We recommend arriving at least by early Sunday afternoon (November 9th) so you can adjust to the time change and don't risk a flight delay that keeps you from attending the welcome event and wedding. Feel free to arrive earlier and explore the city!
If this is your first time flying internationally, don't forget your passport (which must be valid for at least six months from your planned departure), a credit card that works internationally, and a European travel plug adapter for your electronics. Check out this helpful website: https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/trip-planning/travel-checklist
The wedding ceremony will be roughly half an hour, but there will be plenty of activities during the dinner and reception. There will be finger foods, dinner, and cake. Please come hungry and plan to dance late into the night! There will be an open bar once the dance floor opens. We are also inviting guests to participate in the Horah, a traditional Jewish dance celebration where guests lift the bride and groom up in a chair.
For the wedding, we ask that people wear cocktail to formal attire. This means suits, ties, and nicer dresses are optional. If you feel more comfortable in a nice jumpsuit or dress pants and a formal shirt, that is also appropriate. Please no jeans, flipflops, or graphic t-shirts. The welcome dinner is a casual event but Europeans tend to be dressier than Americans. A nice pair of jeans and a button-up shirt or a nice jumpsuit are perfect. When you are touring Lisbon or Sintra, make sure you bring good walking shoes. You can easily walk 20,000 steps a day exploring the beautiful cities.
Portugal is a beautiful country with wonderful, friendly people. We wouldn't ask our closest friends and family to travel here if we did not feel safe and accepted each time we visited. However, every culture is different and these tips may help you: Lisbon has a large international community. Most people speak English or will offer English menus at restaurants. Always politely ask if they speak English and never assume. Do not try speaking to people in a different language like Spanish unless they tell you that they speak that language. Downloading offline Google Translate is also a great tool. While you will be fine with just knowing English, locals generally will appreciate it if you learn and use a few Portuguese phrases.
Locals typically do not eat dinner until 7pm or later. Many restaurants close in the afternoon and do not reopen for dinner service before then. English menus are widely available. You can also use your phone camera and the offline version of Google Translate to translate menus. However, it is not always accurate. Luke and Macy once accidentally ordered a platter of liver using Google Translate. When eating out, you will need to ask for the check (a conta, por favor). Europeans believe it is rude to give you the check before you tell them you are ready to leave. Tips are not expected but a small tip (one to five euros) is a nice gesture for good service. Drinking is acceptable during all times of the day in Portugal. Try some sangria, a port wine, or Ginjinha (a local cherry liquor) at lunch or dinner. Most places also serve good house wine (vinho do casa) by the glass or "jarra" (one liter). Meat and seafood are very common. Most, but not all, places will have vegetarian options. Do not assume food is vegetarian.
Lisbon and the surrounding towns are generally very safe but maintaining the same level of caution one would have while traveling to a city in the United States is a good idea. Be aware of potential pickpockets near tourist destinations and on public transit. Keep your purse where you can see it and beware of people who "bump" into you. Always keep your wallet secured and not poking out of your pocket. Front pockets are typically more secure. Consider a travel purse or wallet that you can wear under your clothes if carrying large amounts of cash or your passport.
Credit Cards We highly recommend getting a travel credit card with zero foreign transaction fees. You may already have one, such as the Prime Visa card. You can find options with no annual fee or may find that the perks are worth the annual fee. Some good options are here: https://www.nerdwallet.com/best/credit-cards/travel. Debit Cards and ATMs For security reasons, paying for transactions with a debit card is not recommended. Withdrawing cash likely will mean going to an out-of-network ATM and paying ATM fees plus foreign transaction fees. To avoid that, consider getting a card that does not charge these fees. Consider the Charles Schwab debit card - which not only charges no fees but also reimburses fees charged by third-party ATMs. Cash Portugal uses Euros. USD is unlikely to be accepted. Check the exchange rate and be careful with coins to avoid being ripped off. Cash is often preferred for small transactions. Traveler's Checks With the widespread availability of ATMS, these generally are not used anymore and not recommended. Pro-tips: Always refuse the option to convert transactions into USD - at ATMs and when paying with a card. This will almost always cost more than if you let your bank do the conversion. Before traveling, check to see if you need to give your bank notice of your travel. Many banks no longer require this. Ensure your card has a chip. Europe has virtually eliminated swiping cards using magnetic strips.
Having a phone plan is not necessary but a smartphone with a data plan can be handy when traveling. It is generally much cheaper to get a prepaid phone plan in Europe than using your US phone plan overseas. A physical SIM card can be purchased at the airport. There is a kiosk next to baggage claim (and a vending machine for after-hours) if you want to purchase a physical SIM card. You can also buy this at various locations in the city. If present, ask the staff for help installing and activating the SIM card. Electronic SIMs (ESIMs) are also a good option if supported by your phone. These can be bought online ahead of time. Be sure to follow the instructions on how/when to activate the ESIM. Any phone plan bought in a European country can be used in other European countries as well.
Reddit, Tripadvisor, travel blogs, Instagram, and travel guidebooks are all great sources of information.