Madeira Island Travel Guide

Madeira Island Travel Information

Electricity

Electrical current is 220 volts, 50Hz. Round two-pin plugs are used.

Language

Portuguese is the official language, but English is widely spoken and understood.

Tipping

Service charges are usually added to hotel and restaurant bills, otherwise it is customary to leave a 10% tip. Bar staff and taxi drivers also expect tips, which usually entails rounding up of the bill to the nearest Euro.

Safety Information

Generally, safety is not a problem for travel in Portugal but there is a rising incidence of petty theft and pick pocketing in tourist areas, so reasonable care should be taken. Portugal has a very poor road safety record so exercise caution and drive defensively when exploring in a rented car.

Local Customs

It is a legal requirement for foreigners to show some form of identification on request.

Business

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Communications

The international access code for Portugal is +351. There are no area or city codes required. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 0044 for the United Kingdom). Portugal is well covered by three GSM mobile phone networks. Internet cafes are available in most towns and resorts.

Duty Free

Travellers over 17 years arriving from non-EU countries do not have to pay duty on 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco; 2 litres of liquor; 50g of perfume and 250ml of eau de toilette; gifts up to the value of EUR33.50.