Climate

September is one of the most desirable months to enjoy Portugal. Most people are back at work and the beaches are lovely and uncrowded and we won't have to deal with the summer traffic. The Atlantic waters are at their warmest. It's also the grape harvest season — the perfect time to visit wineries.

Cascais' average daily high temperature in September is 80°F/27°C. In Madeira, average highs of 77°F/25°C is expected.

Currency

Euro. No other money is accepted. You can exchange your money in banks, money exchangers, or at the airport. ATMs can be found almost anywhere.

Entry Requirements

A passport valid for three months beyond the length of stay and issued within the past 10 years is required by all U.S. and Canadian citizens visiting Portugal.

Note: We suggest packing additional photocopies of the photo and personal information pages of your passport and keeping them in a separate location from where you keep your passport or other documents.

Medical Information:

Good medical care is available. U.S. medical insurance is not always valid outside the United States; however, please check with your own insurance company to confirm whether your policy applies overseas and provides adequate coverage. If you need a doctor, your hotel can recommend one, or you can contact your embassy or consulate.

Electrical

Power supply: 220-240 Volts. If taking laptops, camera chargers, and other electrical equipment to Portugal, check the electrical specs label on your equipment. If the appliance can use 220-240V power, the label will say something like “Input: 100-240V”. This means that the appliance will work in both the US (which takes 110V) and Portugal and most other countries, which use 220-240V.

If your appliance doesn't show compatibility with 240V, then you'll need to buy a voltage converter. Electrical sockets in Portugal are one of two European standard electrical socket types: the "Type C" Europlug, and the "Type E" and "Type F" Schuko sockets. If your appliance's plug doesn't match the shape of these sockets, you will need a travel plug adapter.

Time Zone:

Portugal is inn Western European Time Zone, 5 hours ahead of the US Eastern Standard Time Zone. During our visit, Portugal will be on European Summer Time (like Daylight Savings Time in the USA, 1 hour ahead of Standard Time) which ends on the last Sunday in October.