GENERAL
INFORMATION
This section provides all the background information
visitors might need for an enjoyable stay in Lisbon,
whether shopping, sightseeing, changing money, looking
for a chemist, wining and dining or just sending
a postcard to family and friends back home. |
ACCOMMODATION
is plentiful in Lisbon, particularly around
the main downtown areas of Rossio, Restauradores
and on Avenida da Liberdade. Budget travellers
should head for a pensão or residencial,
which offer basic accommodation often with
continental-style breakfast included in the
price.
Lisbon has an abundance of hotels (http://www.maisturismo.pt/1/sr5.html)
of all categories to choose from, but for
something a bit more traditional we suggest
an estalagem/albergaria (traditional-style
inn) or a pousada (state-run network of hotels
located in castles, palaces and other historic
buildings).
AIRLINES are mostly located
in central Lisbon around Marquês de
Pombal and on the city’s main artery,
the Avenida da Liberdade.
The national carrier, TAP Air Portugal, covers
almost fifty destinations in four continents,
along with regular domestic services between
Lisbon, Madeira, Oporto, Faro and the Azores.
Besides domestic services between Lisbon,
Oporto and Funchal, Lisbon-based airline PGA
– Portugália Airways operates
international flights to Barcelona, Bilbao,
La Corunha, Madrid, Malaga, Valencia, Bordeaux,
Brussels, Casablanca, Cologne, Lyon, Manchester,
Marseille, Mulhouse/Basel, Nice, Stuttgart,
Toulouse, Turin, Berlin, Bologna and Paris.
BANKS are open Monday to Friday from
8.30 am until 3 pm.
The daily exchange rate is normally displayed
in the front window, plus there’s normally
a foreign exchange desk inside for currency
transactions.
BEACHES are in abundance
along Lisbon’s two glorious stretches
of coastline - the Costa do Estoril (Estoril
Coast) and the Costa Azul (Blue Coast).
The famous Guincho Beach near Cascais is the
best place for surfing and windsurfing, while
Costa da Caparica south of the river boasts
a 15-kilometre stretch of golden, sandy coastline.
BUSES are cheap, efficient
and regular and can get you anywhere you want
to go. Tickets can be purchased on board from
the driver or in advance from Carris kiosks
at a more economical price.
CAMPING is possible in and
around Lisbon; the city’s main campsite
is situated on the edge of Monsanto Park.
To reach it by public transport, take the
number 50 bus from Algés bus station,
which can be reached by train from Lisbon’s
Cais do Sodré station on the Cascais
line.
There’s another campsite near Guincho
Beach for those who want to stay in the Costa
do Estoril, while various sites south of the
River Tagus give good access to the beaches
and picturesque villages of the enchanting
Costa Azul region.
CAR HIRE is not expensive
in Portugal, particularly when a group of
people is sharing the cost.
All the big multi-national companies such
as Hertz and Avis are represented in the arrivals
hall of Lisbon Airport. Many of them also
have offices in Cascais, Estoril and central
Lisbon.
CHEMISTS (farmácias)
are open from 9 am until 1 pm and again from
3 pm until 7 pm Monday to Friday. On Saturdays
they are open from 9 am until 1 pm.
The address of the nearest night service is
shown on the door of every chemist.
CINEMAS show films in their
original language with subtitles. All national
daily newspapers provide a full listing of
films currently being shown in the city.
Most cinemas offer cheap seats on Mondays.
CLIMATIC CONDITIONS in Lisbon
are among the best of any European capital,
with short, mild winters and long, hot summers
being the norm.
Visitors generally can expect plenty of sunshine
from May through October, while the cooler
winter season from December until March is
often rainy.
COFFEE is a way of life in
Lisbon and served up in many different ways.
The most popular form, a bica (pronounced
beaker), is an expresso drunk from a small
cup, while a meia de leite (pronounced mayer
de late) is a large cup of American-style
milky coffee.
Drunk from a large tall glass, the virtually
unpronounceable galão is another form
of milky coffee.
COSTA DO ESTORIL (Estoril
Coast), west of the city, follows the course
of the River Tagus all the way to the Atlantic
Ocean in the distance.
There you will find sumptuous palaces and
villas built by kings, as well as long golden
beaches and Europe’s largest casino.
DRIVING too fast in Lisbon
is punishable by on-the-spot fines.
Speed limits stand at 50 kph in town, 90 kph
out of town and 120 kph on the motorway. Seat
belts are compulsory.
ELECTRICITY is supplied in
accordance with European standards - 220 volts.
Sockets are the continental two-pin variety.
EMERGENCY cases should head
for the nearest hospital (which has exactly
the same spelling in Portuguese).
Another option is the British Hospital located
at Rua Saraiva de Carvalho 49 '(+351)-21-3955067.
Portugal’s emergency telephone number
is 112.
FADO is the sound of Portuguese
sentiment at its most endearing and is a tourist
experience not to be missed.
The most authentic fado restaurants are to
be found in the Bairro Alto and Alfama quality
of Lisbon, although authentic fado can also
be heard in the Alcântara district near
the river.
Faro restaurants are very popular with locals
and visitors alike, so it is highly advisable
to make reservations, particularly at weekends
and during the summer.
F ERRIES are a cheap and
efficient way of reaching the south side of
the River Tagus.
Lisbon’s main boat station, Terreiro
do Paço, serves Montijo, Seixal, Cacilhas
and Barreiro, the latter of which is the connecting
station for trains to the Algarve.
Ferries from Belém boat station to
Trafaria are met by a connecting bus service
to the long sandy beaches of Costa da Caparica.
There is also a car ferry service operating
between Cais do Sodré and Cacilhas
near Almada.
FUNICULAR railways (known locally as elevadores)
are a major tourist attraction in Lisbon.
The Elevadores of Gloria and Lavra are located
on opposite sides of Praça dos Restauradores
in downtown Lisbon, while the Elevador da
Bica climbs up the hill to Bairro Alto from
Rua de São Paulo near Cais de Sodré
station.
GOLF is very popular among tourists visiting
Portugal and there are several courses within
easy reach of Lisbon, including five championship
courses on the south side of the river.
Beginners can take lessons at the Estoril
Golf Academy located midway between Estoril
and Sintra.
MARKETS are a part of everyday life in Lisbon.
The biggest and most famous one, Feira da
Ladra (Thieves’ Market), is held every
Tuesday and Saturday at Campo de Santa Clara
in the city’s ancient Alfama quarter.
Out of Lisbon, the Feira de São Pedro
takes place twice a month in Sintra on the
2nd and 4th Sundays of each month, while other
weekly markets can be found at Cascais each
Wednesday and Carcavelos on Thursdays.
METRO trains run from 6 am until 1 am.
A single journey to any station is currently
priced at just €0.55, while a book of
10 tickets is more economical at €4.50.
A full-day’s pass allows unlimited travel
on the network and costs €1.40, while
a 7-day pass is €4.80 (€4.35 with
youth card).
MONEY MATTERS revolve around the euro which
is indicated by the € sign; the former
Portuguese unit of currency, the escudo, was
replaced by the euro on 1 January, 2OO2, at
the fixed rate of 1 euro = 2OO.482 escudos.
Composed of 1OO cents, the euro has eight
coin denominations for 1 cent, 2 cents, 5
cents, 1O cents, 2O cents, 5O cents, 1 euro
and 2 euros. Seven notes are also in circulation
for 5 euros, 1O euros, 2O euros, 5O euros,
1OO euros, 2OO euros and 5OO euros.
The same currency is valid in 11 other European
countries, namely Austria, Belgium, Finland,
France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Ireland,
Italy, Luxemburg and Spain.
The euro is also the official currency for
payments made through the international banking
system (ie cheques, money transfers, credit
card transactions, etc.).
There's no limit to how much foreign currency
can be taken into Portugal, which can be exchanged
at banks and bureaux de change.
All major credit cards are accepted at most
establishments in Lisbon and the surrounding
areas.
NIGHT-LIFE is mostly centred around three
districts of Alcântara, the narrow streets
of the Bairro Alto and along the Avenida 24
de Julho.
Lisbon’s new Docas waterfront area is
also very popular among tourists and locals
alike.
POST OFFICES are open from 8.30 am until 6
pm.
The main downtown post office in Praça
dos Restauradores is open from 8 am until
10 pm Monday to Friday and from 9 am until
6 pm at weekends and on public holidays.
The airport post office operates a permanent
postal, telephone and faxing service.
RESTAURANTS vary in size and quality and range
from the budget-priced tasca (tavern) to the
most luxurious à la carte restaurant.
At a marisqueira, the emphasis is on fresh
fish and seafood, while a churrasqueira specialises
in charcoal-grilled dishes.
Besides beer, Lisbon’s many cervejarias
serve snacks and most other refreshments.
Restaurants in Lisbon generally open for dinner
at 7 pm, which is much earlier than in Spain.
It’s therefore best to find a table
before 9 pm, especially at weekends.
SHOPS are open from 9.30 am to 1 pm and 3
pm to 7 pm Monday to Friday. On Saturdays
they close at 1 pm.
In a shopping centre (centro commercial) the
shops are open late every day including Sunday.
Lisbon’s two main shopping centres are
Colombo (next to Colégio Militar-Luz
metro station) and Amoreiras near the centre
of town. CascaisShopping, situated between
Cascais and Sintra, is the largest shopping
centre in the Costa do Estoril region.
SIGHTSEEING tours of Lisbon, Sintra and other
places of interest leave from the bottom of
Parque Eduardo VII in the centre of Lisbon.
Tickets and information can be obtained at
the nearby kiosk, while most of the tour operators
offer a pick-up service at the city’s
main hotels.
TAX-FREE SHOPPING (operated by Global Refund)
entitles non-European Union members to a full
refund on VAT for any purchases made over
€58.36.
Specially-issued cheques are stamped by customs
and cashed on the spot by Global Refund Tax-Free
Shopping staff at the point of departure.
TAXIS are normally beige in colour, although
a few of the original black and green cabs
can still be spotted around town.
Lisbon’s cabs charge a minimum fee of
€2.15 per journey, while heavy luggage
costs an extra €1.50.
The average charge between Lisbon Airport
and the city centre is between €5 and
€6, and a journey to Estoril or Cascais
normally costs around €25-30.
The metre tariffs are as follows;
T1 - an urban journey between 6 am and 10
pm Monday to Friday (except public holidays).
T2 - an urban journey between 10 pm and 6
am Monday to Friday, as well as all day Saturday,
Sunday and public holidays.
T3 - a suburban journey (ie outside the perimeter
of Lisbon) taken any day between 6 am and
10 pm with an empty return.
T4 - a suburban journey between 10 pm and
6 am with an empty return.
TELEPHONE cards of 50, 100 or 150 units can
be bought at newsagents, kiosks, post offices
and at the reception desk of most hotels.
Portugal Telecom’s nationwide network
of public telephones accept euro coin denominations
of 2 cents, 5 cents, 10 cents, 20 cents, 50
cents, 1 euro and 2 euros.
Visitors should also be aware that most bars
and restaurants have telephones available
for public use.
TICKETS for concerts and sports events can
be purchased at the ABEP kiosk located at
the bottom of in Praça dos Restauradores
or in FNAC stores in the Chiado and Colombo
shopping centres.
TIPS are not taken for granted in Lisbon and
the Portuguese are always very appreciative
when they receive a little extra to boost
their basic salaries, which are still among
the lowest Europe.
An acceptable tip equates to between 5-10%
of the total bill.
TOURIST INFORMATION is available in many different
languages at the Palácio Foz tourist
information centre in Praça dos Restauradores.
The centre is located directly opposite the
post office and is open from 9 am until 8
pm ('+351-213463643).
The Lisbon Tourist Board operates a modern
tourism and cultural centre located in the
cloisters of Praça do Comércio.
TRAINS regularly depart from Lisbon’s
four stations of Santa Apolónia, Rossia,
Oriente and Cais de Sodre for local destinations
and places further afield in Portugal and
the rest of Europe.
Santa Apolónia and the state-of-the-art
Oriente station serve the north of Portugal,
Spain, France and beyond, while Barreiro station
on the south side of the River Tagus is Lisbon’s
departure point for the Algarve and southern
Spain.
Trains from Rossio station run four times
an hour to Sintra, while Cascais and Estoril
can be reached from Cais do Sodré railway
station in south-west Lisbon.
TRAMS are a nostalgic way of seeing Lisbon
and many of them are pre-World War One and
still running.
Take tram 15 from Praça da Figueira
to reach the tourist centre of Belém
and tram 28 for a fascinating trip through
the Bairro Alto, Alfama and other historic
parts of Lisbon. |
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