Faye B. Says:
Portugal is lovely. What is it like in terms of safety?
IL Contributor in Portugal Terry Coles Writes:
The Global Peace Index rates 163 countries worldwide for safety, and Portugal came in at number six in 2022 for an overall peace and safety rating. The U.S. sadly was ranked 129.
The U.S. State Department rates Portugal as a Level One, which means that normal safety precautions should be taken. Common practices like not leaving valuables in a parked car, keeping track of your wallet, purse, backpack, and luggage in crowded areas, and exercising caution in larger metropolitan areas like Lisbon should be observed.
Pickpocketing, purse snatching, and luggage theft can happen in Portugal, especially in tourist hubs like Lisbon, the Algarve, and Porto. Thieves know that tourists have money and will be there to grab some, given the opportunity.
But Portugal has some of the lowest crime rates in all of Europe and violent crime is rare.
Just as a quick comparison, in 2020 Portugal had an average of 0.9 people killed per 100,000. The U.S. had an average of 6.5 people killed per 100,000.
Sexual assaults against women are rare, but there have been reports of drinks being spiked in clubs at night in the touristy Bairro Alto area of Lisbon. Never take a drink from someone you don’t know and use common sense, just like you would anywhere else in the world.
Editor’s Note: You can read Terry’s full breakdown of safety in Portugal, including road safety and water safety, here.
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