I'm a Lisbon local and tour guide. I see first-time visitors to Portugal make the same mistakes every year.
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- I'm a Lisbon local and tour guide, which means I see visitors make many of the same mistakes.
- Some wrongfully assume Portugal's weather will be sunny all year and don't pack comfortable shoes.
- We generally appreciate it when tourists leave tips and try to speak Portuguese.
Portugal's capital city, Lisbon, is high on many must-visit lists for a good reason. After all, it is a historical and gastronomic paradise.
I was born and raised in Lisbon, and I'm now a tour guide there, so I've seen visitors make a lot of missteps and errors while visiting my beautiful city and the areas beyond it.
Here are five mistakes I wish tourists would stop making when they come here.
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Many picture tons of year-round sunshine when they think of Portugal — I can tell by the way many tourists fail to dress properly when the weather is anything else.
Before you visit, know that our Mediterranean soil comes with all four seasons.
Summer is indeed hot and sunny, a great time for sunset cocktails on the Tagus River and outdoor diner parties with grilled sardines and small cold beers in the Alfama quarter. Winter can be a bit chilly.
In spring and autumn, temperatures tend to be more mild, making these great times of year to hike across Lisbon's seven hills and go on day trips around the city.
However, you'll want to pack carefully because the weather can also be the most unpredictable during these months. Definitely do some research before packing for your trip.
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Like many other Portuguese cities, Lisbon has an array of beautiful cobblestone patterns in its squares and sidewalks. However, these stones can get slippery and sometimes be uncomfortable to walk on.
So, pack sensible, comfortable footwear. The Portuguese pavement can be challenging enough to navigate without high heels and flip-flops.
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Although many of us locals enjoy practicing our English with tourists, we still appreciate it when visitors try to speak Portuguese.
Making an effort to use our language is a nice tribute to local culture — and there's a good chance you'll get better service just for trying.
At the very least, it's polite to know and use basic phrases, like hello (olá) and please (por favor).
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In Portugal, most of our coffee blends are made with robusta beans. If this is what you're used to back home, you should be fine.
However, robusta beans have way more caffeine than arabica ones, which are the more common offering in the United States (and much of the world).
To avoid caffeine overload, be mindful of this difference when getting drinks here. If you want a bigger cup of coffee that's less intense, order an abatanado (basically an Americano).
Also, keep in mind that we typically consume our coffee at a leisurely pace — it's meant for sipping while sitting at a café. It's rare to see locals drinking coffee out of plastic or paper cups on the go.
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Tipping culture varies around the world, but that doesn't mean service workers here don't appreciate an extra bit of change.
In Lisbon, tipping isn't considered as essential as it is in the US, as our service workers are usually paid a living wage. However, tips should still be used to reward good service, especially at tourist-friendly activities and restaurants.
As a tour guide, I know firsthand just how much we appreciate them.
