Currency & Payment Methods: The currency used in Portugal is Euro (€).

Many hotels, stores and restaurants accept payment with debit/credit cards (Visa, Master Card, AmEx) But it is advised to keep some cash available as some shops may accept cash payment only. da var. ATMs are called “multibanco“. You may easily withdraw money if you need to.

Another digital payment used in Portugal is what’s called “MBway“. Thanks to this app that is used on mobile devices, you only need to know the cellphone number of the receiver and then you can easily and quickly transfer money. (Some shops may even accept payment via MBway under some circumstances, even if they don’t have multibanco system.).

Official Language: The official language in Portugal is Portuguese. But especially the younger generations speak fluent English.

Time Zone: UTC 0 | UTC+1 (Summer Time – As of the last Sunday of March until the last Sunday of October.)

Communication: The international dialing code of Portugal is +351. You need to use this code to call Portugal from abroad. Those who reside and has a phone line already in European Union countries, Liechtenstein, Norway or Iceland can “roam like at home” in Portugal.

If you are coming from another countries, you may explore other options such as pre-paid lines offered by MEO, NOS and Vodafone (three major mobile operators in Portugal).

Visa: Portugal is a party to Schengen Agreement. Citizens of E.U. and EFTA member countries (i.e. Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) can enter Portugal without the need of visa, only with a passport or ID.

Citizens of the U.S.A., South American countries, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and some certain Asian countries can visit Portugal without a visa for up to 90 days. However they need a passport.

Citizens to other countries can get recent information on whether they need a visa from the page “Who Needs a Visa” on the website of the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.