Portugal tourism surges as Americans search security, surroundings and worth

• Portugal is gaining reputation with American vacationers resulting from its affordability, security, and accessibility.
• Flights from a number of main U.S. cities to Lisbon, Porto, and Ponta Delgada have seen a major improve in searches.
• The nation presents numerous experiences, from exploring historic cities to having fun with the Douro Valley’s wine area.

LISBON, Portugal — The greatest option to describe a Portuguese trip boils down to 1 phrase: straightforward.

During a current journey with G Adventures and a gaggle of 13 worldwide vacationers, I used to be in a position to discover over six locations throughout Portugal, making connections with locals at each cease.

“Portugal has always been quite popular with our U.S. travelers,” Simone Licciardello, regional operations supervisor for Western Europe at G Adventures, informed USA TODAY in an announcement. “I think part of the reason for that is because Portugal has a great balance between culture, food, history, and the outdoors. It is also a safe and affordable destination within Europe for Americans.”

When you have a look at Portugal on a map, you may marvel how such a small nation fended off the Spanish for lengthy sufficient to maintain the shoreline. Among the myriad political causes and historic alternatives, one in all them is that the Portuguese had good alliances. Remnants of these influences are throughout the nation.

There is not any scarcity of historical past and websites to go to, particularly in Lisbon. And whereas an itinerary is yours to make, you would be lacking out on immersive sightseeing in case you do not deal with your self to a strolling tour of the town.

“It’s a small country that’s easy to navigate. The cities are very accessible on foot. Everything’s quite straightforward in Portugal,” David Stone, Global Head of Sales at Unforgettable Travel Company, informed USA TODAY. “You can experience quite a few different things in a short space of time. … If you were a solo traveler and you had any kind of apprehension or you weren’t that sure, I think it’s probably one of the safer bets out in Europe.”

American vacationers appear to agree. U.S. curiosity in Portugal spiked in 2025. According to Booking.com knowledge, year-over-year flight searches had been up throughout each month thus far.

The nation boasts a plethora of scenic spots, a wealthy historical past that vacationers can discover, inexpensive and high quality meals, and quick access from most main U.S. airports. Even in locations like Nazaré and Amarante, far-off from the hordes of vacationers at greater cities like Lisbon and Porto, locals had been accommodating in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

 Here’s what vacationers trying into visiting Portugal can count on.

Safe, scenic and nonetheless inexpensive

Despite rising curiosity, Portugal nonetheless presents good worth in comparison with some Western European neighbors. Coffee lovers can sip a “bica” (espresso) for round €1 (about $1.16), or a galão (espresso with milk) for €3 (about $3.48), in most smaller cities. In greater cities like Lisbon and Porto, you’ll be able to count on increased costs, however nothing prohibitive.  

A full meal ran us about €11 (about $12.78) in a snack bar, round €25 (about $29.12) in a mid-range restaurant, and a bit over €65 (about $75.51) at higher-end spots or conventional fado home. The delicacies tends to veer closely towards fish (cod, particularly), pink meat and starches, so ensure that to choose eating places correctly to make sure a great steadiness. There is loads of selection, however sticking to typical dishes can have you craving some greens.

Train journey is equally wallet-friendly. The high-speed Alfa Pendular from Lisbon to Porto prices round €33.90 to €47.40 (about $39.38 to $55.06), but when vacationers guide effectively upfront, they will discover decrease costs. Day journeys to Cascais or Sintra from Lisbon price lower than €3 every manner. Trains may even make air journey cheaper or extra handy. During the late-July journey, a few folks from our group took a prepare from Porto to Lisbon to catch their return flights, thus saving greater than those that flew from Porto and had a cease in Lisbon.

City passes just like the Lisboa Card (€31 or about $36 for twenty-four hours) or Porto Card (beginning at €15 or about $17.42 for sooner or later) will help vacationers save on transit and museum admissions.

As a results of the rising curiosity from Americans, G Adventures is including locations “beyond just Lisbon to include Porto and the Algarve, and will be adding new trip itineraries that include Portugal, the Azores and Madeira later this year,” in response to VP of Product Yves Marceau.

Food, wine and the Douro Valley draw 

“We’re seeing a lot more people interested in food and wine experiences, but in a different way. People are better educated than they used to be when it comes to vineyards and wines,” Stone mentioned, including that his shoppers are more and more reserving experiences that transcend normal sightseeing. “They actually come to us with quite detailed ideas and plans, especially up in the north of Porto – we’ve got the Douro Valley – so you can have this really nice combination of Porto, which is a beautiful city, and then you haven’t got too far to travel to get out to the Douro Valley as well.” 

The Douro area, well-known for port wine and terraced vineyards, is lower than a two-hour drive or prepare experience from Porto. Heading there may be an exercise in itself, with lovely surroundings alongside the way in which.

A rising pushback on overtourism

Not each European metropolis is celebrating the inflow of Americans and different worldwide guests. In June, activists beneath the SET alliance – Southern Europe Against Overtourism – organized protests in Lisbon, Barcelona, Venice and different cities to attract consideration to rising housing prices, crowded streets and strained native infrastructure. 

“When (officials) say that we have to specialise in tourism, they are basically telling us that you have to get poorer so that other people can get richer,” Barcelona activist Daniel Pardo Rivacoba informed Reuters. 

Portugal hasn’t seen the identical quantity of protests as Spain, the place Barcelona’s 1.6 million residents hosted 26 million vacationers in 2024, however Lisbon was among the many cities taking part within the June demonstrations. 

Nevertheless, throughout our go to, none of us felt unsafe or unwelcome throughout six totally different areas of the nation.

Practical journey ideas for American vacationers

• Best time to go to: Spring (April–June) and fall (September–October) provide gentle climate, fewer crowds than peak summer season, and decrease flight costs. The highest curiosity spike has been recorded in summer season when searches had been up by 40% adopted by fall and winter when searches had been up by 20%, in response to knowledge from Expedia primarily based on common day by day lodging charges in March. During spring, Faro was 15% extra inexpensive than Lisbon. Porto was highlighted as some of the inexpensive summer season locations, with costs for some inns comparable to Forte de Gaia, Autograph Collection dropping by almost 40% in November in comparison with August.
• New flight: United Airlines began the primary U.S. nonstop flight to the island of Madeira in June, with three flights per week between Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport (FNC). The seasonal route is along with United’s current service to 4 different cities in Portugal: Lisbon, Porto, Faro, and Ponta Delgada within the Azores.
• Busiest flights: According to Booking.com, the most well-liked U.S. routes headed straight for Lisbon had been Boston, Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco, Newark, New York and Washington, D.C. But vacationers are additionally concentrating on Porto within the north and Ponta Delgada within the Azores.
• Entry necessities: U.S. residents can keep in Portugal and the Schengen space for as much as 90 days inside a 180-day interval with out a visa. Your passport have to be legitimate for not less than three months past your deliberate departure date. Note: According to the European Union, the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS) will probably be carried out for visa-free vacationers within the final quarter of 2026, and an utility will now price 20 euros (about $23.20).
• Getting round: Portugal’s compact measurement and stable public transportation make it straightforward to discover with out a automobile. Urban buses and metro programs are inexpensive, whereas long-distance trains join main cities.
• Language: Portuguese is the official language, however English is extensively spoken in vacationer areas. In smaller cities, Spanish can even assist bridge communication gaps.

Why Portugal is having a second 

Portugal’s mix of historical past, walkable cities, heat hospitality, and affordability is hitting the candy spot for American vacationers. Whether you’re sipping espresso at a café in Lisbon, catching waves in Nazaré, or tasting wine within the Douro Valley, the nation presents a spread of experiences that really feel approachable for first-timers and rewarding for return guests.

“The feedback we hear most often on our trips is that our travelers feel like they’re getting a more ‘real’ or authentic Portuguese experience,” Licciardello mentioned. “Walking through neighborhoods with our knowledgeable CEOs (chief experience officers), meeting small-scale producers and artisans, and attending insightful food tours, just to name a few activities. Many solo travelers find the groups welcoming and easy to connect with, which makes it a great option for independent travelers.”