Time Difference
Continental Portugal and Madeira align with GMT, while the Azores trail an hour behind on AZOT (Azores Time).
Money in Portugal
The majority of major shops, restaurants and bars accept credit cards and contactless payments. ATMs are located across the country if you do want to get cash out. It may be wise to do so if you plan on visiting markets and smaller shops.. Note that banks operate from 9:00 to 15:00 on weekdays.
Electricity
220 volts. Portugal uses European plug sockets so make sure to pack an adapter.
Local Amenities
Shops generally operate from 09:00 to 13:00 and 15:00 to 19:00 on weekdays, and from 9:00 to 13:00 on Saturdays. Museums tend to close on Mondays and public holidays, while shopping centres and malls often stay open until late.
Media
Television takes centre stage in Portugal, complemented by numerous local print publications and radio stations (over 300 to be precise). Keep an eye out for The Portugal News, a weekly English newspaper available in newsagents and in airport lounges.
Post
Post offices follow a schedule from 08:00 to 18:00, with red mailboxes for standard post and blue ones for express deliveries. Post from Portugal to the UK takes, on average, 3 to 5 working days.
Phone
Dialing Portugal from the UK requires adding 00 351 before the number, omitting the first zero. Conversely, to call the UK from Portugal, dial 00 44, again excluding the first zero.
Internet
Portugal boasts a reliable mobile coverage across the majority of the country. Free WiFi is also available at many shops, restaurants and cafes.
Currency
EUR
