Travel requirements for entering Portugal
Meeting attendees are responsible for arranging their own travel and to ensure that they have the documentation required for entering Portugal.
Portugal Visa and Passport requirements
Portugal is part of the Schengen area and any EU citizen can enter Portugal by presenting a valid identity card or passport. Nationals from countries outside the EU will need a valid passport and possibly a visa. More information here.
If you require an official letter of invitation for visa puposes, please contact the Secretariat at GB31@gbif.org.
Insurance
Meeting attendees are advised to ensure appropriate health and travel insurance for travel to Portugal.
Arriving in Portugal
The meeting will take place in Vairão which is located just outside Porto. Hotels will be available in the nearby town of Vila do Conde or in Porto.
The closest airport is the Porto Airport, Francisco Sá Carneiro.
Information about public transportation can be found here.
Hotels
Meeting attendees are asked to organize their own accommodation.
The local organisers recommend booking a room in one of the hotels mentioned below. Please make your reservation in advance directly with the hotels.
Hotel in Vila do Conde
3* Hotels
Hotel Brazão
Av. Dr. João Canavarro 7, 4480-688 Vila do Conde, Portugal
Hotel website: hotelbrazao.pt/
B&B Hotels Vila do Conde
Rua 5 de Outubro 1024 , 4480–700 Vila do Conde , Portugal
Hotel website: hotel-bb.com/pt/cidade/hoteis-vila-do-conde
4* hotels
Santana Hotel and Spa
Monte Santana, 4480-188 Azurara, Portugal
Hotel website: santanahotel.pt/
Vila C Butique Hotel
Av. Mouzinho de Albuquerque, s/n, Estrada Nacional 13, 4480-151 Vila do Conde, Portugal
Hotel website: villacboutiquehotel.com/
5* hotels
The Lince Santa Clara Historic Hotel
Largo Dom Afonso Sanches, 4480-754 Vila do Conde, Portugal
Hotel website: thelincehotels.com/santaclara/
Hotel in Porto
3* Hotels
Star inn Porto
R. Sra. do Porto 930, 4250-453 Porto, Portugal
Hotel website: hotelstarinn.com/porto/
Hotel HF Tuela Porto
R. Arquitecto Marques da Silva 200, 4150-483 Porto, Portugal
Hotel website: hfhotels.com/pt/hoteis/hf-tuela-porto-pt/
TRYP Porto Centro Hotel
Rua da Alegria 685 689, 4000-046 Porto, Portugal
Hotel website: trypportocentro.com/
4* hotels
Hotel HF Ipanema Porto
Rua do Campo Alegre 156, 4150-169 Porto, Portugal
Hotel website: hfhotels.com/pt/hoteis/hf-ipanema-porto-pt/
Hotel HF Fénix Porto
R. de Gonçalo Sampaio 282, 4150-365 Porto, Portugal
Hotel website: hfhotels.com/pt/hoteis/hf-fenix-porto-pt/
Vincci Porto Hotel
Alameda de Basílio Teles 29, 4150-127 Porto, Portugal
Hotel website: pt.vincciporto.com/
Venues
Campus de Vairão
Rua do Crasto S/N (Antigo Museu Agrícola entre Douro e Minho)
Vairão
The GBIF committee meetings, the official Governing Board meeting and the Symposium will take place at Campus de Vairão on 30 September - 3 October 2024.
Casa Ferreirinha
R. Carvalhosa 19, 4400-032 Vila Nova de Gaia
The Icebreaker will take place on 30 September 2024.
Dinner venue
Venue of the dinner is to be confirmed
How to get to/from venues
The local organizer is looking into providing shuttle service to/from the meeting venue. In order to set this up, we will need to know where people are staying. The GBIF Secretariat will at some point contact all registered attendees and ask for hotel location for those who are interested in using the shuttle service so that the pick-up points can be arranged.
Map
The location of the meeting venues and some of the nearest hotels can be found in the map below or by clicking here.
General information
Electricity
Portugal operates on 230V supply voltage and 50Hz.
Languages
Portuguese is the primary language, but English is widely spoken.
Money
Portugal uses the euro as its currency. All of the central Portuguese banks are part of the Multibanco service which links up cash machines across the country.
Opening hours (for banks and shops)
Most shops will open from 9.00 am-5.30 pm depending on the type of commerce. Banks usually from 09.00 am-3.00 pm but offer 24-hour access to ATMs.
Personal security
112 is the single European emergency telephone number, available throughout the European Union, free of charge.
In the event of any emergency, 112 can be connected through fixed and mobile telephones.
Telecommunication and internet
There are a number of network service providers in Portugal that have roaming agreements with most international mobile phone companies and provide users with a good coverage nationwide.
Internet is broadly available. Most hotels and many public facilities, such as airports, restaurants, etc. have internet available, either free of charge or payment is needed.
Tourist information
Tourist information: Porto and the North