Visiting Lisbon

Lisbon

Thinking of travelling to Lisbon? Have you heard some things but don't have the big picture of what to expect? In this article you'll get answers to everything!

Lisbon is the capital of Portugal and also the largest city in the country with a population of about 2.6 million people. It is built on seven hills (it is also known as the city of the "seven hills"), next to the banks of the Tagus River and about 17km from its mouth on the Atlantic Ocean.

As you will see below, it is a city that combines tradition and history with the cosmopolitan life of a European state. It's full of attractions dating back to the age of exploration and discovery (a time when the country was a pioneer), and you'll also find plenty of elements befitting a modern and contemporary capital.

Flights

To get to Lisbon, our very own Aegean Airlines takes care of it with direct flights. Aegean - until the end of September - offers at least one flight/day to Lisbon Airport, and on Saturdays there is a second - overnight - flight. Returns are similar, with double routes on Saturdays and Tuesdays. Departure times vary per day, so it is advisable to check with the airline before making any other moves. From October and into early December, the double schedules are dropped from the schedule but the one daily flight remains. Finally, during the winter period flights are reduced to five per week.

Public transport

The fastest and most economical way to get from the airport to the city centre is by metro. For 1.5 euro/person (the metro is all in one zone, including the airport) and in about 30 minutes you are in the city centre without much hassle. Beyond that, to get around within the city there are - besides the metro - trams (some of which are also recommended for tourist rides) and buses, which also cost 1.5 euro/person. However, for 6.4 euros you get a daily pass for the city's public transport that offers unlimited use for 24 hours, with the time counting from the moment of the 1st cancellation (not the purchase or the end of the day). Detailed information and a map of the metro can be found here, and here you can see all the information regarding costs and cards. Finally, information regarding trams & buses can be found here.

Accommodation

Staying in Lisbon will not pose much of a problem for you. There are dozens of accommodation options for all budgets, both in the city centre (Baixa & Bairro Alto neighbourhoods) and a little further out, near the large Edward VII Park and the Marquis Of Pombal Square. In any case, a good search on booking.com will not disappoint.

Sightseeing

As I told you in the introduction, Lisbon is known as the city of the "seven hills", which in fact combines tradition and history on the one hand with cosmopolitan life on the other. As such, so many of its attractions offer both excellent panoramic views of the city and intense historical interest. Let's take a detailed look at them:

Monument of Discoveries (Padrão dos Descobrimentos)

This monument is located outside the centre, in the picturesque riverside district of Belem and is the most recognizable attraction of the city! To get to Belem (and depending on where you start from), both bus and tram services are available.

The monument was erected in 1960 by the country's then dictator Salazar, to honour the Portuguese navigators of the Age of Discovery and on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the death of Henry the Navigator. It is 52 metres high and on both sides of it are sculptures of the country's great figures such as Vasco da Gama, Magellan, King Alfonso V and the great poet Luis de Camões. The roof of the monument is open to visitors, with a ticket costing 6 euros and giving you access to a small museum housed at its base.

Nas Diroo writes books about Travel. His books have received starred reviews in Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Booklist. He is a New York Times and a USA Today Bestseller.