Lisbon

Over the last few years Lisbon has experienced a great amount of growth and revived spirit as the capital of Portugal has become known as a vibrant culture that is thriving, and is also a top tourist location in modern Europe. Situated on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, Lisbon is actually structurally built to face the ocean, making its staggered white bleached buildings a site to behold from the ocean or the sandy white grains of the coast, which in turn is a sight to revel in from inside of the town. With plenty of charm, friendly locals, and small narrow alleyways the city allows travellers a step back in time while still offering them the most modern of amenities.

Climate

The climate in Lisbon is quite moderate as it enjoys the subtropical temperatures of the Mediterranean. Therefore, the winters are mild and the summers are quite hot with winters that average about 15.2C and summers that average about 25C. During the winter there may be occasional rainfall, but snow is almost unheard of and the summers are mostly clear and sunny without any precipitation to be concerned about. However, as Lisbon sits on the ocean, there is a great deal of wind on a daily basis so it is best to bring clothing that will allow you to adjust accordingly.

Lisbon Tourist Information

Lisbon has made a big effort to promote tourism with the new 'Lisboa Ask Me Centre' located on Pc. Do Comericio and open from 9am through to 8pm daily. Here tourists can ask for free brochures, maps, and advice, with smaller kiosks scattered throughout the more trafficked areas of the city to help tourists. There are also several kiosks located in the airport that can be a great first stop for tourists after touching down.

Communication

Portuguese is the main language of the city, but most of the younger generation is able to speak broken English and while you may not be able to hold a fluent conversation, you should be able to get by without too many problems. Spanish is also spoken by many locals and it is often easier to get an answer in Spanish over English if you happen to know the language.

Attractions

While in Lisbon make sure to see the Cristo Rei statue which is the city's main landmark and sits across from the Tego River bank. Standing 100 metres tall and offering a fantastic view of the city, the trip to the top in the lift is well worth the five euro admission cost.

The city itself is broken into six different neighbourhoods : Rossio where you can find the equivalent of the Trafalgar Square, Chiado which features a historical shopping district and the view from Bairro Alto which is the wildest clubbing area of the city, Baxia which features the main down town area although it is not much of a downtown in terms of the general sense of the word, Alfama where you can see the Moorish influence on the city, and Praca do Comercio which is a large plaza that really starts the downtown area of Lisbon off and is known as a great meeting place.

The sixth neighbourhood is Belem and is where most tourists end up spending the brunt of their time due to the fact that Belem is packed full of many different monuments and museums. Within the district you can take a ride to the top of the Belem Tower, stop by the Jeronimos Monastery with free entrance into the church area, see the Belem Cultural Centre where you will find artwork from Dali, Andy Warhol, Picasso and more, take a minute to look into the Coach Museum where a wide variety of royal vehicles are kept, or stop by the Statue to Afonso de Albuquerque.

While in Lisbon make sure to fit time in one evening to head into the central area of Bairro Alto which is known by the locals to be a 'high neighbourhood.' Set up on a hill towering over Chaido, the hillside overlook is the place to be seen with many restaurants spread out and plenty of life on the city streets. Also consider seeing a Fado voice show at the Cine Theatro Gymnasium or stopping by the Parque Mayer to see the type of theatre that Lisbon is renowned.

Museums

Lisbon itself is also home to a great deal of museums spread out across every nook and cranny of the city with some historical art/artefact museums that feature Egyptian artefacts and works of Monet. One such museum is the Calouste Gulbenkian, and if you like the quirky why not visit one of the more novelty museums such as the Museu de Electricidade, which means museum of electricity in English, and is a great stop for tourists of all ages.

Shopping

Shopping is a major activity in Lisbon given the fact that shops stay open on average later than other areas in Europe closing at about 10pm and malls remaining open until midnight on average. Bear in mind however that most close in the afternoon for a siesta between 1 and 3pm. If you plan on doing quite a bit of shopping while in town you may want to invest in a Lisbon Shopping Card that will offer you 5-20% at all of the major stores spread out across the city and in some of the most popular malls such as Mazaens do Chiado, Cento Commercial Amoreiras, and Centro Comercial Colombo.

Transportation

Metro system

Lisbon has a very easy to navigate and efficient system of public transportation known as the metro that is composed of a series of buses and trains. There are many different ticket offices where you can purchase passes during your visit or you can individually purchase a ticket on board the service you choose to use. A rechargeable card called the 7 Colinas is the most effective way to travel the city. It can be used for any metro vehicle. It costs as little as .50 Euros to purchase the card and you can load money into the card at discounted rate versus paying for each trip on an individual basis. You can also choose to purchase a one day pass for four euro or a multiple day ticket which is staggered based on the days you intend to use it for.

Bicycle

The city of Lisbon is very bicycle friendly and getting around is simple because bike lanes have been added in most areas of the town. However, there are not many amenities and the city itself is quite hilly so those that are not in top physical form may not want to rent a bicycle for transportation. Public transportation options allow you take a bike for free on all trains, ferries, and suburban trains but be aware that the metro only allows you to travel for free with a bike after 8pm free of charge.

Car Hire

Traffic jams are common within the inner city areas and parking in these areas can be hard as well, however, the rest of the city is no harder to drive in than any other major European city making car hire an excellent choice for those who want to see all of the areas of Lisbon with relative ease.

By Foot

Lisbon is a pedestrian friendly city with most of the major attractions of Lisbon within walking distance of the central point of Baixa. You can also usually find a map to help guide your path at any metro or bus station making navigation simple.

Ferries

If you wish to see Lisbon from the waterfront you might consider taking a ferry ride to and from Cachilhas. The ferry is part of the metro system and thus if you have a metro pass will not cost any extra.

Getting into Lisbon via the Lisbon International Airport

Lisbon Airport

Lisbon International Airport, known as the Aeroporta da Portela is the largest airport in Portugal and is located directly between Lisbon and Loures sitting outside of the city about 7km to the North. It is the major hub for a variety of flights from all over the world and offers both chartered and scheduled flights from most major airlines. Surrounded by mostly urban landscape, the airport sees about ten million passengers pass through its terminals on a regular basis.

Arrival/Departure Information

Both arrivals and departures can be found on the upper level of the main airport terminal although the baggage reclaim is found on the ground floor so be prepared to travel once you depart from your flight. Directly outside of the baggage area is where all taxis, shuttles, and buses can be found making transportation easy to secure. This is also where you should schedule to be picked up by friends or family members if meeting someone in Lisbon.

Transport To/From Lisbon Airport

Taxi - It costs on average about ten euro for a taxi from the airport into the city centre although it is metered so you have to watch the meter to make sure that the driver is being honest. It is best to ask the driver beforehand to estimate the cost of the trip to make sure you get an honest driver. Taxis are available in both the departures and arrivals area but you will find the most honest drivers in the departures area of the airport.

Bus - The Aerobus is the most convenient bus service offering a twenty minute ride directly from the airport into the city centre of Lisbon. It leaves the airport from 7am until 9pm on a daily basis every twenty minutes and only costs 3.50 euro. You can also take bus 745 for 1.45 euro but it stops only in the city centre whereas the Aerobus also services the financial district, Sete Rios bus station, and connects to other public transportation.

Train - There is not a train service at Lisbon airport, but you can take the metro bus and connect with the train network.

Airlines operating at Lisbon International Airport

There are a variety of airlines that operate via the Lisbon International Airport including British Airways, EasyJet, Monarch, and Virgin Express from the UK. Also serving the LIS are a variety of European carriers and Portugal carriers including but not limited to Aer Lingus, Air France, Air Luxor, Alitalia, Central Wings, EuroAtlantic, Iberia, Sterling Airlines, Swiss, TAAG, Tap Portugal, and Turkish Airlines.

Lisbon Airport Amenities

There are four different lounges spread out across Lisbon airport with three located within Terminal 1 and one lounge located in terminal 2. There is wireless internet available for purchase throughout the terminal areas with several kiosks located in the arrivals and departure areas. Cash withdrawal machines can be found at airside and landside with lockers available in the ABC Business Center Lounge in terminal one.

Located within the airport are luggage storage areas and lockers, as well as several children's play areas spread out throughout the gates. There are also many dining options including fast food options such as Pizza Hut, McDonalds, Oregano, Café Buondi, and Harrods Café offered in both the landside and airside areas. There are also a few café style diners open 24 hours including the Grab and Go and Astrolabio. Those seeking out a drink with their meal will want to head towards the la Pausa Restaurant, First Class Café, or the Passeio Antigo.