Being one of the World’s oldest Countries, Portugal has a rich and vibrant culture that spans over several centuries. What Portugal lacks in size, it makes up with diverse landscape, welcoming people, historical facts and a few particular quirks. If you are planning to visit / move into Portugal, here is some more interesting facts about Portugal that will get you even more interested.
- Food
- Perfect hosts
- Football
- Drinking coffee
- Surfing destination
- Cultural melting pot
- Complains
- Concept of punctuality
- Third safest country
- Separate archipelagos
- Nightlife
- Family and friends oriented
- Fatalists
- Longest bridge in Europe
- Oldest bookshop
- Renewable energy
- Longest names
- Greetings
1. Everything revolves around food
Food is a vital aspect of the Portuguese lifestyle, and most social engagements happen around it. The only comparable thing to the regional food diversity is how full you will be when you get invited to a Portuguese dinner!
2. Portuguese are the perfect hosts
Portuguese people love to welcome new people and particularly invite them to their home to meet their families and friends or simply show around their home town. Natives will always try to answer your questions and provide directions, and almost everyone speaks a bit of English. Just don’t make the mistake of comparing Spanish to Portuguese – natives don’t like it!
3. There’s religion and then there’s Football
If you see heated arguments at bars or coffee shops, most likely it’s about Football! Portuguese people love to get together and cheer for their teams, and there’s even several club rivalries. However, all of it disappears when the National team plays, having the support of everyone.
4. Drinking coffee is both a lifestyle and an excuse
Portuguese can’t live without coffee breaks! Usually you’ll see people having coffee in the morning, after lunch, in the afternoon and sometimes even after dinner.
It’s always a good reason to have a break, a quick chat and enjoy the sun. Also, it’s very common to be invited for a quick coffee break and then find yourself having hour-long talks in an esplanade.
5. Portugal is a World-Class Surf Destination
Featuring 800 km of the Atlantic coast, Portugal is a great destination if you’re into nautical sports and particularly surfing. You can find several surf schools and retreats in the country to learn it and practice.
If you’re just a viewer, you can go to Nazaré, where you’ll see the biggest waves in the World and where the World Record for the biggest wave surfed was set.
6. Portugal is a cultural melting pot
Portugal is a welcoming country deeply connected to its former colonies. The country is very influenced by Brazilian and African cultures, making it an extremely diverse and inclusive destination. Don’t be surprised if you go to a restaurant, listen Brazilian music, drink a Portuguese beer and have Muamba for dinner – it’s just the cultural melting pot!
7. Portuguese like to complain about Portugal (but only they are allowed to do it!)
Natives love to complain about politics, sports, bureaucracy… you name it! However, be aware: if they listen to a non-native complaining about Portugal, they’ll defend it with everything they have!
8. The concept of punctuality is debatable
While in their professional lives, Portuguese are some of the most hard-working and punctual people, when it comes to personal engagements, people tend to be fashionable late. Don’t be surprised if you invite people over for dinner at 19:30 and the guests only arrive at 20:30, since it’s when they believe dinner should start.
9. Portugal is the 3rd safest country in the World (and the 1st in the EU)!
As of 2020, Portugal ranked #3 as the safest country in the World, only surpassed by Iceland and New Zealand. Crime rates are extremely low, and it’s generally safe to be in the street or to travel alone. The only thing that you need to be aware of is petty theft, since usually targets non-residents / tourists.
10. There’s more Portugal overseas
Portugal is not only the mainland: it also has 2 separate archipelagos, featuring their own cultures, accents, gastronomy, flora, climate and traditions. Madeira and Azores are the perfect destinations to fly to and get even more acquainted with Portuguese traditions!
11. Going out often means getting home in the morning
Portuguese people love going out during the weekends and more often than not, they go out late! Normally they have late dinners until 10 or 11 PM, then head to bars or socialize in the street and finally to clubs to dance and enjoy the nightlife until 6 AM!
12. Portuguese are extremely family and friends oriented
Portuguese people value their families and friends above all things, and it’s normal to dedicate a full day (normally Sunday), getting together with their relatives and simply spending the day together chatting.
You can expect to learn a lot about bonding and affection from Portuguese Natives. As for friends, they usually meet on Friday and Saturday nights to catch up and enjoy their free time together.
13. Portuguese are fatalists
Portugal has “Fado” which is both a form of Portuguese music and the idea that one’s fate is impossible to escape, deeply rooted in Natives. As for the music genre, it’s a UNESCO World Intangible Cultural Heritage, composed by melancholic songs of love, loss, hopefulness and resignation.
You can experience traditional shows in several typical “Fado Houses” in the country.
14. Portugal once had the longest bridge in Europe
Dethroned in 2018 by the Crimean Bridge, Portugal once featured a 12 km long bridge, crossing the Tagus river. Named Vasco da Gama Bridge, it was inaugurated in 1998, with the most Portuguese celebration ever, by inviting 17,000 guests to have “Feijoada” – a traditional dish – on top of the bridge.
15. Portugal has the World’s oldest bookshop
In downtown Lisbon, you can find “Livraria Bertrand” the oldest bookshop in the World founded in 1732 and rebuilt in 1755 after the Great Lisbon Earthquake.
In Porto, you can discover another impressive bookshop – Livraria Lello – which particular Architecture and stairwell is said to have inspired J.K. Rowling to create the Hogwarts universe.
16. Portugal is a World-Leader in renewable energy
Renewable Energy is a priority in Portugal and by July 2014, 70 % of its energy came from renewable sources such as wind, hydro and solar power. Most recently, the country showed that it can meet all its electricity needs from renewable sources, making it a World-Leader in a greener society.
17. Portuguese (probably) have the longest names in the World
When meeting a Portuguese Native, ask them for their full name: more often than not, it’s at least 4 different names! This comes from a tradition of honouring their ancestors, giving their children the names of their grandparents in addition to their first and last names.
18. Portuguese have a particular way of greeting each other
When it comes to greetings, the concept of personal space may be overvalued in Portugal: usually both Portuguese men greet women with 2 kisses on the cheek (always right cheek first, otherwise it may create awkward situations), and men usually handshake between themselves. This happens even when they just met, so be prepared!
