Orientation
Lisbon
Lisbon nestles against seven hills on the north side of the Rio Tejo (Tagus River). Many of the city's attractions are within walking distance of each other in the central city area. Charming, medieval Alfama with its maze-like streets sits to the east, crowned by the magnificent Castelo de São Jorge. The Baixa's grid of tidy commercial avenues lies next to it, stretching from the riverfront Praça do Comércio up to the Praça da Figueira. The elegant Chiado shopping area climbs away to the west, while at the top end of the Baixa, the Elevador de Santa Justa sits at the juncture of the Bairro Alto. A traditional residential area, the Bairro Alto (high quarter) is also home to much of Lisbon's nightlife.
A short tram or train ride along the river to the west is Belém, birthplace of Portugal's Age of Discoveries. The Parque das Nações (former World Expo 98 site) is a train ride northeast of the city. Most budget accommodation can be found in the Baixa and Rossio areas. Mid-range and top-end hotels tend to be in the Saldanha, Marquês de Pombal and Avenida da Liberdade districts. Aeroporto de Lisboa is about 4km northeast of the city centre.
Visas Overview
None required for EU nationals. Nationals of Canada, New Zealand, Australia and the USA can stay for 90 days visa-free. Everyone else needs a visa.
Being a member of the Schengen Agreement, business travellers from the Schengen group of nations can obtain a 90 day Schengen Visa when entering Portugal.
Getting There and Away
Lisbon airport is the city's main international
gateway (Portugal's other international airports
are at Porto and Faro). All overland
connections are through Spain, of course.
The two main rail crossings are at Vilar
Formoso (the Paris to Lisbon line) and at
Marvã-Beirã (the Madrid to Lisbon line).
Buses remain the cheapest way to get to
Portugal, but not by much. Prices for the
alternatives are coming down fast, thanks to
the growing attraction of rail passes (even
over point-to-point tickets) and the rise of
budget airline services.
Getting to Lisbon and Away by Plane
Aeroporto de Lisboa (Aeroporto da Portela; flight information
tel: 218 413 700) is about 4km northeast
of the centre. Portugália and TAP both have multiple
daily flights to Lisbon from Porto and Faro,
and over 20 carriers operate scheduled international
services.
Getting to Lisbon and Away by Train
Lisbon has rail links to most major Portuguese cities such as Coimbra, Porto and Faro.
There are two standard long-distance rail
journeys into Portugal. Both take the TGV
Atlantique from Paris to Irún (in Spain),
where you must change trains. From there
the Sud-Expresso crosses into Portugal
at Vilar Formoso (Fuentes de Oñoro in
Spain), continuing to Coimbra and Lisbon. The other
journey runs from Irún to Madrid, with
a change to the Talgo Lusitânia, crossing
into Portugal at Marvão-Beirã and on to
Lisbon. Two other important Spain-Portugal
crossings are at Valença do Minho and at
Caia (Caya in Spain), near Elvas.
Getting to Lisbon and Away by Bus
Buses are slower and less comfortable than
trains, but cheaper - especially if you qualify
for an under-26, student or senior discount.
The major long-distance bus terminal is
Arco do Cego (tel: 213 545 439; Avenida
João Crisóstomo). From here the big carriers run frequent services to
almost every major town in Portugal. Destinations with
10 or more services a day include Coimbra, Évora, Porto and Faro.
The two major options for European
long-distance bus travel are Eurolines (www.eurolines.com) and
Busabout (www.busabout.com).
Getting to Lisbon and Away by Car
Of over 30 roads crossing the Portugal-
Spain border, the best and biggest do so near
Valença do Minho (E01/A3), Chaves (N532),
Bragança (E82/IP4), Guarda/Vilar Formoso
(E80/IP5), Elvas (E90/A6/IP7), Serpa (N260)
and Vila Real de Santo António (E1/IP1).
There are no longer any border controls.
Getting Around
Lisbon's antediluvian trams are more than just a way to get from A to B - they're an essential Lisbon experience. Similarly, the city's three funiculars are an indispensible part of its charm. There are also trains, a rapidly expanding underground system and buses, which run into the night. Stick to public transport - the manic traffic makes cars or bicycles a stressful option.
Getting Around Lisbon by Train
The expanding metropolitano (www.metrolisboa.pt) system is useful for short hops and to reach the Gare do Oriente
and nearby Parque das Nações. The Santa
Apolónia link from Baixa-Chiado will
hopefully be finished by the end of 2007.
Entrances are marked by a big red 'M'.
Useful signs include correspondência (transfer
between lines) and saída (exit to the
street). There is an impressive array of contemporary
art at various stations, for example,
Angelo de Sousa at Baixa-Chiado, and
various artists including Hundertwasser at Oriente. Watch out for pickpockets in rush-hour crowds.
Getting Around Lisbon by Car
Lisbon can be quite stressful to drive
around, thanks to heavy traffic, maverick
drivers, one-way systems and tram lines,
but the city is at least small. If you are used
to driving in other European capitals you
probably won't find it too problematic.
There are two ring roads, both useful for
staying out of the centre: the inner Cintura
Regional Interna de Lisboa (CRIL) and the
outer Cintura Regional Externa de Lisboa
(CREL).
Getting Around Lisbon by Bus
Companhia Carris de Ferro de Lisboa (tel: 213 613 054; www.carris.pt) operates all transport except
the metro. Its buses run
from about 05:00 or 06:00 to 01:00; there are
some night bus and tram services.
Getting Around Lisbon by Tram
Companhia Carris de Ferro de Lisboa (tel: 213 613 054; www.carris.pt) operates all transport except
the metro. Its trams run
from about 05:00 or 06:00 to 01:00; there are
some night bus and tram services.
Don't leave the city without riding the No
28 from Largo Martim Moniz or No 12
from Praça da Figueira through the narrow
streets of the Alfama.
Two other useful lines are the No 15 from
Praça da Figueira and Praça do Comércio
via Alcântara to Belém, and the No 18 from
Praça do Comércio via Alcântara to Ajuda.
The No 15 line features space-age articulated
trams with on-board machines for
buying tickets and passes. Tram stops are
marked by a small yellow paragem (stop)
sign hanging from a lamppost or the overhead
wires.
