Language

Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official, but used locally)

English is not widely spoken although most people you encounter in the tourism industry will speak a little (or a lot) of English. We recommend you take a Portuguese phrase book.

Currency

Euro

You will find cash points / ATM machines (“caixa eletrônico”) at airports and in larger towns and villages. There are different networks. Using a cash point from your own network (e.g. Cirrus) will help avoid extra charges for withdrawals.

The most common credit cards are: Visa and MasterCard. American Express and Diners Club cards are sometimes accepted.

IMPORTANT: Credit cards are not always accepted in small shops and restaurants, so always ask in advance if you can pay by credit card. Travellers? cheques are generally accepted at banks, but the charge for changing them can be quite high. Personal cheques are not accepted.

International Dialing Code

+351

Electricity

Electricity in Portugal is 230 Volts, at 50 hertz. The most common pin type is C. (2 round prong).

Visas

**IMPORTANT NOTE**

ETIAS will be introduced in the last quarter of 2026. No action is required from travellers at this point.

The European Union will inform about the specific date for the start of ETIAS several months prior to its launch.

see https://travel-europe.europa.eu/etias_en

Until then, visas not required for citizens of Australia, Canada, USA and New Zealand for up to 90 days in a period of 180 days for all Schengen countries (see https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/policies/schengen-borders-and-visa/visa-policy_en . Please ensure your passport is stamped on arrival in the Schengen area. For all other nationalities and for longer stays in countries covered by the Schengen Agreement (Australian New Zealand, Canadian and US passport holders), please contact the relevant embassy. Stays of longer than 90 days in the Schengen area require a long stay visa for the country you are spending most time in. However long stay visas are unlikely to be issued unless there is a valid reason (eg. studying in country). Unfortunately we cannot assist in obtaining visas for long stays due to individual country visa requirements.

Safety

Your safety is our number one concern. Our safety track record is exemplary thanks to careful management and thorough consultation with local partners. Our industry leading risk management procedures have become a skill that we continue to refine. Our leaders in the field are highly trained and have safety as their number one priority. Expert leaders, risk assessments, quality inclusions and your financial security all come standard when you travel with us.

Please refer to our Travel Advisory page for updates on recent events, travel warnings and advice.

We strongly recommend that all clients take out travel insurance at the time of booking to cover against sickness, accident, loss of baggage, unexpected alterations to travel arrangements and travel disruption, emergency evacuation, cancellations, etc. Insurance information is enclosed with your pre-departure information. Please contact us if you would like to obtain a quote for your trip duration.

We suggest that you consult your doctor, local government inoculation centre or a travel medical specialist in order to get the most current advice regarding vaccination requirements.

Money and valuables should always be stored safely when travelling. Keep your passport with you at all times and do not leave it in your main luggage. You will need it to change money and check into hotels. Where safety deposit boxes are available, we recommend that you use them. Keep jewellery and valuables to a minimum.