ESTREMOZ FAQ'S

How do I get from the airport to my hotel?

Estremoz does not have an airport for public or private aircraft. You will be entering Portugal via air at Lisbon`s Humberto Delgado Airport (called Portela Airport by locals, IATA code LIS). Lisbon`s airport is a little more than 80 miles west-southwest of Estremoz.

We recommend during the booking process that you should self-drive to Estremoz. If you booked a self-driving trip, consult your reservation information and keep in mind the name of the company from which you have rented. The rental car companies are based in Terminal T1, in and around the P3 parking lot.

Driving directions to Estremoz: Turn left out of the airport and get on the E1 motorway. In less than half a mile, turn right at Exit 14 for the A12 motorway, which will take you across the Ponte Vasco da Gama. After the bridge, take exit 3 toward the IC3 and merge onto it. IC3 will change names, first to the N119, then to the N251, but will also be labeled IC3 throughout. In the village of Vimieiro Arraiolos, exit onto the N4 motorway toward Estremoz. This village is 15 miles west of Estremoz, and the N4 will take you directly there.

For those who decided not to reserve a car: Take the Aerobus (www.aerobus.pt, website in Portuguese and English) from Terminal T1 or T2 to the Sete Rios stop. This requires that you get on the #2 bus (dark blue, heading toward Lisbon`s financial center), which leaves every 40 minutes between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. From Sete Rios railway station, walk 350 feet to the Sete Rios bus station, walking straight along Avenida Columbano Bordalo Pinheiro toward the E1 motorway, and turning right on Avenida das Forcas Armadas (the bus station will be on your near-immediate right). Aerobus tickets cost less than €5 one way.

From there, you will need to board the Rede Expressos bus (www.rede-expressos.pt, website in Portuguese and English) to Estremoz. There are eight buses leaving Sete Rios bus station heading for Estremoz each weekday, and nine on weekends. The first departure will leave in the 8 o'clock hour and the last will leave around 7 p.m. (8 p.m. on weekends). The bus ride will take approximately two hours and a one-way ticket should be priced in the €15 to €20 range. Estremoz`s bus station is located on Avenida Rainha Santa Isabel. There will be taxis queuing outside the station waiting to take you to your hotel.

Are there train connections to Estremoz?

No trains service the city of Estremoz. Estremoz used to be connected to Evora by train from 1873 until 2009. The train station has been preserved but the train track has now been replaced by a sidewalk for pedestrians and cyclists. The train station is on Avenida Rainha Santa Isabel, across the street from the bus station.

How do I call/hail a taxi?

Taxis can be seen queuing at places such as the bus station, Rossio Marques de Pombal and Praca Luis de Camoes. As long as the taxi drivers aren`t driving other customers, it is acceptable to flag a cab down. Locals recommend that you call the company of your choice to request a taxi if you`re going out after 9 p.m., as most taxis are off the road by that time.

Taxi fares begin at €4 and it will cost approximately €1 for each mile traveled. Expect to pay €7 from Estremoz Castle to Capela de Nossa Senhora dos Martires, €15-€20 to Borba or €20-€25 to Evoramonte Castle. Expect the prices quoted here to go up at least 20% after 9 p.m., all day on weekends, and during holidays.

NOTE: Do not assume that your taxi driver will know how to speak English. Write out your destinations on pieces of paper and give the paper applicable to that specific trip to your driver before departing.

Should I rent a car in Estremoz?

We actually recommend that you rent a car and include it in your package during the reservation process. Not only is it suitable for exploring the smaller towns in the Alentejo, it allows you freedom of movement in a city that offers little in the way of alternate transportation routes. If you are taking advantage of self-drive portions of your trip, you will be picking up your car at the airport upon entering Portugal, not in Estremoz.

If you do decide to rent a car on your own, SADO RENT, a Portuguese company, operates a franchise in Estremoz on the Avenida 9 de Abril (www.sadorent.pt, website in Portuguese, English and five other languages). Prices will range from €30 to €100 per day depending on the size of car requested.

There are scant opportunities for parking in the historic center, which is bustling and compact. Your best bet for parking will be just south of town, outside the city walls.

Is Estremoz a walking city?

Estremoz is a very walkable city. The Medieval-era historic center, inside the city walls, is very compact and all of the sights TripMasters recommends in the historic center are within 1000 yards of each other. You will need to find alternate transportation routes (car, taxi, bus) to explore the smaller villages, some of which can be as far as a 90-minute drive away.

Is Estremoz a dangerous city? Are there any areas I should avoid?

Portugal is already one of the safest countries in Europe, and you will find that Estremoz is one of Portugal`s safest cities. In our research, not only did we find zero areas of concern for travelers, but we found zero tourist-related issues reported to the U.S. embassy from Estremoz in 2016.

Even though Estremoz is safe, take the necessary safety precautions just like you would at home. Take only well-lit and well-populated routes, keep your wits about you, and always look like you know where you are going, even when you may not. Be sure to keep your valuables on your person at all times, and never keep all of your money in one place; split up your cash into various pockets in your clothes.

Which areas are the best for shopping?

For those who had the chance to visit the Museu Municipal Professor Joaquim Vermelho, you may have noticed an exhibit that featured earthenware water jugs native to the Alentejo called moringues. You will be able to buy your own moringue at a booth in the Rossio Marques de Pombal. A lot of shops are located in this area too, so if you are interested in other local souvenirs, just take a look around.

I hear Estremoz is known for its marble. Can you tell me more?

The Alentejo region is known for its numerous marble quarries, and Estremoz is known as the largest of the Alentejo region`s `marble towns`. Estremoz marble is known for its fine grain and for its faint pinkish hue. There are a few varieties, including aurora pink, which is lighter than is typically seen, and rosa, which is darker. This type of marble is gaining popularity in Western interior design for its elegance and contemporary look and feel. The quarries in and around Estremoz produce so much marble that Portugal is ranked as the world`s second-largest marble exporter; only Italy supplies more marble to the world market.

Can I pay/tip in US dollars?

The currency of Portugal is the Euro and US dollars are not accepted for payment. Please be sure to have the correct currency on hand or be prepared to exchange your dollars for euros upon arrival. Currency exchange desks and ATMs can be found at your arrival airport and at many locations throughout the city.

I do not speak Portuguese. Do many people speak English?

It is more common to find English speakers in Portugal than it is in other southern European countries, such as Spain. A recent European Union language survey found that 32% of Portuguese people over the age of 18 can speak English on a conversational level or better.

With that said, you may encounter some difficulty finding an English speaker away from tourist areas such as hotels, museums, and the bus station. It is recommended to brush up on basic Portuguese phrases before arriving, like basic pleasantries and numbers from 1 to 10. To ask someone if they speak English, say `Fala ingles?`

Note: Do not speak in Spanish to a Portuguese person, thinking they will understand you when you do so. Responses will range from stunned silence to outright hostility; the Portuguese people are proud of their culture and heritage, and such an act will cause nearly everyone to take personal offense. On another note, the vocabulary and pronunciation in Portuguese differs from Spanish more than you may realize.

What are the drinking laws in Portugal?

The legal drinking age in Portugal is 18, whether you find yourself in a pub or a nightclub. Asking for proof of age upon ordering an alcoholic beverage or entering a nightclub is becoming more commonplace, especially if you appear younger. Keep your passport with you as it doubles as proof of age and identification.

If you are renting a car, do not drive after consuming alcohol. A blood alcohol content level of 0.05 is considered the legal limit; penalties can range from fines to a jail sentence of up to one year. Save yourself the potential trouble and heartache.