How long is the flight from the US to Portugal?

Roughly six to seven hours non-stop from the US east coast to Lisbon, and around eleven from the west coast. Lisbon is the closest European capital to North America, and most flights are overnight, landing in the morning.

Is Portugal expensive for American travelers?

Less than most of western Europe for food, wine and transport, and comparable for good hotels. Portugal uses the euro, cards are accepted everywhere, and you rarely need cash.

Do I need to speak Portuguese?

No. English is widely spoken in Lisbon and along the coast. Inland, in the Alentejo villages, far less so — which is one practical reason guests travel with a local host there.

Is Portugal safe for American tourists?

Yes. Portugal ranks among the safest countries in the world. Ordinary city sense in central Lisbon is all that is needed.

How far in advance should we book from the US?

For May to October, four to eight weeks is comfortable; July and August weekends go first. Outside those months a week or two is usually fine. Dates and prices are live on every Signature page, so you can see availability yourself before you commit.

We land in Lisbon that morning — can we still do a day trip?

We would not recommend it on the day you land from a US east-coast red-eye. Most guests arrive, sleep, and take their first day trip the following morning. If your schedule leaves no choice, tell us the flight and we will start later and shorten the day rather than rush it.

Do we tip, and how much?

Tipping is not expected in Portugal the way it is in the US. Guests who have had a good day often leave 5 to 10 percent for their host; nobody will think anything of it if you do not.

Do we need to rent a car?

Not for these days — the vehicle and the driver-host are part of the price, and Portuguese country roads plus European parking are the two things visiting Americans most often regret taking on.

What does it cost, in dollars?

Prices are set in euros and shown per person on each Signature page. Your card is charged in euros; your bank converts at the rate on the day, so we cannot publish a fixed dollar figure without it going stale.

When is the best time of year to visit Lisbon?

April to early June and mid-September to October: warm, long days, and far fewer people than July and August. Winter is mild and green, the wine cellars are at their best, and the coast is empty — just with a shorter day and a real chance of rain.

Planning from the United States

Portugal for American travelers, explained by people who live here.

Flight times, jet lag, money, tipping, driving, the months worth flying for, and how long to stay. Everything below is what we tell American guests before they arrive — we are a licensed operator based forty minutes south of Lisbon, and we host these days ourselves.

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RNAAT nº 31/2023

Getting here is shorter than most Americans expect

Lisbon is the closest European capital to the United States. Non-stop flights run from New York, Newark, Boston, Washington, Miami, Chicago and San Francisco, and the east-coast routes are typically six to seven hours — less than a domestic flight to Hawaii from the same airports.

Almost all of them are overnight flights that land in Lisbon in the morning. That single fact shapes the first two days of every American trip to Portugal, and it is the mistake we most often help people undo.

Plan your first day badly and you lose two

Lisbon is five hours ahead of New York and eight ahead of Los Angeles. You will land somewhere between 7am and 11am having slept badly, and your hotel room will not be ready.

What works: leave the bags at the hotel, stay outdoors and on your feet, eat lunch late the way the Portuguese do, and go to bed at a normal local hour. What does not work: booking a full day trip for the morning you land. We ask guests to put their first day trip on day two, and we would rather move your booking than watch you sleep through the Arrábida coast road.

Money, tipping and what things actually cost

Portugal uses the euro. Cards are accepted almost everywhere, contactless is universal, and you rarely need more than twenty or thirty euros in cash. Your bank converts at the rate on the day, so any dollar figure published in advance would be wrong by the time you read it.

Tipping is not built into wages here the way it is in the US. Rounding up a restaurant bill or leaving five to ten percent after a good day is generous, not expected, and nobody is offended when you do not.

Portugal is noticeably cheaper than France, Italy or Spain for food and wine, and about the same for good hotels. The thing that costs money here is time — private transport, early access, a host who knows which cellar to call.

You almost certainly do not need a rental car

Portugal drives on the right, so that part is familiar. What is not familiar is the parking: historic town centres were built for carts, garages are small, and most rental cars here are manual unless you pay extra and book early.

Distances are also small. Sintra, Arrábida, the Setúbal wine country and the Atlantic beaches are all inside forty minutes of Lisbon; Évora and the Alentejo are ninety. For guests spending the week in Lisbon, private day trips cost less stress than a rental, and considerably less than a rental plus tolls plus parking plus the day you write off looking for it.

Language, safety and the practical small print

English is widely spoken in Lisbon, Cascais, Sintra and along the tourist coast, and less so in Alentejo villages — which is where a local host stops being a luxury. Portugal is consistently ranked among the safest countries in the world.

Power is 230V with the round two-pin European plug: your phone and laptop chargers are fine with an adapter, American hairdryers usually are not. Tap water is safe to drink. US phone plans mostly work here, but an eSIM is cheaper than most roaming packages.

When to come

April to early June and mid-September through October are the best windows: long warm days, swimmable sea by late spring, and a fraction of the August crowds. July and August are hot, busy and expensive, and the coast books out first.

Winter is Portugal's secret. It is mild rather than cold, the hills are green, the wine cellars are at their most welcoming, and you can have an Arrábida viewpoint entirely to yourself. You trade daylight and a guaranteed swim for space and price.

How we fit in

We are a licensed Portuguese operator based in Sesimbra, forty minutes south of Lisbon. Every day we run is private to your party: your own host, your own vehicle, pickup at your hotel door and a route that gets reshaped when the weather or your mood changes.

Some guests book one Signature day. Others hand us the whole week and we design around their hotel, their flights and what they actually enjoy. Either way you are talking to the people who will be with you on the day, not a call centre.

Real guest reviews

In the words of recent guests.

Unforgettable Arrábida wine day
“We were picked up at our hotel and our wonderful adventure began. Unforgettable local market, studio of a tile artisan, 3 lovely wineries, beautiful vistas, delicious Portuguese…”
Helga_W · via Viator
5 Star Service - Highly recommend!
“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ My mom and I had the absolute pleasure of touring Portugal with Miguel, and we couldn't have asked for a better guide! From the moment we met him, his warm personalit…”
Verified guest · via Viator
Fantastic corporate team experience!
“We booked this tour as a corporate team event while visiting Lisbon for a conference. Our group wanted something relaxed and authentic outside the city and this was perfect. The…”
Verified guest · via Viator

Read before you arrive

Lisbon and Portugal, through local eyes.

Questions we get from the US

The answers before you book the flight.

How long is the flight from the US to Portugal?: Roughly six to seven hours non-stop from the US east coast to Lisbon, and around eleven from the west coast. Lisbon is the closest European capital to North America, and most flights are overnight, landing in the morning.
Is Portugal expensive for American travelers?: Less than most of western Europe for food, wine and transport, and comparable for good hotels. Portugal uses the euro, cards are accepted everywhere, and you rarely need cash.
Do I need to speak Portuguese?: No. English is widely spoken in Lisbon and along the coast. Inland, in the Alentejo villages, far less so — which is one practical reason guests travel with a local host there.
Is Portugal safe for American tourists?: Yes. Portugal ranks among the safest countries in the world. Ordinary city sense in central Lisbon is all that is needed.
How far in advance should we book from the US?: For May to October, four to eight weeks is comfortable; July and August weekends go first. Outside those months a week or two is usually fine. Dates and prices are live on every Signature page, so you can see availability yourself before you commit.
We land in Lisbon that morning — can we still do a day trip?: We would not recommend it on the day you land from a US east-coast red-eye. Most guests arrive, sleep, and take their first day trip the following morning. If your schedule leaves no choice, tell us the flight and we will start later and shorten the day rather than rush it.
Do we tip, and how much?: Tipping is not expected in Portugal the way it is in the US. Guests who have had a good day often leave 5 to 10 percent for their host; nobody will think anything of it if you do not.
Do we need to rent a car?: Not for these days — the vehicle and the driver-host are part of the price, and Portuguese country roads plus European parking are the two things visiting Americans most often regret taking on.
What does it cost, in dollars?: Prices are set in euros and shown per person on each Signature page. Your card is charged in euros; your bank converts at the rate on the day, so we cannot publish a fixed dollar figure without it going stale.
When is the best time of year to visit Lisbon?: April to early June and mid-September to October: warm, long days, and far fewer people than July and August. Winter is mild and green, the wine cellars are at their best, and the coast is empty — just with a shorter day and a real chance of rain.

Next: how many days you need in Portugal · day trips from Lisbon compared · Lisbon wine tours · booking FAQs

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