Here you will find practical information in connection with trips to Portugal

• Language: Portuguese
• Capital: Lisbon
• Population: 11 mill.
• Religion: Roman Catholic Church
• Currency: Euro
• Surface: 91,831 km2

Worth knowing

Time difference

Portugal is one hour behind Sweden, ie. the clock should be set back one hour when you land in Portugal.

Transport in Portugal

The buses we use in Portugal are of a good standard. Of course, all buses have air conditioning.

Price level

Prices in Portugal are slightly lower than in Sweden. It is possible to get a good meal at a very reasonable price, but you will of course find all price ranges. For half board and other included meals, drinks are usually not included in the price of the trip.

Tip

It is customary to tip at restaurants and hotels in Portugal. Normally you round up a little. If you have been satisfied, it is appropriate to add 1-2 euros per person.

For cruises, other rules apply, see the special program for your trip.

Currency and credit cards

The currency in Portugal is Euro (EUR). 1 EUR = approximately 10.75 SEK (May 2019). You can switch both from home and in Portugal.

Visa, MasterCard, Diners and American Express can be used as debit cards almost anywhere in Portugal. In the larger cities, there are ATMs where you can withdraw cash. Credit cards are not quite as common in Portugal as they are in Scandinavia. Even if stores or restaurants state that they take credit cards, it is not always certain that they will accept it if the purchase price is less than a certain amount. This is because in Portugal you pay a high fee to receive foreign credit cards.

Electricity

In Portugal, 220 volts applies, just like in Sweden. Normally you can use the same contacts as in Sweden.

Telephone and internet

According to Allcitycodes, Portugal’s international country code is +351. It can be expensive to call home from Portugal and use your mobile phone’s internet connection. Feel free to check with your own mobile operator about coverage and prices, call costs to and from Portugal and the use of data traffic.

Most major cities have internet cafes, and most hotels offer internet for a fee. You can not count on hotels always having the same well-functioning internet connection as in Sweden. In many places you are five years behind in terms of speed and connection. It does not prevent you from writing emails, reading the newspaper and the like, but it can be a little trickier to stream movies, for example.

Customs and traditions

When visiting museums or churches, keep your arms and legs covered to show respect.

Smoking

During flight and transport, there is of course an absolute ban on smoking. As in Sweden, it is forbidden to smoke indoors in all public places. You are welcome to smoke in restaurants and the like if there are specially set up smoking rooms or if the restaurant states that smoking is allowed.

Accessibility

The cities of Portugal often have narrow, cobbled sidewalks, which can be difficult for those who walk poorly.

Climate and weather Portugal

Here you can read about the climate and weather in Portugal – see, among other things, temperatures for Lisbon and Porto.

	JAN	FEB	MAR	APR	MAY	JUN	CHRISTMAS	AUG	SEP	OCT	NOV	DEC
Lisbon
Daytime temperature	15	16	18	19	22	25	27	28	26	22	18	15
Night temperature	8	9	10	11	13	16	17	18	17	15	11	9
Precipitation (mm)	110	111	69	64	39	21	5	6	26	80	114	108
Postage
Daytime temperature	14	14	16	18	20	23	25	25	24	21	17	14
Night temperature	5	6	7	8	11	14	15	15	14	11	8	6
Precipitation (mm)	171	169	112	112	89	53	16	22	64	131	152	176
Ponte Delgada, Azores
Daytime temperature	17	17	17	18	20	22	24	26	25	22	20	18
Night temperature	12	11	12	12	13	15	17	18	18	16	14	13
Precipitation (mm)	133	107	100	72	53	37	30	38	86	113	131	127

Portugal has a Mediterranean climate and is one of the warmest countries in Europe. In the Azores and Algarve, the climate varies from subtropical to tropical, while the mountainous areas in the north have snow. The average annual temperature is between 13 ºC and 18 ºC south. During the months of July and August, temperatures are high, and can rise up to 40 ºC inland and 45 ºC in the south. The weather during autumn and winter is often rainy and windy.