Broadly safe for most visitors, with only routine travel precautions needed. Public health and infrastructure are well developed.
Regional breakdown
Lisbon draws the bulk of reported incidents. Pickpocketing is common on the 28 tram, around Rossio and Baixa, and at Santa Apolónia station. The downtown bar district near Bairro Alto and Cais do Sodré sees drug-related approaches and drink spiking reports. Travellers should keep bags zipped and watch their drinks in late-night venues. Porto follows a similar pattern. Crowded spots like São Bento station, the Ribeira waterfront and Clérigos draw opportunistic thieves. Rental car break-ins turn up in Porto and along the Algarve coast, especially at beach car parks near Lagos, Albufeira and Faro. Leaving anything visible inside a parked car invites trouble. The Algarve, Madeira and the Azores remain quieter for crime, but carry their own hazards. Madeira's levada walks and Azores coastal trails involve cliffs and changeable weather. Interior regions like the Serra da Estrela and the Alentejo face wildfire risk between June and September. Coastal beaches across the mainland have strong Atlantic currents, and several drownings each year involve swimmers ignoring red flags.
Recent advisory changes
The official advisory guidance last updated its Portugal page on 20 March 2026. The change covered entry rules for stays longer than 90 days in exceptional circumstances, not security. The official advisory guidance does not warn against travel to any part of Portugal, including Madeira, Porto Santo or the Azores. Its guidance focuses on petty crime, wildfires, swimming conditions and the standard EU entry requirements for UK passport holders. The official advisory guidance reissued its Portugal advisory on 23 December 2025, holding it at Level 1, Exercise Normal Precautions. The previous reissue was 3 March 2025, so the rating has been stable for over a year. The current notice highlights pickpocketing in tourist areas, rental car break-ins, drug-related incidents in Lisbon nightlife, dating-app scams targeting visitors. And seasonal wildfire and flooding risks. No region is singled out for avoidance, and no ordered departure is in place.
What travellers should know
Carry only what you need for the day. Use a cross-body bag with the zip facing forward on metro lines, trams and busy plazas. Keep your phone out of your back pocket and your passport in the hotel low-risk. If you rent a car, empty it every time you park, including the boot, and choose attended car parks where possible at Algarve beaches. Check Portuguese civil protection alerts during summer. Wildfires can close roads in the interior with little warning, and air quality drops sharply downwind. On the coast, follow the beach flag system: red means out of the water. Heat waves in July and August regularly push past 40°C inland, so plan walking and driving for early morning. Tap water is drinkable across the country. Dial 112 for police, fire or medical emergencies. travellers should carry a GHIC card for state healthcare. And travellers should confirm their insurance covers medical evacuation from Madeira and the Azores. Where serious cases are flown to the mainland.