Tourist Scams in Portugal

When I studied in Spain a few years ago, I remembered the advice you gave about always accepting the charge in Euros, and I’ve always done that for the two months I was there.

In Portugal, I once ordered a steak, eggs, rice and fries for 9 euro, sat down, and then asked the restaurant explicitly how much the bread cost when the server tried to give it to me. And then I asked for whatever drink cost less than 1 euro (a diluted orange-flavoured drink apparently fit the bill). I only had 10 euros cash and ordered a 9 euro item on the menu. The server referred to the owner/manager who then gave me the bread for free. The price of non-alcoholic drinks or extras was not listed on the menu.

I had a guy try the ‘I’ve lost my passport and money’ thing in Greece, and that was 40 years ago!

Just to make some things more clear and help out: -1st tip about the entries on the table: if you dont want to pay them, dont touch them, you only pay for what you eat. -about the haxiche guys: just say "não obrigado" (no thank you) and they dont insist and leave you alone, if you buy from them 1 time, they might remember your face and always ask you.

Pickpocketing is heavy. A beautiful city in a beautiful country.

I once got anti-scammed by a taxi driver. normally and as per google maps there was a way to go down and then left and then up again. it cost like 7 €. Once a taxi driver went a route unknown to me and not the regular route (probably crossing some closed roads etc) so that i was faster there and it only cost 4 €.

"Accidental kidnap by aliens insurance" 🤣

Beware of pickpockets on public transportation, especially the trollies. I caught a guy purloining my cell phone as I was trying to exit a packed trolley. Of course he dropped it and denied doing it.

Thank you, so so true.

Always great advice. Thanks!

5:19 Mark I listened to you about the conversion at an atm. I made a note of how much they would have charged me. Then I looked at my banks app to see that I saved $60 by having my bank so the conversion. A super tip!

About the toll, on a business trip I made the mistake not to have it included and used the pay road once. Then 2 years later got a mail from Sweden from a company in UK to pay for the toll in Portugal. Yeah they find you :D

Great tips! Thank you!

Saying that the couvert costs €10 and is often more than the dishes is a gross exaggeration. Depending on the kind of restaurant, the couvert is often just a few euros. In fancier places it will be more expensive but so are the dishes. At all times, it should be clear that nobody has to touch the couvert and you can ask for it to be sent back.

About the "entradas" (entry dishes): by law, you may refuse them (or just not touch them), in which case the restaurant should not charge for them. But be aware that if you touch one piece of it, you may be charged the whole thing (even if it is an array of totally different things, like several types of bread, olives, ham, cheeses, etc.), because the restaurant may have a fixed price for the whole "couvert" and not a separate price for each individual item.

I'm addicted to this channel.

Hey Mark, awesome video

Waiving the rental car insurance for use of a VISA card may give the attendant carte blanche for "surprise scratches" when returning the vehicle. It happened to us in Porto with Hertz. We paid the bill and dealt with it upon returning home. Apart from that we had a fantastic time in their beautiful country.

I am strictly no bread policy: when I sit down I ask them to take bread away, because they might accidentally charge me etc. Those street sellers actually follow me around everywhere. So, I always had a company. Never lonely in Lisbon.

Pastel De Natas are dangerously tasty! You wont ever just have one!