Let’s face it: travel is getting more expensive around the world. And even Portugal, often regarded as one of the cheapest places to travel in Europe, has struggled with steep hotel prices and inflation. Although prices have gone up, we don’t want you to miss out on your dream trip. Here are 12 different ways to help you save money on your trip to Portugal.

1. Don’t use Euronet.

You’re going to see them everywhere in Portugal and usually in the most convenient spots: Euronet ATM machines. Though they may be convenient, they charge high withdrawal fees and have poor exchange rates. The worst part is: Euronet ATMs won’t even tell you how much they charge for withdrawal. You will only find out after checking your bank statement. Fees can be as high as 3.95€ on a €20 withdrawal or €6.24 for taking out €50. That’s an almost 20% fee on the €20!

Euronet ATMs will also offer you a conversion rate and ask whether you want to accept the conversion. Never accept. Just click “No” and you will still be able to withdraw your Euros. They are purposely going to give you a worse exchange rate if you do.

Portuguese banks are legally not allowed to charge withdrawal fees, so we encourage you to use an ATM attached to a Portuguese bank such as Millenium or Novo Banco where you see the Visa sign. Non Euronet ATMs can also often be found in Pingo Doce or Lidl supermarkets or in metro stations.   

2. Don’t accept the conversion rate on credit card purchases.

If you’re using an international credit card to make a purchase, don’t accept the conversion rate offered. Select “no” when asked and you will always get a better conversion rate. Also, when asked, always select to be charged in Euros instead of your home currency.

3. Take Flixbus or Rede Espressos instead of driving if you’re only going to major cities.

Rather than deal with the hassle of renting a car and paying tolls on Portuguese highways, if you’re only traveling to Lisbon, Porto, Coimbra, Lagos, or Faro, we recommend taking a Flixbus or Rede Expressos Bus. Not only are bus tickets about one half to one third of the price of train tickets in Portugal, but they also have many more departure times, tend to leave on time, and do not go on strike like the national train company tends to do.

If you’re traveling in the summer, it’s more likely that you might deal with a train strike, so if you want to make sure that get to your destination in Portugal and get there at a cheaper price, we recommend the bus. Portugal is also a small country, so most bus rides won’t take more than 4 hours. We should warn you that Wi-Fi doesn’t often work on the buses and the bathrooms also can be out of order or closed on the buses, so plan accordingly. We also think it’s worth paying a few euros more to get your own row on the bus or get assigned seats.

4. Use Bolt instead of Uber.

Many American tourists do not use ride share companies. If they do, there are only familiar with Uber or Lyft (which is not used in Portugal). Bolt, a ride share company based in Estonia, has a big presence in Europe and offers cheaper prices than Uber. We recommend having both apps on your phone in Portugal and calling Bolt most of the time. When there are no drivers on Bolt, you can then check Uber and compare the prices. Uber is usually more expensive than Bolt in Portugal.

5. Go on a free walking tour of Lisbon or Porto rather than taking a tuk tuk.

When you arrive in Lisbon or Porto, you’re going to notice tuk tuks everywhere in the city centers. Tuk tuk drivers will happily charge you an hourly fee or a day fee to take you around the city. While it can be fun and some of the tuk tuks have amusing decorations, these tours are not cheap. Prices can easily get over €50 to €100 depending on the tour. Since most Bolt rides from one point to another in the city average around €6 for up to 4 people, you can do the math and see what would work better for your group.

We suggest going on a free walking tour instead, as it will give you many chances to take a break during the walk and see the city at a more leisurely pace. Of course, you do need to pay for your “free walking tour” by tipping the guide at the end. We usually give €10 to €15 euro, and the guides tend to be much more informed about the city than the tuk tuk drivers.  

6. Ask for free tap water at restaurants rather than paying for the bottled water.

With the influx of American tourists, Portugal has started to adapt to some American ways, one of which is offering free tap water. However, most restaurants will not offer this to you automatically. You need to ask for it. Before you order a bottle of water from the menu, ask if you can get free tap water by saying “copo com água por favor.” Tap water is safe to drink in Portugal.

7. Don’t tip more than a few extra coins at restaurants for most meals, and round up for fancy dinners.

This is mostly a reminder for American tourists. In Portugal, servers and restaurant staff are paid a higher wage than many staff working in the US, who depend on tips. It is not the custom in Portugal to pay big tips for meals. The general rule in Portugal is to leave just a few coins on the table or pay only a small percentage with your credit card at the end of the meal when you are happy with the service. We only tend to tip for small meals if you are very happy with service. If you go to a fancy dinner, the rule is generally to round up to the nearest euro if you are splitting the bill between a group of 4 or more. If you are tipping at a fancy place and are only two people, I would try to tip around 5%.

On your trip to Portugal, remember that you are no longer in the US. You don’t have to tip the same way. There is actually no system or guarantee that your tip will even go to the waiter or be split among the servers, so please take this into consideration.

8. Don’t buy personal items such as toothpaste or sunscreen at a pharmacy. Go to a big supermarket instead such as Colombo or Pingo Doce instead.

This is an easy mistake to make if you don’t know any better. If you arrive in Portugal without personal items such as shampoo, toothpaste, or sunscreen, you might think that a pharmacy would be the best place to buy these things in Portugal. You would be wrong, especially in terms of the price.

The best place to get these kinds of things is in a big supermarket chain such as Pingo Doce or Continente. There is usually one aisle that offers personal products. The supermarket in the basement of El Corte Inglés on Avenida António Augusto de Aguiar in Lisbon has a huge selection of these products as well.  

9. Buy the Lisboa Card or Porto Card to save on transport and museums.

Only buy this if you really want to go to a lot of museums and you don’t mind taking public transportation vs. Bolt or Uber. The Lisboa Card gives you free entrance to 51 museums and monuments of interest, while the Porto card gives you access to 6 museums and 50% discounts on 14 more. The Lisboa Card comes with free transport on all public transportation including the train to Sintra. A 24-hour card starts at €25.65 if you purchase it online. The Porto Card gives you the option to purchase the card with or without transport included.

10. Go to a local Portuguese coffee shop rather than a specialty coffee shop or international chain.

This is a sensitive topic for serious coffee drinkers. If you are picky about quality, ignore this advice and check out some of the amazing specialty coffee shops in Lisbon or Porto, by all means. However, if you want to save a bit of money and also experience the local Portuguese coffee culture, we encourage you to go to local cafes. These can often be recognized by having the “Delta” sign on their awnings or banners. The typical Portuguese way of drinking coffee is to have an espresso standing up at the counter, similar to Italian coffee style. Having an espresso in a local Portuguese shop still costs between €0.75 to €1. It’s only one shot of espresso, but that is quite affordable compared to the €2.50 to €5 you will pay for a cup of high-quality coffee you can find in a specialty shop.

11. Get to the club before midnight.

Many dance clubs in Portugal in Lisbon or Porto do not charge an entrance fee before midnight. This is not a universal rule in Portugal, but you may be able to save if you come early. Portuguese beer on tap is also quite affordable at clubs compared to other drinks, so order a Sagres or a Super Bock.  

12. Go to a Portuguese tasca to try local food, not one of the outdoor tourist traps in the center of the city. If the menu has pictures of the food, it’s generally a tourist trap.

We want you to try Portuguese food while you’re here, but you will spend a lot more if you order from a restaurant in the city center where waiters are beckoning you inside or asking you to sit a table outside and order from a menu with pictures. This is obviously a tourist trap. Walk a few streets over and walk into the restaurant yourself. If the menu isn’t in English, you’re going to save even more money and have a truly authentic experience at a fair price.

Final Thoughts

We hope that this list of tips will help you save money on your first or next trip to Portugal. In terms of food, museum tickets, and transportation, Portugal is still generally cheaper than many Western European countries. If you find any more ways to save, let us know in the comments!