Are you looking for some tips and advice on your upcoming trip? Read this Portugal Travel Guide to find out everything I learned on my trip.
Portugal is full of old-world charm with palaces, cathedrals, and Moorish ruins. The winding streets are lined with limestone sidewalks with intricate stone mosaic patterns (or calçada) and dotted with buildings covered in blue tiles (or ajules).
The Great Lisbon Earthquake
On All Saint’s Day, November 1, 1755, in the morning, when many residents were attending mass, a catastrophic earthquake destroyed half of the buildings and killed a third of the population. It drastically changed Portugal’s role on the world stage because the struggle for survival consumed all resources. The age of exploration ended, giving the rest of Europe a head start in colonizing the new world.
Sights
Portugal’s UNESCO Sites
Don’t miss these UNESCO World Heritage Sites on your next trip to Portugal, including towers, cathedrals, and a terrifying walk atop an aqueduct.
Food
Why You Should Eat Dessert First in Portugal
I’m not usually a dessert-eater, but in Portugal, I made a lot of exceptions. Learn where to find the top three most delicious pastries!
Table of Contents
Photographs from Portugal
View my recent photographs from Portugal! Taking photographs is a huge part of my travel day. Sometimes I use my phone to document the experience, but I also have the professional gear to get images suitable for framing.
Portugal Travel Guide: Logistics
When to Go
March is perfect for cooler weather and fewer crowds, but a bit chilly for the beach.
Language
Portuguese is similar to Spanish and Italian but also very different. Most people speak English, and when we got stuck, we used Google Translate, which will translate text from the camera on your cell phone! It’s excellent for menus. The word we used the most was obrigada, or thank you.
Money Matters
Bring Euros! Many shops and restaurants had POS systems that worked better with debit cards than with credit cards, but larger businesses and hotels took both.
Tipping
The Portuguese do not tip like Americans, they tip little or nothing. So, here are some guidelines: leave the maid €1-2 per night; the bellman €1-2 per bag; and round up to the nearest Euro at a cafe or for a taxi. When eating in a local restaurant, leave €1-2 per person, not a percentage of the bill. In a fancy restaurant, leave 5-10% of the bill.
Electricity
You will need an F adapter and a converter. The voltage is 230, and the frequency is 50 Hz, different from the US. It is easy to blow out your hair driers and curling irons, so double-check the voltage and the wattage!
Getting There by Air
My preferred airline is Delta, and I booked an Air France flight through Delta and flew MIA-CDG-LIS. It was still a time of Covid restrictions, like masks on planes, vaccine cards, and antigen tests.
The restrictions are different depending on your gateway city. Once you have cleared immigration in the EU, you can travel freely throughout the member countries. Since I cleared in Paris, I had to meet their requirements, then could travel without restriction to Lisbon. My sister connected through Amsterdam, and her requirements were different. Neither country’s restrictions were as comprehensive as Portugal’s. American Airline had a very user-friendly map to help you determine your required documentation.
