The currency used in Portugal is the Euro, as in most other countries of the European Union.
There are eight coins: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents and 1 and 2 Euros.
One Euro is divided into 100 cents.
All coins have one side that is common to all twelve countries, whilst the other side differs from country to country. In Portugal, the national side of the Euro coins displays the royal seal of Dom Afonso Henriques.
There are seven banknotes: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 Euros. The front and back of each note are the same for all twelve participating countries.
The seven periods of European architectural history are represented on the banknotes. The bridges symbolize the dynamics of cooperation and communication, whilst the gateways symbolize the European spirit of openness. Each banknote has a dominant color for easy identification. The larger the banknote’s value the greater its size.
CREDIT AND DEBIT CARDS
Most Portuguese shops and businesses accept credit cards: Visa, Amex, Eurocard, Euro-Cheque, Diners Club and MasterCard.
There are a lot of cash machines all over the country. These cash machines are identified with the “MB” abbreviation.
