Portugal

Capital: Lisbon
Population:  10.35 million
Currency: Euro (EUR)
Languages: Portuguese
Drives on the: Right
Time zone: WET (UTC 0)

U.S. citizens must have a passport which is valid for at least 6 months beyond your return date. U.S. passport holders do not need a visa to enter Portugal for stays up to 90 days. You should have at least 2 blank visa pages in your passport to be stamped upon arrival. See the U.S. Dept. of State website for more information.

If you do not hold a U.S. passport, you are responsible for obtaining any necessary visas and meeting all entry requirements. If a visa is required, we recommend using a fee-based visa service, such as by our preferred provider, VisaHQ.

More information about passports & visas.

There are no health advisories for travel to Portugal. The sun is strong, so take along sunglasses, a hat and plenty of sunscreen. 

Center for Disease Control
World Health Organization

Portugal's southern coast has a near-Mediterranean climate; rain is more common in northern part of the country. May-June and late September-October are ideal times to visit as the weather isn't too hot for touring. In general, summers in Portugal are hot and winters tend to be wet.

Round up the bill in restaurants. Tip taxi drivers 10% of the fare.

ATMs are widely accessible and are generally the best way to obtain Euros.

Always notify your bank prior to departure to avoid any problems using your credit or debit card abroad.

Shop for wine, olive oil, azulejos (colorful ceramic tiles), earthenware, faience (particularly from Coimbra), leather goods (including shoes), antiques, gold and silver filigree (particularly from Minho Province and Oporto), cataplanas (clamshell-shaped copper pans for cooking shellfish and stews), lace, Madeiran embroidery, cork items, Portuguese guitars, and Arraiolos rugs.

220 volts. Plugs C & F. You will need a voltage converter and plug adapter in order to use U.S. appliances. We recommend getting a universal adapter and converter kit. View more information about electrical standards around the world.

Want to take your cell phone, tablet or laptop, but not sure how to get cell service or wifi? See our blog posts on using your cell phone abroad and the top 5 ways to get Internet abroad.