Entertainment, Prices & Getting Around in Portugal: Lisbon & Beyond

As a dry run for the finals in June, Soccerphile journalist Mark Mcquinn visited Portugal for the first time in February. Here's what he found.

Food and Drink

Good food, big portions and fairly cheap as an overview. The fish was great, in particular - we had it baked, fried, grilled and as a stew - all delicious and the portions were always filled out with lots of boiled potatoes and bread.

Cover charges

One thing it took a while to cotton on to is the cover charge ('couvert' in Portuguese). This applies to all places, from greasy spoons to the posh end. When you sit down you are immediately given a basket full of bread, butter and cheese (usually a small whole soft sheep's cheese), sometimes in more upmarket restaurants you are served salami, cheese spread in individual portions and pates (also in individual portions). You are then charged for this - it comes under 'couvert' in the bill. Anything between 2 and 5 euros per head. Overall we had no complaints, as the bread and cheese is excellent. A lot of Portuguese order a dry white port as an aperitif to have with the bread and cheese. I took to doing this as well and thoroughly enjoyed it.

For more information on Portuguese food and cuisine click here

MacDonalds - Prices:

Big Mac - 2.50 euros
McChicken Premier - 3.00 euros
Happy Meal - 2.75 euros
McCafe - 1 coffee + 1 cake 1.00 euros
Big Tasty - 3.20
Greek Mac - 4.10

Local cafes in Lisbon

Just to give an idea of prices, not particular recommendations of the typical cheap and cheerful ones we tried in Lisbon.
Casa Das Sandes
Salads - 2.40 - 3.70 euros
Any soft drink + sandwich/baguette + muffin - 3.30 - 4.50 euros
Loja das Sopas
Various big soups and sandwiches from 3.35 to 5.00 euros

Coffee

The cheapest coffee we found was 0.50 euros per cup - from automatic machines in garages, some shops and service stations. It's drinkable.
Up to 2.00 euros for large coffee with milk in Cafe Bernard - a famous old coffee house - (bills itself as a 'Salao De Cha' - but the vast majority were drinking coffee) on Rua Garrett - the most exclusive street running up to the Barrio Alto (one of the main night life areas in Lisbon). Top cakes at Cafe Bernard - loads of cream, chocolate and fruit in them, plus an outdoor terrace for watching the city life. Well worth it. Great interior - beautiful wood and tile designs. Latin American street musicians serenade as you sit on the terrace, though the police gave one guy a ticket, as we left, which drew the hostility of the punters. It's a bit touristy there but also plenty of Portuguese enjoying their coffee and cake and a relaxed chat.

Just up from Cafe Bernard, another great old-style coffee house - Cafe a Brasileira - very similar to cafe Bernard in terms of decor, outdoor terrace and menu. We went there in the early evening - a lot of Portuguese were having an aperitif after work - white and red ports both popular. Again top coffee and cakes. Elsewhere in local cafes, we paid from 0.70 to 1.20 euros. All the coffee we tried good - no coloured water bilge.

Water

The cheapest option by a long way are the Mini Markets or Mini Mercado - small bottles of minerals water there 0.09 cents! These are the small supermarkets in town centres. A bit dusty and not big on fancy/glitzy displays but all you need in terms of alcohol, soft drinks, bread, cheese, cold cuts, tins, snacks etc. and cheaper than the big new out-of-town supermarkets. Elsewhere in Lisbon cafes and shops we paid between 0.25 and 0.90 euros for a small bottle of mineral water. We bought packets of real coffee to take back - from 0.98 to 2.25 euros- good quality and cheaper than Britain.

Beer

The two main beers in Portugal are Super Bock and Sagres. Super Bock sold draught in many bars - deliberately created to appear German in bottle and label design and even the pump design when draught. It's a decent brew. Asking for 'un Grand' and youget a pint. Otherwise if you just ask for a 'cervejo' (beer) you get a small glass and you look like a lass. Sorry, I mean you look like a sensible, reasonable social drinker. The other main Portuguese ale is Sagres. We drank this bottled in a few bars. Again it's a decent drink - always we chose it above 'foreign' brews. Basically no need to go outside these two if you want decent lager at a cheaper price than paying for foreign beers.

Wine

Even the cheap plonk is pretty good, so you cannot go wrong. Again the mini markets (mercados) are the cheapest option. Paid 0.99 cents for table wine there and got good wines (well reviewed Douro wines) for as little as 1.95. We bought a selection from mini markets ranging from 0.99 to 1.95 euros to some at 2.40 euros. All were good - no chemicals or other muck, and hence less hangover. In all of the mini supermarkets there was a good range for less than 2 euros a bottle. In restaurants you can pay from 2.50 euros bottom whack to 14.00 euros for a bottle of top rated Douro white in a posh place on the coast at Cascais.

Port

Top quality stuff can be bought from the mini supermarkets for 6 euros - we sampled Cockburns Extra Dry - dry is 'seco' in Portuguese, if you are checking the labels - for 6.00 euros and paid the same for a top bottle of 'Offley Branco Extra Seco'. Saw top rated bottles for sale at 8 euros maximum. Good value.

For more information on Portuguese port and wines click here

Top of the range

Cascais is the biggest of the seaside towns up the coast from Lisbon - a very pleasant place, with some great fish restaurants grouped on one street - Rua das Flores - just off the main street. But Cascais is pricey for Portugal - more than 50 euros for an enormous bream, which they bring out to show you - easily enough for two though and with unlimited bread, plus salad, boiled potatoes and vegetables.

Cheap and cheerful

Local cafes in Lisbon serve big portions in general. For lunch, we had soup, grilled fish with boiled potatoes, salad, a pint and a coffee for under 10 euros.

Traditional cooking

We tried baked fish encased in salt - traditional Portuguese way of doing it. Delicious and not salty at all to eat. The waiter bought out the fish on the baking tray and it was totally encrusted in a thick salt covering. Took him a while to cut it all off - well worth it - it had a delicious taste.

Tourist traps

Quite a few 'English-style' restaurants and pubs on the coast near Lisbon, with pushy front-of-house people trying to persuade you to eat and drink. Main meals in 'English-style' restaurants for 5-10 euros - fish and chips featuring prominently.

Salami/Cheese

Both great value - much cheaper than in Britain and kept us going through the day. Loads of different salamis and cheese available from mini supermarkets. Huge slabs of cheese for around 2 euros and big salamis for between 1 and 1.50 euros.

Bars

Barrio Alto in Lisbon is a great place for bar hopping: narrow, cobbled streets with a mixture of locals - old folks gossiping, kids playing football, dusty corner shops and trendy young Lisboetas, who have set up cafes, bars and clothes and music shops. Most of the bars in Barrio Alto have music - lots of ambient, trance and jazz. There is a good atmosphere in Barrio Alto - relaxed and friendly and the scene goes on through the night. The friendly Tequila Bar 'A Tasca' has a 4 euros special for a Tequila Sunrise.

We also tried a few bars around Cais Do Sodre station - a lively and more earthy area with lots of local places, it's cheaper and a laugh. There is an English pub almost opposite to Cais Do Sodre station - same as English pubs anywhere and plenty of Brits hanging out. Even found a place selling Bulgarian 'rakias' and 'wines' - the owner buys them direct from sailors off the docks - top stuff and cheap - but renders you unconscious quickly. Loads of food, drink and other goods from around the world in small shops and bars down this way - all bought direct from the docks. Cais Do Sodre is not overtly threatening but need to watch your step slightly here - more than in the Barrio Alto.

Particular places worthy of note:

Sports Bar

Located at the Jose Avalade Stadium Complex, Sports Bar has two young friendly managers, both spoke good English. There is a large selection of beers. They are already doing promotions and will step these up for the finals - will run in particular 3 for 2 drinks promotions - buy 3 and pay for 2. They laughed and said they knew this might prove expensive when the English fans came. They also have a happy hour. Clean and modern place with a moderately priced food menu. Twenty television screens in the bar - a mix of small and large flat screens. All matches in the finals will be screened. Have live music at the weekends and karaoke. Worth checking out - particularly if going to the Jose Avalade Stadium.

Fado

Plenty of fado places throughout the Barrio Alto. For the full range get the free leaflet from Tourist offices called 'Casa Do Fado E Da Guitarra Portuguesa' Guide, which gives a brief overview of fado and lists all the places in Lisbon putting on fado.

Top of the range - 'Senhor Vinho' and 'A Severa' are expensive - easy to pay 50 euros per head minimum for table, food and drink. Went to one recommended as a genuine 'adega' (tavern) popular with Portuguese. Called 'Adega do Ribatejo', 23, Rua Diaro de Noticias, Barrio Alto. Down to earth decor and atmosphere in general with mostly Portuguese customers, who knew the words to the songs and joined in at every opportunity. Tables packed together and only one toilet stall for men and one for women. Singers and musicians right on top of you, which was fun - they do not sing to you at tables or any of that bullshit. Waitress did a blinding set of 3 songs just after serving me my soup. Powerful voice. Bouncer did a couple - not bad - and the front-of-house guy opened the 3 sets. Went from 8.30 to midnight and a professional with a great voice came on from the second set onwards - top class. Paid 60 euros for two - all in. Entrance, music, food and drink. Not bad for Barrio Alto fado places. Included starters of bread, salami, cheese, a bottle of decent red wine, big piece of hake with boiled potatoes and salad, grilled pork (2 huge pieces) with chips and salad, a chocolate mousse and two coffees. Would recommend the place for authenticity, price and decent food - but if you want something a bit posher try the 2 pricey ones mentioned above or the 'Luso' just up the street.

Cigarettes

Available from machines in many cafes as well as over the counter. Sold in 20s in the machines and priced from 2.20 to 2.25 euros. All main international brands available. Portuguese brand - SG - not much cheaper than big name cigarette brands. Had to search quite hard for low tar cigarettes - SG lights (tar 3/nicotine 0.3) but can get lighter ones from the international brands, though they are not popular with most Portuguese.

Tourist Offices

All the people at the tourist offices and Ask Me Lisboa places speak English and were friendly.

For a list of tourist offices in Portugal click here

Information on Portugal

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