So…..we have been “on the road” almost eight months now and we often look back and compare situations between the two countries we have visited so far – just Spain and Portugal. We have only been in Portugal a few weeks and are already looking to cut our visit shorter, we could not wait to leave the touristy south of the Algarve, so we have just arrived in the City of Lisbon before heading off to Porto in the north.
Google tells me that since September last year, we have visited 258 different and new places, so I’m assuming it’s counting all the towns and cities we have been to, sounds about right! Our trip was always planned to be based on the coastline of Europe, and so far we have stuck to it, stayed on the coast and headed inland for the day or overnight. We want to learn all about the culture, the area’s history, learn the language and immerse ourselves in the life style as much as possible. It does seem that areas that we have been to have developed food and drink assimilations, wonder why??
So we would like to share a few thoughts and comments with you, Spain in red; Portugal in green!
Spain is cheaper to live in! Diesel is 1.05 a litre, heading up to 1.25. Bottle of house wine 5 in a restaurant, beer or glass of wine in a bar 1.50. Fruit and veg prices in the supermarket are similar.
Diesel in Portugal is 1.26 to 1.46, bottle of house wine is just over 7, glass of beer or wine 2.00. Meat prices are about 10 – 15% more. Campsite prices are more expensive in Portugal.
Spanish drivers are erratic and slow; they have no concept of going around roundabouts, they go across them. They will let you in if queueing but will not acknowledge any courtesy you show. They do over the speed limits on motorways but in towns they are snails.
Portuguese drivers are maniacs, overtaking on blind bends, overtaking the trailer on the inside of a roundabout, all do over the speed limit, honk their horns as soon as lights change colour, will NOT let you into merging traffic and push their way in front of you. They drive 2 inches from your bumper, then overtake at a silly speed, then almost take the bonnet off by cutting in. No acknowledgement of courtesy, and after midnight, horns are honked louder and motorbikes are noisier!
Pedestrian crossings are law – wait for the green light – if you cross on a red light, they would not think twice about running you over. All drivers will stop at zebra crosssings if they see a person 100 yards away!
Not sure if Portugal recognises pedestrians at all, unless you stick to traffic light crossings, your life is in your own hands.
Spanish roads empty from 3 – 5pm for Siesta time! Portugal does not sleep in the afternoon. Traffic continues.
Spanish music and dance (flamenco) is colourful, vibrant and a happy event; Portuguese version is Fado, dour, soulful and no dancing.
Spanish people are vibrant, noisy, colourful (in skin and dress style), friendly, helpful, amorous and the language is easy to understand and attempt. If you try to converse in Spanish they laugh then correct you.
Portuguese people do not know how to smile. The appear dowdy, quiet, almost sullen. The language is very different to Spanish, it sounds almost Russian, lots of “chz” and “schs” in words. Not one word is familiar and you are not encouraged to try the language, everyone speaks English.
Spanish countryside is vast, agricultural farming is not obvious and domestic animals or wildlife is rarely seen. The landscape varies from north (lush vegetation, flat plains in the middle, mountains surrounding) to the south which is sandy, dry, more tropical (palm trees and truit trees) and mountainous.
Portugal seems to be a smaller country so more houses are packed in closer together. Sheep, goats and cows are often seem in small pens beside small farmhouses. The fields, when not cultivated, resemble scrubland, overgrown with weeds and bushes.
Spanish houses are mostly traditional, white walls, yellow highlights and red roofs, BBQ chimney in the garden, lots of shade.
Portugal seems to be building more properties that resemble oblong concrete boxes, out of place next to the small white washed cottages in village hillsides.
Spanish food is based on seafood, rice, wine and fresh vegetables. Meat dishes are based on the local Iberican pork, but veal, chicken and steak selections are always on the menu. Starters are always as huge as a main meal when ordering from an al a carte menu. The “menu del dia” is on average 10 for a starter, main, dessert, bread and a 1/2 bottle of wine or soft drink. Fast food chains are limited to McDonalds and Burger King (often opposite each other) and the odd pizza shop.
Fish is a huge part of a Portuguese menu, with Iberican pork or plain pork and a steak being the alternatives. Piri piri chicken is a popular takeaway, chicken is rarely on a menu. Fast food chains have caught on here, McDonalds, Burger King, KFC, Pizza Hut, Starbucks, Wok Kitchen etc… everywhere in towns. Menu of the day deals are not common and a bottle of house wine is always Portuguese, which are not so great!
Spain on Sunday is family day. Everything is closed except restaurants. Families eat out or together then a stroll along the prom or down the park in town, with all the children, dogs, bikes, go-karts and push chairs. Mobility scooters are rare.
Sunday is another regular day in Portugal, shopping centres and supermarkets are open. Nothing seems to change except there is a little less traffic about on the roads.
Spanish cultural activities (churches, museums, castles, forts, ruins etc.) are mainly in Spanish but English literature is always given out. Well signposted and plenty to see and do. Lots of places are free or ask for a small charge.
The Algarve’s activities are mainly aimed at beach based tourists – boats, seaside activities, british food and drinks, water parks and kiss me quick hats and blow up lilos. Ample shops selling tourist “treasure” – candle holders, ceramic ships, name bracelets etc. Very few tourist attractions outside this genre. Along the Atlantic coast it changes to attract the surfing community. Very few historical sites and if they do exist there is little signposting and no English translations.
Will update them as we find more differences, but please do feel free to ask questions!!
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Before leaving the South of Portugal, we stayed in small town called Porto Covo. In the 18th century Porto Covo was simply a small fishing village, activity was limited by the Atlantic climate and the ports inaccessibility during bad weather; in 1843 there were no more than 20 residences recorded. Tourism eventually took over fishing in the 1990s and during the summer these days it is said that the population increases ten fold with holiday makers, surfers, bathers, boaters and sporting fishermen descending on the regimental white and blue rental properties in the town. The town is well known for its festival at the end of August, a religious festival for Our Lady of Solitude, culminating in 1000s of people camping on the beaches for the weekend! Until recently the festival encouraged locals to bring their herds of cows and sheep too, this activity is not encouraged nowadays!!
We had a very close encounter with the Castle wall at the nearby town of Sines, thanks to TomTom, who directed us through a small nearby town and without the help of locals moving their vehicles and directing us through, we would not have made it through the square without taking one of the castle perimeter walls with us!!! Note, picture below, one way street, and we had to do a sharp left before the castle!
Sines is a larger town, home to Vasco da Gama, he was born in the castle, he built himself a church nearby, and had streets and a church named after him. The town is on a hilltop, overlooking a lovely bay, it’s also home to a very large oil refinery so tankers came and went all hours of the day.
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Views from the rooftop! No sign of Health & Safety here!! 
On the night of Eurovision, there was a parade of classic cars through the town; 130 vehicles were on a rally, from Germany not sure where to. 
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