Portugal
Portugal29 guides across 4 destinations — where to go, when, what it costs and what to eat.
Destinations in Portugal
Practical essentials for Portugal
Euro (EUR)
Portuguese; English is very widely spoken in tourist settings, Portugal ranking among the strongest non-native English countries in Europe
Type C/F, 230V 50Hz
CP trains link the cities, and each has its own card: in Lisbon the metro, buses, trams and ferries share the rechargeable navegante card, and the metro gates also accept a contactless bank card or phone.
Not expected: round the bill up or leave 5-10% for a good meal, and note that the couvert of bread and olives is a charged item, not a tip.
Tap water is safe to drink, supplied under EU drinking-water rules.
Right-hand side; an EU or UK photocard licence is accepted with no International Driving Permit needed.
112
Country-level guidance, checked against official sources. Currency, fares and entry rules change — confirm anything time-critical before you travel.
Recent stories from Portugal
The best day trips from Sintra, ranked
Cliffs at the edge of Europe, seaside Cascais and the capital itself — where to go when Sintra's palaces are done.
A Pastel de Nata Trail Through Lisbon
Five benchmark bakeries, one perfect custard tart. From the 1837 original in Belém to a neighbourhood hero in Campo de Ourique, this is how to eat Lisbon's signature pastry properly.
One Perfect Day in Porto
Azulejo-lined stations, a bookshop worth queueing for, and port wine across the river — how to distil Portugal's soulful northern city into a single unforgettable day.
A Long Weekend in Porto: Port Lodges, Tiles and the Douro
Three days in northern Portugal: azulejo-lined stations and a baroque tower, tastings in the cellars of Gaia, and the train ride up the Douro Valley that outclasses them all.
Lisbon Month by Month: The Honest Verdict on When to Visit
Sardine smoke in June, empty rain-slicked calçada in January, and two shoulder seasons that quietly beat both. A frank read on Lisbon through the year.
48 Hours in Sintra, Hour by Hour
Day-trippers give Sintra five rushed hours. Stay two days and you get misty palaces at opening time, secret gardens at dusk and the westernmost cliff in Europe.
Sintra in a day: the plan for the time-poor
One disciplined day in Sintra — palace, castle, gardens, pastry and the Atlantic — with the bookings, buses and running order that decide whether it works.
Porto on a Budget: How to Do It Well for Less
Porto remains one of western Europe's best-value great cities — if you know which pleasures are free, which sandwiches count as dinner, and where the port flows affordably.
The 7 Unmissable Algarve Experiences, Ranked
Sea caves, cliff-top trails and the end-of-the-world cape — the Algarve experiences that actually deserve your limited beach time, ranked.
The Markets of Lisbon: What to Taste and When to Arrive
Salt cod stacked like planks, a sheep cheese you eat with a spoon, and a food hall that is heaving by half past twelve. Timing your way through Lisbon markets.
A Lisbon Weekend, Hour by Hour
Two days among the seven hills: Alfama mornings, Belém monuments, golden miradouros and Bairro Alto nights, plotted hour by hour.
Sleeping well in Sintra, whatever your budget
Most travellers do Sintra in a day, which is exactly why staying over is the connoisseur's move — here is which neighbourhood to sleep in, at every budget, and how to use the hours the coaches never see.