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Emergency and practical
If something goes wrong
Numbers that work from any phone, where to get medicine at night, and how to read the beach before you swim.
Sources: GOV.UK travel advice, SNS 24 and GOV.UK, RTP / INEM · checked 2026-11-06
Health
Call SNS 24 before going to A&E
For anything that isn't an emergency, SNS 24 nurses assess you by phone and tell you whether to go to a health centre, an urgent-care unit or a hospital.
EHIC and GHIC
An EHIC (EU, EEA, Switzerland) or UK GHIC covers medically necessary care in the state health service (SNS), on the same terms as residents. It does not cover private clinics without a state agreement, or getting you home, so take travel insurance too. Source: GOV.UK travel advice · checked 6 Nov 2026
Pharmacies
Look for the green cross. Pharmacists in Portugal are trained to help with minor illnesses and can sell many medicines that need a prescription elsewhere. At night and on Sundays one pharmacy per area stays open on a rota, the farmácia de serviço. Its address is posted on the door of every other pharmacy and listed at farmaciasdeservico.net.
Need the words? Help and health phrases.
Beach flags: tap one
Lifeguarded beaches fly flags during the bathing season, which each municipality sets (roughly June to September). Outside it, or with no flag, there is no lifeguard. Swim parallel to the shore if a current pulls you out, and call 112. Source: Beach notice 2026 (municipal edital) · checked 6 Nov 2026
Weather warnings
IPMA, Portugal's weather service, issues warnings for heat, wind, rain, fog, rough seas and more, by district and island group. Rough-sea warnings matter for coastal walks and boat trips; heat warnings come with wildfire risk inland.
Weather warnings right now
Loading from IPMA…Yellow: be aware. Orange: dangerous weather, take care. Red: extreme, follow official advice. Official live map: ipma.pt. Civil protection: prociv.gov.pt.
Source: IPMA open data · checked 6 Nov 2026Practical basics
Plugs and power
230 V, 50 Hz. Sockets take European two-pin plugs (types C and F). UK and US plugs need an adapter; most phone and laptop chargers handle 230 V.
Source: Portugal Internet · checked 6 Nov 2026
Tap water
Mains tap water is safe to drink. In the regulator's 2025 data, 98.84% of mainland supply met every quality standard.
Source: RTP / ERSAR report · checked 6 Nov 2026Smoking
Smoking is banned in enclosed public places, on public transport and in most indoor bars and restaurants. Terraces are generally allowed.
Source: Lei 37/2007 (via RFM) · checked 6 Nov 2026 · unconfirmedLost property in Lisbon
Lisbon police lost property: Praça Cidade Salazar, lote 180, Olivais. Weekdays 9:00 to 12:30 and 14:00 to 16:00, tel. 219 021 147. Items left on Carris buses and trams go first to Santo Amaro station (tel. 213 613 000) and after 30 working days to the police.
Source: Carris lost and found · checked 6 Nov 2026Time zones
The mainland and Madeira share a time zone; the Azores are one hour behind. Clocks change on the last Sundays of March and October.
See the time now on horaportugal.comPublic holidays
On national holidays many shops and services close and transport runs a Sunday timetable. Each town also has its own holiday.
Dates on folgas.pt (in Portuguese)