These are the tourist scams Trzly has documented across Portugal, grouped by destination. Each one is real, with a clear way to stay safe. Read before you land.
Como funciona: The crowded vintage tram 28 and other tourist trams are prime pickpocketing spots. Thieves press close as passengers board and shuffle, lifting phones and wallets in the crush.
Como evitar: Keep bags zipped and in front of you, carry valuables in a front pocket, and stay alert while boarding and at each stop. Consider walking the route instead to enjoy it in peace.
Como funciona: Men on central streets and near viewpoints quietly offer 'hashish' or 'cocaine' to tourists. The substances are usually fake, and engaging can lead to being followed or pressured for money.
Como evitar: Ignore them completely and keep walking without engaging. A firm no and steady pace is enough; there is no need to stop or reply.
Como funciona: Tourist tuk-tuks around the old town and viewpoints quote a vague or per-person price, then charge far more at the end for a short ride up the hills.
Como evitar: Agree a clear total price and route before setting off, confirm whether it is per group or per person, and compare with the cheap trams and funiculars for the same climbs.
Como funciona: Restaurants bring bread, olives or other nibbles to the table unasked, then charge a 'couvert' for each item on the bill, sometimes at surprising prices near the tourist sights.
Como evitar: Anything placed on the table that you did not order can be declined and sent back at no cost. Ask the price of couvert items, or simply wave them away before you start.
Como funciona: The Monte toboggan ride ends in the suburb of Livramento, not central Funchal, and taxi drivers waiting there are known to quote tourists inflated fares for the short trip back down into the city.
Como evitar: Agree the fare or insist on the meter before getting in, and know that the ride down to central Funchal should cost only a handful of euros. If a driver quotes far more, walk to the main road, use a ride-hailing app, or take the local bus back.
Como funciona: Sellers at the Mercado dos Lavradores offer free tastes of exotic fruit and then push you to buy a bag at a very high price by weight, sometimes several times what the same fruit costs in an ordinary shop.
Como evitar: Enjoy the market as a spectacle, but ask the price per kilo before accepting any taste and be ready to say no. Buy everyday fruit from a supermarket or a street stall outside, and only pay market prices for a treat you really want.
Como funciona: A driver may quote a high flat fare from the airport rather than using the meter, or add vague extra charges, especially late at night or when they sense you do not know the going rate.
Como evitar: Use the official taxi rank, agree the fare or ask for the meter before setting off, and know the rough price into Funchal in advance. The Aerobus shuttle or a ride-hailing app avoids the negotiation altogether.
Como funciona: Restaurants along the busiest seafront and old-town streets sometimes charge well above the local norm, bring unrequested couvert to the table, or steer you to pricey 'specials' without listed prices.
Como evitar: Check the printed menu and prices before sitting down, decline the couvert if you do not want it, and eat one or two streets back from the main promenade where locals go. Ask the price of any daily special that is not written down.
Como funciona: At a card terminal or ATM you may be asked whether to be charged in euros or in your home currency; choosing your home currency (dynamic currency conversion) applies a poor exchange rate and hidden markup.
Como evitar: Always choose to be charged in euros, the local currency, and let your own bank do the conversion. This applies to shops, restaurants and cash machines across Madeira and mainland Portugal alike.
Como funciona: Some restaurants right on the Ribeira and Gaia quays charge well above the local rate for ordinary francesinhas and grilled fish, banking on the view and passing tourists to justify the mark-up.
Como evitar: Walk a few streets inland from the water, where tascas and cafes serve better versions for less. Check menu prices and the couvert charge before sitting, and be wary of a spot with no prices displayed.
Como funciona: Crowded spots such as Sao Bento station, the Ribeira, the Dom Luis bridge deck and packed metro cars are worked by pickpockets who press close in the crush and lift phones and wallets.
Como evitar: Keep bags zipped and in front of you, carry valuables in a front pocket, and stay alert boarding the metro and on the bridge. Do not leave a phone on a riverside table while you look at the view.
Como funciona: Around the Dom Luis bridge, young men dive from the lower deck into the river as a paid spectacle, drawing a crowd. The real risk is the pickpockets who work the distracted onlookers pressed at the railings.
Como evitar: Enjoy the spectacle from a step back with your bag closed and in front of you. Do not feel pressured to pay, and keep a hand on your phone and wallet while the crowd is watching the water.
Como funciona: Some taxis from the airport or tourist ranks take a longer route, do not start the meter, or add vague supplements, charging far more than the fair fare into the compact centre.
Como evitar: Insist on the meter or agree a price first, or use a ride-hailing app for a fixed fare. The metro from the airport is cheap and quick, and most central trips are short and should not be expensive.
Como funciona: Tuk-tuk and buggy drivers around the station and town quote a vague or per-person price to run you up to the palaces, then charge far more at the end for a short ride up the hill.
Como evitar: Agree a clear total price and the exact route before setting off, and confirm whether it is per group or per person. Compare with the cheap 434 bus and, downhill, consider simply walking back into town.
Como funciona: Some resale sites and stalls sell Sintra palace tickets, especially Pena and Regaleira, at prices well above the official rate, or bundle in guiding you do not need, presented as skip-the-line deals.
Como evitar: Buy from the official palace and Parques de Sintra websites for the standard price and a timed slot. Only pay a premium knowingly for a genuine guided tour, not for a plain ticket dressed up as one.
Como funciona: Taxis from the station or between the palaces sometimes quote inflated flat fares, take a longer route, or do not run the meter, charging far more than the short distances warrant on Sintra's congested hill roads.
Como evitar: Insist on the meter or agree a price first, or use a ride-hailing app for a fixed fare. For most people the train in and the 434 bus or a walk around town are cheaper and dodge the traffic.
Como funciona: Restaurants right on the main tourist street near the National Palace can charge well above the local rate for ordinary dishes, and bring unrequested couvert bread and starters that appear on the bill.
Como evitar: Walk a street or two off the main run, check posted prices, and decline any couvert you did not order at no cost. A prato do dia lunch away from the palace square is far better value.