Portugal City Travel Guide: Lisbon
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Rossio Square, Lisbon
© Jean Kugler |
Lisbon (Lisboa)
- Located on the north bank of the Rio Tejo (River Tagus).
- Elegant, historical capital city - now modernizing.
- City built on seven hills.
- Main sites in the Baixa and Bélem.
- Site of hugely successful Expo 98.
- Population 580,000.
- Temperate climate; 15 km from the Atlantic Ocean.
Lisbon is a charming, easy-going, southern European
city. During the day, life centers around relaxing in the capital's numerous
cafes while the city bursts into life at night in the bars and restaurants
of Bairro Alto and Alfama.
Though much of Lisbon was destroyed in the 1755 earthquake, the rebuilt
city of Marques de Pombal offers plenty of interest. The vast Praça
do Comécio near the river gives the visitor an idea of Lisbon's
one-time commercial and maritime grandeur.
The straight, cobbled streets of the Baixa (many of them pedestrianized)
are full of elegant reminders of the city's Neoclassical past and Pombal's
town planning: Rua do Comércio (Commercial Street), Rua
da Prata (Silversmiths' Street) and Rua dos Sapateiros (Cobblers'
Street) retain many of their original functions and now play host to more
contemporary street performers and pavement artists.
The elegent Chiado area frequented by poets and writers has been
completely restored after a fire in 1998.
North of Marques de Pompal metro station, is the Museu Calouste Gulbenkian
(Tel: 21 782 3000), on Avenida de Berna is one of Europe's finest museums
with over 6,000 pieces of art from all over the world including Egyptian,
Greek & Roman and Chinese and Japan art plus a number of European
masterpieces. Nearby is the associated Centro de Arte Moderna (Tel:
217 823 474) with a collection of modern Portuguese art and a reknown
cafe, with good vegetarian options. The Parque Eduardo VII named
after the British monarch has a number of interesting greenhouses - estufas.
To the east the Alfama district is Lisbon's oldest, dating back to Moorish
times and retains a traditional atmosphere. Lisbon's cathedral - Sé
- is located to the west. The Castelo de São Jorge (Tel: 218 800 620) was first established in the 5th century and is located on
Lisbon's highest hill. There are tremendous views from the impressive
walls and towers of the castle. The Olisiponia (Tel: 218 877 244)
has a multi-media exhibition showing the history of Lisbon. East of the
castle is the Igreja de São Vicente de Fora (Tel: 218 824
400) with beautiful 18th cenury azulejos.
Bairro Alto, quiet during the day, can be reached by tram and is the
city's main nightlife area teeming with bars, clubs and fado houses with
often excellent Brazilian & African sounds.
One of Lisbon's best museums is the Museu Nacional do Azulejo
(Tel: 218 100 340) north east of Santa Apolonia housed in a 16th century
convent and showcasing the history of the tile. West of the station is
the Baroque Museu Militar (Tel: 218 842 300) the world's largest
collection of artillery.
Modern Lisbon is characterized by the new development of the Lisbon
Exhibition Center and Parque das Nações built
for Expo 98 served by the stunning modern architecture of Gare do Oriente Station
on the city metro. The riverside area contains the Oceanario (Tel:
218 917 002) which is Europe's largest aquarium and the 140m tall Torre
Vasco da Gama designed in the shape of a sail.
Festivals & Fairs
9-25 June. International Fair, organized by Portuguese Industrial Association.
13-29 June. Popular Saints' Festivals. Decorated streets and houses,
processions, fireworks, nightly dancing, competitions, etc. Communal
celebration of 60 marriages at Cathedral on 13th.
Festivals - festas
- in Lisbon and Portugal
Belém,
accessed by tram #15, is where Vasco da Gama and the explorers set sail
for India, Mozambique and Brazil. The huge Mosteiro dos Jerónimos
- an extraordinary 16C monastery and church; the Torre de Belém
fortress and the Museu de Marinha (maritime museum) are all well-worth
catching.
Sintra within
easy reach of Lisbon is a must-see for its woodland setting and extravagant
palaces.
Cascais is
one of Lisbon's nearest beach resorts and British pub hang-out. Nearby Estoril boasts
championship golf courses and Europe's largest casino.
Golf
courses near Lisbon.
Lisbon Tourist Offices
Associação Turismo de Lisboa.
Tel: 213 610 350
Fax: 213 610 359
Centro de Representação, Informação e Animação
de Lisboa (CRIA) in the Praça do Comércio.
Lisbon enquiries only.
Tel: 213 433 672
9am - 8pm
'Turismo' in Palácio Foz Building on Praça dos Restauradores.
Tel: 213 466 307
Fax: 213 468 772
9am - 8pm
Lisbon Airport also has turismo information desks.
FREEFONE Tourist Information.
Tel: 800 296 296 9am - midnight; 9am - 8pm (Sunday)
Calling Portugal from abroad.
International dialling code: 351
Pick up free pamphlets: "Follow Me Lisboa"; "Your Guide:
Lisboa" and "Lisboa City Walks".
Getting to Lisbon
Air
There are abundant scheduled, charter and no-frills flights to Lisbon.
There are domestic flights to Porto and Faro.
See our flights
page
Santa Apolonia Station has trains to central and northern Portugal.
InterCity and international trains start from Oriente Station (Oriente
Metro Line) as do trains to the Algarve.
Regional services for Sintra start from Sete Rios Station with trains
also from Rossio.
Cais do Sodre is the terminus for trains to Cascais and Estoril.
Rail information
call 808 208 208.
Not a relaxing option in central Lisbon. The country as a whole has one
of the highest accident rates in Europe, but driving with care is not
a problem.
Bus - the AeroBus leaves the airport every 20 minutes from Arrivals calling
at Marques Pombal, Avenida Liberdade, Restauradores, Rossio, Praca do
Comercio terminating at Cais do Sodre.
TAP passengers get a free ride if they have retained their boarding pass.
The new, main bus terminal is at Sete Rios which is connected to Sete
Rios railway station and the Jardim Zoologico metro station. There are
buses here to Coimbra (2 hours, 30 mins), Evora (1 hour, 45 mins), Faro
(4 hours, 30 mins) and Porto (4 hours).
At Gare do Oriente there are buses to the north of Portugal and Spain.
Taxi - beware of rip-offs. Luggage carried in the boot (trunk)
of the taxi costs extra. There are ferries across the River Tejo from
Cais do Sodre and Santa Apolonia.
City Transport
The Metro system (6.30-1am) is convenient for travelling outside the
city center which is best covered on foot, tram & elevador. A one-day
travel pass allows unlimited travel on metros, buses, trams & elevadors.
For more information on
things to do in Lisbon click here
Book
this hotel
Featured Hotel
Avenida Palace Hotel
Rua 1 Dezembro 123, Lisbon
82 elegant and classic rooms in the centre of the city.
Book
this hotel
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Hotel
Almirante
Hotel
Altis
Hotel
Britania
Pestana
Carlton Palace Hotel
Hotels
in Portugal - Bookings
Hotels
in Portugal - Agoda
There are numerous camp-sites heading south from the Costa da Caparica
south of the Tagus and the Parque Municipal de Campismo 6km west of the
city centre - bus #43.
Discounts
For all sorts of cut-price deals, the following cards are
useful:
- ISIC International Student Identity Card.
- ITIC International Teacher Identity Card.
- Euro<26 (for those under 26 years old).
- Go25/IYTC
Money
ATMs are abundant in Lisbon, accepting Visa, Mastercard,
AmEx, Access and other cards.
Toilets
Public toilets are not common.
The nearest cafe or bar will have a door with 'H' (=men; homens)
or 'S' (=women; senhoras).
Of course the cafe owners prefer that you order something.
Major airline phone numbers
[808 numbers are charged local rate from any phone in Portugal].
Air France 808 222 324
Alitalia 213 536 141
British Airwaysg(17066602)a(1492103)) 808 212 125
KLM 218 476 354
Lufthansa 214 245 155
TAP 808 205 700
Portuguese Embassy in London
11 Belgrave Square, London, UK. SW1X 8PP
(020) 7235 5331
The food is simple and hearty in the main. Check out the
Prato do Dia (daily special) for good deals. The seafood
is good in Lisbon, though you tend to pay more for this.
Sardines are cheap, though. Fans of tripe (tripas) won't
be disappointed.
There are also fine foreign restaurants from Portugal's
former colonies: Goa, Brazil, Macao, Mozambique and Angola.
"The bill, please." = A conta, se faz favor . See
our Portuguese language page
for more useful expressions.
O'Gilins Irish Pub:
Rua dos Remolares, 8-10, Cais de Sodre, Lisbon.
Tel: 213421899
The Pump House (a traditional English style pub)
Rua da Moeda, 1K (between the bottom of the "Bica" funicular railway
and Ribeira Market, opposite the post office), Cais de Sodre, Lisbon.
Tel: 213972059.
Good red, white and rosé wines; port; beer (mostly
Sagres); the strong aguardente; Martini com cerveja; and
Espinheira Ginjinha (cherry liqueur) are all available in
Lisbon at reasonable prices.
List your restaurant/bar/hotel contact Advertising
See our Port Wine and
Madeira page for more information on these fortified wines.
Internet Cafes
 Cyber.bica
Duques Bragança Street, 7 Lisbon 1200.
11am-midnight; closed weekends.
Tel: (+351) 21 3225004
Local football teams
Sporting Clube de Lisboa
Stadium name: Estadio Jose Alvalade
Metro station: Campo Grande
 Sport
Lisboa e Benfica
Stadium name: Estadio da Luz
Metro station: Colégio Militar-Luz
The average high June temperatures for Portugal is between 22 degrees Centigrade and 26 degrees Centigrade.
Get more weather information for Portugal
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