Lisbon, Portugal
Public transportation in Lisbon is very reliable and affordable. You will need to buy a "Viva Viagem" card from designated serviced kiosks or from automated machines usually found at subway and train terminals. It costs 0.50 Euro and is valid one year. We each picked one at the airport subway entrance, right in front of Arrivals Exit where there are lots of machines. On this card you will load fares from the same machines or serviced kiosks, good for all Carris network like buses, street cars, ferries and trains. The machines accept major credit cards and some even Euros cash. From the airport we took bus #744 all the way to Avenida da Liberdade (which is like Lisbon's Champs Elysee) from where our hotel was very close. The bus was very clean, with an inside digital display close to the front continuously updating the upcoming station. "Stop" buttons were spread throughout the bus. Alternatively you can take from the airport the Red Line subway to downtown, most likely faster but lacking the views you get in a bus.
The sidewalks in Lisbon are made of cobblestone and many streets are hilly, not good for luggage on wheels. If you have heavy luggage, consider taking a taxi to your hotel.
All prices and links shown in this blog are as of October 2022 and might change in the future.
Best attractions in Lisbon
We arrived at the hotel way too early. The hotel reception offered to take our luggage until our room will be ready. Having few good hours on hand, we took a walk in the neighborhood and after "climbing" a maze of narrow streets, we reached Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara terrace with beautiful views of the city
Not far away we visited the Chruch of Sao Roque
Continued with a stop at Santa Justa Lift with great city views from top of it. During our stay in Lisbon we walked many times by this lift and there was always a long line of people waiting to use it. We preferred to take the side streets leading to the top or lower level.
Few steps away we reached Praça Dom Pedro IV, one of the main squares in Lisbon
After exploring the square and surrounding areas we headed back to the hotel taking a different route, this time on some old narrow streets typical of Lisbon
Lisbon is divided into several neighbourhoods and in order to really get to know the city you need to explore at least the most traditional ones like Alfama, Baixa, Bairro Alto, Cacilhas, Belem as each one has its unique charm and tourist attractions.
We started our day visiting Alfama area and the first thing on our schedule was Castelo de S.Jorge which is a historic monument with an impressive history. The castle was built in the mid 11th century during the Moorish period and it is located on the highest hill in Lisbon.
The access ticket includes visiting the castle grounds, the Garden, the permanent exhibition and the Archeological Site. Here you can easily spend few hours. Due to its high location, the castle multiple viewpoints offer spectacular 360 degrees’ views of the city. For easy access there are buses going right up to the castle but we chose to "climb" the wavy narrow cobblestone street to the gates.
The castle charges an entrance fee, (10 Euro per person) and opens daily at 9:00 am. We were among the first visitors to enjoy the place almost by ourselves. By the time we finished, a long queue was formed at the entrance so we recommend that you visit the castle early to avoid the crowds.
Next we visited Lisbon Cathedral or Cathedral of Saint Mary Major which is the official name. The Cathedral, the oldest in the city combines different architectural styles, Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque making it one of the main tourist attractions.
The entrance is free for the ground level but we purchased 5 Euro tickets which included a walk along the naves, a visit to the Museum of the Treasury where you can see a lot of religious artifacts (no pictures allowed here) and an ascent to the High Choir level.
On our way to visit the National Pantheon we passed by Casa dos Bicos, a historical house famous for its interesting façade resembling spikes.
We walked on some pedestrian only streets towards the National Pantheon enjoying looking at the little shops and cafes and finally found ourselves in front of it but only after climbing another uphill street.
Built initially as the Church of
Saint Engratia it became the National Pantheon in 1916 and has an impressive
high central white dome. The entrance ticket costs 5 Euro and includes climbing
all the way up to the Dome where you can have nice all around views of the
interior of the church. On top there is also access to
the terrace which offers one of the best views of Alfama. Many former
presidents of Portugal are buried here and also there is a cenotaph of the famous explorer Vasco da Gama (his actual tomb is at Jeronimo Monastery which we scheduled to visit another day)
In the afternoon we planned to cross the Tagus river by ferry and visit Cacilhas waterfront district that offers beautiful views of Lisbon from across the river. We headed to Cais do Sodre Terminal for our ferry ride. To get there we walked on Ribeira das Naus, a riverfront promenade between Praca de Commercio and Cais de Sodre, an area busy with people strolling, cycling or just basking in the sun.
The ferry tickets cost 1.30 Euro one
way per person and there are no return tickets so you have to buy two single
tickets. They can be purchased either online or at the Station and loaded to
Viva Viagem card as it applies to all public transport networks of Lisbon. It
is a 10 minute ferry trip to Cacilhas. There are 5 ferry routes in Lisbon and
you can consult their timetables on Transtejo Soflusa
website.
Once on the other side of Tagus we walked first to take a look at the Frigate Dom Fernando II e Glória, a 50-gun frigate of the Portuguese Navy. We did not get a great view of it as there was some construction in the area but at least we got a glimpse of it.
You can get to Cristo Rei monument by public transport but we walked as we like to discover each area by foot. It took us less than two hours to get there and return to the ferry, about 8 km (5 miles) in total. If you decide to walk there, you need to be prepared to go up the steep streets to the monument as it stands high above the river banks. Once there we were rewarded with some of the best views of the Lisbon and of the 25 de Abril Bridge, an impressive construction with a total length of 2.2km (7,470 feet}. The statue was inspired by the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro and its total height is 110 meters (360 feet).
The entry to the monument is free but you can take the elevator to the viewing platform 81 meters (268 feet) above the ground by paying 6 Euros. We did not go up as the views are breathtaking even from the terrace by the pedestal. There is also a little olive garden and nice palm alleys surrounding the monument.
Saturday, October 15, 2022 - Day trip to Sintra
Sintra is a nice little town situated about 27 km from Lisbon and one of the gateways to the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park. Here you can enjoy nature and history all in one place.
There are many ways to get to Sintra, you could drive, go by taxi or by train. For us the cheapest and most convenient way was to go by train. The train journey between Lisbon Rossio station and Sintra station takes about 40 minutes. The trains are operated by Comboios de Portugal and you have to take Sintra line to get there. One way ticket costs 2.30 Euro and can be purchased from the ticket machines or kiosks at the station, just use your Viva Viagem card. Trains run every 30 minutes on weekends and every 15 min on weekdays but make sure to check the train schedules thoroughly before departing.
There are plenty of attractions once you get to Sintra and one day is not enough for all of them. Depending which ones you choose to visit, you have to take the right bus as there are different buses taking you on different routes. We decided to visit the most popular attractions so we started with the Palacio National da Pena.
To get there we had to take Sintra Tourist bus 434-The Circuito da Pena.
The bus will take you from Sintra bus station (located outside train station) to Palacio National da Pena, Castelo dos Mouros and through Sintra historic town centre. It follows a
one-direction loop as the the streets along the route are so narrow it is a
wonder such big buses fit on them. You can check the bus schedule and ticket
information at Scotturb website. Tickets can be purchased from the Scotturb
ticket office located across the street from train station exit. Among many choices, they are selling
"Hop on hop off" all buses 24 hours tickets which cost 11.50 Euro per person. You can also purchase one-way tickets directly from the
driver and those will cost about 7 Euro per person. We wished we knew ahead
about this option as we returned on foot and could have saved few Euros. The bus ride to Pena Palace takes about 20 minutes and
it is a beautiful scenic ride. Alternatively you can hike from Sintra train station to Moores Castle
and Pena Palace but you will have to be prepared for a quite long uphill hike.
The National Palace of Pena is situated on top of the hill above the town of Sintra. It is considered a Romanticism castle that started as a medieval chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Pena and later was built into the castle we see today by the Portugal King Ferdinand II to serve as his summer residence.
Tickets can be purchased online or at the gates of the Park but the lines will be too long as many tourists are visiting even in extra season. We purchased ours online. It is a strict time slot visit and the ticket website cautions you to plan your time accordingly and to arrive at the Palace at the time showed on your ticket not before and not after because you might not be able to enter. Tickets cost 13.30 Euro per person.
We arrived too early and while waiting for our entry time slot we visited the beautiful Palace Gardens surrounding the Palace included in the ticket price.
Visiting the Palace is easy, roughly follows an one-way circuit not to miss any spots but you can stop wherever you like. The vistas from the Palace are one better than the other.
From Pena Palace
we walked to Castle of the Moores, a medieval castle built as a
fortification by the Moors in the 10th century. By taking the
parapet walk we were rewarded with stunning views including Sintra down
in the valley and Palace of Pena high above. Access tickets can be purchased at the Moorish Castle Ticket Counter located at the bus stop and cost 8 Euro each.Once you have your tickets, you will have to walk few minutes to the castle gate.
The Initiation Well is located on the land of Quinta de Regaleira and is 27 meters (88 feet) deep. The Well has a spiral staircase with stone columns that lead down to the bottom of the well like an inverted tower and has several small landings. Once you get downstairs you will pass through a cave tunnel to get outside. The Initiation Well was never used as a well and is believed that served as a place for Knights of Templar initiation ceremonies.
Sunday, October 16, 2022
One of the “must see” attractions while in Lisbon is Jeronimos Monastery located in Belem district. The monastery was constructed in 1501 and took 100 years to complete. It represents the Age of Discovery when most of the world was still being discovered by European sailors. The monastery was designed in the Manueline architectural style with themes incorporating maritime elements carved in limestone.
To get there you can take the train from Cais de Sodre, the tram 15 or various city buses depending of where you start your journey from. We took bus 714 from Praca da Figueira to the monastery.
The entry ticket costs 10 Euro per person and the best way to buy tickets is online. It helps avoiding a queue at the ticket office beside the one at the entry. Our tickets were for 9:30, the opening time and thus we could visit the monastery without the big crowds.
Once inside we explored everything the monastery offers: the Cloister with nice sculptural details, the Chapter house, the Confessionals, the Refectory beautiful decorated with colorful azulejo tiles, the High Choir and the courtyard garden. The monastery also houses tombs of prominent figures such as King Manuel, King Sebastiao and poet Luis de Camoes.
From the monastery we walked to Torre del Belem, just 1.3 km away. Belem Tower is a fortification from 16th century that was the point of embarkation and disembarkation for Portuguese explorers and a gateway to the city of Lisbon. It was built as a defense against attacks and invasions from the Tagus river.
Further down, Padraodos Descobrimentos (Monument of the Discoveries) is a short walk along the boardwalk from Belem Tower. It was initially built as a temporary construction for the Portuguese World Exhibition in 1940, demolished after the exposition and rebuilt again in a larger version in 1960.
The monument resembles the bow of a ship pointing towards the sea and among the figures represented on it are the famous explorers Vasco da Gama and Ferdinand Magellan. If you decide to visit the ticket includes entry to a museum inside and a climb up to an observation deck.
A detail of the Monument showing Magellan
You can actually see how the custard pastries are being made
Next on our itinerary was LX Factory. This is an old industrial area located in Alcantara neighbourhood that was transformed into office spaces, restaurants, shops, bars, art galleries and now is a modern art centre and a trendy shopping and dining area where people come to work, shop, be creative or to meet friends.
Our next stop was Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga also known as National Museum of Ancient Art. It houses the most relevant Portuguese collections of paintings, sculptures, jewellery and decorative arts. The museum is open daily from 10:00 – 18:00 and is closed on Mondays. The ticket price is 6 Euro.
Next attraction on our list was Basilica da Estrela. The church was built at the order of Queen Maria I de Portugal, who vowed in front of an image of Sacred Heart of Jesus after her wedding to build the church if she would be blessed with children to ensure the succession of the House of Braganza. Admission to the basilica is free, you only need to pay if you want to see the Nativity scene and to access the dome.
Throughout the day we passed many other interesting landmarks that make Lisbon such a beautiful city to explore
Later in the evening we went out for a walk on Rua Augusta all the way to Commerce Square
Cabo da Roca marks the westernmost point of mainland Portugal and in fact of Europe. It is a wild remote landscape with sandy beaches and rocky cliffs overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The area seems secluded with only few buildings such as a lighthouse from 1772, a coffee shop, the tourist office.
To get there we took the train from Rossio station to Sintra, which is a 40 minutes ride. From Sintra station the only way to get to Cabo da Roca is by 403 bus. The bus stop is outside of the train station and you can buy your ticket directly from the driver. It costs 3.85 Euro one way but we decided to purchase return tickets not to worry about them on our way back. The bus route starts in Sintra and ends in Cascais and Cabo da Roca is just one of the stops. From the bus we enjoyed the scenic route on the windy roads, with many stops in little villages.
The walking paths close by the Cabo da Roca monument have wooden parapets that allow you to enjoy the views safely.
We came prepared for a day of hiking, with proper hiking shoes, some snacks and enough water for the day. Our wish was to reach few of the famous beaches in the area.
First we headed south towards Praia de Lourical. From Cabo da Roca we followed the downhill walking trail that leads to the pebble beach. Last portion of trail is very steep and we did not go down to it. Instead we climbed up the hill on the opposite side to explore the area beyond.
We returned to Cabo da Roca and then headed north towards Praia da Ursa. The beach name comes from Rocha da Ursa, one of the rock formations that it is said to resemble a bear. The vegetation along the trail is diverse and unique and we stopped many times to enjoy and wonder at different plant species. First segment of the trail is easy and could be done by everybody but if you want to hike down to the beach you will need to be prepared as it is a very challenging descent. There is even a helping rope access at some point as the dirt track is very slippery.
Once we reached the beach we were rewarded with spectacular views of sea stacks and the ocean, making us feel like we were on another world. We took our shoes off to enjoy the fine sand of the beach. We explored the surrounding areas, dipped our feet into the cold Atlantic Ocean, ate our snacks and after about one hour we decided to head back.
Monday, October 18, 2022 - Day trip to Cascais
Cascais is approximate 30 km from Lisbon. The most
recommended way to get there and the cheapest is by train. We took the train
from Cais de Sodre in Lisbon to Cascais station which is the last stop. The
trains are operated by Comboios de Portugal and Linha de Cascais. The journey takes
about 40 minutes and the tickets cost 2.30 Euro per person, which we loaded again
on the Viva Viagem cards.
Cascais is a traditional little fishing town situated
on a coastline sprinkled with beautiful beaches, also referred to as Portuguese
Riviera.
We started with a walk through the old town. We wondered the charming and lively streets, with plenty of restaurants and souvenir shops. The pedestrian pathways are paved with the traditional Portuguese cobblestone in black and white patterns, some imitating sea waves.
Next to the viewpoint visitors can find a restaurant, cafeteria, few shops and a small market selling traditional locally made items.
Along the shore we passed by Cascais Marina, the largest marina on Portuguese Riviera and the host of some of the most important sailing events in the world. At the time we were there, Cascais was the host of the IronMan Portugal 2022. We didn’t catch the event but the town was still bustling with athletes.
Close to the marina we visited the ruins of Cidadela de Cascais, a set of military fortifications built to defend the Cascais - Lisbon coast and the entrance to the Tagus River.
In order to explore the multitude of beaches along the coastline, we strolled the continuous Cascais to Estoril beachfront promenade, an enjoyable 3-4 km walk starting in the fishing town of Cascais to the small village of Sao Joao do Estoril. Along the way we stopped to explore the coastal cliffs and the beautiful landscape.
We returned Lison by train from Sao Joao Station in Estoril.
Wednesday, October 19,
2022
Parque da Nacoes (Park of
Nations) is a riverfront modern neighbourhood located in eastern Lisbon and
close to the airport. It was designed for the Exposition in 1998.
We took the red metro line from Saldanha Station to
Oriente Station, which is across the street from Vasco da Gama shopping centre. The metro ticket costs 1.50 Euro per person one way loaded to
Viva Viagem cards.
In front of Vasco da Gama Mall is Rosio dos Olivais square where you can see displayed, in alphabetical order, the flags of the countries that participated to Lisbon World Fair in 1998. Here you can also admire the Iberian Lynx, a multi-coloured artistic creation by Bordalo II, made from garbage and plastics.
Reaching the bridge is an easy stroll on the boardwalk along the river which is also one of the best running routes in the city. Walking the wooden pier Miradouro da Ponte you can have the best views of the bridge.
Returning back to the city we took metro red line to Sao Sebastio. The metro station is a short walk to Eduardo VII Park, a well maintained park offering a spectacular view of Lisbon down to the Tagus river.
Thursday, October 20,
2022
Being soccer fans before coming to Canada, where hockey is the national sport, we took the metro to Benfica Lisbon stadium.The Portuguese people are very passionate about football and whether if you are a fan or not, the iconic landmark is worth a visit.
Lisbon was much better
than anticipated, we would highly recommend a trip here. For us it was one of
the top destinations among European capital cities.
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