Portugal travel guide: trip costs, safety and exchange rates

May, June, September and early October are the best months across the mainland: warm, mostly dry and without the August crowds. July and August are hot and busy, with wildfire risk inland, and from November to February Porto has rain on 10 to 13 days a month. Madeira stays mild all year.

Population

11,424,031 Statistics Portugal (INE) · 2025 estimate (31 December 2025)

International visitors

19,708,665 (2025) +1.7% YoY Statistics Portugal (INE), non-resident guests in tourist accommodation (hotels, local lodging, rural and heritage tourism), via Turismo de Portugal TravelBI · Last updated: 2026

Annual visitors per resident

1.7× Annual international visitors divided by the population

Currency

Euro (EUR)

Language

Portuguese. English is widely spoken in Lisbon, Porto, the Algarve and Madeira, and by most people under 40.

Tap water

Safe to drink

Time zone

GMT+0 (WET), GMT+1 in summer. Madeira is the same; the Azores are one hour behind.

Power plug

Type C / F, 230V

Dialing code

+351

Driving side

Right

Tipping

Not expected. Rounding up, or leaving 5 to 10% for good service at a sit-down restaurant, is common.

Internet

Fast fiber and 5G in the cities and along the main roads. Free Wi-Fi in most cafes, hotels and on Alfa Pendular trains.

Emergency

112 (Police, fire and ambulance), 808 24 24 24 (SNS 24 health line, 24 hours)

• August on the Algarve

  Jul to Aug · busiest in mid-Aug

  August is when most Portuguese take their vacation, and Spanish and northern European families arrive at the same time. Algarve rooms cost the most of the year, beaches near the resort towns are packed, and restaurant tables need booking. Heatwaves can push inland towns past 40°C (104°F). June and September bring the same sea and sun at lower prices.

• Wildfire season

  Jul to Sep · risk from Apr to Oct

  Every summer, wildfires burn in the forested center and north, in the hills behind the Algarve and on Madeira. Most never come near a town, but they close roads and hiking trails and fill the sky with smoke for days. If you plan to hike or drive through the interior, check the fire-risk map from IPMA, the weather service, and follow local orders to leave an area. Coastal cities are rarely affected directly.

• Wet winter in the north

  Nov to Feb

  From November to February, Porto has rain on 10 to 13 days a month, and Atlantic storms bring wind and high seas to the whole west coast. Douro river cruises and many wine estates cut back their schedules, and Algarve resort towns go half-shut. Lisbon and Madeira stay mild, so a winter trip works better there than in the north.

  Go here instead:

  • South Africa December to February is summer, and Cape Town is at its driest.
  • Sri Lanka The south and west coasts have their dry season from December to March.

Visa type

Visa-free entry for US, UK, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand passports under the Schengen rules. EU and EEA citizens need only a national ID card.

Length of stay

90 days in any 180-day period, counted across the whole Schengen Area, not per country.

Extension

Not normally possible. To stay longer, apply for a national visa such as the D7 or D8 at a Portuguese consulate before you travel.

Passport validity

Valid for at least three months after the day you leave the Schengen Area, and issued within the last 10 years.

Onward ticket

Officers can ask for a return or onward ticket, your accommodation and proof of funds, so have them ready.

Tourist tax

Charged per person per night by many municipalities: EUR 4 in Lisbon, EUR 3 in Porto and EUR 2 in Funchal, each for up to seven nights. Some Algarve towns charge smaller amounts.

Eligible nationalities

Non-EU visitors are registered in the EU Entry/Exit System (EES), which has run at all Schengen borders since 10 April 2026. ETIAS, the EU's online travel authorization, is not yet in operation, and the EU will announce its start date several months ahead. When it launches it will cost EUR 20 and last three years.

Entry process

Immigration and entry process

On your first entry, non-EU travelers register in the EES at a kiosk or border booth: passport scan, fingerprints and a photo. Later entries need only a face or fingerprint check.

The EES replaced passport stamps and records every entry and exit. Children under 12 give a photo but no fingerprints. Queues at Lisbon, Porto and Faro airports have at times run past an hour on busy mornings since the EES started, so leave time for connections. You do not need ETIAS until it starts. The EU will announce the date several months ahead, so ignore sites that sell it now.

Source: European Union: Travel to Europe (EES and ETIAS)

• From Lisbon (LIS)

  Humberto Delgado Airport, about 7 km north of the center, 20 to 30 minutes into the city

  Most long-haul flights land in Lisbon. The metro station is next to Terminal 1 arrivals, and the red line connects to the green line at Alameda for Baixa-Chiado. Buy a reusable navegante card (Lisbon's rechargeable transit card) from the machines, or tap a contactless bank card at the gates. Taxis wait outside arrivals, and Uber and Bolt pick up from a marked area.

  • Metro red line, change at Alameda for Baixa-Chiado: about 25 min, EUR 1.90 single plus EUR 0.50 for the navegante card
  • Contactless bank card at the metro gates: EUR 1.92 a trip
  • Taxi to central Lisbon: 15 to 25 min, about EUR 15 to 20, more at night and with luggage

• From Porto (OPO)

  Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport, about 15 km north of the center

  Porto has direct flights from across Europe and a few from North America and Brazil. Metro line E, the violet line, leaves from the terminal and reaches Trindade in the center in about half an hour. The airport is in fare zone Z4, so buy a Z4 ticket on an Andante card and validate it before you board.

  • Metro line E to Trindade: about 30 min, EUR 2.30 for a Z4 ticket plus EUR 0.60 for the Andante card
  • Taxi to central Porto: 20 to 30 min, about EUR 20 to 30, with a 20% surcharge at night, on weekends and on holidays
  • Uber and Bolt also pick up at the airport

• From Faro (FAO)

  The Algarve's airport, about 7 km west of Faro

  Faro takes most flights to the Algarve, many of them budget and charter routes from the UK, Ireland and northern Europe. Bus 16 runs to Faro's bus station, where intercity buses continue along the coast. Most visitors heading to resorts such as Albufeira or Lagos rent a car or book a transfer.

  • Bus 16 to Faro bus station: about 20 min, about EUR 2.50 paid on board
  • Taxi to central Faro: about 15 min, about EUR 10 to 15 on the meter
  • Uber and Bolt operate across the Algarve

• From Madeira (FNC)

  Cristiano Ronaldo Madeira International Airport at Santa Cruz, about 20 km east of Funchal

  The runway sits partly on columns over the sea, and strong winds sometimes divert flights to Porto Santo, Lisbon or the Canary Islands, mostly in winter. The Aerobus stops along Funchal's hotel strip.

  • Aerobus to Funchal: 30 to 45 min, about EUR 5
  • Taxi to Funchal: about 25 min, about EUR 25 to 35, more at night and on weekends
  • Uber and Bolt operate on Madeira

Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere. Withdraw cash from Multibanco machines, not Euronet, and always pay in euros.

• Foreign cards work almost everywhere

  Visa and Mastercard are taken in hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, taxis and on the metro. Small cafes and market stalls sometimes ask for cash or set a card minimum of EUR 5 to 10. American Express is accepted less widely.

• Apple Pay and Google Pay are common

  Contactless phone payments work wherever cards do, including the Lisbon metro gates. MB Way, the local payment app, needs a Portuguese bank account, so visitors do not need it.

• Use a Multibanco ATM

  Machines marked Multibanco belong to Portugal's shared bank ATM network, and they rarely add a fee of their own for foreign cards. Your own bank may still charge. Euronet and other independent machines, common in tourist areas, add about EUR 3 to 5 per withdrawal.

• Always pay in euros

  When a card machine or ATM offers to charge you in your home currency, decline and pay in euros. The home-currency option uses a worse exchange rate.

• Tax refund on shopping

  Visitors who live outside the EU can claim back VAT, 23% on most goods on the mainland, on purchases over EUR 50 before VAT (about EUR 61.50 with it) in one shop. Ask for a tax-free form when you pay and validate it at the airport before you check in your bags.

Best option for most travelers: an eSIM you set up before you arrive. You'll be online the moment you land, with no airport line and no tourist pricing.

Prefer a local SIM?

5G and 4G cover the cities, the coasts and the main roads. Signal is weaker in the mountains of the interior and in some deep valleys on Madeira. You need your passport to buy a prepaid SIM, and Vodafone and MEO have shops in Lisbon airport arrivals. Prices below are for prepaid plans and change often.

• MEO

  Largest network

  MEO is the former Portugal Telecom network, now owned by Altice, and has the widest rural coverage. Its prepaid SIM and eSIM are sold in MEO shops in every city.

  Prepaid data packs: about EUR 10 to 15

• Vodafone

  Tourist card

  Vodafone sells a tourist card with 25 GB of data, 500 national minutes or texts and 50 international minutes, valid for 30 days. It is the easiest pick at the airport.

  Travellers card, 25 GB for 30 days: about EUR 20

• NOS

  Cheapest data

  NOS has the smallest of the three networks, but in the cities and along the coast its signal is as good as the others. It is not always sold at the airports, so buy it in town.

  Prepaid data plans: from about EUR 10

Planning & moving around

• How long should I spend in Portugal?

  A week covers Lisbon, a day trip to Sintra and two or three days in Porto. With ten days to two weeks, add the Douro valley or the Algarve. Madeira deserves its own week, since most of its best walks are in the mountains.

• Do I need a visa or ETIAS to visit Portugal?

  Not for a stay of up to 90 days in any 180 if you hold a US, UK, Canadian, Australian or New Zealand passport. You register in the EU Entry/Exit System at the border on your first visit. ETIAS, the EU's online travel authorization, has not started yet, so you do not need it.

• What are the most used ride-hailing apps in Portugal?

  Uber and Bolt both work in Lisbon, Porto, the Algarve and Madeira, and their fares are close. FreeNow books licensed taxis. Taxis run on the meter and are easy to hail in the cities, with a 20% surcharge at night and on weekends.

• Do I need a car in Portugal?

  Not for Lisbon, Porto or the train between them. A car makes sense for the Algarve beyond the main towns, the Alentejo, the Douro valley and Madeira. Most motorways charge electronic tolls, so ask the rental company for a toll transponder.

• Is Portugal a good place to retire?

  Yes, if you can live with the paperwork. Non-EU retirees usually apply for the D7 visa, which needs passive income of at least the Portuguese minimum wage, EUR 920 a month in 2026, plus 50% for a spouse. The old NHR tax break closed to newcomers in 2024, so foreign pensions are now taxed at normal rates of 12.5% to 48%, depending on your country's tax treaty. Residents can register with the SNS, the public health service, and many also buy private insurance to see a specialist sooner. Housing in Lisbon and on the Algarve is the big cost; inland towns are far cheaper.

  Read our travel insurance guide →

Safety & medical

• Is Portugal safe for travelers?

  Yes. Violent crime against visitors is rare, and city centers stay busy and safe at night. The main problem is pickpocketing on the 28 tram in Lisbon, at crowded viewpoints and on the metro. On the beaches, swim where lifeguards fly a green flag, because currents on the open Atlantic coast are strong.

• What numbers do I call in an emergency in Portugal?

  Dial 112 for police, fire or an ambulance; it works from any phone, including a foreign SIM. For health advice, call SNS 24 on 808 24 24 24, the public health line, which answers around the clock and can direct you to the nearest clinic. In Lisbon, the PSP police run a tourist support station on Praça dos Restauradores for reporting thefts.

Money & costs

• Do you tip in Portugal?

  It is not expected. At a sit-down restaurant, people round up or leave 5 to 10% for good service. In cafes and taxis, rounding up to the next euro is enough.

• Is Portugal expensive?

  It is cheaper than France, the UK or Ireland for eating out, wine and public transport, and close to Spain for most things. Rooms in Lisbon and on the Algarve in summer are the exception and can cost as much as in larger Western European capitals. The Costs in Portugal section on this page lists each price with its source.

Culture & etiquette

• Do I need to speak Portuguese?

  No. English is widely spoken in the cities and tourist areas. Learn obrigado (thank you; obrigada if you are a woman) and start in Portuguese or English rather than Spanish, which many Portuguese understand but do not like to be addressed in.

Families & kids

• Is Portugal good for kids?

  Yes. Families eat out late together, beaches on the Algarve's south coast have gentle water, and most sights are small enough for short legs. Lisbon's hills and cobbles are hard work with a stroller, so a carrier is easier in the old neighborhoods.