Portugal Travel Guide

Portugal Travel Guide

Portugal offers stunning beaches, charming cities, amazing restaurants & is one of my favorite European vacation destinations! I’m already planning when I can get back to Portugal to see and explore more!

Experience:

I loved Portugal! Everyone I interacted with was super friendly & accommodating. Portugal has become a massive tourist destination and I found it to be one of the places where you can get the best value for your money.

Safety for Solo Female Travelers: 4 out of 5

I spent about a week alone in Portugal (and visited both Lisbon and Porto) and overall found Portugal very safe, particularly Porto. I’d recommend being a bit more careful in Lisbon (especially at night and in less tourist-y areas) but still overall had no issues during my time in either place.

Cost:

I found Portugal fairly cheap compared to other similar European travel destinations. It was easy to find a wide range of accommodation options based on your budget, and food, drinks and public transit were all on the cheaper side (comparable to destinations like Italy & Greece) The main currency is the euro, but credit cards are accepted almost everywhere.

Tipping/Restaurants:

It’s a bit hard to get a straight answer on tipping in Portugal, if you ask a local you will hear a combination of yesses and no’s. In general, tipping is not expected in Portugal the way it is in the US. That being said, it is customary to round up when paying for a cab. You can do the same in restaurants (or leave a 5-10% tip) Credit card tips do not have a tip field, so this needs to be left in cash.

In restaurants you’ll need to ask for the check at the end of your meal. It’s not customary for the server to bring the check over at the end of the meal the way it is in the United States.

When to Go:

Spring & Fall are the two best seasons to visit Portugal. Spring offers stunning Portugal views as the flower begin to bloom and warm, comfortable temperatures. Fall can be slightly less crowded, but is still warm and beach resorts remain open. Winter climates aren’t too cold, and it can be a less busy time to explore the cities, although many beach resorts are closed. Summer in Portugal is very hot, so if you’re looking to spend your time on the beach this is a great time to visit, but it can be very hot for exploring the cities!

Getting Around:

Uber is widely available in Portugal. I used Uber in both Lisbon & Porto without issue. There are also regular city cabs available if you don’t want to use Uber. If you’re looking to schedule rides or airport transfers. especially late night or early morning when you want a guaranteed ride, I always use Welcome Pickups. They are super reliable and really easy to use. I definitely recommend, plus their pricing is usually in line with what you’d pay for a taxi or Uber.

Major cities in Portugal are also connected by train, and the trains run regularly throughout the day. You can take the train from Lisbon to Porto in about three hours.

Disclaimer: This article contains some links where I earn commission through booking. There is no extra cost to you, and I only recommend things I’ve used and love or places I’ve stayed and enjoyed!