Portugal

Portuguese street plates often use “Rua” and blue-and-white tiles, which stand out from Spain.

License plates have a yellow band on the right.

Some utility poles have partitions and holes. Similar holes also appear in Belgium and France.

Only Portugal uses yellow chevrons on a black background in warmer parts of Europe. If the climate looks cold, consider Iceland, Ireland, Norway, or Finland. Otherwise, consider Luxembourg(References Map of European Road Curve Chevron Signs).

Old cobblestone streets and sidewalks appear in many towns.

Road signs often show route prefixes like A or IP in Portugal. In Spain, look for CALLE on street plates instead.

Hunting signs are common on rural roads, often labeled “Proibicao de caca”(References Proibicao de caca).

Portugal produces roughly half of the world’s cork oak. Nearby Spain is the other major source.

Old stone walls and narrow mountain roads often appear in Portugal; similar terrain is less common in Brazil.

Northern Portugal has rugged hills and cooler climates.

Pinus pinaster forests are common in the north(References Post-fire vegetation recovery in Portugal).

Southern Portugal, especially Alentejo, is flatter and drier.

Madeira and Azores use the same poles and plates as mainland Portugal.

Granite mountains and winding roads are common.

High-elevation roads and rocky slopes mark Serra da Estrela.

Berlengas is about 30 km offshore and feels isolated.

Lisbon’s historic yellow trams (Carris) are distinctive.