Is the word virar the same in Brazilian and European Portuguese?

No

While the core meaning of "virar" (to turn, to rotate, or to flip) is shared by both dialects, there are significant differences in typical usage and nuance.

In Brazilian Portuguese, "virar" is frequently used as a synonym for "to become" or "to turn into" (e.g., "He became a doctor"). In Continental Portuguese, this usage is much less common; a Portuguese person would typically use the verbs tornar-se or ficar to express a change in state or profession. Additionally, certain idiomatic expressions differ: while a Brazilian might say "virar a noite" to mean staying up all night, a Portuguese person is more likely to say "passar a noite em claro." There are also differences in how sudden changes or accidents are described.

Brazilian Portuguese Examples

1. Eu virei a noite estudando para a prova. (I stayed up all night studying for the exam.)
2. Ele virou um médico muito famoso. (He became a very famous doctor.)
3. Você precisa virar a página e seguir em frente. (You need to turn the page and move on.)
4. A situação virou contra nós de repente. (The situation suddenly turned against us.)
5. O carro virou na curva da estrada. (The car flipped on the curve of the road.)

Continental Portuguese Examples

1. Passei a noite em claro a estudar para o exame. (I stayed awake all night studying for the exam.)
2. Ele tornou-se um médico muito famoso. (He became a very famous doctor.)
3. Precisas de passar a página e seguir em frente. (You need to turn the page and move on.)
4. A situação inverteu-se contra nós de repente. (The situation reversed against us suddenly.)
5. O carro capotou na curva da estrada. (The car overturned on the curve of the road.)