The Euro has been the official currency of Portugal since 1999 (cash payments since 2002). This means that all financial transactions are made in Euro. Naturally, you will not accept dollars or any other currency anywhere here. But if you, nevertheless, came here with dollars, then you can easily change them at any exchange office in the city center. It will be more difficult with rubles or hryvnias, but such exchangers can also be found.
Until 2002, the Portuguese escudo (escudo) was in circulation in Portugal. Portugal is among the first countries to adopt the euro as the main currency.
Where to change money in Lisbon
The exchange office is called in Portuguese agência de câmbios, find the exchange office closest to you in Lisbon using the link.
Cash in Portugal (in Lisbon)
When preparing for a trip to Portugal, it is better to make sure in advance that you have banknotes of a small denomination, ideally not older than 20 €. Here it is not customary to pay with large bills, and even 50 € you may be refused to accept, say, in a small coffee shop or a small private store. There is no need to swear with anyone about this, they will not understand you anyway. The Portuguese are not used to large bills, and they really may not have change. We don’t talk about €100, €200 or €500 banknotes at all. If you can still accept a hundred in some large store or restaurant with a big bill, then forget about €200 and €500 bills. In many shops where there are a lot of tourists, there may even be warnings at the checkouts that 200€ and 500€ banknotes are not accepted.
Credit cards in Lisbon
Of course, the most convenient way to pay when traveling is with bank cards (credit or debit). But in Portugal, an unprepared tourist may encounter a little difficulty. In Portugal, all issued cards belong to the Multibanco system (Multibank), and in some places your international card may not be accepted.
Let's explain: Multibank is a common network that combines 27 banks that use a single system for processing money transactions. Thus, cash withdrawal for Multibank cardholders at any of the ATMs in the country is free of charge.
All major stores accept credit cards issued in other countries. But if this is a small coffee shop not in the city center, then most likely it will not work to pay there with a foreign card. And even if you see a terminal at the checkout, it may not accept international cards. Many small businesses do not install terminals for accepting cards other than Multibank, as they will have to pay an increased commission on each transaction.
If you want to pay with a card for purchases, but do not know if cards are accepted here (and there may still be Visa and MasterCard stickers at the checkout), then show your card and say that it is a Visa card. A visa here is any credit card that does not belong to the Multibank system, even if in fact it is a MasterCard card.
They may accept the card from you or say that only local cards “só Multibanco” (“with Multibank” - only Multibanco) are accepted here.
ATMs in Lisbon
Everything is simple here. If you are traveling with a bank card (credit or debit), you can withdraw money from any ATM (maximum 200€ per transaction and 400€ per day). It is not necessary to look for any particular bank. Thanks to the unified Multibank system, the commission for cash withdrawal at any ATM will be the same and will only depend on your bank. All ATMs have the same interface and menu in English.
Portugal has been part of the EU since 2002. The European Union has a common currency for all states - the euro. Therefore, today the current Portuguese currency is similar to all other European countries. Earlier in the Portuguese territories, escudos were in circulation. This currency was in use until the change of all other money to the euro.
History of currency in Portugal
Only 1 escudo once consisted of 1000 reais. After the Portuguese Revolution in 1911, the change of money was officially recognized. Escudo, as the new Portuguese currency, has experienced several inflations and denomination changes. So, after a sharp drop in the exchange rate, coins of 0.50 and 0.25 escudos were removed from circulation.
Today, the escudo still exists in circulation. Currency preserved in Cape Verde.
Since the escudo did not fit into the plan for Portugal's entry into the European Union, since 1999 such money began to be gradually changed to the euro.
Euro and euro cents in Portugal
Euros are represented in Portugal in the following denominations:
- And 100 euros.
There are also banknotes of 200 and 500 euros. Coins in Portugal have a denomination of 1 euro cent to 2 euros. Since all EU money is the same on the front side, countries have the opportunity to decorate only the inside of the coins.
Euro cents of Portugal are decorated with an inscription with the name of the country, as well as an engraving of ancient castles.
Reals, escudos and centavos are no longer accepted for exchange, but all other valid currencies can be easily exchanged throughout Portugal.
Features of monetary circulation
A foreign tourist can find a favorable exchange rate even at the airport. It is also beneficial to change your native currency to the euro in the state banks of Portugal. Any tourist can bring into the country no more than 10,000 euros at a time without a declaration.
When exchanging money in Portugal, it is advised to pay attention to the commission charged by the intermediary. It is believed that the lowest fee for changing money is taken in the exchange offices of each Portuguese airport.
In Portugal, cards are accepted everywhere. Thanks to the financial reform of the European Union, the Portuguese can finally say with confidence that their economy has emerged from a protracted crisis and has gained long-awaited stability. Sometimes in Portuguese stores you can find the option of paying in dollars, but this option is very rare and is not in demand.
Portugal - how much money to take on vacation and how much it cost me a trip to Portugal for a week in October 2017.
Portugal is a very pleasant country for inexpensive travel. Here, food prices are low, housing is on average cheaper than in other European countries. In addition, Portugal has free beaches, natural beauty and stunning ocean views.
All calculations are given per person at the average rate of 1 euro = 70 rubles.
Flight tickets to Portugal
The first step was to plan the route and buy air tickets Cologne-Port and Lisbon-Hamburg a / k Ryanair.
Today you can fly to Cologne from Russia very cheaply using the services of a / c Pobeda. Just be sure to read the rules of the airlines in order to avoid unpleasant situations and unnecessary expenses - low-cost airlines have everything strictly with this.
My plan was to move from Porto to Lisbon. I compared all the options and prices and came to the conclusion that the best way to get from Porto to Lisbon is to buy train tickets in advance.
Look for a detailed price comparison and instructions for buying cheap tickets from Lisbon to Porto.
- train ticket Porto-Lisbon: 9.5€.
How much money to take for travel in public transport
In both Porto and Lisbon, to pay for public transport, you need to buy a travel card (0.5-0.6 €), and you can already throw money on it or buy travel tickets.
- travel to Porto: 2.55 € (card + trip from the airport) + 4.15 € (travel for 24 hours) = 6.7 €;
- travel in Lisbon: 5.5€ (card+1 metro ride+Cascais round trip) + 5€ (1 metro ride+Sintra round trip) + 6.15€ (24h pass) = 16.65€.
Intercity travel (from Porto to Lisbon): 9.5€ (665₽).
Public transport (Porto + Lisbon): €23.35 (1635₽).
How much money do you need for housing in Portugal
As I have already noted, a lot of money is not required for housing in Portugal. It all depends, of course, on personal preferences and the required level of comfort, but on average housing prices here are quite pleasant.
- in Porto, a room on Airbnb near the center using the bonus, 3 nights: 2410₽
- in Lisbon, a bed in a 3-bed female room with breakfast at City Hostel Lisbon, 4 nights (1000₽ discount on booking.com): 4100₽
- You can find the best price for housing in Lisbon
Can return 1000 rubles by booking accommodation on Booking using my link.
This city has a huge number, it's just nice to walk around it. Therefore, I personally see no point in buying a tourist card in Porto.
- boat trip: 10€;
- Serralves Museum and Park: 10€.
Entertainment in Porto = 20€ (1400₽).
If you plan to visit really many museums and similar institutions in Lisbon, it is better to purchase a Lisboa card tourist card. I advise you to familiarize yourself with my selection in advance, there you will also find a calculation of how profitable it is to buy a Lisboa card.
- park in Sintra: 6€.
Entertainment in Lisbon = 6€ (420₽).
Total money for entertainment in Portugal (Porto + Lisbon): 26€ (1820₽).
To be honest, I'm a little shocked. 🙂 After all, before writing the article, I didn’t even think that I had to pay so rarely for entrance tickets in Portugal. At the same time, I didn’t get bored and was always on the move!
How much money do you need for food in Portugal
With food in Portugal, I had no problems at all! Cheap and delicious.
I deliberately did not begin to write with a general figure, but painted what the sums were made of. Smaller numbers are trips to the supermarket, more - to restaurants.
- food in Porto: 5€ + 0.22€ + 4.14€ + 1.5€ +1.9€ + 8€ + 4.5€ + 1.52€ = 26.78€
- food in Lisbon: 1.96€ + 7.2€ + 1.94€ + 11€ + 1.54€ + 11.15€ + 13€ + 6.91€ = 54.7€
Food costs in Portugal per week: 81.48€ (5700₽).
A trip to Portugal for a week cost me 21770₽
So how much money to take to Portugal? For 7 days in Portugal, I spent about 142€ (9940), another 93€ (6510₽) for housing, and the cost of plane tickets from Europe and back was 76€ (5320₽).
A trip to Portugal for a week cost me 21770₽ on a turnkey basis (including accommodation and air tickets)! And, believe me, there are much more impressions from such a trip than from reclining on the territory of a hotel in Turkey or Thailand.
Thus, the cost of being in Portugal for one person was approximately 2350 rubles per day (including accommodation). Naturally, the more people travel, the lower the average cost per day will be due to lower housing costs.
- the search engine will select and compare all possible options for moving between cities.
Speaking of Omio (GoEuro). Now they can get bonus 10 euro for the first booking - you need to register on the site, in your personal account in the "Referral Bonus" section, enter the promotional code tatiag5q5f3w
I hope now you have an idea of how much money you need in Portugal and what the price level is in Lisbon and Porto. If the article was of interest to you, please share it with your friends on social networks using the button below.
Bright travel!
The currency of Portugal is the euro.
Approximate prices in Portugal
- Dinner for two with wine: 30 € (1350 RUB)
- Hearty lunch in a restaurant: 15 € (680 rubles)
- Fast food: 6 € (270 rubles)
- Bottle of wine: from 1.5 € (50 rubles)
- Bottle of Coca-Cola: 1 € (45 rubles)
- A pack of cigarettes: from 4 € (180 rubles)
Bank cards in Portugal
ATMs in Portugal are very common. They are called multibanco and are found on the streets, in shops and banks. They work around the clock. Cards are accepted in almost any store, restaurant, you can use them to buy a ticket.
It is safest to withdraw money from ATMs,
that are inside the banks.
How much money to take to Portugal
Holidays in Portugal are cheaper than in many other European countries. Food and lodging are especially beneficial. You can also save money by using public transport and cooking yourself. The travel budget must include at least 50 € per day for one person, but you must have a reserve for unforeseen expenses.
What money to take to Portugal
You can only pay in Euros in Portugal. It is most convenient to use a plastic card with which you can withdraw cash at any ATM. It is better to exchange a small amount for the first expenses in advance.
Banks in Portugal
It is more profitable to change money at the airport. Banks in Portugal are open 08:30-15:00 without a break, and on the eve of the holidays they close even earlier, around 12:00.
Tipping in Portugal
In Portugal, tips are not required - as a rule, they are included in the bill. If you want to thank the waiter, you can round up the bill amount.
Portugal - is one of the first countries to adopt the currency - the Euro, but earlier the main monetary currency was the escudo. Escudo translated from Portuguese means: a shield or coat of arms, which was the main element of the coins that bore this name. Officially, on January 1, 2002, Portugal adopted the euro currency. Before the introduction of the euro currency, coins in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 escudos, as well as banknotes in denominations of 500, 1000, 2000, 5000 and 10000 escudos, were in circulation.
History of the conduct of the Escudo currency
Escudo was introduced in 1911 on May 22, after the revolution, replacing the Portuguese real at the rate of 1000 reais = 1 escudo. The original value of one pound sterling was equal to 4.5 escudos, but in 1914, the escudo exchange rate began to decline sharply. Over the years, there was a sharp drop in the currency, which led to inflation, and subsequently in 1990, coins with a non-integer denomination (0.50 and 2.50) were removed from circulation. To date, Cape Verdean escudos have remained in circulation. At the time of Portugal's accession to the Eurozone, the exchange rate was: 200.482 escudos to 1 €.
What currency to take to Portugal
The answer to this question is obvious, it is best to take euros with you. But you can take any other foreign currency, as you can always exchange it directly in the country.
Currency exchange in Portugal
If you decide to visit Portugal for the first time and you need to exchange your currency, then you should do it at a favorable rate. You can exchange your currency upon arrival immediately at the airport, because today the currency exchange office at the airport offers the most favorable exchange rate and one of the lowest commission fees, unlike Portuguese banks. But in some Lisbon banks, when exchanging more than 30 euros, there is no commission fee at all. Although in many establishments it is possible to pay in dollars. In Portugal, as in all of Europe, credit card payments are accepted.
- Visa;
- American Express;
- mastercard.
Importing currency to Portugal
Persons who enter the customs area of the European Union, over 18 years of age, are allowed to import significantly more products than those who do not fall under this category. This applies to alcohol, tobacco, tea, coffee and personal use goods. With regard to currency, the amount of 10,000.00 euros must be declared in writing.
