How to Send Flowers to Portugal from Abroad
Yes, you can send flowers to Portugal from abroad without a Portuguese bank card or a call to a shop in Lisbon. You order online, pay in USD by card or PayPal, and a local florist in Portugal makes the bouquet and delivers it by hand.
Most senders are Portuguese families living in France, Switzerland, the UK, the United States, Canada or Brazil, and foreigners with friends, partners or retired parents in Portugal. Here is how it works and what to know about local customs before you choose.
Can you send flowers to Portugal from another country?
You can, and the flowers themselves never cross a border. When you send flowers to Portugal from abroad with FlowersPortugal, the order goes to a florist near the recipient, who prepares it with fresh stems and takes it to the door.
Delivery covers the whole country, mainland and islands. The most requested destinations are Lisbon, Porto, Vila Nova de Gaia, Braga, Coimbra and Faro in the Algarve, plus Funchal in Madeira and Ponta Delgada in the Azores. See every location on the delivery cities page.
How does ordering from abroad work, step by step?
- Pick an arrangement from the flower catalog. For a funeral or a condolence message, use the sympathy collection.
- Enter the recipient's name, the address in Portugal and a Portuguese phone number.
- Choose the delivery date and write the card. A printed card message comes with every order at no extra cost.
- Add extras if you wish: chocolates, a vase, a teddy bear, balloons or wine.
- Pay in USD by card or PayPal. The local florist receives the order and delivers it in person.
How long does delivery take, and when should you order?
Next-day delivery is available across Portugal. In major cities such as Lisbon, Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia, same-day delivery is possible when the order is placed early in the day, Portuguese time.
Mainland Portugal and Madeira share the same time as the UK and Ireland, one hour behind Spain, France and Switzerland, and five hours ahead of New York. The Azores are one hour behind Lisbon. Portugal changes its clocks in spring and autumn along with the rest of the EU. If you order from North America in the evening, the Portuguese working day is already over, so plan for the following day at the earliest.
For the dates below, order at least two to three days ahead.
| Occasion | Date in Portugal | What people usually send |
|---|---|---|
| Dia dos Namorados | 14 February | Red roses |
| Dia da Mulher | 8 March | Mixed bouquets, tulips, roses |
| Dia do Pai | 19 March | Plants, structured arrangements |
| Dia da Liberdade | 25 April | Red carnations |
| Dia da Mãe | First Sunday of May | Roses, lilies, pastel bouquets |
| Natal | 24 and 25 December | Red and white arrangements |
The dates trip up many expats. Dia da Mãe is the first Sunday of May, one week earlier than Mother's Day in the United States and Canada, and Dia do Pai is fixed on 19 March, St Joseph's Day, not in June.
How much does it cost to send flowers to Portugal?
Bouquets on FlowersPortugal start at USD 63.24 and reach USD 172.49 for the largest pieces. A flat delivery fee of USD 14.95 is added to each order, for any address in the country.
Although Portugal uses the euro, your order is charged in USD. EUR and GBP prices are shown as a reference, and your bank converts the amount if your card is in another currency. The printed card is free, and add-ons are priced at checkout.
Good starting points: Blushing Petals Art Glass for Dia da Mãe, the Cloud Nine Rose Collection for Dia dos Namorados, and Birthday Fiesta Surprise for an aniversário, which in Portuguese means a birthday.
What flowers are appropriate in Portugal, and which should you avoid?
Flowers are a classic gift in Portugal, for a host, a mother, a new baby or someone in hospital. A few local meanings are useful to know.
- Red carnations mean 25 April. The cravo vermelho is the symbol of the 1974 Carnation Revolution, and people wear and give them on Dia da Liberdade. It is a proud, political flower more than a romantic one.
- Red roses are romantic. Keep them for a partner on Dia dos Namorados or an anniversary.
- Mothers usually receive roses, lilies or a generous bouquet in pinks and soft tones on the first Sunday of May.
- June belongs to the Santos Populares. For Santo António in Lisbon on 13 June, the traditional gift between sweethearts is a manjerico, a small pot of bush basil with a paper carnation and a short verse.
- Plants are welcome. An orchid or a green plant suits a new home, an office or an older relative.
The main thing to avoid is chrysanthemums as a cheerful gift. In Portugal they are the flower of Todos os Santos on 1 November, when families visit cemeteries and decorate graves, so a pot of crisântemos at a birthday sends the wrong signal. All-white arrangements and lilies in white can also read as funeral flowers, so mix in color for happy occasions. Some people consider 13 stems unlucky, which is an easy number to skip.
For a bereavement, flowers sent to the funeral home or the church are appropriate. Funerals in Portugal are often held within a day or two of the death, so order as soon as you hear the news.
What details do you need from the recipient?
Portuguese addresses have a precise format, and getting it right saves the florist a phone call.
- Full name of the recipient.
- Street and door number, followed by the floor and side. You will often see something like 3º Esq. or 2º Dto., meaning third floor left or second floor right.
- Postcode in the seven digit format, for example 1000-001, and the locality.
- A Portuguese phone number, normally a mobile beginning with 9.
- A time when someone is home, or the name of a neighbor or café that can receive it if the building has no doorman.
- Your card message, in Portuguese or English.
If it is a surprise, ask a relative to confirm the floor and the postcode. Those two details cause most delivery delays.
How to order on flowersportugal.com
Choose a bouquet from the flower catalog, enter the recipient's details and the delivery date, write your card, and pay in USD by card or PayPal. A local florist in Portugal prepares the flowers and delivers them by hand.
Frequently asked questions
Can I send flowers to Madeira or the Azores?
Yes. FlowersPortugal has city pages for Funchal in Madeira and Ponta Delgada in the Azores, and local florists deliver there. Remember that the Azores are one hour behind Lisbon when you choose your ordering time.
Why am I charged in USD if Portugal uses the euro?
FlowersPortugal charges every order in USD, and shows EUR and GBP prices as a reference. If your card is in euros or pounds, your bank converts the amount at its own rate.
Is Mother's Day in Portugal the same date as in the US or UK?
No. Dia da Mãe in Portugal falls on the first Sunday of May, a week before the American date and well after British Mothering Sunday. Father's Day, Dia do Pai, is on 19 March.
Can I write the card message in Portuguese?
Yes. Every order includes a free printed card and you type the message yourself, so Portuguese, English or any other language works. Sign it with your name so the recipient knows who sent it.