Guide · Updated November 2026

How to get antibiotics in Portugal

Short answer: in Portugal antibiotics are prescription-only, and pharmacies will not sell them without one. Here is how to get a prescription quickly as a visitor, and what to do if you already have one from home.

Can I buy antibiotics over the counter in Portugal?

No. Antibiotics are prescription-only medicines in Portugal, as in the rest of the European Union. A pharmacist can suggest over-the-counter remedies for your symptoms, but cannot give you antibiotics without a valid prescription.

That rule exists for a good reason: many common infections, such as most colds, sore throats and coughs, are caused by viruses, and antibiotics do not help with them. A doctor needs to examine you to decide whether you need them.

How to get a prescription as a tourist

• A doctor who visits you: an English-speaking doctor comes to your hotel or Airbnb, examines you and, if antibiotics are needed, issues an electronic prescription on the spot.
• A video consultation: for some problems a doctor can assess you by video and prescribe if appropriate. If you need to be examined in person, they will tell you.
• A clinic or hospital: private clinics and hospitals can prescribe after a consultation; public health centres and emergency departments too, but often with longer waits.

How Portuguese electronic prescriptions work

Prescriptions in Portugal are electronic. After the consultation you receive the prescription details on your phone (by text message or email), with the codes the pharmacy needs. You can take them to any pharmacy in Portugal: show the message and your passport, and you pay for the medicine there.

Ask the pharmacy for a receipt with your name on it. Together with the doctor's report and invoice, it helps you claim the cost on your travel insurance.

Does my prescription from home work in Portugal?

• From another EU country: prescriptions issued in another EU country can generally be dispensed in Portugal, although the pharmacist must be able to read and verify it, and some medicines may not be available under the same name.
• From the UK, the US or other non-EU countries: Portuguese pharmacies usually cannot dispense them. You will need a new prescription from a doctor in Portugal.

If you take regular medication, bring enough for your trip in its original packaging, together with a copy of your prescription or a letter from your doctor.

Finding a pharmacy at night or on Sunday

Most pharmacies close in the evening and on Sundays, but each area has an on-duty pharmacy (farmácia de serviço) open late or overnight. The address is posted on the door of every pharmacy, and you can also search for "farmácia de serviço" with your area on Google Maps.

When not to wait

Call 112 or go to an emergency department if you have difficulty breathing, chest pain, a high fever that does not come down, confusion, a rash that does not fade when pressed, or you feel seriously unwell.

This guide is published by DoctorsPortugal (Lighthouse Health Concierge, Unipessoal Lda.), a doctor home-visit service in Lisbon, Cascais and Sintra. The information here is general and does not replace medical advice. In an emergency, call 112.