Must know basics for your first adventure to Portugal

FancifulRoamer
Aug 24, 2024
5 min read

Updated: Apr 22

Belem Tower by the Tagus river — Belem Tower

Portugal has it all. This country has an average of 300 days of sun, many sights to check out, and even more Pasteis de Nata to devour.

I loved the city life in Lisbon, the lush Douro Valley in Porto, and the beaches in the Algarve. Here are my tips for planning your first trip to beautiful Portugal.

Currency

Portugal uses the euro. Cards are accepted in most places, but having cash on hand is good. Besides banks, you can acquire euros in exchange shops called "câmbio". I preferred an Unicâmbio inside a mall, it felt the safest.

The best thing is to have a Revolut account and cards. It's easy to exchange within the app and you can cancel a card immediately if it's compromised.

It's best to withdraw money from an Atm attached to the bank. Mind the loitering people around, pop in a store if you feel like you're followed. Avoid Euronet Atms, they have the worst exchange fees. They are conveniently placed everywhere, though.

Fun fact. When you sit down at a restaurant in Portugal, you may be brought bread and dips. Normal in hospitable Mediterranean countries. These are not complimentary. If you refuse them or don't touch them, you won't be charged. I find this practice in poor taste, and it should be illegal.

Weather

Portugal is the preferred destination for Northern Europeans as they escape the long winter days.

In the North, Porto seems to borrow from the UK's gloominess. The winters are mild, rarely experiencing temperatures under 5' C/ 40' F. Summers are kept cool by the Atlantic Ocean, with averages of 25' C/ 77' F.

Lisbon is even warmer. The winter is sunny and comfortable. It's actually worse inside, as most houses don't have heating or insulated walls.

I do recommend having anti-slip shoes, as the cobblestones become very slippery.

Cascais is a town west of Lisbon. It's touristy, but a good base to visit Sintra and hike around. It does get awfully windy. I stayed in a cute place in the old town, with old windows and doors. At night, the wind got up to 30 knots, making it seem like someone was trying to pry in.

I don't recommend swimming in Cascais, even in July. Unless you're Canadian, then you're probably ok with the water temperature of 18' C/ 64' F. I thought it could not be worse than Miami in January, and I barely made it out. I had to be a lizard in the sun for the rest of the day.

The Algarve region is, of course, the warmest. The winter low is 9' C/ 48' F, which is great. The same issue though, is that it's colder inside the house. You need to bundle up. A dehumidifier makes a great difference because the walls are damp and keep the cold in. We didn't have one, so we had to run the AC on warm the whole time we stayed in an Airbnb apartment.

The east of the Algarve has the warmest water, courtesy of the Mediterranean Sea. The highest water temperature is about 21,5' C/ 71' F.

Transportation

Large Portuguese cities offer buses, trams, taxis, and Ubers. A good alternative to Uber is Bolt.

A tip for when you arrive at the Lisbon airport- the rideshare point is not on the ground level. You need to go up the escalators to find it. That was my first experience with the confusing leveled constructions of Lisbon.

It's hard to access rural areas and all attractions without a car. You will encounter tolls along the way, so look up the ways to pay for them in advance.

I enjoyed traveling by train between Porto, Lisbon, and Lagos. I used the Alfa Pendular trains, which I booked online. It was clean, spacious, and had luggage racks.

Healthcare

Residents of Portugal have access to public and private healthcare. EU residents are able to use their European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) to receive care in the public system, in the first 90 days of their visit.

Foreigners don't receive free healthcare in Portugal, so it's best to have travel insurance. It is much more affordable to get healthcare compared to the USA.

Dental services are also more affordable. Keep in mind that very cheap clinics might use poor-quality materials and not have vast expertise.

I visited several dentists there, most were good experiences. It was great to find many who spoke English.

The first dentist I saw asked how long I would be there for and started pulling on everything, without a word. I'm sure he was calculating in his head all the things he would do to my teeth. He got annoyed when I asked about the specific issue I had. He did an X-ray and said it was nothing. And after, the pay was 15 euros. I put down 50. The receptionist kept saying 15, one five, raising her voice each time until she was yelling at me, while I pushed forward the bill, not knowing what else to do. She finally figured out that I don't have 15 and I needed change. This visit was after several people recommended the dentist on social media.

Phone data

While in Portugal, I used Vodafone. It worked great, and you have several options to choose from. It also works in other European countries, which is great if you're continuing your trip. It's also way more affordable than the USA and Canada, with prices of 20 euros and under.

If you can wait, it's best to arrive at your destination and buy a phone card in a store. Otherwise, you can now purchase an eSim online, which will activate once you arrive in Portugal. The prices are higher, but you're all set when you arrive.

For adaptors, you'll need the European one with two round prongs.

Laundry

I stayed in Portugal for a while, so I had to get laundry done. The best way was to have an Airbnb with a washing machine, but Airbnb is not so affordable. Also, keep in mind that Europeans list "dryer", but they mean "hair dryer". Laundry dryers are not common, except for laundromats.

The washers are usually on the balcony, which I found a bit annoying. You cannot do laundry in bad weather. Then you have to put decent clothes on, while the neighbors who are out smoking can watch you.

I was talking about the balcony washers when we were looking at apartments. The real estate person was dismissing it. As we walked down the street, we turned to see this lady in a moo-moo taking her laundry out, while on the low-level balcony. The lady was weirded out by all of us staring, but that was my case and point. There are usually laundromats in touristy areas. They are usually well-maintained and have automatic detergent dispensers. These laundromats come in very handy, but be careful if you're prone to irritation, as the detergents may be strong.

I like to carry detergent sheets with me and do some quick laundry in the sink. Works well with light summer clothes and delicates.

For more itinerary guides, check out my other articles on Portugal.