Portuguese - Do's and Don'ts (2024)

FAQs

What are the do's and don'ts in Portugal? ›

Portuguese tend to dress modestly with a sense of quality and elegance. It is important to dress in a respectful manner, particularly when entering formal spaces such as a church. Casual attire (e.g. barefoot, beachwear) is inappropriate in public and can make one seem unsophisticated.

Avoid demonstrations and public protests, monitor the media and follow the advice of local authorities. Bag snatching, pickpocketing and theft from cars occur.

Portugal dining tip

Like much of Europe, many Portuguese people eat lunch around 1pm or later. Dinner isn't usually served until around 8:30pm or 9pm. Most restaurants and shops will close around 3pm for the afternoon siesta and won't reopen until 7:30pm.

While there's no obligation to tip in Portugal, it's also important to remember that when you do leave a tip, it's essential to use cash euros (the European currency), so the recipient of your tip can easily use the money without having to make a special trip to a bank (and then pay a transfer fee).

Basic Etiquette

In particular, taking photos during Mass is highly frowned upon. Remove any hat or headpiece when entering a church. Most Portuguese view people and relationships as more important than maintaining strict adherence to time.

Black, navy, grey and other darker colors will help you blend in. We're not very optimistic people. Don't do rain capes, but don't walk in the rain unprotected. Rain capes give any tourist away anywhere, but Portuguese people don't usually wear impermeable clothes.

The main thing in Portugal is to always greet a person if you are going to be speaking to them. Say “bom dia/boa tarde” upon entering a store or approaching a ticket vendor, and before speaking to anyone. Not greeting a person is seen as rude and pushy, even if you are in a rush.

Do. Wear comfortable footwear. Hilly cities with cobblestone streets like Lisbon can be difficult to navigate if you're wearing flip flops! Wear something durable that you'll comfortably explore the streets of Portugal in.

How to avoid pickpockets in Portugal? ›

Secure your bag, gadgets, and other valuables when you're out and about. Thieves want to quickly separate you from your valuables, so even a minor obstacle can be an effective deterrent. If you're sitting down to eat or rest, loop your day pack strap around your arm, leg, or chair leg.

Pay attention to your surroundings, avoid wearing or carrying expensive watches, jewellery, cameras, etc. and don't carry large sums of cash. If possible, carry only the documents, cash and belongings you will need for the day; leave all other items in a hotel safe.

Portuguese are the third latest risers on the planet, with research saying they wait until 8.10am to get out of bed. This is only beaten by Greece (8.18am) and Saudi Arabia (8.22am). On average, Portuguese head to bed at 00.47am, 25 minutes before Iranians, who are the last to go to bed, according to the research.

Do people eat dinner late in Portugal? The answer is almost always yes, as dinnertime in Portugal happens between 9pm and 10pm on average. This is later than the European average, and only rivalled by Spaniards who usually have dinner between 9:30 and 10:30pm.

Most commonly, the Portuguese will have something simple, like toast with butter, however, there are a few more bread selections to choose from. Croissant: either plain or with ham and cheese for a bit more sustenance. Toast: as mentioned, usually with butter. However, some people swap out butter for fruit jelly.

The main thing in Portugal is to always greet a person if you are going to be speaking to them. Say “bom dia/boa tarde” upon entering a store or approaching a ticket vendor, and before speaking to anyone. Not greeting a person is seen as rude and pushy, even if you are in a rush.

Yes, it's safe to walk around at night in Lisbon. You'll notice that the streets are well-lit, there are tons of restaurants and bars open late at night with people out and about, and in general, even if you hit one of those dark alleys where you have to climb 100 stairs to get to where you're going, it feels okay.