Lisbon

Currency

Euro country. Cards accepted widely. Avoid exchange booths in Rossio square.

ATMs & cards

Multibanco ATMs (blue and green) are everywhere and free for EU cards. Best option for withdrawals.

Multibanco is the national network and is normally fee-free on its side. If a machine is not Multibanco, walk on.

Wherever you are: if the machine offers to charge you in your home currency, decline. That is dynamic currency conversion and the rate is set by the ATM's operator, not your bank.

Safety

Very safe city. Normal precautions on tram 28 and in Rossio square where pickpockets operate.

Our own assessment, not a sourced index.

Entry & visa

Health & emergencies

Required to enter

No vaccinations are required for entry from Europe or North America.

Worth having

• Routine vaccinations up to date

Getting treated

EU/EEA and Swiss visitors are treated on the same terms as residents with an EHIC or GHIC card; UK visitors use a GHIC. Everyone else pays, and travel insurance is worth having for the repatriation cover rather than the treatment.

Orientation, not medical advice. Entry rules change and what you need depends on your own history and where you have been — check with a travel clinic or your national health service four to six weeks before you go.

Food tip

Eat pastéis de nata at Manteigaria (not just Pastéis de Belém). Try bacalhau (cod) in any local tasca.

Getting around

• Metro — 4 lines, clean and cheap, Viva Viagem rechargeable card
• Tram 28 — iconic route through Alfama (but very crowded; take the 12E instead)
• Walking — hilly but rewarding, wear comfortable shoes
• Uber/Bolt — very cheap compared to Western Europe
• Airport: metro red line to center (20 min, €1.50)

Must-see

Things to do

• Ride Tram 28 through Alfama
• Eat pasteis de nata at Manteigaria
• Watch sunset from Miradouro da Graca
• Explore LX Factory
• Visit Belem Tower and Jeronimos Monastery
• Bar hop in Bairro Alto

Nearby day trips

Say a few words

Portuguese

• HelloOláo-LA
• PleasePor favorpor fa-VOR
• Thank youObrigado / Obrigadao-bree-GA-doo / -da
• Yes / NoSim / Nãoseeng / nowng
• Excuse meDesculpedesh-KOOL-puh
• How much is it?Quanto custa?KWAN-too KOOSH-ta
• The bill, pleaseA conta, por favora KON-ta
• Cheers!Saúde!sa-OO-duh

Thank you changes with your own gender, not the listener’s: men say obrigado, women obrigada.

Religion

Catholic

Catholicism runs deep culturally, particularly outside Lisbon. Fátima is one of the largest pilgrimage sites in Europe.

Do's and don'ts

Do

• Say bom dia and obrigado — the effort is noticed and warmly received
• Expect couvert: the bread and olives brought unasked are chargeable, and you may decline them
• Eat dinner around 20:00, earlier than Spain
• Try the coffee standing at the counter, the way locals take it

Don't

• Do not call Portuguese a dialect of Spanish, or speak Spanish expecting it to pass
• Do not be loud in restaurants; the register is quieter than in Spain
• Do not tip more than 5-10%, and only for good service
• Do not confuse fado with background music — audiences listen in silence