Tourist clinic · Portugal 2026

How to see a doctor in the Algarve as a tourist

Getting sick on holiday is stressful, especially when you don't know how the local system works. Here's how healthcare works for visitors in the Algarve, from pharmacies to hospitals, and how to see a doctor online today without spending hours in an emergency room.

Licensed physician · Portuguese Medical Association · ERS 45475

Consultations in English, Spanish or Portuguese.

See a doctor online now Emergencies: 112

Your options, from quickest to most serious

1. See a doctor online today: Lon Clinic is a Portuguese online medical clinic, registered with the health regulator (ERS). You can have a video consultation from your hotel or apartment in English, Spanish or Portuguese. If you need medication, the doctor can issue a Portuguese electronic prescription for any pharmacy in the country. You also receive an invoice and a medical report for your travel insurer.
2. Pharmacies (farmácias): Look for the green cross. Portuguese pharmacists are well trained and can help with minor problems, but many medicines, including antibiotics, require a prescription. Outside normal hours, a rota of on-duty pharmacies (farmácias de serviço) is posted on the door of every pharmacy.
3. SNS 24 health line: 808 24 24 24: Portugal's public health line gives 24-hour phone triage and can tell you where to go. It's a good option if you're unsure how urgent your problem is.
4. Hospital emergency departments: Public emergency departments use colour-coded triage, so people with less urgent problems can wait many hours. From a beach town, the trip to Faro or Portimão can take a while. Use the hospital for emergencies, not for a sore throat.

Main public hospitals in the Algarve

Hospital de Faro: Public hospital with a 24-hour emergency department.
Hospital de Portimão: Public hospital with a 24-hour emergency department.

Tips for your stay in the Algarve

Most health problems in the Algarve come from the sun and the sea: sunburn, heat exhaustion, dehydration, ear infections after swimming, and the occasional jellyfish sting.

The main public hospitals are in Faro and Portimão, so a hospital visit from a beach town can take a while. For non-urgent problems, an online doctor or the local pharmacy is usually much faster.

Insurance and costs

Visitors from the EU, EEA and Switzerland can use the public health system with a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). UK visitors can use a GHIC. That covers necessary public care. It does not pay for a private online consultation.

Everyone else should rely on travel insurance. Online consultations are paid directly. Keep the invoice and medical report to claim reimbursement, and check your policy's conditions first.

How the online consultation works

Book from your hotel

Same-day video slots are often available, seven days a week. The price is 39 €, shown before you pay.
English, Spanish or Portuguese

Consultations are in English, Spanish or Portuguese. French and German are not offered; most visitors use English.
Prescription at an Algarve pharmacy

If medication is clinically appropriate, you receive a Portuguese electronic prescription. It works at any pharmacy in Portugal, usually with a code by SMS or email. You do not need a Portuguese health number.
Invoice for your insurer

You receive an invoice and a medical report. Online consultations are paid directly. Keep both documents if you claim reimbursement, and check your policy first.

Price

39 €

Video consultation with a licensed doctor, about 30 minutes. A Portuguese electronic prescription, if indicated, works at any pharmacy in Portugal. No extra prescribing fee at checkout.

See a doctor online now

Problems we can often assess online

Urinary tract infections
Stomach upsets and traveller's diarrhoea
Sore throats and ear infections, including swimmer's ear
Mild sunburn, heat exhaustion, skin rashes and insect bites
Allergies, eye infections, and the occasional jellyfish sting
Replacing regular medication you have lost or forgotten

Call 112 instead

Chest pain, difficulty breathing, signs of a stroke
Severe bleeding, a serious injury, loss of consciousness
A severe allergic reaction
Anything the doctor says needs an in-person examination

For a genuine emergency, call 112 or go to a public hospital emergency room (urgência).

FAQ

Can a doctor in Portugal see me online and prescribe medication?

Yes. After a video consultation, the doctor can prescribe what you need if it is clinically appropriate. The prescription is electronic and works at Portuguese pharmacies.

Do I need a Portuguese health number?

No. You can book with your passport or ID.

When should I go to the hospital instead?

For chest pain, trouble breathing, stroke signs, severe bleeding, a serious injury, loss of consciousness or a severe allergic reaction, call 112. Also go in person if the doctor tells you that you need an examination.

Reviewed by the Lon Clinic medical team

General information for visitors in Portugal. It does not replace an individual medical consultation. In an emergency call 112.