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Lisbon

GETTING THERE

AIRPORT

Lisbon Portela Airport has  two terminals, the last being opened in 2007; free shuttle service is available between the two terminals.

The airport is located 7 km (4 miles) from Lisbon city centre. There are different options for short and long term car parks with direct access to the terminals.

Car rental includes the following companies: A A Castanheira/Budget, Auto Jardim, Avis, Europcar, Hertz, National/Alamo and Sixt/Auro Rent.

Information about bus service is available at www.carris.pt (telephone: 21 361 3054).

Address: Alameda das Comunidades Portuguesas, 1700

Telephone: +35 218 413500

www.ana.pt

LOW COST FLIGHTS

www.airberlin.com

www.thomascook.com

www.aigleazur.com

www.virginexpress.com

www.easyjet.com

www.tuifly.com

www.germanwings.com

www.vueling.com

www.blueair.com

www.thomsonfly.com

BY ROAD

The A1, called Autoestrada do Norte, connects Porto to Lisbon while the A8 links to the West. The A2, Autostrada do Sul, connects to Faro and then towards Madrid with the link to the A6.

Speed limits are 120km/h on motorways, 90km/h outside built-up areas and 50km/h in towns. 

BY TRAIN

Caminhos de Ferro Portugueses - CP (telephone: 808 208 208; www.cp.pt) is the Portuguese national rail service provider.

CAR RENTAL

Avis 

www.avis.com

Telephone:  (021) 843 5550

Europcar

www.europcar.com

Telephone: (021) 353 5115

ATTRACTIONS

Aqueduto das Aguas Livres

The Aqueduct of Free Waters is considered one of the most important national monuments because of its wonderful baroque style, with its huge stone arches. It was built in the 18th century and its function was to supply water to the city. It is a structure 18 km long, designed by the famous Portoguese architects Manuel da Maia and Custodio José Vieira.

Address: Largo do Rato

Basilica da Estrela

The Estrela Basilica represents one of the most charming churches in Lisbon. It is a wonderful example of late Baroque style.

Address: Largo da Estrela

Telephone: +351 21 396 0915

National Church of Santa Engracia

It is one of the most famous Lisbon's churches, in true Baroque style.

Address:

Campo de Santa Clara

Telephone: +351 21 885 4820

Torre de Belém

The Belem Tower dates back to the 16th century and in origin its function was to defend the Tagus River banks. UNESCO considers this monument in Manueline style as a World Heritage Site.

Address: Avenida da India

Telephone: +351 21 362 0034

Castelo de Sao Jorge

Saint George Castle was built in the 5th century by the Visighots and represents the historical symbol of the city. Visitors climbing up to the castle can appreciate the stunning view of the city and of the Tagus River. 

Address: Costa do Castelo

MUSEUMS

Museu Nacional do Azulejos

The National Tide Museum is housed in the ancient Convent of Madre de Deus, which dates back to 1509. This important and unique museum is characteristic for Portoguese tradition because it contains a wide collection of typical azulejos from 1400 up till now.

Address: Rua de Madre de Deus 4

Telephone: (021) 810 0340.

http://mnazulejo.imc-ip.pt

Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga

The National Art Museum contains collections from the 12th to the 19th century, including paintings, sculptures, ceramics, jewelry and furniture.

Address: Rua das Janelas, 9

Telephone: +351 21 391 2800

Museu do Chiado- Museu Nacional de Arte Contemporanea

The National Museum of Contemporary Art is situated in the city centre and holds important art collections of Portoguese art, including works by Columbano and Almada Negreiros.

Address: Rua Serpe Pinto, 4

Telephone: +351 21 343 2148

Other important Lisbon's museums are:

City Museum (Palacio Pimenta, Campo Grande 245)

Museu Nacional de Arqueologia ( Praça do Imperio)

Museu da Marioneta (Rua de Esperança, 146)

Calouste Gulbenkian Museum (A. Berna, 45-A).

SHOPPING

The most important and popular shopping areas are Baixa and  Rossio, Augusta and its transversal streets, the recently renewed Chiado and the Avenida Liberdade. Here tourists can find international design boutiques mixed with original Portoguese handmade leathers, shoes, gloves and bags, in small domestic shops.  Other traditional shopping areas are Avenida de Roma, Alvalade and Campo de Ourique.

Lisbon has several shopping malls, too; Colombo is the largest shopping centre in the Iberian Peninsula and Vasco da Gama offers even more ranges of national and international shops.

There are traditional markets for funny shopping. The most popular are Feira da Ladra (Flea Market), situated in Campo de Santa Clara and Mercado da Ribeira (Ribeira Market) located near Cais do Sodré, in Avenida 24 de Julho.

RESTAURANTS

The Portoguese cuisine is very appreciated by tourists and includes fish, meat (pork, chicken, goat and rabbit), vegetables and fruits.

Famous specialties are sardinhas assadas (charcoal-grilled sardines), pastéis de bacalhau (cod fishcakes) and caldo verde (a soup of cabbage and potatoes). Sweets are very good, too. Portoguese gastronomy includes famous good wines, because Portugal is a big producer of whites and red wine. One of the Portuguese specialties is Vinho Verde, a young wine with very short fermentation; but  the most famous Portoguese wine is certainly the Port.

Lisbon has a plenty of good restaurants but for a traditional cuisine we suggest:

1° de Maio

It is the trendiest Lisbon's restaurant and offers great traditional Portoguese food.

Address: Rua da Antalia, 8 (Bairro Alto)

Telephone: +351 21 342 6840

Doca Peixe

This is perhaps the best fish restaurant in Lisbon and has a wonderful location.

Address: Doca de Santo Amaro, Armazém 14, Alcantara

Telephone: +351 21 397 3565

Via Graça

It serves a delicious traditional cooking, while  enjoying  a charming view of the city.

Address:  Rua Damasceno Monteiro 9B (Graça)

Telephone: +351 21 887 0830

NIGHTLIFE

Lisbon is characterized by a vibrant nightlife and this is an aspect not to be missed when visiting the city. People in Lisbon love going out in the evening and usually stay out till late in the night. Lisbon is full of bars, theatres and clubs, located in different districts. But there are four quarters where the nightlife is particularly concentrated:  Av. 24 de Julho (Alcântara, mainly bars and discos), Bairro Alto (full of restaurants, bars and discos) , Docas (Doca de Alcântara, plenty of restaurants, bars and discos) and Parque das Naçoes  (mainly restaurants and bars).

But the very soul of this city is  the sound of fado singing and guitar-playing, the musical expression that best characterizes the traditions of Lisbon's inhabitants.

The Fado Houses are the locals where people can listen to this emotional sound while tasting the excellent local cooking. 

Among the most popular Fado Houses we remember:

Adega do Machado

It is really the oldest Fado House in Lisbon and keeps all its charm.

Address: Rua do Norte, 91

Telephone: +351 21 322 4640

Faia

Address: Rua da Barroca, 54/56

Telephone: +351 21 342 67 42

Parreirinha de Alfama

Address: Beco Espírito Santo, 1

Telephone: +351 21 886 82 09

Taverna do Embuçado

Address: Beco dos Curtumes, 10

Telephone: +351 21 886 50 88

www.tavernadoemucado.com

Clube de Fado

Address: Rua de S. João da Praça, 94

Telephone:+351 21 885 27 04 & +351 21 888 26 94

www.clube-de-fado.com