Lisbon
City Introduction
Lisbon is the capital and the largest seaport of Republic of Portugal, and is also one of the most interesting cities with the smallest area and lowest price. Just like Oman, Rome and San Francisco, Lisbon is a city built on seven hills, from where you may overlook beautiful scenes on Tagus River, and the houses with red-tile roof in different tones and green trees with different thickness add charm and radiance to each other. In addition, the bathing beach in the coast of West Atlantic Ocean has become.....
The beautiful landscapes on Tagus River watched from the continuous mountains make it become the pleasing place.
History and Culture
History
Since the Neolithic Age, the Iberians lived in Lisbon region, and the Phoenicians became the earliest persons building this ancient city, which was ruled by the Romans since 205 B.C. In the fifth century A.D., it was occupied by the barbarians, then it was taken by the Moors in the eighth century, who not only built many Moslems in the city, but also built many houses and new city walls. In 1147, the Moors in Lisbon were defeated by the Crusades led by Alfonso I, thus Lisbon became the territory of Kingdom of Portugal. In 1256, Lisbon became the capital of Portugal. In the Age of Discovery, many navigators, such as Vasco da Gama, started from Lisbon to various other places in the world for exploration. In the sixteenth century, it was the most splendid period for Lisbon, because a large amount of gold was transported from the colonies of Portugal to Lisbon, and this place was rich with high-quality ceramic products, so that Lisbon became one of the richest commercial centers in Europe. In 1755, a great earthquake happened in Lisbon, resulting in serious decline of this city and the port. From then on, the national strength of Portugal started the decline process. In the nineteenth century, Napoleon invaded into Lisbon, and the imperial family collectively escaped to Brazil, thus this city suffered the destruction to certain extent. During the WWII, Lisbon was one of several open Atlantic port cities. Now, it is the political and cultural center, the largest port and the largest city of Portugal.
Culture
Portugal is the country represented by three Fs, Fado, Fátima and Futebol. Figo was honored as the representative of these three Fs when he was in the prime period. All of these can be experienced in Lisbon. This place embodies thick religious touch, and the churches and monasteries are here and there. The persons wanting to go for pilgrimage in Fatima may start from this place. There is the sorrowful national treasure Fado triggering your recollection. With 500-year great navigation discovery as well as the snacks, delicious foods, wine and sweet and thick coffee that the Portuguese are proud of, it is absolutely worthwhile to have a luxuriant consumption here because the required expenses are far lower than that in the capitals of other countries.
Natural Environment
Lisbon is situated in the west of Portugal, with Sintra Mountains on the north of the city, and Tagus River on the south of the city. It is less than 12km from the Atlantic Ocean, and it also the westernmost city in the European continent. Just like Oman, Rome and San Francisco, Lisbon is a city built on seven hills, from where it is obvious to distinguish the Bairro alto and Baixa Districts. Tagus River flows through the south of the city into the sea. The whole city has the square pattern and maintains the style of an ancient city.
Climate Change
Lisbon has the typical Mediterranean climate, sunny and hot with little rain in summer, having the high temperature up to 40°C brought by the hot wave from Africa, being dry and hot in the daytime, and suddenly lowering to the level of slight cold in the nighttime, with large temperature difference in the daytime and nighttime. In the winter, the weather is changeable and abundant with rain, and the temperature is warmer than most of other European cities, occasionally with cold current resulting in snowfall. Average atmospheric temperature is 8-14°C in January, and 17-28°C in July. Dry season is from April to October, and rainy season is November to March. So the high season for tourism is from May to October in Lisbon.
Useful Information
Time Lag
With respect to the time zone, China uses the Beijing time in the eighth time zone, while Portugal is in zero time zone, eight hours earlier than the Beijing time; when the daylight saving time (DST) is used, the local time is set forward with one hour, so the local time is seven hours earlier than the Beijing time. Usually, the DST is from the first Sunday of April to the last Sunday of October.
Embassy ant Consulate
China Embassy in the Republic of Portugal
Ambassador: Huang Songfu
Address: RUAPAU DE BANDEIRA, 11-13(A LAPA),1200-756, LISBOA, PORTUGAL
Tel: +351-21-3928430，3928436
Culture Office: +351-21-3928438 (Culture, Science and Technology), 3928445 (Education)
Fax: +351-21-3975632
Website: http://pt.china-embassy.org/chn/ http://pt.chineseembassy.org/chn/
Email: chinaemb_pt@mfa.gov.cn
Post Office
Lisbon Central Post Office
Address: Praça do Comércio, Lisboa
Business Hours: Monday to Friday: 8:30-18:30, Saturday: 9: 00-12:00
For other post offices, the business time is from 9:00 or 10:00 to 17:00 or 18:00, without service in the weekends and public holidays. Generally the stamps are sold in the place selling the post card, the mails may be put into the red post box, and shall not be put into the black post box, which is used for the express delivery service.
Visa Information
No matter what passport is held by the China Mainland citizens, it is required to apply for the visa before going to Portugal. In case of going via Portugal to the third country, it is required to apply for the transit visa no matter whether the transfer involves going out of the airport. Portugal has set three embassy and consulates in China, that is, Portugal Embassy in China, Portugal Consulate General in Shanghai, and Portugal Consulate General in Macau. The consular institutions accept the visa application within the administrative zones. The persons holding HKSAR passport and Macau SAR passport may enter Portugal with visa signature, and may be given with the stay time of 90 days.
Portugal is the Schengen protocol state. If the Chinese citizens will only go to Portugal, they may apply for the visa to the embassy and consulate of Portugal in China. If the Chinese citizens will go to several Schengen countries, it is required to make the application to the Schengen members with the longest stay time. Schengen visa specifies that the one-time stay period of the visa holder shall be no more than 90 days or the accumulated parking time or no more than 90 days in half year. In principle, the visa shall not be extended. The long-term visa with the period more than 90 days shall be the country visa issued by the Schengen countries.
Materials required to be submitted for the visa application include:
1. One application table with full filling and with the signature of the applicant, and two 3.5x4.5cm photos with white background, taken within recent 12 months
2. Passport (the validity period shall be at least three months after the expiry date of the visa, and at least two blank visa pages) and personal information page, and in case of the extension page and the visa to other countries, it is required to provide the copies.
3. Notarized certificate confirming no criminal record in China (translated in English or Portuguese), to be certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China and China Embassy in Portugal (Attention: In case that the applicant stays in any other country for more than one year, it is required to submit the no-criminal record during the stay)
4. Household register original and the copy of all content pages as well as the English or Portuguese translation
5. Confirmation letter for hotel booking 6. Certification of economic standing of the applicant
7. Ticket booking order
8. Original and copy of the medical insurance policy with the insurance amount Euro 30,000 or RMB 300,000, which shall cover the actual stay time in Schengen region
9. Notarized diploma/occupational qualification certificate (translated in English or Portuguese), to be certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China and China Embassy in Portugal (the visa applicant with the reason of seeking for overseas medical service or accompanying the family member for overseas medical service shall provide such documents). The above documents shall be translated into Portuguese or English, with the notarization and certification. All documents shall be full and complete, and it is allowed to agree with the interview by phone, and the third-party submittal of the application is not accepted.
Information for Chinese EmbassyOffice for Embassy of the Republic of Portugal in China
Address: No. 8, Fifth East Street, Sanlitun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing
Postcode: 100600
Tel.: 010-65323497
Fax: 010-65320284
Email: mail@pequim.dgaccp.pt
Website: http://www.portugalembassychina.com/sections/con_sec.php?lng=cn
Working time: Monday to Friday, 9:30 to 12:30 and 14:00 to 17:00 (Schengen and country visa (excluding family reunion): Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, 9:30 to 12:00, visa for family reunion: Tuesday 14:30 to 17:00, not for business in the public holidays of Portugal and China)
Office for Consulate General of the Republic of Portugal in Shanghai, China
Address: 16C-D, Crystal Century Mansion, No. 567, Weihai Road, Shanghai, China
Tel: 021-62886767
Fax: 021-62886568
E-mail: mail@xangai.dgaccp.pt
Consular District: Shanghai, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Anhui and Jiangxi
China Embassy in the Republic of Portugal
Address: RUAPAU DE BANDEIRA, 11-13(A LAPA),1200-756, LISBOA, PORTUGAL
Tel: 351-21-3928430, 3928436 Culture Office: +351-21-3928438 (Culture, Science and Technology), 3928445 (Education)
Fax: 351-21-3975632
Website: http://pt.china-embassy.org/chn/ http://pt.chineseembassy.org/chn/
Email: chinaemb_pt@mfa.gov.cn
Currency Exchange
Only accept the Euro. Euro 100 is equal to about RMB 800, and about USD 130 (exchange rate in August, 2013). Since it is an EU state, the price is relatively high, but there is strong purchasing power. If you have a meal in a snack bar, the personal consumption is about Euro 8 to 11; while the medium-level restaurant, the personal consumption is about Euro 13 to 20; and the high-level restaurant or the Fado house of Fado available for appreciation of Portuguese folk songs, the personal consumption is about Euro 30 to 50.
The business time of the banks is 8:30-15:00, Monday to Friday (the business time in some banks of Lisbon may be extended to 18:00), and the business time for the banks in the center of Algarve Business Center is 9:00-21:00.
Tourism Service Number
Important Telephone Numbers
Ambulance, fire alarm, police alarm: 112
Notes
Special Notes
Portugal has good public security, and does not have large-scale serious crimes. But the robbing and stealing happen occasionally. The crimes against the Chinese citizens are mostly included in the above two types. It is recommended not to carry a large amount of cash; the tourism certificates, such as passport, shall be kept well, and it is better to prepare the passport copy and recently personal photo, to avoid any misfortune. In case of any accident, it is possible to call free SOS or 112 for aid. In case of seeking for the police assistance, it is required to seek for public security police (PSP) in the urban area, and seek for Guarda Nacional Republicana (GNR) in the suburban area.
Festivals(Important/Historical/Folks Ones)
Carnival
Time: February 12, 2013
Though there is no national carnival as that in its colony, there will still be the small-sized celebration processions and the young and the old dressed up with obscure clothes, dancing and singing to their full satisfaction in the street or park, to celebrate the festival. If your oriental face is seen, they will speak your way you speak. Of course, when you walk in the street of Lisbon, you’d avoid the children in the street corner. Do not be bewildered by their smiles. When they throw water balloon and egg to you, you’d remember to adroitly avoid them, otherwise they will sneer at you. In the past, the people might pretended to be the pirate to kidnap their neighbors and ask for sweets. However, this cannot do any more.
Páscoa (Passover)
Time: March 31, 2013
As the traditional family festival except Christmas Day in Portugal, there are few street celebration activities. If you are lucky, you may see the performance and donation collection of some choruses with thick religious taste. But the shop window is full of chocolate rabbits and the apricots in chocolate in different colors, available for tasting, but with very high sweet content.
Santo António
Time: June 13
June 13 is the day for the guardian Santo António of Lisbon. For Lisbon in very rapid modern development, this is only entirely kept traditional festival. It is said that in the whole month, there are the celebration activities in the traditional living communities of Lisbon, and we believe that it is not difficult to experience the ambience of the festival. In the most festive day, people would dresse traditional costumes, the districts will designate their traditional procession teams for the procession in Liberdade Avenue of Lisbon, then the public will evaluate the best every year, and the fragrance of the baked sardine flows here and there in the street. In addition, the seriously family-focused Portuguese will pray for a beautiful marriage to the guardian, somewhat like Double Seventh Festival in China. The city government will also donate a collective wedding ceremony. You may apply via internet for the participation to try your luck, and this might leave you lifelong memory under the congratulations of the Lisbon people.
