Free flu jabs are available at pharmacies and health centres until March

November 4, 2026, Portugal

Morning. It's Wednesday, 4 November. Lisbon 20° · Porto 17° · Faro 22°, sunny in Lisbon and Porto with a little cloud in the Algarve. Let's get into it.

📰 THE MAIN STORY

More than 1.6 million people in Portugal have had a flu jab since the campaign began on 30 September, according to the weekly report from the DGS, the national health authority, reported by Observador. Pharmacies gave almost half of them. The Covid-19 booster is further behind, with fewer than 738,000 doses.

What it means for you: the flu vaccine is free for these groups, according to DECO PROteste, the consumer association:

The Covid-19 booster is now recommended from age 70, up from 60, and pharmacies give it to people aged 70 to 84.

Watch out for: outside these groups, the flu vaccine needs a prescription and costs about €8 to €9 at a pharmacy, while stocks last.

Pharmacies have become a big part of the campaign, with more than 2,550 taking part. The president of the pharmacists' association has argued that people over 85 should also be able to choose a pharmacy, reported by CNN Portugal. The campaign runs until 31 March, and the DGS publishes new figures every week.

In short: if you're between 60 and 84, a free flu jab is one call to your local pharmacy away.

⚡ IN BRIEF

If your annual IMI, the municipal property tax, is more than €100, it is paid in instalments, and the last one is due by 30 November, reported by Executive Digest. That applies whether your bill is split in two (over €100) or in three (over €500).

Your payment notice usually carries two references, one for this instalment and one to pay the rest in full. If you've already paid everything, the November charge is cancelled automatically on the Portal das Finanças, the tax portal. If you don't own property here, this one doesn't apply to you.

A FIFA delegation is touring the three stadiums Portugal has put forward for the 2030 World Cup, which it co-hosts with Spain and Morocco. It visited Sporting's Estádio José Alvalade on Monday, Benfica's Estádio da Luz was due yesterday, and FC Porto's Estádio do Dragão follows on Friday, reported by The Portugal News.

FIFA's events operations director, Heimo Schirgi, gave a positive first assessment, while Lisbon's deputy mayor, Gonçalo Reis, said security, transport and hotels need attention. How many matches each stadium gets will be decided later.

Recognised artisan workshops can get non-refundable funding from the IEFP, the public employment and training institute, to take part in craft fairs and exhibitions: up to €2,685.65 per workshop a year, covering up to five events, reported by The Portugal News.

It's part of a government plan to keep traditional crafts alive and draw younger people in. Cearte, the national crafts training centre, is also preparing a calendar of craft fairs for 2027, due before the end of this year, and an online business course for artisans.

📍 WORTH THE TRIP

Walk through the Porta da Vila and the cars are gone: inside the walls there are only whitewashed houses, schist lanes and a castle at the far end. Monsaraz sits on a hilltop in the Alentejo, looking down over the Alqueva lake, about 50 minutes by car from Évora and two hours from Lisbon. It passed from Muslim rule to the Knights Templar in the 13th century.

The 13th-century castle is free to enter, and its walls are the best viewpoint over the lake. Look into the 16th-century Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Lagoa, and the Casa da Inquisição, which tells the story of Monsaraz's Jewish community. The catch: there's no train, and buses from Évora only reach Reguengos, so you'll need a car or a taxi for the last stretch.

Before you go: park outside the walls and walk in. The village is small enough to cross in minutes.

Local tip: stay after dark. The skies around Alqueva are known for stargazing, and the Observatório do Lago Alqueva runs night sessions, so check its times before you go.

Find it here: Google Maps

WORD OF THE DAY

Say it: FEESH (the final "e" is almost silent)

Meaning: cool, nice, great

“O teu apartamento novo é mesmo fixe.”
Your new flat is really cool.

You'll hear it all the time among friends. In Brazil people say legal instead, so fixe is a small sign you learned the Portuguese of Portugal.

North

Centre

South

Save the date

Até amanhã,

Gabriel - DailyPortugal