Portugal Packing List: What to Wear + FREE Checklist!

We’ve created the ultimate Portugal packing list that has all the essentials, as well as what NOT to pack. Plus, we’re sharing what to wear in Portugal and how to curate a perfect capsule wardrobe.

And once I’ve packed, I remove at least a few things. Repeat after me: “I do not want to lug around a suitcase of clothes that don’t get worn.”

Think of Portugal as casual, breezy, cute: Linen pants, flowy maxi skirts, casual yet chic tops.

In this article, I’m breaking down exactly what to pack for Portugal so you feel like you belong without the extra baggage (literally).

Insider Tip: Worse comes to worse, you can always pick up an item or two on your trip. Both Porto and Lisbon have many clothing stores, including H&M (which is universally easy for most people to find what they need).

Portugal Packing List Guide

For more tips and advice on what to pack for your Portugal trip, jump to the following sections (or just keep scrolling to see it all!).

• Tips for what to wear in Portugal
• Women’s clothing
• Men’s clothing
• Travel essentials for Portugal
• Packing tips for Portugal
• Tips for packing for Madeira
• Free Portugal packing list download
• Tips for packing for a road trip in Portugal
• Tips for packing for traveling with a baby in Portugal

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Our experience

We traveled to Portugal in May/June 2025 with our 3-year-old and 4-month-old daughters. After a 2-week road trip around the mainland, we spent a week on the island of Madeira.

For the entire 3-week trip, we brought—are you ready for this?—ONE suitcase for the 4 of us, plus a backpack each (not including baby gear). Pretty impressive, right?

Tips for what to wear in Portugal

Let’s start by laying some ground rules. There are a handful of things you’ll want to keep in mind that make packing for Portugal different from some other trips.

1. Choose comfy, sturdy walking shoes.

You’ll be walking a lot on this trip, and believe me when I say that you’ll want a solid pair of shoes.

The cobbled streets of Lisbon and Porto are super hilly and steep. On top of that, the stones are on the smaller side, which can be really uncomfortable if your soles aren’t thick enough. They can also get pretty slick in the rain, so you’ll want a decent grip.

Ben and I each managed to bring just 2 pairs of shoes for our 3-week trip, including a week in Madeira where we did lots of hiking. (I’m not saying you need to go that light, but it’s worth pointing out that you don’t need a ton of options.)

Jump to our women’s footwear or men’s footwear sections to see exactly which shoes we packed.

2. Think of your clothing as a capsule wardrobe.

Pack items that work well with each other so you can create multiple outfits from fewer individual pieces. You don’t want to overpack. Trust me.

3. Pack only enough clothes for 2 weeks.

On a similar note, aim to only pack 2 weeks worth of clothes (yes, even if your trip is longer). Plan to do laundry during your travels if needed.

Tip: We pack these detergent sheets for doing laundry! They take up no space in our luggage and that way we don’t have to go looking for detergent.

4. Strike a balance between comfort and class. 

Like most of Europe, Portuguese people tend to look “put together” when they go out in public, and it isn’t common for locals to go out in athleisure wear as it is in the US. 

If you want to blend in more with the locals, choose loose-fitting, breezy pants, casual dresses, and lightweight maxi or midi skirts instead of leggings and joggers. 

That said, Lisbon and Porto are also major tourist hotspots, so it’s not a big deal if you wear your Lulus out.

5. Adjust for the season.

What to wear in Portugal will also depend on the time of year you’re traveling. Most people will be visiting Portugal in the spring, summer, or fall, and we’ve created this packing list to reflect that.

If you’re visiting in winter, expect chilly temps and rain that can last well into spring. Bring warm layers, waterproof boots or walking shoes, and a good rain jacket.

6. Madeira is a different beast.

If you’re planning on visiting Madeira (you should—we LOVED it!), you’ll need to take the island’s unique climate into consideration. Jump here for Madeira packing tips!

Women’s clothing

Let’s dive right into what clothes to pack for Portugal!

Everyday clothes

• T-shirts & tank tops: Pack a variety of cute and casual tops that you can mix & match with different bottoms.
• Pants: Choose loose-fitting, wide-leg pants in lightweight, breathable fabrics for ultimate comfort and versatility.
• Dresses/skirts: I packed a few midi & maxi skirts that I wore a lot in Portugal. I love that they’re lightweight, comfy, and casual enough to wear with sneakers, yet still make an outfit look put-together.
  • Tip: I wear these bike shorts under skirts and dresses for added comfort (especially walking around all day).
• Lightweight jacket or cardigan: A versatile layering piece is essential for cooler evenings. I brought a chambray button-up shirt and wore it with pants, skirts, dresses, and leggings.

Hiking clothes

• Athletic tops
  • I like these tank tops a lot for layering
  • This UV shirt is great for both hiking and everyday wear. Ben, Juniper and I all have the same one!
• Hiking pants or leggings
  • I have these hiking pants in a few different colors and I’m obsessed
  • I wore these leggings a lot as well
  • I wore this hiking skirt which worked well, especially on hot days

Outerwear

• Lightweight jacket or sweater
  • Tip: Choose something that will go with every outfit, like a chambray shirt or denim jacket
• Rain jacket
  • I bought this waterproof rain jacket before our trip to Norway and it’s the best

Footwear

• Comfy walking shoes: Your best bet will be something with a decent sole for walking all day on hilly cobblestone streets.
  • I’m obsessed with these! They slide easily on and off, they’re comfy, and they look cute with skirts and dresses.
• Hiking shoes: We did lots of hiking in Portugal, but we didn’t pack our boots for this trip. Instead, we wore our Chacos hiking (even in Madeira) and they worked out great.
  • This is the exact pair I packed for this trip. The black and white print is a little nicer-looking than some Chacos, so I was also able to wear them with casual/everyday outfits and leave my regular sandals (which would have been too flimsy) at home.
  • If you really want to bring hiking boots, these are my absolute favorite. I even convinced Ben to buy the men’s version and now we’re both obsessed!
• Socks
• Travel slippers (optional): Not essential, but these can be nice to wear inside your accommodations.

Accessories

• Sunglasses: I’ve been wearing these for years and love that they are polarized and affordable.
• Sun hat or baseball cap

Miscellaneous

• Swimsuit: This is my all-time favorite swimsuit!
• Pajamas and/or lounge clothes for in your accommodation
  • These joggers are so cozy for lounging.
• Undergarments

Men’s clothing

Gentlemen, start your packing!

Everyday clothes

• T-shirts
• Nicer button down shirt(s)
  • This long-sleeve looks stylish and is also great for hiking
• Shorts: casual & athletic
• Jeans and/or pants
  • Ben is obsessed with these pants that are super comfy (and good for hiking), but also look really nice and can be dressed up.
• Lightweight jacket or hoodie

Hiking clothes

• Athletic shirts
  • Ben loves these athletic t-shirts for hiking, and they’re really affordable.
  • This long sleeve UV shirt works for both hiking and everyday wear. Ben, Juniper and I all have the same one!
• Hiking pants
  • These pants are Ben’s obsession! 

Outerwear

• Rain jacket 
  • This is the rain jacket Ben has had for years and is still going strong!

Footwear

• Comfy walking shoes: Your best bet will be something with a decent sole for walking all day on hilly cobblestone streets.
  • We’re both obsessed with Kiziks! This is the pair Ben has.
• Hiking shoes: We did lots of hiking in Portugal, but we didn’t pack our boots for this trip. Instead, we wore our Chacos hiking (even in Madeira) and they worked out great.
  • If you really want to bring hiking boots, these are Ben’s all-time favorite.
• Socks
• Travel slippers (optional): Not essential, but these can be nice to wear inside your accommodations.

Accessories

• Sunglasses
• Baseball cap or bucket hat

Miscellaneous

• Swim trunks
• Pajamas and/or lounge clothes for in your accommodation
  • These joggers are so cozy for lounging
• Underwear

Travel essentials for Portugal

Alright folks, get ready to take some notes! 

We’ve got everything listed out that you’ll want to consider bringing to Portugal. And let me tell ya, there are probably some items on here you wouldn’t have thought of…

Basics

• Passport: We like to keep our passports in a cover (like this one) so we can keep arrival documents and important business cards all together.
• eSIM: Stay connected on your trip by downloading an eSIM to your phone.
  • If you’ve never done this before, our guide to getting an eSIM will be super helpful!
• Travel insurance 
  • We have an entire guide that goes over how to choose the best policy for you in detail.
• Credit cards
  • Here is a list of our favorite credit cards for travel.
• Water bottle: I love this one because it has both a built-in straw and a spout.

Packing

• Luggage: For this trip, you may want to consider traveling with a backpack if you can get away with it. Lugging heavy suitcases up and down steep cobblestone streets isn’t very fun!
  • We ended up bringing 1 suitcase for all 4 of us (we love our Away suitcases!), plus a backpack each (not including baby gear).
  • If you’re having trouble deciding, we wrote a whole article about traveling with a suitcase vs a backpack.
• AirTags (optional): We like to put these in our luggage to be able to track it (especially helpful in case of lost luggage).
• Packing cubes: Save space and keep everything organized!
• Crossbody bag or fanny pack
• Daypack that you can use for hiking: This is the one we personally used and we liked that it has a spot for a hydration bladder.

Tech

• Personal electronics: What you need will vary from person to person, but this can include a laptop, phone, chargers, etc.
• Camera equipment: Again, this will vary from person to person. Some people will only need their phone, while others (like us!) will want to bring a camera, drone, tripod, GoPro, batteries, SD cards, lens cleaner, etc.
• Kindle
• Universal adapter 
• Power bank
• Headphones

Hygiene & wellness

• Dirty laundry bag
• Laundry detergent sheets
• Toiletries: We pack our toiletries in a bag like this one to make sure everything stays organized.
  • These bottles are great for filling with shampoo, face wash, body wash, etc.
  • These zip pouches are super handy for things like Q-tips, cotton pads, etc.
• Sunscreen: We like this brand because it is reef-safe and uses natural ingredients.
• Makeup basics (optional)
• Towel: This is the one we travel with because it dries quickly and is lightweight.
• Homeopathic jet lag pills (optional)
  • Check out all our tips for dealing with jet lag!
• Medication: Bring any prescriptions you normally take; we also like to bring a little first aid kit with a few basic medications and natural remedies.

Miscellaneous

• Stuffable shopping bag: for souvenirs, groceries, or anything else you buy during your trip.
  • Find out more ways you can reduce single-use plastics on your travels!
• Travel umbrella (optional)

Packing tips for Portugal

Learn from some of our mistakes we made when packing for our Portugal trip. These are things you may not think about, so be sure to read carefully.

You may not need cash.

If you’re sticking to the bigger cities like Lisbon and Porto, you likely won’t need cash. However, if you plan to visit any smaller towns, it’s a good idea to have a few euros on hand.

Tipping in Portugal is not customary or expected, so you won’t have the option to add a tip when you’re paying with credit. If you have really exceptional service and want to leave a tip, you’ll need cash.

We recommend taking out money from an ATM when you arrive and using a debit card that reimburses all ATM fees. We love our Charles Schwab card for this exact purpose!

Don’t forget sun protection.

Portugal gets more than 300 days of sunshine a year. The UV rays can be pretty intense, even when it doesn’t feel that hot.

Regardless of what season you’re visiting, make sure you bring UV-blocking layers, reef-safe sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses.

An Aeropress could come in handy.

If you’re not a coffee drinker, skip this tip. But if you love coffee like we do, listen up…

We regretted not bringing our AeroPress on this trip.

Every place we stayed in Portugal had Nespresso machines and only gave us one pod per person per day. We found ourselves wishing we had our AeroPress so we could have a second cup of coffee in the morning (and because it’s way more eco-friendly than pods).

Tips for packing for Madeira

Madeira is unlike any other place we’ve traveled (including mainland Portugal!), and we fell head over heels for this magical island.

You should be prepared to experience all sorts of weather in Madeira. We visited for a week in early June and had warm sunny days, fog, rain, and chilly evenings—sometimes all in the same day. 

Definitely be prepared for rain (it rains a lot!), and cooler temperatures than you’d expect on a tropical island.

Madeira packing list

• Rain jacket: It rains a lot in Madeira! Make sure your jacket is waterproof rather than water-resistant.
  • Katie’s favorite rain jacket
  • Ben’s favorite rain jacket
• Lightweight puffy jacket: This would be really nice to have, as temperatures can be cooler than the mainland (even in summer). We only had our raincoats and found ourselves wishing we’d brought warmer jackets for Madeira.
  • This insulated jacket is warm and packs up small
  • Here is the men’s version

Packing tips for hiking in Madeira

If you’re planning to hit the trails in Madeira, you’re in for a treat—lush forests, tropical waterfalls, and skyscraping ridgelines make this island a hiker’s paradise. 

That said, hiking in Madeira is not as straightforward as you might think, and there’s a lot we learned the hard way… Learn from our mistakes and read this before you go hiking in Madeira! 

Here are some items you’ll want to pack:

• Hiking shoes: Confession—we don’t bring our hiking boots on every trip since they are bulky and take up quite a bit of luggage space. We both wore Chacos for all our hikes in Portugal, including Madeira, and it worked out great for us. Alternatively, a good pair of sneakers would also work.
• Layers
  • Here’s a great resource if you’re wondering what to wear hiking
• Navigation: We recommend using Alltrails+ to download offline trail maps.
  • Get your first week of using Alltrails+ for FREE when you sign up using our link!
• Hiking daypack
  • We have an article on our sister site with our favorite pack suggestions.
• Insulated water bottle and/or bladder for your Camelbak
• Insect repellant
• Sun protection: sunscreen, hat, sunglasses
• Headlamp: for tunnels and/or sunrise/sunset hikes
• Camera/tripod
  • This is our favorite travel tripod
  • We’ve also had this budget-friendly mini tripod for years
• Hiking poles (optional): We didn’t see a lot of people on the trails here with poles, but you could definitely bring them if you’re more comfortable.
• Hiking with kids? You’ll need a solid hiking carrier:
  • Use this guide to find the best hiking carrier for your family.
  • We used this carrier for our toddler and this carrier for our 6-month-old.

Tips for packing for a road trip in Portugal

Renting a car in Portugal is by far the best way to get off the beaten path and explore more of what this country has to offer. Here are some items you’ll need for a Portugal road trip:

• Driver’s license: unless your license is in a non-Roman alphabet, you won’t need an international driver’s license for Portugal.
• Phone mount so you can easily see GPS directions
• 12V USB charger: to ensure you can charge your phone while driving (some newer cars require a different type of cord)
• Portable self-jumpstart kit: This little device allows you to jumpstart your car without another vehicle. After getting stranded in Iceland with a vehicle that died, we will always travel with this! (You need to fly with it in your carryon.)
• Window sleeve: if you have kids or other passengers in the back seat, this will block out the sun.

Tips for packing for traveling with a baby in Portugal

Portugal was such a wonderful family trip for us, and if you’re thinking about exploring Portugal with kids, we’d wholeheartedly say DO IT!

Here are some packing tips and items to remember if you’re traveling with a baby and/or toddler:

A good carrier is better than a stroller.

Stairs, hills, and cobblestone are three types of terrain you’ll encounter a lot in Portugal—not exactly ideal for a stroller. 

We used our stroller a handful of times and it was nice to get a break, but in most places it was much easier to use a carrier. In fact, we probably wouldn’t bother bringing a stroller to Portugal again.

We have an article that goes into detail about our top recommended carriers for travel & hiking, but here is what we used in Portugal:

• This is our go-to carrier for everyday use. We also used it for hiking a lot when Juniper was a baby, and now for Senya.
• We also brought this hiking carrier for Juniper.
• If you’re not comfortable leaving your stroller at home (that’s fair!), this is the best stroller for travel. It’s lightweight and folds up small enough to fit in the airplane’s overhead compartment.
  • If your stroller doesn’t come with a rain cover, here is a budget-friendly universal rain cover.

You won’t need a pack-and-play.

Every hotel and Airbnb we stayed at in Portugal had a crib or pack-and-play.

Every. Single. One.

If you don’t see it listed in the amenities, contact your hotel or Airbnb host to see if you can get one. We had one accommodation during our 3-week trip that charged an extra fee to add a crib to our reservation.

→ Related: Learn the exact steps we follow to find the best hotels & Airbnbs for family travel!

Be mindful of what toys you bring.

When it comes to packing toys, you definitely don’t want to overdo it. We have a whole article about our favorite travel toys for babies and toddlers, but here are a few of our top recommendations:

• Yoto: screen-free stories, perfect for flights and car rides
  •  use with cozy headphones
• Digital camera for toddlers
• Busy board
• Sewing cards
• Amazon Fire tablet
• Stickers (all the stickers!) and travel sized blank notebooks
• Wikki Sticks
• Magicolor coloring pad

Don’t forget these essentials.

These are items you might not think of, but will definitely need for a trip to Portugal with kids.

• Sun protection: sunglasses, hat, sunscreen, and UV-blocking layers
• Rain jacket
  • This is the rain jacket we brought for our daughter
• Small backpack they can carry with snacks and toys
• Diaper bag fanny pack: a much better option than a full diaper bag
• Bandaids: toddlers + cobblestone streets inevitably lead to a few scraped knees; we like to have some cute/fun bandages like these on hand
• Travel car seat and carrying case: If you’re renting a car with littles, you might want to bring your own car seat.
  • Note: The car seat linked above may not be available outside of the USA. Different countries have different laws regarding car seats. We’ve never had an issue traveling with ours, but be sure to do your research and decide what works best for your family.
  • We have this compact travel car seat for our toddler. It’s a splurge for sure, but it saves us so much space that it was well worth the investment!
• Snacks: If there are any brands your little ones love or certain ingredients you care about, you may want to bring a few snacks from home.
  • We have a full list of our favorite travel snacks for babies & toddlers
  • Tip: We also usually travel with oatmeal mix that we make (with chia, flax, coconut milk powder, peanut butter powder, dried fruit, etc.) so that we can simply add warm water for a healthy meal. This comes in super handy on mornings when it’s hard to find a proper breakfast.

We also have a baby travel packing checklist that is full of practical tips and advice. Click the image below to get your FREE download now!

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Plan your trip to Portugal

From vibrant cities to seaside escapes, we’ve got everything you need to plan the perfect Portugal adventure—from city guides and road trip itineraries to food tips and hidden gems! Start with our Portugal homepage or dive into some of our favorite articles below…

• We’ve curated the perfect 2-day Porto itinerary that blends culture, flavor, and creativity in this charming city.
• Our 3-day Lisbon itinerary covers all the must-sees (and a few local secrets!).
• Our 1-week Madeira itinerary is perfect for adventurous travelers who want to get into nature!

Don’t miss your chance to grab our Portugal Packing Checklist!

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We want to hear from you!

What did you think of our Portugal packing guide? Are you planning a trip to Portugal and have more questions? Let us know in the comments and we’ll do our best to get back to you!