Currency in Portugal: Credit Cards & the Euro
The Euro
Portugal joined the European Monetary Union on 1 January 1999, and officially its fiscal currency is now the Euro.
If you have not yet used the Euro, get hold of a selection of notes and coins before you leave the UK and familiarise yourself with them. Make yourself an approximate personal conversion chart to help you get used to what things cost when you arrive. You'll find that after living there for a while you no longer need mentally to compare costs - you'll be aware of what things ought to cost in relation to your new environment.
Credit Cards
Standard cards are generally widely accepted, with Visa the most common. You can withdraw cash from the Multibanco cash machines. Check with your own card issuer first to see if they levy a fee for these transactions. Portugal was one of the first EU countries to use the chip and pin system, now filtering into the UK. You can use your chip and pin card in shops, restaurants and garages.
