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Entry requirements

A valid passport is the only requirement for US citizens. All other nationalities, please contact the nearest Portuguese Consulate in order to obtain any information regarding entry requirements.  

Going to the Azores – Airlines

International commercial airports are Ponta Delgada (PDL) (São Miguel) and Lajes (TER) (Terceira). The national Portuguese airlines are TAP-Air Portugal and SATA. SATA connects all nine Azores islands.

Customs

Residents or non-residents who leave or enter Portuguese territory are free to take with them national and foreign currency in coins and notes, travelers checks and other securities intended to pay for the travel expenses, but are obligated to inform the customs authorities if the values involved exceed 10,000 Euros (approximately US $12,000.00).

Travelers over 17 years old, may bring in the following items, duty free: 2 bottles of table wine, 1 bottle of hard liquor, 200 cigarettes or 250 grams of tobacco, 1.75 ounces of perfume, and small quantities of tea or coffee for personal use. Bringing fresh meat into Portugal is forbidden. For further information, contact the Embassy Services or the Portuguese Consulates. 

Time

Continental Portugal and Madeira Island are on Greenwich time – five hours ahead of Eastern Time USA and eight ahead of Pacific Time USA. The Azores Islands are GMT-1, one hour behind the Portuguese mainland. Daylight savings time begins the last Sunday in March (clocks are turned one hour ahead) and ends the last Sunday in October (clocks go back one hour).

Climate

The climate of the Azores is mild, being oceanic subtropic throughout the islands. Winter temperatures range from 11-18°C (52-64°F) while Summer temperatures range from 17-24°C (63-79°F).

Getting Around

Urban public transport – in the main towns, there are a complete public transport networks.

Ferry services are available for travel between the islands. 

Taxis are painted mostly cream with a roof-light to identify them. However, there are still some taxis which keep the old colors, green and black. In towns, they use taximeters, but once outside urban boundaries the service is charged by the kilometer, and includes the price of the driver’s return trip to his starting point. From 10 pm to 6 am, the rate increases by 20%. It is normal to give a tip of 10% on top of the fare. Luggage is charged according to a fixed rate. All taxis have an updated chart in two languages.

Business Hours

Banks are open from 8:30 am to 3 pm on Monday to Friday and are closed on bank holidays. Shops are open from 9 am to 1 pm and from 3 pm to 7 pm (working days). On Saturdays, most shops close at 1 pm. In the shopping malls located in larger towns, shops are normally open 7 days a week and on holidays from 10 am to 11 pm.

Museums open from 10 am to 12:30 am and from 2 pm to 5 pm. Closed on Mondays. Some palaces also close on Wednesdays.

Pharmacies open from 9 am to 1 pm and from 3 pm to 7 pm, Monday to Friday, and Saturday mornings. There are also 24 hour pharmacies which operate according to an official chart displayed on Pharmacy windows.


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