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Planning a Portugal trip? Start here.
The questions our groups answer every single day, answered once, in one place. Ten minutes on this page will save you hours of scrolling.
Step 1
Pick where to go
First trip of about a week? Most of our members do Lisbon (with a day in Sintra) and Porto (with a day in the Douro Valley), three hours apart by train. With 10 days or more, add the Algarve for beaches.
Step 2
The questions everyone asks
Short answers first. Tap through for the full guide.
How do I get from Lisbon airport into the city?
Travelling light? The metro (red line) costs under €3. With bags or kids, Uber or Bolt usually costs €10–20 (pick-up is in the P2 car park, not outside arrivals). Taxis in the new scheme charge fixed fares of about €16–23 from 15 October 2026, luggage included.
And from Porto or Faro airport?
Porto: the metro (violet line E) takes about 30 minutes and costs under €3; Uber, Bolt or a taxi is roughly €20–30. Faro: for the resorts, most families pre-book a transfer or hire a car. Uber and Bolt are good value for short hops.
Uber, Bolt or taxi?
Put both Uber and Bolt on your phone and compare prices for every trip. One is often noticeably cheaper than the other at that moment. Keep taxis for when the apps are surging, or for ranks with a long line of cars.
Do I need to book Sintra in advance?
Yes, for the two big ones. Pena Palace and Quinta da Regaleira (€20 each) run on timed entry, so book online before you go, on the official websites. The Moorish Castle, Monserrate and the National Palace can be bought on the day.
How many days do I need?
Seven to ten days is ideal for a first trip: Lisbon, Sintra and Porto, plus either the Douro Valley or the Algarve. With five days, stick to Lisbon and Sintra, or Lisbon and Porto. With two weeks, add the Algarve, the Alentejo or Madeira.
When is the best time to go?
May, June and September: warm, sunny and less crowded. July and August are best for guaranteed beach weather but hot, busy and pricier. Winter is mild, quiet and cheap, perfect for city breaks.
Hiring a car? What about tolls?
Add the rental company’s electronic toll device (usually Via Verde) when you pick up the car. Some motorways have no booths at all, just cameras, and unpaid tolls can come back to you weeks later with fees. Book early if you need an automatic.
Will my phone work?
On an EU plan, roaming in Portugal costs nothing extra. Everyone else (UK, US, Canada, Australia, Brazil and beyond): buy a travel eSIM before you fly and switch it on when you land, so maps and apps work at the airport.
Cash or card? Do I tip?
Cards work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for small cafés and markets. Use bank (Multibanco) ATMs, and always choose to pay in euros. The bread and olives put on your table aren’t free if you eat them. In restaurants, 5–10% is a kind tip for good service.
What do I need to enter Portugal?
Visa-free visitors (UK, US, Canada, Australia and others) need a passport valid 3 months past your departure date and issued in the last 10 years. Your fingerprints and photo are registered at the border (the EU’s EES). ETIAS hasn’t started and isn’t expected before 2027.
Is Portugal safe?
Yes, very. Watch your bags on tram 28, at viewpoints and in busy areas like Baixa and the Ribeira, and ignore people offering “hashish” in Lisbon. The biggest real dangers are the sea and the cliffs. The emergency number is 112.
What’s the tourist tax?
Lisbon and Cascais charge €4 per person per night, Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia €3, Sintra €2 and most other places €1 to €2. You normally pay it at your hotel, on top of the room price.
Step 3
What’s changed (and what older guides get wrong)
- Lisbon’s famous lifts are closed. The Santa Justa lift and the Glória, Bica and Lavra funiculars have been out of service since the September 2025 accident. The Graça funicular is running again. Trams and lifts
- Lisbon airport taxis have fixed fares from 15 October 2026, if the taxi has joined the new scheme. Airport guide
- Benagil cave: no swimming to it and no landing on its beach. Go with a licensed boat or a guided kayak or paddleboard tour. Benagil guide
- Timed tickets at Pena Palace and Belém Tower. Book ahead in busy months. Belém Tower
- No trains to Óbidos since January. Take the express bus from Lisbon’s Campo Grande instead. Óbidos guide
- New border checks for non-EU visitors (EES fingerprints and photo). It’s free, so ignore any website charging for it. Entry rules
Step 4
Sort the big stuff
Where to stay
The right area makes the trip. Our area-by-area guides tell you where our members are happiest.
Local guides our members trust
Tuk tuk drivers in Lisbon, jeep tours in Sintra, private tours from Porto into the Douro Valley, and more. Contact them directly.
Your trip checklist
Documents, what to book early, airport transfers, data, money, car hire and tolls: one list to tick off before you fly.
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Portugal Travel Tips
Our biggest group. Ask anything about travelling anywhere in Portugal: itineraries, transport, where to stay and what to skip.
Join the group →Lisbon Travel Tips
Everything Lisbon: neighbourhoods, trams, day trips to Sintra and Cascais, food, fado and getting in from the airport.
Join the group →Porto Travel Tips
Porto and the north: Ribeira, port cellars, the Douro Valley, and day trips up to Braga and Guimaraes.
Join the group →