Here are some important things to know about traveling to Portugal.

How to book reservations

Call (toll free: 800-523-0007) or email (info@golfpacinternational.com) us. Office hours are Monday-Friday, 8 am through 5 pm. We'll customize your tour exactly how you'd like it. To begin the reservation process, we require a 30% deposit with full payment due 60 days prior to arrival.

When to book

We suggest planning your journey as far in advance as possible. Many of the most popular clubs in Portugal are private and tee times can be very limited. For best results, we recommend starting the reservation process at least one year prior to your proposed dates of travel. Ask a Golfpac representative for more details.

What to bring with you

Clothing:
Travel light, the less the better. We suggest enough clothes to make it halfway through your stay. Then have your laundry done. Most hotels offer laundry service; however, this service can be expensive. Essentials: A hat; two pairs of waterproof golf shoes; a few sweaters (two light & one heavy); one sports jacket; two dress shirts; and one tie and a tie for fine dining. For ladies, we recommend casual evening wear. Don't forget while it does not rain much in Portugal, you may want to bring an umbrella or rain gear. Most importantly, make sure to limit each person to one suitcase and one set of golf clubs as car rentals in the Portugal can be smaller than what we're used to in the States.

Golf Bag:
We highly recommend traveling with a light carry golf bag in a canvas style carrying case. Large golf bags and hard carrying cases can cause problems when traveling and take up too much room in rental cars.

Handicap Certificate:
Many courses in Portugal have a handicap restriction (see individual course descriptions for more details). Courses hold the right to refuse play if you cannot produce a valid handicap card below the acceptable limit. Make sure to carry your latest handicap card with you.

Other Things To Know

Time:
Portugal, is on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) plus one hour. It is six hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time.

When it is 12 noon in Portugal it is:
-6 am in New York, Montreal, Atlanta, and Miami
-5 am in Chicago, Dallas, and Winnipeg
-3 am in Los Angeles, Seattle, and Vancouver

Currency:
Portugal's currency is the Euro usually shown as €. The coins used are 1 Euro Cent, 2 Euro Cents, 5 Euro Cents, 10 Euro Cents, 20 Euro Cents, 50 Euro Cents and 1, 2 Euro dollars. The notes are 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500. Some banks have automatic exchange machines. Reception in most hotels will change money and may charge a small amount to cover fluctuations in exchange rates.

Electric Carts:
Most golfers use a pull-cart or rent an electric cart, which are readily available at most courses. Caddies are not readily available.

Clubhouse Rules:
Most clubs have casual dress codes in the clubhouse. And, almost all clubs will not allow golf shoes (even spikeless) in the clubhouse.