Advice on traveling to Spain and Portugal with 2 young children.?

Question

My husband and I are taking our 2 kids (ages 2 years and 4 months) to Spain and Portugal for 3 weeks. We will have a rental car. How are the driving conditions there? Are signages easy to understand? Also, my husband is highly allergic to pork.. how do you say "pork", "beef", and "chicken" in spanish and portugues? Is there anything I should know when it comes to the kids? (someone had suggested that I find out if it is easy to locate disposable diapers...) Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

Apart from Billysimas unfair comment that Lisbon is dirty, I want to point out that on a road with several lanes you MUST drive the lane most to the right. The others are used to overturn only. This is LAW, so no wonder other drivers won't overturn you by the right because they'd risk being fined. There is radar and video control on the high roads. Also, you car MUST have special seats for children (it's mandatory until 12 years of age). SEATBELTS are mandatory for every passenger and the driver. Beware that if you're fined you must pay immediately on location. Okay, I'm Portuguese, so maybe I'm biased, but from what I know of Spain, food in Portugal is much better, cheaper, and nicer waiters (Spanish can be arrogant as hell). I wonder how Billy can say that it's easier to find an English-speaking waiter in Spain: if you go the Algarve, and you should, you have all the menus and everything in English. If you go to Albufeira, for instance, Portuguese is likely to be the last language you will hear... LOL. Oh and Portugal is a bit cooler in temperature so it's better when you have small kids. Always carry bottles of mineral water. What else... in Portuguese pork is PORCO, beef is CARNE DE VACA and chicken is FRANGO. A steak (BIFE, pronounced beef)) or chops or T-bone (COSTELETAS) may be of PORCO or VACA so please always make sure you ask DE VACA. A special name for a dish of french fries, steak and egg sunny side up is BITOQUE, and they usually ask de PORCO OR VACA? Make sure you ask de vaca. And by the way, fish and seafood is so wonderful and varied here...
P.S. : maximum speeds allowed in km: on the motorway ("autoestrada" , "autopista") 120, on regular roads 90 and inside towns, villages and cities 50.
Vehicles already inside a roundabout have the priority on those that want to enter. But there are signs to that effect. Have a great vacation!...

Answer 2

I lived in Madrid for a year and visited many parts of Spain and I spent a few days in Lisbon and Lagos in Portugal. The driving conditions in both countries are very good for the most part, both have a good infrastructure. Just be aware that people drive a bit faster there, and if you're going slow in the left lane people will not pass you on the right. They will honk and shine their brights on you or tailgate until you move over to the right. They're a bit more aggressive than in the US but it's nothing to be that concerned about, just get out of the way if you're in the left lane. Signs are easy to understand, everything is measured in kilometers instead of miles, but its not hard to pick up, and I think yellow lights are quicker to turn red from what I remember. Be careful with round turnabouts or whatever they're called, there are a lot of those in the city.

There are a LOT of meat dishes in both countries. Pork is called puerco, they call it cerdo (pig) sometimes too so just tell the waiter 'el tiene alergia de puerco y cerdo', he is allergic to pork and pig. Ham is 'jamon', chicken is 'pollo', and beef is generally called "carne" or meat. In most populated places in Spain you won't have too much of a problem finding an English speaking waiter, Portugal will be tougher. I don't know where you're going in Portugal but I didn't like Lisbon too much, kinda dirty. Lagos is a beach town, but Spain beaches are much nicer and if it were my vacation I would stay in Spain just because there is more to see (barcelona, madrid, sevilla, granada, etc). Be very leary of gypsy woman begging for money, they'll steal it right out of your hands. Overall though, there honestly isn't that much to be concerned about safety wise, all of western europe is just as civilized as here. There's plenty of supermarkets and stuff, finding diapers won't be a problem. Hope that helps!

Answer 3

I too am Portuguese and Maybe being biased about insisting you do visit Portugal. Its such a BEAUTIFUL place filled with history, elightenment and gorgeous settings. The food is delish and not to worry, most speak English. Look for a younger waiter/tress who look like they have been schooled. Lots of water for your kids. Agua (water) "agua de pedras" means tonic water. "Sum de laranga" means orange juice.

As for road conditions...other than driving through small villages where you might be driving on cobblestones the other roads are well maintained and the signage will be readable. Drive on the right and they do drive faster. Seat belts a must.

There are so many fantastic surreal places to visit...Besides those mentioned by other responders here are a few others that I love. Nazarre (beautiful beach) (fisherman zones) your kids will LOVE it there. Sintra (breathtaking) Evora great history...look for vineyards and have your kids be on the look out for castles. Do some research and find some spots that you and your family will enjoy. The Expo Center in Lisbon is exciting for kids as well.

Portugal is a Beautiful place...Your kids are lucky to have parents that want to share the world with them. I know so many people that are not Portuguese and have said THEY LOVED IT THERE. ME TOO!

Plenty Supermarcados (super markets) for diapers.

Ill be there for 3 weeks in September. YIPPEEE VIVA PORTUGAL!

Take it from the True Portuguese answerers....Go...youll love it!

Boas Fiestas

Answer 4

fisrt if you are planning to visit Portugal and Spain in this time of year prepare for high temperatures so take lots of water, specially if you have so samll children...
don't worry about roads and signs they are easy to understand and roads are good. Like the others said it's best to drive in the right side exept when is marked bus, in portugal you might be fined.
Pork in portuguese is porco, beef is bife and normally is of cow(vaca), chicken is galinha or frango(frango no churrasco is a algarve speciallity).
both countries are beutiful, I prefer Portugal since I'm portuguese and I think you're gona like our beaches and cities. try to visit algarve for the beaches lisboa, coimbra e porto if you like history and sintra.
hope you have fun in my country and if you can't express yourself in portuguese don't worry most portuguese know english as second language.
boa viagem

Answer 5

Given what you have said, it is VITAL for you to get top-notch travel insurance. There are plenty of things that can ruin a trip even if you don't have a serious allergy and a language issue. Please, go to http://www.wavehelp.com/travel-medical/index.htm click on the red phone booth and read about "Worldwide Health" insurance from the industry leader.

Your trip sounds like a wonderful family adventure. I hope you have fun.

Best wishes.

Answer 6

english to spain: pork -->cerdo"spain"
beef -->carne de vaca"spain"
chicken-->pollo"spain"

I am a chinese ,working in industry of communcation
Welcome you to china if you have free!
:)