Portugal

For years, Portugal stood in Spain's shadow for me. I saw the country as its little sister and thought the siblings were all too similar. Wrongly, as it turned out! Because Portugal has a beautiful face of its own: the language is not only different, it also sounds different. The coasts are much more striking and the Portuguese houses more stylish. The country's fashion industry carries that same sense of style. Portugal also has its own food and wine culture, led by port wine and pastel de nata. But see Portugal's charm for yourself.

Destinations in Portugal:

Overview

Capital

Portugal's capital is Lisbon.

Language

The national language is Portuguese, although some people speak and understand English, especially in the tourist regions.

Currency

In Portugal, payments are made in euros.

Entry & Visas

Portugal is a member of the EU, which is why EU citizens do not require a visa. In addition, there are generally no border controls within the EU. You only need to carry your identity card with you.

Time

There are two time zones in Portugal. Greenwich Mean Time (UTC+0) applies on the mainland and Madeira, while Azores Standard Time (UTC-1) applies in the Azores.

Credit card & ATMs

There are ATMs everywhere in the cities. We were also able to pay by card everywhere. In more rural areas, however, you should always have enough cash with you as a precaution.

Best time to visit

It depends on what you have in mind. If you want to go to the beach, May to September are ideal. You can go on a city trip all year round. If you want to see the waves of Nazaré, you should arrive between November and February.

Driving

A national driving license is sufficient for EU citizens. The road network is well developed and the roads are in good condition. Traffic signs and rules are generally uniform throughout Europe.

The speed limits are 100 to 120 km/h on expressways and freeways, 90 to 100 km/h outside built-up areas and 50 km/h within built-up areas. The blood alcohol limit is 0.5 per mille.

You can find more information here.

Phone

If you have a phone contract from the EU or the Schengen area, you do not pay any roaming charges. You can use your phone at the same rate as at home.

Through Portugal in a van

We traveled through Portugal in our van, just like probably hundreds of others. You've most likely seen that all over Instagram, YouTube, and the like. Portugal is one of the favorite destinations for van lifers who set up camp at the most beautiful, untouched spots.

However, this might give the impression that wild camping in Portugal is allowed. That's not the case though! In fact, wild camping in Portugal has never been legal, but was tolerated for a long time. In 2021, a new, stricter road traffic act came into effect. Since then, the rules are as follows: With an approved motorhome or campervan, you're allowed to spend up to 48 hours in one spot overnight – as long as no visible camping behavior is on display (meaning no awning, no table, no grill outside). In nature reserves, Natura 2000 zones, and coastal protection areas, however, free camping is completely prohibited, and fines can reach up to €600. The Algarve in particular is heavily patrolled.

Luckily, there are some great alternatives! There are designated camper pitches (known as ASA spots) that are usually free or very affordable. Some of them are even right on the beach! Camping on private property is also permitted – and honestly, that's where the real highlight is for us: pitches on vineyards, wine tour included. We actually got to spend some incredible nights in the Douro Valley that way.

I've marked all of our camping spots in my Google Maps list for our road trip. You can find the list here. I'd also recommend the Park4Night app for finding spots!