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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.
A traditional toll plaza usually has an electronic toll lane and one or more lanes for manual payment== Fátima ==[[Fátima]] is a little pilgrimage village. Not all the vehicles stop because they have the electronic system which collects their costs You could try using a sign with no need this name to stop. The vehicles which stop will do it at least by two different times. First, they collect a ticket which signs the start increase your chances of their trip at a certain placebeing picked up. Later, they stop for It's on 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 laneroad between Lisbon and Porto.
==== Fátima? ====[[Fátima]] is a little pilgrimage villageA traditional toll plaza usually has an electronic toll lane and one or more lanes for manual payment. You could try using a sign Not all the vehicles stop because they have the electronic system which collects their costs with this name no need to increase your chances stop. The vehicles which stop will do it at least by two different times. First, they collect a ticket which signs the start of being picked uptheir trip at a certain place. It's on Later, they stop for the road between Lisbon and Portomanual 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.
In restaurants you will always get bread, cheese, butter and olives without being askedPortugal borders only with Spain. This will cost extraThe rest of the country is surrounded by the Atlantic ocean. As starter there is a soup usual and as main course grilled fish or grilled meat Portugal has signed the [[Schengen Agreement]] which means that borders with rice or chipsSpain are open. Portuguese people often eat grilled stuff At times, there are mobile checks by the police or stew. The meals are mostly simplecustoms, especially in border regions like [[Vilar Formoso]].
=== Sleep ===A good technique is to stay in one of the last service stations on the A63 in France before the spanish border, and wait for someone who can take you all to way to Portugal. Portuguese plates (1/3 of portuguese nationals live outside Portugal) or tourists (20 million invaded Portugal in 2016) will pass there.
if you Otherwise, don't find anything through let your drivers drop you at just any gas station along the typical hospitality exchange networks, you can way - try your best to stick to stay with busy ones (on the right side and near the firemen. Each Bombeiros station in Portugal has a room where they can host passing travellershighway, Repsol and it is free. These (mostly volunteerGalp) 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, If your ride is only taking you to somewhere near Vilar Formoso border and you want to go further in winter too if you have a tent or find shelterPortugal, you can sleep outside without much hassle. However, it is illegal to camp unless you do so stay at the last Cepsa gas station on a specified camp area, so be sure to keep yourself out the right side of sight and don't litter. Camping on the beach is also illegalroad, and most are patrolled at night during 5kms before the summerborder. If caughtGas is cheaper in Spain, you will be kicked out and finedmany cars fill up their tanks in there before entering Portugal.
=== 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 ;)
=== Legal stuff =Truck Routes ==Normally, police won't bother you. Despite A common way in Portugal for long distance lorries is forbidden to hitchhike at take the middle of the highway, like mostly everywhere, your chances increase if you ask for Autopista Castilla ([[:Category:E80|E80]]). There is a lift at the service stations or even huge truck stop at the tolls. In Portugal highways are payableborder where they can get cheap Portuguese food, and so many just wait until they get there before going to other areas of the vehicles stop at the tolls in order Portugal, mostly to pay[[Porto]] and [[Lisbon|Lisboa]].
=== Crossing the border =Language ==Portugal borders only with Spain. The rest of Despite Portuguese being the country official language, Spanish is surrounded by the Atlantic oceanwidely 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. Portugal has signed According to the International English Proficiency Index [[Schengen Agreementhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EF_English_Proficiency_Index]] which means that borders with Spain are open. At times, there are mobile checks by the police or customsPortugal has a high proficiency level in English, especially proficiency higher than in border regions countries like Vilar FormosoItaly, France or Greece.
==== Truck Routes ==Legal stuff ==A common way in Portugal for long distance lorries Normally, police won't bother you. Despite is forbidden to take hitchhike at the Autopista Castilla ([[:Category:E80|E80]])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. There is a huge truck In Portugal highways are payable, and so many of the vehicles stop at the border where they tolls in order to pay. Although walking along the highway (Autoestrada) can get cheap Portuguese foodbe an effective method in Portugal, so many just wait until you risk being stopped by the highway patrol. If you are friendly enough they get there before going might give you a lift to the nearest town or national road where it is legal to other areas of Portugalwalk, mostly but some have been known to [[Porto]] call the police, particularly near Lisbon. Walking along the highway is not a punishable offense and [[Lisbon|Lisboa]]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.
==Crossing Spain to get to Portugal = Eat and Drink ===You make a good deal if you buy on the local markets where you can expect good quality for low prices. Fruits, vegetables, fish and meat have mostly good prices. Expensive is cheese, fruit juice, haribo and chocolate.
If you're just want to get to Portugal from somewhere in small villages while they have festivitiesEurope (or vice-versa), you might get free food distributed 'll want to to keep your hitch journey in Spain as short and quick as possible. This will happen by sticking to the the organization. The food normally consists of grilled sardines main road (yummy!), bread AP-1 and wine (loads of it). You can find those events mainly in summer time in places like Azambuja (Feira de Maio)A-62, Vila Franca Autovía de Xira (Colete EncharnadoCastilla) or Benavente (Festas da Amizade). You can check [http:from Bayonne/San Sebastian to Salamanca /festabravanoribatejo.blogspot.pt this website] to find these events Vilar Formoso (not all of them include free food thoughthe portuguese border near Guarda). In summer 2015 [[User:EliasExplores|EliasExplores]] traveled Even if you come from, say, Montpellier, it's recommended to many of these festivities hitch up to Bayonne and documented it with his camera. You can find his videos on [https://www.youtube.com/FictionSource Youtube]cross the basque country.
* [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 ==
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== Nomadwiki & Trashwiki ==
{{nomadwiki}}
{{Cities Portugal}}
{{IsIn|Southern Europe}}
[[Category:Southern Europe]]
