LISBON and the Algarve guide 2018

by Joaquim/London

Lisbon, probably the most beautiful capital in Europe, is a city blessed by sunny days, amazing viewpoints, good food,
cheap drinks, a very safe nightlife and free cultural events. Due to the weather, we celebrate everything outdoors,
on the street, at open-air cafés, clubs, and pubs until 6/7am!!! You eat and drink always outdoors, it is a cultural
thing. If you cannot stay there for a week, you need at least 3 days to enjoy it.

When to visit Lisbon: All year round but do your best to be there during the night 12 to 13th June (and 2/3 days
before it), that is, the Santo António celebration. It is the biggest and best free street festival for celebrating the
Portuguese culture. Through June and at night (after 10pm), make sure you visit every single street at Bairro da Bica
and Bairro de Alfama, as all of them have street food and street parties with Portuguese music or dance music
performed by local people who live on these streets.

Best places to visit: red colour label and check the tube map below to find stations. Regarding the Algarve and only
for summer/beach holidays, check the end.

1- City centre (tube station: Rossio)»»»»» you´ll need some morning and afternoon hours to visit
it. There is just only 1 airport in Lisbon and the tube takes you from there to the city centre.

-Rossio Square: drink the famous GINJINHA just next to MacDonald’s and visit the Rua Augusta (similar to the
London´s Oxford Street)

-Restauradores Square: enjoy the architecture

-Praça da Figueira: eat a BIFANA snack with mustard at CASA DAS BIFANAS

-Praça do Comércio Square next to the river

*amazing architecture

*biggest square in Europe

*walk by the river towards Cais do Sodré tube station and enjoy the astonishing view

-Cais do Sodré tube station

*sit down and admire the Lisbon/Almada crossing boats and the Jesus Christ statue similar to the Brazilian
one

*walk from Cais do Sodré to Baixa-Chiado and enjoy the architecture (10 minutes walk)

-Baixa-Chiado (the best viewpoints in Lisbon)

*check the shops or even the BAIXA-CHIADO shopping centre

*visit the viewpoint MIRADOURO DE SÃO PEDRO DE ALCÂNTARA

***Do not miss this!!!Important and only after 5:30pm if it is too hot: visit the amazing
ADAMASTOR/MIRADOURO DE SANTA CATARINA viewpoint. It is a hidden place near the BAIXA-
CHIADO/BAIRRO ALTO tube station. It is THE BEST OUTDOOR SPOT to enjoy the view, music, beer and the sunshine
until 9pm. Just buy beer/wine at a local supermarket and sit on the grass or at the outdoor café with students,
tourists, artists.

- Castelo de São Jorge (the castle)

 *walk from the Rossio square to the castle, don´t take any public transport and enjoy the view. There is no
need to pay to visit the castle as the surrounding areas have a nice view.

*visit the viewpoint MIRADOURO DO CHÃO DO LOUREIRO and the CHAPITÓ BAR viewpoints (free access) on
your way to the castle

*if you get time go to ALFAMA, which is near the castle, and visit the most ancient and traditional Lisbon
streets and housing

2- Parque das Nações (tube station: Oriente) »»»» you´ll need some morning or afternoon hours
(15 minutes from the airport)

- Vasco da Gama Shopping Centre: it is the most beautiful shopping centre in Portugal and you must go to the last
floor, also called THE BEER DECK, where you can sit, drink, eat or just enjoy the amazing outdoor view for free. Buy
some cheap drinks and food at the Continente supermarket and go outdoors.

- Parque das Nações: just walk by the river towards the OCEANARIUM (huge aquarium) and after in the opposite
direction towards the pub area. This area is astonishing during the day.

3- Belém: the most historic area in Portugal (from Cais do Sodré tube station take the tram 15E or
18E or bus 728). The tram is always a better option.

- Eat the traditional Pastel de Nata cake at the PASTÉIS DE BELÉM house

- visit: MOSTEIRO DOS JERÓNIMOS; TORRE DE BELÉM; MONUMENTO DOS DESCOBRIMENTOS»»» There is no need
to go inside and pay for it, however, if you do have the time, I just recommend the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos church
(free access for praying…)

4- Cascais/Praia do Guincho (from Cais do Sodré take the train)

*Cascais is a posh town by the sea within the greater Lisbon. Just walk by the sea and go to the
Guincho beach. No need to visit the town.

*Rent for free a bike (take your ID) at one of the 3 Cascais’ spots and go for an amazing walk by the
sea to the PRAIA DO GUINCHO beach (a surfing beach).

Urban Beaches (not so good as in the Algarve):

5-Carcavelos: biggest and crowdy urban beach in Lisbon, you just need to take the train at Cais do Sodré tube
station (30 minutes). During the week is not crowdy and can be a good option if you don’t want to travel too much.
Here you can also find a surfing and bodyboarding school or just take your own equipment.

6-Costa da Caparica: long beach area at the other side of the river: you just need to take a direct bus (40 minutes)
from PRAÇA DE ESPANHA which will cross the red bridge (Ponte 25 de Abril). Here you´ll have more privacy than in
Carcavelos.
*** Portinho da Arrábida: probably the most beautiful beach in Portugal, although the water is slightly
colder than in the Algarve. This beach is not an urban beach and it is located out of Lisbon (1 hour). Renting
a car will allow you to stop at multiple viewpoints for pictures but the bus will take you there without
stopping. Check this link to understand why is so beautiful:
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=portinho+da+arrabida&client=firefox-
b&dcr=0&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjnuoCJuPPYAhUpBcAKHcO6CoMQsAQIMQ
&biw=1366&bih=607

Nightlife:
***Bairro Alto: the best traditional and cheapest pub area in Lisbon: just follow the students...In Lisbon people go
out to pubs after 10pm and clubbing only after 1am because they close very late!!! We have dinner at 8/9pm. This
happens everywhere in Portugal.

*Cais do Sodré- new pub and clubbing area near Bairro Alto and the river

Arriving at Lisbon Airport: check the tube map below

- Buy the VIVA VIAGEM-7 COLINAS CARD at the airport tube station, this is the same as the London OYSTER CARD, it
costs 0.50 euros (50 pence) and top up according to your needs by using the Zapping option or several day options.
This card can be used on the tube, bus, tram, urban train, boats, etc…There is only a single fare for the entire tube
network which costs 1.30 euros. The tube is open between 6.30am and 1am. There are also 24 hours buses.

To visit Lisbon you don’t need to rent a car as public transports do the work…or just walk…

Accommodation
- Hostels in Lisbon are among the most beautiful and cheapest in Europe. I recommend it if you are young and don´t
want to spend money. A very good, central and cheap guest house is the Norte Guest House at Praça da Figueira
which is much better than a hostel and you can get single/double rooms:
https://www.booking.com/hotel/pt/pensao-norte.en-gb.html?aid=356983;label=gog235jc-hotel-XX-pt-
pensaoNnorte-unspec-gb-com-L%3Aen-O%3AwindowsS10-B%3Afirefox-N%3AXX-S%3Abo-U%3AXX-
H%3As;sid=8fd9131f5385f25135d5dbf0e4b685af;dist=0&sb_price_type=total&type=total&

- Very Important: book any place near the following central areas, as you just need to walk to visit the most beautiful
places in Lisbon: BAIRRO ALTO, BAIXA-CHIADO, ROSSIO, CAIS DO SODRÉ

Safety tips
a) Between June and September, the city is very hot during the day, after 10pm it cools down. I don’t recommend
visiting Lisbon in August as it is really too hot. June is the best month, otherwise choose May, September, spring or
autumn seasons. In July and particularly August, the Algarve is the best option for summer holidays and beaching.

b) Pickpockets on the tram number 15 or on any busy touristic tram!!! Their children are used to run and steal your
belongings if you leave them on the table at pubs/restaurants. Pay attention to pickpockets at the famous Bairro
Alto nightlife!!! By the way, they are not Portuguese…

c) Taxi service is cheap and safe or just use Uber and other online services
Food

-Food is quite cheap but my favourite informal places to eat traditional Portuguese food in Lisbon are:
* Snack-bar/pastelaria Brazilia at Cais do Sodré, next to the O´Gilians irish pub: Praça Duque da
Terceira, 10, Cais do Sodré, Lisboa. Cheap, quick and good local food with outdoor seats.

* Casa da Índia at Bairro Alto, next to Caixa Geral Bank and Praça Luís de Camões: Rua do
Loreto,1200-241, Lisboa. Informal indoor restaurant

-or choose a street supermarket: Pingo Doce, Continente, Minipreço (similar to Tescos, Asda, Sainburys)

-The best option will be a street shop which sells “bifanas” (steak and bread), soup and local food. This is
traditional food (check the map below).

Free cultural events: music, dance, arts (English)

http://www.visitlisboa.com/Conteudos/Menu-Principal/Cultura/Eventos.aspx?lang=en-GB

http://www.egeac.pt/en/

THE ALGARVE (summer holidays)

If you want beautiful and sunny beaches, waterparks, seafood, sunset parties, clubbing or
just relaxing go to the Algarve.

*Albufeira (40 minutes from Faro airport) is the most touristic place in the Algarve
(almost crazy as Ibiza and Magaluf but much better…). The surrounding areas are also the
Algarve's most popular and posh beach resorts.

*Portimão (1 hour from Faro airport) is another nice place for holidays

*Tavira (40 minutes from Faro airport) is a different kind of tourism, as it is suitable for
families, cheap food and drinks, more contact with the natural environment, the beach,
the island, naturism, privacy, fishing and enjoying the Portuguese culture (architecture,
churches, friendly natives). This is a quiet area but between the 1/20th August is like a
tropical paradise. The Tavira island beach is the best beach in Portugal (warm and blue
water, white sand (no rocks), safe, extensive beach if you like privacy, playing sports,
camping site, etc...).

* If you want to visit many places in the Algarve, renting a car is a good option as public
transport timetables are not so good as in Lisbon. Nevertheless, there are plenty of other
services: taxi, Uber, transports for tourists, etc…

**Don’t stay in Faro, you just have the airport there!!! It is not for holidays. Do not stay
also in Olhão, Vila Real de Santo António, Quarteira, Loulé, Vilamoura, etc…
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tube map
Lisbon best spots