7 things you shouldn’t do when you’re in Portugal but probably will anyway
Every year, Portugal is taken over by hordes of overwintering digital nomads. In spring and autumn, Lisbon and Porto are popular destinations for city trips, and in summer, hordes of tourists head en masse to the country’s southern coast. Are the Portuguese really that happy about it? Probably not always. To make things a little more enjoyable and easier for them and for yourself, here are seven things you should definitely leave alone when visiting Portugal.
1. Saying gracias
When it comes to language, the Portuguese and the Spanish borrow from each other, which may make you think you can get by with Spanish in Portugal. But that’s rather sensitive. I once dared to answer sí when asked whether I wanted a bag with my groceries, and the girl at the checkout looked at me as if I had just called her mother a rotten sardine. Look, they do resemble each other: bom dia in Portuguese is buen día in Spanish. The same, but still different.
Olá or hola?
Hello is another trap. Because what exactly is the difference between olá and hola? Yes, the stress. In Portuguese, it falls on the second syllable. In short, quickly google the basics before heading out, and remember that nothing makes a Portuguese person as angry as being addressed as a Spaniard. On behalf of the Portuguese: Gracias! Uh… Obrigado.
2. Buying water
Yes, we get it. You’re used to superior filtered Dutch tap water. Tasteless, clean, boring. In Portugal, they add some extra lime, iron and chlorine to kill bacteria. And you can taste it. Is that a problem? Of course not. If the Portuguese can handle it, your delicate little stomach can too. Instead of spending your money on bottles of water, spend it on a good wine. There’s plenty of choice and it costs next to nothing.
3. Paying by card everywhere
In the Netherlands, we’re used to being able to pay by card everywhere and for any amount. In Portugal, however, that’s not always the case. Yes, you’ll find an ATM on virtually every street corner – avoid Euronet machines, by the way, those jerks charge criminally high extra fees – but shops often have a minimum card payment. Especially in the many small supermarkets and bakeries, amounts under five euros can only be paid in cash. So carrying cash isn’t an unnecessary luxury if you only want to pay for a pastel de nata.
4. Expecting Portuguese people to be on time
This one is simple: if you’re meeting a Portuguese person, add ten minutes and avoid frustration. Really, you’ll get used to it quickly.
5. Eating sardines out of season
The Portuguese take their fish specialties very seriously, and rightly so. Take sardinhas assadas, for example: grilled sardines, a Lisbon specialty that should really only be eaten in June during the Santos Populares festivals. For this, you need to be in a neighborhood such as Madragoa, Alfama or Graça. During these festivals, entire streets are closed off for weeks so there is room for countless stalls where the sardinhas are grilled and sold. Pair them with boiled potatoes, salads, rice or grilled vegetables. Of course, you can order sardines at restaurants all year round, but that’s not the real deal. Respect the seasons!
6. Expecting service when you don’t speak Portuguese
The tasca. More than a café, simpler and more informal than a restaurant. Perhaps best described as a bistro. This is where the Portuguese eat, alone or together, after a long day at work. Simple, traditional, good food. Sometimes it has a lovely atmosphere, but often the lighting is ugly, there’s football on TV and they’re just short of snapping at you when you don’t speak Portuguese. Doesn’t sound pleasant, but it is. The food is ALWAYS good. The menu is different every day, depending on what’s available.
Waiting is part of the experience
Most of the time, tasca’s have fixed menus on certain days of the week to give their regular customers at least a little certainty. Accept that the service is a bit curt and that it takes a while to get your beer; that’s the charm. And throw in a few Portuguese words, that can sometimes help too.
7. Taking a tumble
Those small white cobblestones on Lisbon’s hilly pavements? They get slippery when it rains. Slipperier than the other stones. You wouldn’t be the first to go down like a burglar from Home Alone. Wear shoes with good soles. Thank me later.
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