Last updated: 2 Jul 2011

Visiting

Business hours

Banks are open from 8.30am to 3.00pm from Monday to Friday and are closed on official holidays.

Shops are open from 9.00am to 1.00pm and from 3.00pm to 7.00pm weekdays. Most shops close at 1.00pm on Saturday.

Shopping centres in larger towns are normally open on Saturdays, Sundays and other holidays from 10.00am to 11.00pm.

Public holidays

April 25 – Freedom Day
May 1 – Labour Day
Jun 3 – Corpus Christi
June 10 – Portugal Day
August 15 – Assumption
October 5 – Founding of the Republic
November 1 – All Saints’ Day
December 1 – Restoration of Independence
December 8 – Immaculate Conception

Climate

The north of Portugal has a maritime climate, cool and often wet. The southern and inland regions are more continental with a warm drier climate. Temperatures can be very high here in mid-summer. Lisbon is generally mild and sunny but rain can be expected throughout the year. Portugal is usually warm from April to October. Snow is common in the mountains in winter.

For weather details in Portugal, please visit the World Meteorological Organization.

Currency

Oanda currency converter

The official curency is the Euro (€). One Euro is made up of 100 cents.

Hotels, restaurants and stores increasingly accept international credit cards, however, Mastercard is not as widely accepted. Be aware that:

• taxis do not accept credit cards
• traveller’s cheques can be expensive to cash
• automatic bank machines dispense cash on Visa and Mastercard

Time zones and time differences

Portugal is nine hours behind Australian Eastern Standard Time and 11 hours during daylight saving.

To find out the current time in Lisbon, view the World Clock.

Dialling codes

Portugal's country code is 351.

For calls to Portugal from Australia dial: 0011 + 351 + area code + telephone number.

For calls from Portugal to Australia dial: 00 + 61 + area code + telephone number.

For further information (eg. area codes) please visit the White Pages - international dialling codes.

Electricity and water

Portugal’s power supply is 240 volts, 50Hz 1, 3 phases, 2, 3, 4 wires. The standard European two-pin plugs are the most common.

Links and resources

Travel and tourism

Portugal Official Tourism Website – www.visitportugal.com
Portugal – www.portugal-live.net

Please note: this list of websites and resources is not definitive. Inclusion in this list does not imply endorsement by Austrade. The information provided is a guide only.

Top Business Risks

• Bribery of Foreign Officials
• Tariffs and regulations
• Doing business in Portugal

OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises

Multinational Enterprises should be aware of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises that provide voluntary principles and standards for responsible business behaviour in a variety of areas, consistent with applicable domestic laws. These Guidelines are endorsed and promoted by the Australian Government. For more information, go to the AusNCP website.

Bilateral agreements

Australia has social security agreements with several countries that address the issue of 'double super coverage' for employees sent to work overseas. To take advantage of these agreements, Australian employers sending employees overseas to work must apply to the Tax Office for a Certificate of coverage.

For more details, please visit the Australian Taxation Office website.