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Lisbon is probably the city with the most charisma and personality in Europe. It has a great tradition and a vibrant atmosphere that make the perfect combination to visit the city. It is one of the least visited cities in Europe, although this is changing and people who visit the city are realizing the charm it exudes.
How to get to Lisbon?
Lisbon has an airport located just 7 kilometers from the city and from which it is very easy to get to the center. The name of this airport is Humberto Delgado Airport, although it is better known by Lisboners as Aeroporto da Portela. The airport has two terminals, Terminal 1, the larger of the two, and Terminal 2, smaller and intended mainly for low-cost flights. You can easily get from one terminal to the other on the free airport bus. However, if you want to get from the airport to the center of Lisbon, there are different transportation options.
Bus: You can travel from the airport to the city with Lisbon city buses, although they are not a recommended means of transport if your final destination is a central area of the city. The lines that reach the airport connect it with other areas further away from the center.
Metro: It is the cheapest option, its price is 1,95€, including the price of the trip and the card, which will be necessary to travel both in the subways and buses in the city. To take the subway at the airport, you must do it from Terminal 1.
Aerobus: It is the most convenient option, as it connects the airport with different areas of downtown Lisbon in about 20 minutes, approximately. The price of the ticket is 4€ and passes through both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. Its hours of operation are from 07:30 to 23:00.
Taxi: It is the most convenient option of all, although it is also the most expensive. Both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 have cab ranks. A normal trip to a central area of the city should not cost you more than 20€.
Living in Lisbon
What is the cost of living in Lisbon?
Compared to Spain, Portugal is a cheaper country to live in, although the capital has increased its prices quite a lot in the last few years. To live in Lisbon you will need approximately 700€ per month. A room in a shared apartment is around 400€ per month, to which you will have to add transport, food and leisure expenses.
The average monthly expenditure on transportation is about 40€, which is the price of the monthly pass that allows you to travel around the 18 districts of the city. As for food, the price of a monthly purchase is around €120, so you will still have another €140 to spend on leisure and free time. To give you an idea, a beer in a bar can cost around €2.50, a disco ticket costs €15 and a cinema ticket costs €7.
What are the best neighborhoods in Lisbon?
At Lodgerin we offer you accommodations in the best neighborhoods of Lisbon:
How to move around Lisbon?
Public transportation is the easiest way to get around Lisbon on a daily basis, as it is a city full of cobblestone streets and hills.
Metro: The Lisbon metro has 4 lines, distinguished by their colors, and connects the main areas of the modern city center. However, this means of transport does not reach well-known areas such as Alfama or Bélem. To reach them it will be necessary to use the streetcar, which has been relegated to a more tourist use.
Bus: Buses are the complementary means of transport to reach the areas of Lisbon not served by the metro. Lisbon has 142 bus lines and a single ticket costs 1,85€. All bus lines operate from 06:00 to 00:30, approximately, although there are night buses with a much lower frequency.
Cercanías train: This means of transport reaches the farthest areas of the city, such as Sintra or Cascais. It is the perfect option if you want to visit a nearby town and discover the surroundings of Lisbon. The most important train station in the city is Oriente Station, through which pass the green and red lines of the suburban train and from where other long distance trains depart to different parts of the country.
Boat: In Lisbon, the boat is a common means of transport to travel from one bank of the Tagus River to the other. Boat trips are usually cheap and we can choose between fast catamarans, for passengers only, or ferries, which also allow cars to cross the river. The trips to ride this means of transport can also be recharged on the same public transport card that is used to recharge metro or bus trips.
If you are going to live in Lisbon, the most cost-effective way is to get the Navegante rechargeable card. Depending on whether you plan to travel in the metropolitan area it is better to choose the Navegante Municipal or Metropolitano.
To get it you have to fill in the application form, together with a photo of your ID and a decent photo. The monthly cost starts at 30 € and goes up to 40 €, with discounted prices for pensioners and students.
What are the best universities in Lisbon?
Lisbon's excellent climate, its gastronomy and its great friendly atmosphere make the city an increasingly popular destination for Erasmus students. If this is your case and you want to study in the Portuguese capital, these are some of the universities in Lisbon where you can study:
Lisboa University
It is the most important university in the country and has 18 different schools. Today, it is a reference in the field of research, science and new technologies in Portugal.
NOVA University of Lisbon
It is a public university, the newest in the capital, of a federal type that includes 9 different faculties.
Lusiada University
It is a private university in Portugal founded in the 1980s with campuses in both Lisbon and Porto.
Polytechnic Institute of Lisbon
It is one of the largest polytechnic institutes in Portugal and is made up of different institutes and schools in Lisbon, such as ISEL or ISCAL, among others.
Tourism in Lisbon
What are the best parks in Lisbon?
The sun and the good weather in Lisbon will allow you to enjoy a lot and very well the city, the outdoor walks and, why not, also to practice sports in its incredible parks. If you want to go walking or running in Lisbon, the best parks to do it are:
- Monsanto Park: It is a very fashionable park among runners in Lisbon. This park has wooded areas and other grassy areas from where you can enjoy the views of the 25 de abril bridge.
- Parque da Bela Vista: As its name suggests, this park stands out for its incredible views of the Tagus River and the city. It is also a very fun option to practice sports, as it has areas with trees, grassy areas, flat paths, ascents and descents.
- Eduardo VII Park: This park is located in the heart of the city center of Lisbon and is connected to Monsanto Park. You can take a walk to the top of the park, where you will find a view of the bay with the mountains in the background that will make you fall in love.
- Parque das Nações: This is one of the newest parks in the city. It is located on the waterfront, on the banks of the Tagus River, so, once again, the views are spectacular.
What monuments and historical sites does Lisbon have?
Lisbon has hundreds of historical sites and monuments to visit throughout the city, monuments that are living history of Portugal and that never go out of fashion and that, of course, you can not miss during your stay in the capital:
Plaza del Comercio
It is a large square located between the Tagus River and the center of Lisbon. It is one of the largest in Portugal and Europe and under its incredible arcades houses offices and ministries, but also cafes and restaurants with many years of history.
Santa Justa Elevator
It was originally inaugurated in 1902 to facilitate transportation between the Baixa and Chiado areas. 100 years later, in 2002, it was converted into a national monument.
Castle of San Jorge
This castle is undoubtedly one of the most emblematic monuments of Lisbon. The castle offers incredible views of the Tagus River and impressive chambers and exhibitions to visit inside.
Belém Tower
This tower is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is located at the mouth of the Tagus River to the sea. It is possible to enter its interior, where a museum of the history of the last 500 years of Portugal has been established.
What museums are there in Lisbon?
Lisbon is a city with a great cultural offer and has many museums with free admission. Some of the best museums in the city are the Fado Museum, the National Museum of Archeology, the National Tile Museum or the National Museum of Contemporary Art.
Visiting the Fado Museum is one of the best ways to fully immerse yourself in Portuguese culture. Here you can learn about the history of Fado, how it was born and how its internationalization took place.
In the National Museum of Archaeology you can visit a complete collection dedicated to the Roman cult that will leave you open-mouthed. In addition, the museum is located inside the Jerónimos Monastery, which will also leave you in awe of its incredible medieval architecture.
Another museum that you must visit during your stay in Lisbon is the National Tile Museum. The tile is one of the most characteristic elements of the Portuguese capital and this museum displays tiles from all times of history, shapes and origins.
Finally, we also recommend you to visit the National Museum of Contemporary Art. It is one of the most important museums of Portuguese art and combines paintings, sculptures and photographs of contemporary art in Portugal, from the nineteenth century to the present.
Leisure in Lisbon
What is the nightlife like in Lisbon?
Lisbon is a city with a great nightlife that offers different styles of parties and music to please the tastes of all its visitors. These are the different areas of Lisbon where you can go out to party:
Bairro Alto
It is Lisbon's party district par excellence. In it, both locals and visitors enjoy the different venues and atmospheres. In the Bairro Alto you can visit pubs and bars as famous in Lisbon as Lux, and other more elegant clubs with extensive cocktail menus and live music.
Cais do Sodré and Santa Catarina
This is a more alternative area, where it is very common to enjoy live concerts. Music Box is one of the trendiest places that stands out, offering reggae, rock or hip hop concerts. In addition, in the area around the viewpoint of Santa Catarina there is usually a lot of atmosphere and people partying in the street. In this area you will also find one of the trendiest and most atmospheric places in the city: Pharmacia, where you can both dine and have cocktails.
Doças de Alcántara
It is one of the most fashionable areas in recent years. There you can find both pubs to have a few drinks from early afternoon, as well as discos to party until the wee hours of the morning, such as Luanda or Dock's Club.
Where to go shopping in Lisbon?
Lisbon is not a city that stands out especially for its large stores or offer of exclusive products, although you can find curious pieces of craftsmanship that will surely make you fall in love.
The city has different areas where most stores are grouped and where you can shop in both well-known clothing stores and small local businesses:
- Baixa: This is the area where Rua Augusta is located, a commercial and pedestrian street full of stores, cafes and restaurants. Here are housed the stores of some well-known brands such as Carolina Herrera or Armani, among others. However, you can also take a walk through the surrounding streets, where you can find other smaller and less crowded stores.
- Chiado: This is the most exclusive area of Lisbon for shopping. Here you can find more luxurious products and, of course, much higher prices.
- Bairro Alto: In the Bairro Alto you can find the most picturesque and alternative stores of the city, among which are vintage clothing stores or tattoo studios.
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