Local Attractions

BOTANICAL GARDEN, an enchanting tropical garden in the middle of Príncipe Real – Rua da Escola Politécnica, 56;

MIRADOURO DE SÃO PEDRO DE ALCÂNTARA, a garden with an astonishing panoramic view over Lisbon;

SÃO ROQUE CHURCH AND MUSEUM, the world’s most expensive chapel – Largo Trindade Coelho, Bairro Alto 10AM-5PM (Closed Mondays);

CAMÕES SQUARE, Lisbon’s meeting place;

CHIADO MUSEUM, The national gallery of contemporary art – Rua Serpa Pinto, 4-6, Chiado 10AM-6PM (Closed Mondays)

SÃO CARLOS THEATER, Lisbon’s Opera  – Rua Serpa Pinto, 9, Chiado. Open for performances only.

CARMO CONVENT, Romantic Gothic ruins – Largo do Carmo, Chiado, 10AM-5PM

PATRIARCAL RESERVOIR AND CHANNEL OF LORETO, Lisbon’s underground water channels

Patriarcal Reservoir  – Mon-Sat 10 am-6pm

Channel of Loreto – Wed-Sat 11am-3pm; Fri 1pm

Call the number for further info and booking guided tours: +351 218100215

Meeting in the Príncipe Real’s garden

MIRADOURO SANTA CATARINA (ADAMASTOR) – A terrace with a view – Rua de Santa Catarina

 

Everything at a walking distance:

Miradouro de Santa Catarina 1.6 km (12 min walking)

Miradouro S. Pedro de alcântara 600 mt (5 min walking)

Chiado Museum 1 Km (14 min walking)

São Roque Church and museum 650 mt (9 min walking)

Botanical garden 550 mt (3 min walking)

Carmo’s Arqueologic Museum 1 km (14 min walking)

National Theatre and Opera of São Carlos 1.2 km (18 min walking)

Rua da Rosa 400 mt (5 min walking)

 

 

Places around Lisbon that you can’t miss:

 

* Sintra

Sintra is a picturesque Portuguese town that is set amidst the pine covered hills of the Serra de Sintra, just to the west of Lisbon. This slightly cooler climate attracted the nobility and elite of Portugal, who constructed exquisite palaces, extravagant residences and decorative gardens. The variety of fascinating monuments and historical buildings makes Sintra a highly regarded tourist destination and is a popular day trip from Lisbon.

> From Lisbon: you can reach Sintra by train taking it in ROSSIO Train Station. Sintra lies 25 km to the west of Lisbon and the railway is the recommended means of transport. The train journey takes 30 min and the historic centre of Sintra is the final station on the railway. Sintra requires a four zone ticket which costs €2.15/€1.10 (adult/child) and tickets are charged to the Viva Viagem card (€0.50). During daylight hours there is a service every 20 min.

> From Cascais: Sintra lies 17km north of Cascais and is connected by both rail and road public transport. The rail route is impractical as requires two journeys; one from Cascais to Lisbon and a second from Lisbon to Sintra. The Cascais-Sintra bus route is direct and is the recommended means of travel between the two tourist towns.

There are two bus services which connect Cascais to Sintra, service number 403 and 417. Cascais bus 417 is the faster route, taking only 30 minutes to travel to Sintra. Bus 403 is much slower requiring a whole hour but the service follows a much more scenic and coastal route. Both services depart from Cascais bus station, which is located below the big shopping centre, Cascais Villa, about 100m north of the train station. The bus station is to the left (east) of the shopping centre and main entrance.

Transportation in Sintra: The number 434 bus route is specially designed for tourists who are visiting Sintra as a day trip and connects the train station, the historical center, the Pena Palace and the Moors castle. The 434 bus service makes it possible to visit the town and the three major sights of Sintra in a single day, without the need to hike up the steep hills of the region. The walk from Sintra town centre to the Pena Palace is only 2km but it is up a very steep hill and is a challenging hike. Sintra train station is 1.5km from the historical center and this walk is along a flat road. The 434 bus service is essential for all visitors who only have one day to explore Sintra and wish to see all three monuments.

This bus service is designed specifically for tourists and is comparatively expensive but is the only method in which you can discover the Sintra region in only one day. A single loop ticket of the 434 bus service costs €5.00. An unlimited ticket costs €15.00 – this unlimited ticket is good for visitors who are traveling by bus from Cascais or Estoril. Tickets are purchased from the bus driver and cannot be pre-booked.

The 434 buses do wait at each stop for plenty of time before departure. The first bus of the day is at 10:15 and the last is at 17:00. As the roads are narrow, steep and have switchbacks it is highly advisable for older passengers to sit during the journey. The Sintra tourist bus service is operated by the Scotturb bus company.

> Places to visit in Sintra:

  • Silencetour.pt, Segway Nature Tours silent guided eco-tours in the enchanted forest of Sintra (and in Lisbon also, in Monsanto).
  • Visit the gorgeous National Palace of Pena and the Sintra’s National Palace;
  • Visit the mysterious Quinta da Regaleira;
  • Visit Monserrate Palace.
  • Take a walk at pittoresque Sintra’s village and eat travesseiros and queijadas, very typical desserts.
  • Go to Cabo da Roca, the most westerly point of mainland Europe, thought to be the end of the known world in the 14th century. The region is of dramatic landscapes, 150m high cliffs fall away to raging seas and the entire region is buffeted by strong winds.

 

* Cascais and Estoril Coast

Cascais is a charming Portuguese fishing town that is situated on the western edge of the Lisbon coastline. The town combines a fascinating history, wonderful beaches and a lively, social atmosphere.

Unlike many other Mediterranean beach resorts, which suddenly sprung up with the advent of mass tourism, Cascais has been established as a holiday destination since the early 19th century. Historically Cascais was a minor fishing port but this was transformed when King Fernando II (1816-1885) proclaimed Cascais as his preferred destination for his summer retreat.

Known as “The Town of Kings and Fishes”, this trend of high-society has continued through to the present day, with many of Lisbon’s rich and famous living within the vicinity of Cascais, and provides the region with a prosperous and sophisticated atmosphere.

(You can reach Cascais and Estoril by train taking it in CAIS DO SODRÉ Train Station)

> Places to visit in Cascais:

  • Visit Boca do Inferno;
  • Go to Guincho Beach, a surfer’s, windsurfer’s and kitesurfer’s paradise;
  • Cascais village center, full of irish pubs, good restaurants and an alive atmosphere. It has a great view over the bay, beautiful during the day and by night.
  • Estoril’s Casino

Car guided tours can be provided: Estoril coast, Cabo da Roca and Sintra.

 

* South coast of Lisbon

 

CRISTO-REI

The statue of Cristo-Rei is one of Lisbon’s most iconic and prominent landmarks that stands on the southern bank of the River Tagus. From the high pedestal the statue of Christ has his arms out-stretched as if in a motion of blessing Lisbon. For visitors the viewing platform at the base of the statue provides amazing views over Lisbon and the visit can be combined with a ferry ride across the river.

The entrance fee to Cristo-Rei is €4.00/€2.00 (adult/child) and the monument is open every day between 9:30 and 19:00 (summer season) or 9:30 to 18:00 (winter season). It is free to visit the ground level view point and the Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Paz.

Inside the statue an express elevator whisks visitors to the observation platform, at 82m, just below the main statue and it is from here that some of the greatest views of Lisbon can be had. The statue and views from Cristo-Rei are often the sole reason that tourists cross to the southern bank of Lisbon so only visit when the weather is clear and bright.

The journey to the statue requires a short ferry ride and bus ride but the total travel time is less than an hour. The ferry ride is an enjoyable activity providing a different view of the Lisbon coastline. The ferry departs from Cais do Sodré train station and metro station (last stop on the green metro line). The ferry ticket costs €1.25 and is charged to the Viva Viagem ticket, the ticket used by the whole of the Lisbon public transport network. There are approximately three ferry departures per hour with many more at rush hour. The 15 minute ferry journey terminates at Cacilhas ferry terminal.

BEACHES:

The Costa da Caparica coastline is a stunning continuous beach that extends for over 30km along the length of the Setubal Peninsula. The major resort town is to the north of the peninsular and is also called Costa da Caparica. The resort is popular with Portuguese tourists who flock here during the summer months either on holiday or as a day trip from Lisbon.

Costa da Caparica is a popular day trip from Lisbon as the beach offers a continuous 30km stretch of golden sands with waves that are ideal for surfing. Costa Da Caparica beaches make for a suitable alternative beach to the Cascais/Estoril coastline and Caparica is connected to Lisbon by a regular and inexpensive public transport network.

There are two suitable public transport routes that connect Lisbon to the Costa da Caparica. The first is the direct bus that departs from Praça do Areeiro in Lisbon and finishes at the bus station in Costa da Caparica. The second route is a combined ferry and bus route from Cais do Sodre ferry port in Lisbon to Cacilhas and then a rapid bus to Costa da Caparica.

Both routes cost the same, the ferry route may be more convenient for tourists who are based in downtown Lisbon but the direct bus service does not require a connection.

The direct bus from Lisbon to Costa da Caparica is the 161 service operated by Transportes Sul do Tejo (TST). There two departures from Praça do Areeiro every hour between 8:00 and 19:00. At the weekends the departure times are at 15 and 45 minutes past the hour while Monday to Friday departures are on the hour and 30 minutes past the hour.

A single ticket costs €3.20 and is purchased from the driver, TST do not use the Viva Viagem card system. The journey takes between 40-60 minutes depending on the traffic in Lisbon and terminates at Costa da Caparica bus station.

To get a bus from Praça do Areeiro you must go by subway via RATO or BAIXA-CHIADO until AREEIRO metro station.

If you choose the ferry, it departs from the Cais do Sodre ferry terminal which is part of the larger Cais do Sodre train station. Cais do Sodre is the final station on the green metro line and is the terminus for trains to Cascais and Estoril. Ferry tickets cost €1.25 and tickets are charged to the Viva Viagem reusable public transport ticket. The ferry terminal on the southern bank of the Rio Tejo is Cacilhas. This is a major transport hub with ferry, metro and bus services departing from here.