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=== Hitchhiking ===Hitching in Portugal is quite easy. However, it is important that you are protected from the sun. The [[weather]] is, especially in summer, extremely hot. During the autumn or winter season, rain can be constant, especially in the north and centre of Portugal. Although, you still might be able to find long periods of beautiful sunshine. Anyway, keep in mind that Portugal is SO WINDY, especially in coastal areas due to the oceanic weather. This can be an ease in summer's hot afternoons, but it's definitely harsh at night, even more if your plan is to wildcamp or vivac. __TOC__
Hitching in Portugal is quite easy. However, it is important that you are protected from the sun. The [[weather]] is, especially in summer, extremely hot. As an alternative to hitchhiking you can use the buses from ''Rede Expresso'' for overland travels. The railway network is not in a good state, it is slow and there are only two lines. Although, the network is improving a lot during the last years and it's easy to sneak in without paying, especially in short-distance regional trains around Lisbon.
==== Fátima? ====Portugal borders only with Spain. The rest of the country is surrounded by the Atlantic ocean. Portugal has signed the [[FátimaSchengen Agreement]] is a little pilgrimage village. You could try using a sign which means that borders with this name to increase your chances of being picked upSpain are open. It's on At times, there are mobile checks by the road between Lisbon and Portopolice or customs, especially in border regions like [[Vilar Formoso]].
=== Eat and Drink ===You make a good deal if If you buy on the local markets where just want to get to Portugal from somewhere in Europe (or vice-versa), you can expect good quality for low prices'll want to to keep your hitch journey in Spain as short and quick as possible. FruitsThis will happen by sticking to the the main road (AP-1 and A-62, vegetablesAutovía de Castilla) from Bayonne/San Sebastian to Salamanca / Vilar Formoso (the portuguese border near Guarda). Even if you come from, fish and meat have mostly good prices. Expensive is cheesesay, fruit juiceMontpellier, haribo it's recommended to hitch up to Bayonne and chocolatecross the basque country.
In restaurants you will always get bread, cheeseA good technique is to stay in one of the last service stations on the A63 in France before the spanish border, butter and olives without being askedwait for someone who can take you all to way to Portugal. This Portuguese plates (1/3 of portuguese nationals live outside Portugal) or tourists (20 million invaded Portugal in 2016) will cost extra. As starter pass there is a soup usual and as main course grilled fish or grilled meat with rice or chips. Portuguese people often eat grilled stuff or stew. The meals are mostly simple.
If youOtherwise, don're in small villages while they have festivities, t let your drivers drop you might get free food distributed by at just any gas station along the organization. The food normally consists of grilled sardines way - try your best to stick to busy ones (yummy!)on the right side and near the highway, bread Repsol and wine (loads of it). You can find those events mainly in summer time in places like Azambuja (Feira de Maio), Vila Franca de Xira (Colete Encharnado) or Benavente (Festas da Amizade). You can check [http://festabravanoribatejo.blogspot.pt this website] to find these events (not all of them include free food thoughGalp). In summer 2015 [[User:EliasExplores|EliasExplores]] traveled to many of these festivities and documented it with his camera. You can find his videos on [https://www.youtube.com/FictionSource Youtube].
=== Sleep ===If your ride is only taking you to somewhere near Vilar Formoso border and you want to go further in Portugal, stay at the last Cepsa gas station on the right side of the road, 5kms before the border. Gas is cheaper in Spain, and many cars fill up their tanks in there before entering Portugal.
if you don't find anything through the typical hospitality exchange networks, you can try to stay with the firemen. Each Bombeiros station in Portugal has a room where they can host passing travellers, and it is free. These (mostly volunteer) fire-fighters are friendly and chatty, when they speak English. Make sure you go ask early enough, however, as the station commander has to verify that you can stay... ([[User:janpa|janpa]] tried it in several stations in March 2013 and had no luck. Might work in remote areas though, or if you are a fireman yourself.) Throughout the three warmer seasons, and in winter too if you have a tent or find shelter, you can sleep outside without much hassle. However, it is illegal to camp unless you do so on a specified camp area, so be sure to keep yourself out of sight and don't litter. Camping on the beach is also illegal, and most are patrolled at night during the summer. If caught, you will be kicked out and fined. === Links ===
{{Europe/countries}}
[[trash:Portugal]]
[[wikipedia:Portugal]]
__NOTOC__
→Crossing Spain to get to Portugal
People are very friendly in general. During the summer, especially the coastline is overrun with tourists. In Portugal people are easy going and sometimes slow. Everything needs its time, so you will probably have to wait for a little while. Long distance buses are usually a bit late.
[[File:Hhlisboa.jpg|right|thumb|334px|A hitchhiker bound for Lisbon'']]
If you hitchhike near the coastal regions, you will probably have more chances of being picked up. Most of the people in Portugal live near the coast. Regions around [[Lisbon]] or [[Porto]] are generally with more traffic throughout the year. The Southern coast of Portugal is also very touristic, so you will have higher chances of being picked also by foreigners.
Another important issue is the way you address the drivers (since speaking directly with them gives better result than standing on the exit of the highway, if you´re hitchhiking on one. The Portuguese, even if not very familiar with the idea of hitchhiking, turn out to be very friendly people if approached in the right way. Say hello, excuse for disturbing, explain where you´re going to and ask if by any chance they´re going the same way. Seems like very basic advice but in Portugal it matters more than in central Europe ;)
== Truck Routes ==A common way in Portugal for long distance lorries is to take the Autopista Castilla ([[:Category:E80|E80]]). There is a huge truck stop at the border where they can get cheap Portuguese food, so many just wait until they get there before going to other areas of Portugal, mostly to [[Porto]] and [[Lisbon|Lisboa]]. == Fátima ==[[Fátima]] is a little pilgrimage village. You could try using a sign with this name to increase your chances of being picked up. It's on the road between Lisbon and Porto. == Language ==Despite Portuguese being the official language, Spanish is widely understood. However, using a few Portuguese key words goes a long way, as generally people give some value to that. You will find that many Portuguese speak English or French as a second language. According to the International English Proficiency Index [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EF_English_Proficiency_Index], Portugal has a high proficiency level in English, proficiency higher than in countries like Italy, France or Greece. == Legal stuff ===
Normally, police won't bother you. Despite is forbidden to hitchhike at the middle of the highway, like mostly everywhere, your chances increase if you ask for a lift at the service stations or even at the tolls. In Portugal highways are payable, and so many of the vehicles stop at the tolls in order to pay.
Although walking along the highway (Autoestrada) can be an effective method in Portugal, you risk being stopped by the highway patrol. If you are friendly enough they might give you a lift to the nearest town or national road where it is legal to walk, but some have been known to call the police, particularly near Lisbon. Walking along the highway is not a punishable offense and there is no fine, but having the police called is a hassle for everyone involved. Note that simply hitchiking in general is perfectly legal, rather it is the act of walking along the highways which is illegal.
A traditional toll plaza usually has an electronic toll lane and one or more lanes for manual payment. Not all the vehicles stop because they have the electronic system which collects their costs with no need to stop. The vehicles which stop will do it at least by two different times. First, they collect a ticket which signs the start of their trip at a certain place. Later, they stop for the manual payment at a lane. Obviously, you will be less noticed when you ask for a lift during the collection of a ticket than during the payment at a lane.
==== Truck Routes ====A common way in Portugal for long distance lorries is Crossing Spain to take the Autopista Castilla ([[:Category:E80|E80]]). There is a huge truck stop at the border where they can get cheap Portuguese food, so many just wait until they get there before going to other areas of Portugal, mostly to [[Porto]] and [[Lisbon|Lisboa]].==
* [http://www.brisa.pt/PresentationLayer/homepageclientes.aspx?menuid=1 BRISA] has information on all the highways in Portugal and their exits and petrol stations. For the location of some of the petrol stations click [http://www.brisa.pt/PresentationLayer/areasservico.aspx?menuid=10 here].
* For the locations of the petrol stations in A28 click [http://nortelitoral.pt/site/category/viajar/viajar-seguro/areas-de-servico/ here]
* For informations about all highways and respective exits, connections to other roads, and petrol stations click [http://www.portugalconvida.net/pdf/AUTOESTRADAS.pdf here] for a pdf doc
* To find local festivities "festas bravas", it's recommended to check [http://festabravanoribatejo.blogspot.pt this website]. [[User:EliasExplores|EliasExplores]] had most excellent experiences being in those small villages. As seen on his [https://www.youtube.com/FictionSource Youtube Channel]
== Personal Experiences ==
Pls add info
== Nomadwiki & Trashwiki ==
{{nomadwiki}}
{{Cities Portugal}}
{{IsIn|Southern Europe}}
[[Category:Southern Europe]]
