Portugal consistently ranks among the most affordable countries in the Eurozone.
Given the savings that travelers will find on hotel stays and restaurant meals, it won't be too painful to make room in the budget for gratuities—not to mention a few more glasses of port.
Though tipping waiters, taxi drivers, tour guides, and bellhops is optional in Portugal, you'll want to give a little something extra in appreciation of good service. Here are some gratuity guidelines to follow in Lisbon and Porto (pictured) as well as the country’s historic small towns and laid-back beach retreats.
At Hotels
Tipping customs at Portuguese hotels are in line with the rest of Western Europe.
That means you can give bellhops €1 (US$1.14 as of this writing) for each bag carried to your room, and leave €1 per night for housekeeping staff who tidy up after you.
For hailing a cab, a doorman should get €1, too.
A concierge who secures hard-to-get dinner reservations or supplies walking directions that don't leave you lost on the winding streets of Lisbon (good luck) deserves a reward somewhere in the neighborhood of €5–10 (US$6–11).
In Taxis
Many passengers round up the fare to the nearest euro, letting the change serve as the tip. For a driver who helped with luggage or otherwise assisted you, add up to 10% of the fare.
On Tours
Around €10 (US$11) is considered a decent tip for tour guides who impressed you. Feel free to lower or increase that amount by up to €5, depending on how long the tour was and how informative and entertaining the guide was. If at any point you were serenaded with a mournful fado tune, that alone ought to be good for a banknote or two.At Restaurants, Bars, and Cafes
You don’t have to tip at inexpensive restaurants and cafes, but you can round up your bill to the nearest euro if you were happy with your server. Follow the same protocol with skilled bartenders.
Upscale restaurants sometimes automatically add a service charge that functions as a gratuity, so check your bill for references to serviço to avoid tipping twice. Otherwise, diners at fancy places usually leave up to 10% for the wait staff.
In all these cases, tip in cash rather than on your credit card to make sure that the money reaches its intended recipients.
For more help planning your trip, order a copy of Frommer's Portugal in our online store.
