Portugal now charging daily fee in 40 areas as UK tourists warned

Six more municipalities in Portugal have implemented tourist taxes, bringing the number of areas charging holidaymakers a daily fee from January 2025 to more than 40.

The latest areas to bring in a tourist tax are all located on São Miguel Island in the Azores, though popular holiday hotspots like Lisbon, the Algarve and Porto also charge a rate. Alentejo is now the only region where no municipalities currently charge tourists a daily tax, though the city of Évora is currently consulting on plans to do so.

The amount tourists must pay varies by area, ranging from €1 to €4 per night. UK tourists planning holidays in Portugal have been warned to factor the amount into their budget, with some industry experts raising concerns that the growing trend could cause some travellers to choose alternative destinations that do not charge a tourist tax.

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Portugal's local governments are increasingly relying on these taxes to supplement their tourism infrastructure. The six affected neighbourhoods in São Miguel now require visitors to pay €2 per night for up to three nights.

In Madeira, seven out of 11 municipalities charge a fee of €2 per night for up to seven nights. Three further municipalities are planning to introduce the tax in 2025.

The Lisbon tourist tax, or Taxa Turística, is charged at a rate of €4 per person per night for the first seven nights of a stay. As of December 2024, the tourist tax in Porto, Portugal is €3 per person per night. This fee is capped at seven consecutive nights.

Meanwhile, Faro recently increased its rate to €2 per night during the high season (March to October) and €1 per night in the low season (November to February).

Most municipalities only charge the tax to visitors over the age of 12. People with disabilities or those receiving medical treatment are also exempt from paying this fee in most cases.