SURVIVAL KIT
Welcome to Guimarães, the city where Portugal was born! A city with undeniable beauty that will easily captivate you! We’re certain you’ll be well-received by the Portuguese, who are extremely hospitable, kind and friendly people. Did you know that Portugal is the oldest nation-state in Europe? And it all started here! Get ready for fantastic shopping, great food and an extremely rich history. This will be an unforgettable trip.
GETTING TO GUIMARÃES
By plane. The nearest airport is the Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport in Porto. The trip to Guimarães takes about 50 minutes and you can travel to Guimarães with Get Bus for €8 (the round trip is €14). Get Bus doesn’t make any stops and commutes every day, several times a day, between the two cities. Tickets can be purchased online or at the Get Bus counter (you’ll find it at the Guimarães bus station) and the timetables can be found here.
By train. Guimarães has a train station with excellent national connections. Outside the station you’ll find bus stops, along with taxis that will take you to any part of the city.
FROM ONE SIDE OF THE CITY TO THE OTHER
Bus. Guimarães has a quite extensive and well organized bus network that allows you to access any area of the city. Rates vary depending on the area of the city. On the other hand, Yellow Bus has tourist buses (hop ON/hop OFF) valid for 24 hours after the first validation, which travel to the city’s main tourist points.
Taxi. Taxi companies work 24 hours a day and are ready to take you anywhere in the city. At the bottom of the page you’ll find some useful contacts.
On foot. Most monuments and points of interest are located in the historic center of Guimarães and the best way to see them is on foot. You can explore a significant part of the city without resorting to any kind of transportation, although it can be a little tiring.
Uber. Uber is available in the city of Guimarães. You can call your driver by using the app, which makes it easy to travel inside the city.
TIPS
In Portugal, tipping is up to the customer and is not included in the bill. If you want to leave a tip for the service, it’s up to you. If you want to leave a bonus for the service provided, know that it depends only on your will and availability.
WI-FI
Guimarães has free WI-FI and almost all establishments have a network that is accessible to everyone. The free and unlimited WI-FI network in Guimarães is called “GUIMARÃES WI-FI”. There is also internet access in museums, restaurants and cafés.
LANGUAGE
Locals speak Portuguese, but the vast majority of the population can communicate in English. In some restaurants, menus are also available in other languages such as French and English, but this is an exception, not the rule.
ELECTRICITY
In Portugal, the electric current is 220 volts with a round two-pin socket. If in your country of residence the electricity characteristics are different, you’ll need an adapter and/or transformer.
CURRENCY
Portugal joined the European Union in 1986 and began using the Euro in 2002. No other currency is accepted in the country, but there are exchange points at the airport and in the center of Guimarães, and some hotels also offer this service.
Cool Tip: If you use a different currency, calculate conversions with the help of this site.
WEATHER
The weather in Guimarães, which is located in the northern part of the country, is typically Atlantic temperate and, during the winter, it rains a lot. The city has about 11 hours of sunshine per day during the summer months and relatively high temperatures. During the winter, average temperatures range between 4ºC and 18ºC (39ºF and 64ºF), and in the summer these temperatures can reach 34ºC (93ºF).
DISCOUNTS & SAVINGS
Some museums are free or have reduced rates on special days and times. On some Sundays, there are several museums with free entrance until 2 PM.
USEFUL CONTACTS/TELEPHONE NUMBERS
National Emergency Number: +351 112
Police: +351 253 421 222
Airport: +351 229 432 400
Taxi: +351 915 422 458
Tourist Information: +351 253 421 221
Hospitals:
Guimarães Hospital: +351 253 540 330
Pharmacies:
Farmácia Vitória: +351 253 517 180
Farmácia Avenida: +351 253 521 122
Farmácia Lobo: +351 253 412 124
Bombeiros: +351 253 515 444
Portuguese Red Cross: +351 253 412 522