How to make friends in Portugal

I must say having children is very useful when it comes to making friends. We mothers always tend to gravitate towards each other, usually in an attempt to get information, support, friends for our own kids etc. But I guess this wont apply to a lot of people.

In my experience, attending the local Portuguese conversation class has been a really good way to get to know people - because of course we all talk about ourselves! And we meet on a regular basis, getting the chance to get to know each other in a 'neutral' setting.

When it comes to making friends with the Portuguese population, my stumbling attempts at conversation coupled with smiles and goodwill usually get a very sympathetic response - people may think I'm 'that mad Englishwoman', but they seem well-disposed towards me!