Go.
Portugal’s safety score rose to 86 today, and all major government advisories remain at the lowest level of 1. Watch for the global measles notice while you travel.
Governments, one trip
What they're telling their own citizens about Portugal
The real score
The breakdown
See it from your perspective
Go.
The general Sketch Score, unweighted for any specific traveler.
Don't fall for it
Scams to know
Pickpocketing in tourist areas
Pickpockets target tourist-frequented areas, including metro stations, rail hubs, and crowded buses. Use a money belt or keep valuables in an inside pocket to protect your belongings.
Staying healthy
What to watch out for, health-wise
Active notices
- • Global Measles
Vaccines
Recommended:
From people who've been there
Local know-how
Staying safe
- •The emergency telephone number for police, fire, and medical assistance is 112.
- •Portugal is a relatively safe country to visit, but some basic common sense will go a long way.
- •There are three main police branches.
- •Both the PSP and GNR are also responsible for road policing within their territorial jurisdictions.
- •When visiting Portugal, there are however, some areas of Lisbon and Porto that you might want to avoid, like in any big city, especially at night.
Staying healthy
- •Portugal adheres to all international protocols and guidelines concerning consumer products and health care.
- •Major cities are well served with medical and emergency facilities and public hospitals are at European standards.
- •Many municipalities have pharmacies that take turns being open late or even 24 hours. These can be found online.
- •Portugal's water sources are perfectly safe, but some people may prefer bottled/spring water (água mineral).
- •Citizens of the European Union are covered by Portugal's National Healthcare System as long as they carry the free European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), obtainable from their own national health care authority.
Adapted from Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA — edited by travelers, not us.
Real talk
What travelers actually say
Travelers consistently describe Portugal as a safe, comfortable, and beautiful destination. While visitors often arrive with high-anxiety habits developed from traveling in other parts of Europe—such as tethering phones to belts or hiding passports in crossbody packs under shirts—the consensus is that these extreme security measures are unnecessary in the country. There are no specific reports of violent crime, organized scams, or dangerous areas mentioned by travelers. The country is viewed as a stable and secure environment for those accustomed to traveling in comfort, standing in stark contrast to destinations where safety concerns are more prevalent.
“Portugal is safe and beautiful and comfortable in comparison.
— r/travel
“Until now, I’ve only travelled to very safe countries and have travelled in comfort which is why I am a bit hesitant but Mexico seems fun.
— r/travel
“When I visited Italy and France a few years ago I kept my wallet and passport in a crossbody Fanny pack under my shirt to prevent them being stolen or lost. I also tethered my phone to my belt buckle with a retractable leash. Are these measures recommended in Portugal?
— r/travel
Pack this, know this
The little things that trip people up
Plug & voltage
C / E / F · 230V
Driving side
right
Emergency
police: 112 / ambulance: 112 / fire: 112
Zoom in
4 Portugal cities on SKETCH.WORLD
Real, resident-submitted Numbeo crime data at the city level — the same national picture above, with crime swapped for what people who actually live there report.
Show the receipts (11 sources)
- us-state — observed 2026-07-12
- uk-fcdo — observed 2026-07-12
- ca-gac — observed 2026-07-12
- worldbank-political — observed 2026-07-12
- worldbank-policeTrust — observed 2026-07-12
- cdc-health — observed 2026-07-12
- wikivoyage — observed 2026-07-12
- reddit — observed 2026-07-12
- unodc — observed 2026-07-12
- acled-hdx — observed 2026-07-12
- lgbtq-legal-wikipedia — observed 2026-07-12