Do I need a visa to travel to Portugal?

Portugal is one of the 26 European countries that are part of the Schengen Agreement, which means it offers visa-free travel to nationals from 60 other countries including Australia, the United States, Canada, Japan, and the United Kingdom. To determine whether the country you're travelling to requires a visa, head to the Schengen Visa's information website.

When is the best time to travel to Portugal?

Generally the best time for Porto vacations is late spring (April-May) or late summer (September-October), when the weather is still good but the peak summer crowds have dispersed. Fall is also a popular time to visit for grape harvest season, though winter is the cheapest time to visit. If hot weather is what you’re after then go during the summer – just be prepared to share Porto with a few extra visitors.

What is the official language of Portugal?

Portuguese is the official language of Portugal – the fifth most spoken language in the world!

What is the weather like in Portugal?

The weather in Portugal is categorized by hot summers reaching highs of 30ºC in July (though these are cooled by the breeze from the Atlantic), and mild winters which don’t dip below averages of 10ºC even during the coldest month, December – though this will vary from across the coastline to the mountains of the Algarve.

What currency does Portugal use?

Portugal uses the official currency of Europe, the Euro (€), which was introduced in 2002 replacing the Portuguese escudo.

Is tipping customary in Portugal?

It's not compulsory, but when travelling in Portugal it is customary for tourists to leave a small tip of around 5-10% in restaurants, while most cafes will have a tip jar where a few coins can be added (usually around €1). On a Trafalgar tour, we have pre-paid certain tips and gratuities for you such as baggage handling at hotels, service charges and tips for hotel wait staff (for included meals).

What is ATM access like in Portugal?

You’ll be able to find ATMs easily in major towns and cities across Portugal, as well as in popular tourist destinations, airports and train stations – look out for ‘multibanco’ signs. If you’re travelling to smaller villages or more remote parts of Portugal, be sure to get some cash out beforehand so you’re not caught out.

Is tap water safe to drink in Portugal?

Tap water in Portugal meets all EU standards and is considered safe in all regions, though the tap water in Lisbon is hard so many locals and tourists choose to drink bottled water instead.

Do I need to purchase travel insurance for a Trafalgar tour to Portugal?

We highly recommend guests purchase travel insurance prior to your trip. Please ensure you add the details of your insurance to the My Trafalgar portal. Your insurance should cover trip interruption, personal injury, medical expenses, and evacuation and repatriation cover including during pandemic events. Book your travel insurance with Trafalgar's Travel Protection Plan, which includes the Cancel For Any Reason Credit Certificate Feature and the Travel Insurance Benefits that may help to protect your vacation payment against the unexpected.

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Portugal tours & vacations

Name: Best of Portugal
Brand: Trafalgar
Price: 3124 CAD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.6

Travel guide

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Catching a warm breeze from the north of Africa and neighboured by Spain, Portugal is equal parts unique and woven with influence. With much of its border touching the Atlantic Ocean, on your trips to Portugal you will be welcomed into hilly lands with sweeping water vistas, peppered with windmills, grapevines and compelling cities. From the far north city of Porto, known for fortified wine and historic sites, to the southern shores of the Algarve where dramatic cliffs lead to unspoiled beaches, Portugal is a country in which you’ll want to see it all. Travel with Trafalgar and you will hear sentimental stories through the guitar sounds of fado, uncover depths of faith in the Church of Saint Lawrence and the revered town of Fátima, and be dazzled by the romance and preserved beauty of Lisbon. Step from museums to monuments with many pastel de nata tarts in between, finding antique shops and alleyways with impossible beauty.

Portugal tours and vacations

Save up to $479

4.6

Popular

Best of Portugal

11 Days

1 Country

16 Locations

11-Day Portugal Tour to Lisbon, Algarve and Porto

From

$3,124

Was

$3,550

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Save up to $659

4.5

Great Iberian Cities

9 Days

2 Countries

5 Locations

9-Day Spain and Portugal Tour of Barcelona, Madrid, Seville and Lisbon

From

$3,736

Was

$4,395

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Save up to $907

Travellers looking over a balcony in Lisbon, Portugal

4.5

Highlights of Spain and Portugal

13 Days

2 Countries

13 Locations

13-Day Spain and Portugal Tour of Madrid, Granada, Seville and Lisbon

From

$4,144

Was

$4,875

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Save up to $903

Treasures of Spain and Portugal Guided Tour 2026

4.6

Treasures of Spain and Portugal

14 Days

2 Countries

14 Locations

14-Day Spain and Portugal Tour from Madrid to Barcelona

From

$5,126

Was

$5,825

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Unedited Portugal tour reviews

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"Amazing tour of Portugal!"

“We covered so much ground on this trip… Mountains, vineyards, beaches, cities. We met the nicest people on the tour also. Everything is arranged for you. Local tour guides are provided at most of the cities and attractions to give you additional history. Highly recommend this tour!”

- Nancy, Best of Portugal

"Absolutely fantastic!"

“Travelled solo and met some wonderful people. The sights we saw were incredible and the Travel Director was always there to assist and explain the sights. Spain and Portugal through Trafalgar was absolutely fantastic!!”

- Trusted Customer, Highlights of Spain and Portugal

"We were lucky to see so many beautiful towns"

“Our Travel Director was always so helpful when we needed anything. We were lucky to see so many beautiful towns in both Portugal and Spain. This tour helps you get a feel for the culture and sights so that you will have a better understanding to be able to do your own sightseeing.”

- Salvatore, Treasures of Spain and Portugal

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Do you need a visa to go to Portugal?

Planning a trip to Portugal? Find out if you need a visa.

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Must-sees to local secrets

One-of-a-kind experiences

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Portugal experiences with Trafalgar

With Trafalgar, you’ll journey into the heart of each destination. Be My Guest invites you to connect with locals, while MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences let you positively impact communities. Plus, on many tours, you’ll overnight at Stays with Stories accommodations with tales as rich as the places you explore. Here are just a few of these unforgettable experiences on a Trafalgar Portugal tour.

bmg-portugal-coudelaria-brito-paes-ourique-with-tiego-and-vera.jpg

Be My Guest

Meet Tiago and Vera at their stud ranch, Alentejo, Portugal

Sip a refreshing drink in the stables, explore the riding school, then enjoy a traditional Portuguese home-cooked lunch with Tiago and Vera. You’ll hear the tragic story of an ancestor’s unrequited love, before being treated to a show performed by the horses ridden by Tiago and Vero themselves. Experience on Best of Portugal, and Treasures of Spain and Portugal.

Optional Experience

Enjoy Portuguese Fado evening of music, song and dinner

At a local Fado house, you’ll be captivated by the expressive national song of Portugal. Soak up the performance and savour a traditional Portuguese meal, with drinks included, for an unforgettable evening of music and flavour. Optional experience on Highlights of Spain & Portugal, Best of Portugal.

two-hands-clinking-red-wine-glass-in-a-vineyard-during-sunset.jpg

MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience

Sip organic wine at Vale da Capucha, Torres Vedras, Portugal

Taste award-winning organic wine at the family-run vineyard Vale da Capucha. You’ll hear how the family take pride in producing their organic and biodynamic wines. And you’ll feel good knowing your experience supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production. Experience on Best of Portugal.

Watch Vera show you her family's stud ranch, Alentejo, Portugal

Experience Portugal differently. Enjoy one-of-a-kind experiences and uncover local secrets when our friends across the country open their doors to you. Here’s what you can expect in Portugal. Experience on Best of Portugal, and Treasures of Portugal and Spain.

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As seen on

Large Elevador Da Bica Funicular between rows of old traditional houses in Lisbon, Portugal

Portugal at a glance

Welcome to Portugal's hilly coastal lands, peppered with windmills, grapevines, historic relics and compelling cities. Join your expert Trafalgar Travel Director to be dazzled by Algarve's dramatic cliffs and unspoiled beaches, and Lisbon's romance and preserved beauty.

Currency

Euro

Capital City

Lisbon

Winter avg

11°C

Language

Portuguese

Summer avg

24°C

Good morning

Bom Dia

Time Zone

GMT+1

Good evening

Boa noite

"Portugal is a little rectangle located by the Atlantic ocean where you will find a big diversity of landscapes, picturesque towns and villages, people, and... Oh! Its amazing food and wines!"

Alexandre, Travel Director

Weather in Portugal

Discover the weather, temperatures, and seasonal trends across Portugal to plan your trip.

Our top 5 things to do in Portugal

From the soul-stirring sounds of fado music to the gold altar of the Church of Saint Lawrence, we’ll guide you through the most incredible things this country has to offer.

Take in the colours of the romantic Portuguese capital Lisbon

Feel the sheer delight of the colourful city of Lisbon, set over tram-lined hills beside the intersection of the Tagus River and Atlantic Ocean. Intricate hand-painted tiles, flower-filled balconies and numerous antique stores dazzle between alfresco dining and monument hoping.

Enjoy the sounds of fado

Experience a pleasant rush of emotion in the talented guitar sounds of traditional fado. Telling stories of days gone by when lonely sailors and poor families, a sentimental fado will move you to your core and connect you with Portuguese culture.

Stroll through the historic centre of Porto

Be compelled to Portugal’s north by the city of Porto that dates back to the year 300 BC. When not busy sampling fermented grapes here in the home of port wine, peruse the elaborate bookstore of Livraria Lello and soak up art nouveau architecture and ice cream at the beloved Majestic Café.

Go inside the Church of Saint Lawrence in Algarve

A symbol of Portuguese faith and opulent Baroque design, find breathtaking delight in the Church of Saint Lawrence. Though the exterior appears as an unremarkable landmark, the interior’s intricate blue and white tiles and sparkling gold altar make it one of the essential things to do in Portugal.

Visit the religious landmarks of Fátima

Declared the altar of the world for the Catholic religion, Fátima is a pilgrimage site of great importance, where the Virgin Mary appeared in 1917. Beyond the religious structures of the Sanctuary of Fátima, find joy in the town’s limestone caves and nature reserves.

Best museums in Portugal

Portugal tours with Trafalgar unravel the best of the country’s many museums, from the masterful art of Gulbenkian to Porto’s art deco Serralves Museum.

Lisbon

Gulbenkian Museum

Step inside Lisbon’s Calouste Gulbenkian Museum and enter a world of masterful art housed in a remarkable building that brings the outdoors indoors. Admire statues framed by floor to ceiling windows with foliage-covered views before moving to the garden to contemplate the collection by a pond.

Porto

Serralves Museum

Dive into the world of contemporary masterpieces within the art deco walls of Serralves Museum. Found in a striking peach building less than 10-minutes from the heart of Porto, you will quickly understand why this is the most visited museum in the country.

Lisbon

Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga

Peel back layers of creative talent and history at Portugal’s national museum of ancient art. Allocate a few hours to strolling these well-dressed halls, found in Lisbon’s historically significant Palácio Alvor-Pombal building featuring an iconic pink and yellow facade.

Best food in Portugal

Savour every bite as we journey through Portugal’s culinary best, sampling moreish custard tarts and fresh seafood until our hearts are content. Here are just some of the Portuguese foods that will entice our trip.

Pastel de Nata

A delicious pastry tart of baked custard and cinnamon, the pastel de nata is best served fresh from the oven in its hometown of Belém. First made by Catholic Monks in the late 17th century, each bite is a taste of culture and history.

Bacalhau

A simple preparation of dried and salted codfish, bacalhau is known as a national obsession. Though there’s an accurate Portuguese saying that says there is a different variety of Bacalhau for every day of the year, the most traditional accompaniments are potato and wine.

Cataplana

Often referred to as the Portuguese paella, Cataplana is a fragrant dish featuring pork and clam or mixed seafood with a side of rice. Flavoured by piri-piri sauce, wine and garlic, it is best sampled in the Algarve straight from a copper pot.

What to pack for a tour in Portugal

Consider your environmental impact when you next take a trip and go single-use-plastic-free by packing a reusable water bottle, a steel straw, your own shopping bags and refillable toiletry bottles.

A man standing and packing suitcase next to a woman sitting on a bed

Clothing

Pack appropriate seasonal clothing; light shorts and t-shirts in summer, and warm jumpers and raincoats for the winter or if you're travelling at altitude. Remember to cover your shoulders and knees when visiting religious sites such as the Fatima sanctuary or the Hieronymites monastery in Lisbon.

Footwear

Make sure you have a comfortable pair of trainers or walking shoes for exploring cities or hiking, and a pair of flip-flops or sandals if you’re headed to the beach.

Accessories

Portugal enjoys over 3,000 hours of sunshine per year, so in the summer don’t forget sunscreen, a sun hat, sunglasses and bug spray. Whenever you’re travelling, go single-use-plastic-free and bring a reusable water bottle.

Other packing essentials

Make sure to bring some Euros for small markets and cafes that may not accept card payments. A Portuguese phrase book will come in handy, so you can try and have more meaningful interactions with locals. Portuguese sockets are type F, 230V, so pack an adaptor if you need one.