Sandy Pinto Basto - Portugal - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.

Adapted from Marcel Proust, Remembrance of Things Past.

ISBN 978 1 78702 333 8

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A CIP catalogue entry for this book is available from the British Library

First published in Great Britain

by Kuperard, an imprint of Bravo Ltd

59 Hutton Grove, London N12 8DS

Tel: +44 (0) 20 8446 2440

www.culturesmart.co.uk

Inquiries:

Design Bobby Birchall

Printed in Turkey

The Culture Smart! series is continuing to expand.

All Culture Smart! guides are available as e-books, and many as audio books. For further information and latest titles visit www.culturesmart.co.uk

SANDY PINTO BASTO was born in Lisbon but spent much of her early life abroad, living and studying in cities in Europe and Canada. She has a communications degree from McGill University in Montreal, Canada, and works as a bicultural translator, writer, and editor. Since 2014, Sandy has also specialized as a relocation consultant in Lisbon and Porto, helping foreigners settle in Portugal and adapt to their new cultural environment. Today Sandy divides her time with her family between Lisbon and Cascais.

Legend has it that when Caesars general arrived on Portuguese soil in the first century CE , he claimed to have discovered a lovely country blessed with a mild climate and a beautiful coastline, but whose inhabitants were ungoverned and ungovernable. The Portuguese are still impulsive and set in their ways, but they are ever charming, romantic, and nostalgic, with an unshakable loyalty toward family and friends. Their national pride is easily roused, and celebrations of their history and heritage burst forth at every opportunity. This is, after all, the nation of Vasco da Gama and Henry the Navigatorwhose daring explorers were the first to round the Cape of Good Hope, discover the maritime route to the Orient, and colonize lands in South America, Africa, and Asia. Culture Smart! Portugal reveals a country that, having enjoyed periods of great power and influence, and endured times of economic hardship and political turmoil, has regained prosperity and international respect, and is eager to forge new paths.

Portugal is a land of contrasts and contradictions. Opulence dwells side by side with simplicity. Elegant homes nestle inside old, seemingly decrepit buildings. Lush green hills blend with jagged landscapes. The people themselves are colorful, diverse, and multifaceted. Take the time to get to know them, and youll find them hardworking and eager to please. Culture Smart! Portugal takes you beneath the surface of this fascinating country and shows you how to blend in and make the most of your visit. In these pages, youll gain insight into Portuguese priorities and values and learn how to tap into a helpful and resourceful nature that is often overlooked by the casual visitor.

At home and in business, the Portuguese are self-deprecating, fatalistic, and individualistic, in an unthreatening and even amusing way that can be both frustrating and enchanting. Beneath a seemingly gruff manner, they are laid-back and gentle. Tourists and foreigners are welcomed with enthusiasm, and hosts are eager to show off the best their country and culture has to offer, with a great sense of pride in the particular quality of life that is found here. So slacken your pace, put away your watch, and enjoy the rich meals, lively festivals, and ancient traditions. Make yourself available, and experience firsthand how guests in Portugal are treated as privileged members of the family.