Online doctor, Portugal
Speak to a Doctor About a UTI in Portugal Online, in English.
Burning when you pee, going constantly, lower-abdominal discomfort — and you are in Portugal? Whether you can get antibiotics, and how, is a question for a doctor or pharmacist where you are. SNS 24 (808 24 24 24) will tell you where to go; it will not assess you or decide treatment. Pomodoc connects you by video with an English-speaking doctor licensed to treat you in Portugal, for a fixed €40, who can prescribe where clinically appropriate and local rules permit. Fever, back pain under the ribs, or blood in the urine mean urgent care instead.
In Portugal, whether you need antibiotics at all is a question for a doctor, and a pharmacist can tell you what they can and cannot dispense.
- €40
- per consultation
- No insurance
- or Portuguese health number
English-speaking doctors, licensed to treat you in Portugal.
Medical Advice for UTI Symptoms in Portugal
A urinary tract infection can cause pain or burning when you pee, a frequent or urgent need to go, lower abdominal discomfort, or urine that looks cloudy or has blood in it.
With Pomodoc, you can speak directly with a doctor by video, wherever you are in Portugal. Discuss your symptoms, ask questions and understand whether you may need a urine test, medication or an in-person appointment.
- Consult securely by video
- Avoid unnecessary travel and waiting rooms
- Get clear guidance about your symptoms and treatment
- Access care while travelling or living in Portugal
SNS 24, or a Doctor Who Can Prescribe?
Portugal gives you a national health line and a prescription-based pharmacy system. Which one you want depends on whether your question is where to go or what to take.
SNS 24 on 808 24 24 24
- answers health questions around the clock, every day
- triages what you describe and refers you onward, which gov.pt calls prioritisation, advice and referral
- can tell you whether a centro de saúde or an urgência is the right destination
- is the health service's own front door, so its referral carries weight locally
If your question is where should I go and how urgently, that line is built for it. What it does not do is assess you as a clinician and decide on treatment.
A consultation instead gives you
- a doctor who takes a history and assesses the symptoms themselves
- the conversation in English, from wherever you are staying
- a view on whether a urine test is worth seeking where you are
- a prescription where it is clinically appropriate and local rules permit, which is a judgement rather than a given
Pomodoc connects you with an English-speaking doctor by video, licensed to treat you in Portugal, for €40 per consultation. Fixed price, no surprises.
Not sure which you need? If the question is where to go, call SNS 24 first. If it is what is actually wrong and what to do about it, that is a doctor's question.
Your consultation runs on Air Doctor's ISO‑certified platform (ISO/IEC 27001 & ISO 27799 for health data). See our security & certifications.
How It Works
Medical advice by video in three simple steps
Start online
Tell us where you are in Portugal and what is going on. It is a short form, not an appointment request.
Join by video
See your English-speaking doctor using your phone, tablet or computer.
Get clear guidance
Discuss your symptoms and receive advice about your next steps.
Why Use Pomodoc?
Explain it in English
Describe your symptoms and ask questions in English, instead of translating them first or hoping the clinic has someone who speaks it.
Get help without leaving your accommodation
Attend your appointment from your hotel, holiday rental, home or workplace.
Private, and not mimed at a counter
Urinary symptoms are awkward to describe across a language barrier in a busy farmácia. A consultation is a conversation instead.
Understand what to do next
A doctor can help you decide whether you need a test, medication or an in-person appointment in Portugal.
Travellers who needed a doctor abroad
I was very happy to find this service
I was very happy to find this service! I was able to get a video visit with a physician promptly and get care.
The interview was straightforward and efficient.
The interview was straightforward and efficient. The physician asked appropriate questions and took time to listen to my responses and then asked other questions related to my issues. She zeroed in on questions related to the urinary system.
Reliable and efficient
Reliable and efficient, able to provide medical support while you're away from home.
Reviews of Air Doctor, our medical partner, published on Trustpilot.
More About Urinary Infections in Portugal
What SNS 24 can and cannot do about this
SNS 24 is the Portuguese health service's own front door: alongside the line on 808 24 24 24 it runs a portal, an app and a physical counter. gov.pt describes the line as available for health queries 24 hours a day, every day, and the SNS describes its role as prioritisation, advice and referral in case of illness.
For urinary symptoms that makes it a good first call if what you need is direction: which service, how soon. It is a triage and referral service rather than a consultation, so the assessment and the treatment decision sit elsewhere.
The pharmacy is not a shortcut to antibiotics here
Ask the pharmacist what they can dispense without a prescription; this page does not state the Portuguese rules for antibiotics. We could not verify any Portuguese equivalent of the French arrangement, where a trained pharmacist may dispense for simple cystitis after a rapid test, so this page does not suggest one exists.
Portuguese pharmacists are still worth talking to. They can advise on symptom relief, point you to the nearest open service, and tell you what the local process is.
If it is the middle of the night
Portuguese pharmacies operate a duty rota, the farmácia de serviço, and every pharmacy is required to display the duty rota where it can be seen, so a closed pharmacy is a reasonable place to look for the one that is open.
For anything that cannot wait until morning, 112 is the emergency number and works from any phone. SNS 24 runs through the night as well, which makes it the sensible middle option between waiting and an emergency department.
Words that help at the counter
| In Portuguese | What it means |
|---|---|
| uma infeção urinária | a urinary infection |
| cistite | cystitis |
| dói quando urino | it hurts when I urinate |
| uma receita médica | a prescription |
| a farmácia de serviço | the duty pharmacy, open out of hours |
| um exame de urina | a urine test |
| as urgências | the emergency department |
| Fala inglês? | Do you speak English? |
Receita means prescription. Cistite is the word a pharmacist will recognise fastest.
Good things to know.
Can I get antibiotics for a UTI in Portugal without a prescription?
Ask the pharmacist, who can tell you what they can dispense; this page does not state the Portuguese rules for antibiotics. We found no Portuguese equivalent of the French arrangement that lets a trained pharmacist dispense for simple cystitis after a test. A pharmacist can advise on symptom relief and point you to an open service, and a doctor can decide whether you need antibiotics and prescribe where clinically appropriate.
Should I call SNS 24 about urinary symptoms?
It is a reasonable first call if what you want is direction. gov.pt says the line answers health queries 24 hours a day, every day, and the SNS describes its role as prioritisation, advice and referral. It will help you decide which service to use and how urgently, rather than assess you and decide on treatment.
Do I need a Portuguese health number to be seen?
Not for a Pomodoc consultation. You pay €40 per consultation directly, it is a fixed price, and no Portuguese registration or local insurance is involved. Pomodoc does not bill an insurer on your behalf.
Can a doctor prescribe for me in Portugal by video?
A doctor may issue a prescription when it is clinically appropriate and local rules permit. It is not guaranteed, and some medicines cannot be prescribed remotely at all. Medication you buy at a pharmacy is not included in the €40.
I am in the Algarve and my symptoms started overnight. What now?
If nothing on the urgent list above applies, the practical options are SNS 24 on 808 24 24 24 for direction, the farmácia de serviço for symptom relief, and a consultation if you want an assessment before morning. For fever, back pain, blood in your urine, pregnancy, or if you are a man, seek urgent advice rather than waiting.
What happens if the doctor thinks I need a test?
You will be told that, which is a useful outcome rather than a wasted call. A urine test cannot be done over video, so if one is needed the next step is a local service, and SNS 24 or a pharmacist can tell you where the nearest one is.
How much does a Pomodoc video consultation cost?
€40 is the fixed price of the video consultation with a doctor. It includes the consultation and, where clinically appropriate and local rules permit, a prescription. Medication you buy at a pharmacy, and any in-person care you go on to need, are separate. There is no subscription and no booking fee.
Sources
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs)NHSThe symptoms, and the reasons to get urgent advice: fever or shivering, being a man, pregnancy, pain in the lower tummy or back, blood in the urine, and symptoms worsening or not improving within two days, plus the kidney-infection warning about back pain under the ribs, and the 999/A&E trigger of being confused, drowsy, or having difficulty speaking (re-checked 2026-10-01).
- Portaria n.º 277/2012, de 12 de setembro (consolidated text)Diário da RepúblicaThat pharmacies must display the duty-pharmacy rotas (escalas de assistência farmacêutica) in a visible place (Article 6).
- Contactos de emergência em Portugalgov.pt, Governo da República Portuguesa112 as the medical emergency number, and SNS 24 on 808 24 24 24 being available for health queries 24 hours a day.
- Linha SNS 24Serviço Nacional de SaúdeThat SNS 24 provides prioritisation, advice and referral in case of illness, and that it operates as a portal, a telephone line, an app and a counter.
Sources last checked: . General information, not a diagnosis.
Need Medical Advice for a UTI in Portugal?
Speak to an English-speaking doctor by video and get guidance from wherever you are.
- €40, fixed price
- Licensed in Portugal
- English-speaking doctors
- Prescriptions where available
Video consultations are for suitable non-emergency medical concerns. In a life-threatening emergency in Portugal, call 112 or go to the nearest emergency department. For health questions that are not emergencies, SNS 24 on 808 24 24 24 can point you to the right place. This page is general information, not medical advice about your own situation.