From The Madeira Island Web Site
Porto Santo - Practical Information
By Philip Fiske de Gouveia and Jorge Barbosa
Sep 5, 2007 - 2:04:01 PM
Facilities
Most facilities are
available on Porto Santo. Apart from a wide selection of restaurants, bars and
hotels there is a supermarket, grocery stores, a post office, a petrol station,
a bank, a hospital and several travel agents.
Opening
Hours
Most shops are open
from 9am until 1pm and from 3pm to 7pm Monday to Saturday. Restaurants usually close their kitchens by 10pm. However, in the summer months they may close later due to the high influx of tourists over this season. On Sundays most restaurants, bars, snack bars, tobacco shops (that operate as news agents too), and tourist leisure services are also operational for most of the day.
Holidays
Portugal (and therefore
Madeira and Porto Santo) have a significant number of public holidays
throughout the year. On public holidays businesses operate as if it is a
Sunday, so most shops close. Public holidays are as follows:
1 January
Good Friday
25 April (Revolution day)
1 May (Labour day)
10 June (Portugal day)
1 July
(Discovery of Madeira day)
15 August (Assumption)
5 October (Republic day)
1
November (All Saints’ day)
8 December (The Immaculate Conception)
25 December
(Christmas Day)
Currency
Portugal (and therefore
Madeira and Porto Santo) adopted the Single European Currency in 2002. Everyday
transactions are done in Euros (although prices are also usually shown in
Escudos, the previous national currency, as well). There are cash machines,
accepting international credit and debit cards, on both Madeira and Porto
Santo.
Tipping
Tipping is
optional
- although waiters typically
expect to receive 5%. There is no need to tip taxi drivers, although if you are
happy with the service there is no reason why you shouldn’t give them a little
extra.
Emergencies
The emergency telephone
number is 112.
© Copyright 2007 by The Madeira Island Web Site