil, who looks after its upkeeping. There is a small box for donatives, towards maintenance. The Service Area is equiped with water tap, allows soapy waters and chemical toilets discharge. There is space, near the playground fields, for about a dozen motor-caravans. Vermoil restaurants, can supply a variety of traditional portuguese dishes as well being catered, the lamb and wild mushroms (locally and in some parts of the country called "tortulhos"). Various shops sell artesany products. In October, The Chestnut Fair, takes place in Vermoil. "Serra da Estrela" region - This is a beautiful and extensive zone, where the difficulty is to pin point the locals to be seen. Roughly start at Coimbra, northward to Viseu, eastward to Guarda, southward to Fundão and westward to Coimbra. Near the centre of the mentioned square, you have : Serra da Estrela - (Mountain Star) Highest point in Portugal (In the winter peak and sometimes bordering spring, you may be faced with snow, ice and freezing temperatures) The Mountain has special corps of patrolling guards. Wonderful views of 360º. Stay overnight close to the commercial centre (contact G.N.R. let them know you are there) or in Sabugueiro, near the chapel. Coffee shop, fresh bread in the morning and from regional shops around. SEIA, town at the bottom of the Serra da Estrela. Very interesting small town, with a parking space (Fairs) near the centre. Levelled terrain. Do not park from Tuesday to Wednesday. Wednesday - weekly fair day. Another Parking space: ask for Rua 1º de Maio and when pass in front of Hotel Camelo, tell a passer-by, how to drive or walk to the back of the hotel. There are stairs leading to the centre of Seia. In the midle of the stairs there are public WC facilities. Park - On a different approach, comming from Oliveira do Hospital to Celorico da Beira, towards Tôrre,- Serra da Estrela, pratically on the access to Seia, drive slowly, calmly, you will find on the left hand side, an open car park, flat, level, suitable to motor-caravans. Don't miss: Museu do Pão (Bread Museum) Ask directions Drive as far as possible if you foresee any difficulty.Park. Normally, Museu do Pão, will send a Golf type electric car, to fetch you to the Bread Museum. Near by, on the right hand side, empty ground with enough space for more than six motor caravans. Shop, restaurant, café/snack-bar. Toy Museum - Revive your youth times, looking at toys from early 1900's GOUVEIA - Town Parking, High and Covered - FREE.- Follow signs Bombeiros and Serra da Estrela - Pass square on the right and "Bombeiros" and next to a gentle curve, you see a traffic light regulating the park entrance and exit. Be careful at the entrance, but once inside, you have plenty space. Bioparque Camping Park and Service Area - S. Pedro do Sul - (Bioparque, also, called Parque do Pisão, is on an old and unspoiled zone in the Carvalhais Village and insert in the Lafões Turistic Perimeter) Beautiful forested area. Rural Museum. Archeological "Carcoda" - (mean.narrow entrance). Restaurant - Mountain Houses and Students Residences. Full information can be obtained by consulting site on the internet or at the Information Turism Office in São Pedro do Sul. São Pedro do Sul is a town resorted to for medical treatments by bathing. Mineral Waters Spa. Overnight stay may be allowed in the parking of the Baths Building or in the park behind the Municipal Swimming Pool, overnight patrolled by G.N.R. (Republican National Guard). We reccomend a visit to Vouzela (famous "pastéis"-flaky pastry with sweet fill) Mizarela (water fall) popular stories, and Pedras Parideiras (Pregnant Stones, no joke, they are real stones going through a geological transformation. Some of the following are somewhat distant of Serra da Estrêla, but locals with great interest either due to natural landscape, old buildings and so on: Satão - Penalva do Castelo - Covas do Monte (works being done to enable motor caravan reversing) São Macário Hills and Pena. Service Area - Estarreja The newest Service Area belongs to the Clube de Campismo de Estarreja, was openned on 3rd. June 2006. Estarreja is in the Rota da Luz Turistic Region and is situated half way between Aveiro and Ovar. Easily accessed from A 1 Motorway, through routes nºs. 109 and 109-5. At the foot is Ria de Aveiro, Torreira beach sand dunnes and Atlântic Ocean, are nearby. The Clube de Campismo de Estarreja, to whom we owe this important benefict, humbly, calls it as a Passage Park for Motor-Caravans. Fátima - Just behind the Santuary there are various parks, with individual parking lots, with wooden tables and seats, and shadows from many trees. Water taps partioned near the lots or close to acess roads. Discharge opennings on some of them. Large WC block with showers. Apparently, Park nº. 4 might be the preferred. How to get there : Go to the Roundabout South ( Monument to the three little shepherds ). The avenue on your right, with "P" of Park in the corner, is Avenida Beato Nuno. Follow on it until you see the first set of traffic lights, change lane to your left, because there is a filter, permitting turn left at the cross roads. Do it. Drive down, towards gates and park. At the gates turn right to go to the park number four. Belém - South West of Lisbon. No Facilities. Parking allowed on most areas. Between 2 marinas and overlooking, from your motor- caravan, river Tejo estuary and the vast expanse of the Atlantic Ocean. From Belém to Alcantara and Cais do Sodré, you have gardens, restaurants, esplanades, cafés, night clubes discotheques. Accross river - 3 to 3,5 miles - you can see Trafaria and parts of Costa da Caparica beaches. You can as well, take a boat trip of a couple hours to Trafaria and return. The departure and arrival are at Estação Fluvial de Belém, 1/2 mile from where you are parked. Look now, opposite to the marinas. You are roughly in front of a long stony building - Centro Cultural de Belém, erected when our present Chief of State Professor Cavaco Silva was our Prime Minister. Seldom is the day not happening some cultural event in there. Looking slightly to the right you see a vast garden: There you will find: Main entrance to Centro Cultural de Belem; hidden from your point of view- Museu do Mar. Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, you can not go without a visit. Further on when walking, enter in Fábrica dos Pastéis de Belém. Whether you have or not "a sweet tooth" try to have with beer, tea or coffee a "pastel de nata", sprinkled with suggar and cynamon. Keep going on the street, 200 yards ahead you will see 2 guards posted at the gates, that's The Chief of State Official Residence (Palace) and another 300 yards you are at the Museu dos Côches entrance( Royal Carriageway horse drawn transport). You are in Jardim de Belém, cross to your parking side, at Railway Station of Belém, and see the monuments around you, Tôrre de Belem, Monument to the portuguese discoverers, to the dead in our Empire times wars. Best parking spaces - Between Monument to Discoverers, Museum of Arts, Sea Pilots and the two marinas. There are always other motorcaravans, on the site. KEEP PRESENT : To the place where you want stay, you have to drive maintaining yourself between the railway track and the river How to get there: From where you come try getting to the IC 17 - Algés (Two lane road) Do not enter Algés - Drive on over the Algés Square, go to the very end. On the descent. look to your left and nearly see your parking place. Drive to the roundabout and take the road to where you have watched seconds earlier (Torre de Belém - Belém Tower) If you are between railway track and the Ocean, you are in the right direction. If you came out at Algés exit or from other direction than the IC 17, at Algés roundabout, take the lane directing to Lisboa. Drive for about half a mile on your right, go to the hump back bridge over the railway and when you level up you are near,where there are places to park. Should you miss and to put you on the right direction, for reverse purposes, you can use Algés roundabout, filter to left (no traffic lights) near the stoney building (Centro Cultural de Belém, ahead filter to the left, to Hospital Egas Moniz, ahead Alcantâra Bridge over the railway track. Further details can be obtained by consulting the portuguese pages of our site, in "Apresentação" and "Fórum" and links to "Áreas de Serviço". Furthermore, you can consult "Guide Alberto Brochado" or once over here in Portugal buying "Roteiro Campista", Euros 5.95 (2006) INQUIRIES: In your quest to solve your doubts, please approach in all confidence our members bearing the logotype "Campingcar portugal" on their vehicles. DEVELOPMENT: We are constantly updating our site. Please excuse us by any fault or difficulties encountered. whenever found. We try harder, to be your best guide whilst you are in Portugal. HELP: Should you require assistance directly related to motor caravan activities, please contact us, from your laptop PC, cyber café, Internet spot, or other means. We will endeavour to help you. |
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[ Jorge Santos, October 2006 ] |
), carry on descending to meet a small roundabout, turn right - You
are in Lorvão - In a large parking space with the Service Area, close by.