LISBON
Survival Guide
Arrival & transport
Lisbon airport, Portela, lies just 7km from the city centre. The Aerobus (€2.50; £1.70) runs into town every 20 minutes; a taxi should cost about €10 (£7). Long-distance trains arrive at Santa Apolonia station, just east of the centre. Lisbon’s public transport consists of a four-line metro system, buses, trams and charming, antiquated funiculars and public lifts. Timetables and fares can be found at www.carris.pt. Taxis are cheap and plentiful. If you can’t find one, call 218 119 000.
Hotels
You can easily find a decent, central two-star hotel for €70 (£50) per double room per night. The Lisboa Welcome Centre (Rua do Arsenal 15; +351 210 312 700; www.atl-turismolisboa.pt) in Rossio, the city’s hub square, offers on-the-spot bookings. The Lisboa Regency Chiado (pictured, second top) (Rua Nova do Almada 114; +351 213 256 100; www.regency-hotels-resorts.com) offers chic decor and great views for €160-200 (£110-140). The central Orion Eden (Praca dos Restauradores 24; +351 213 216 600; www.viphotels.com), around €100 (£70), has art-deco architecture and a rooftop pool. The Pensao Praca da Figueira (Travessa Nova de Sao Domingos 9-3E; +351 213 424 323; www.pensaopracadafigueira.com) is a budget option at €40-60 (£28-40).
Eating & drinking
Local food is bland but plentiful. Cod abounds. On the central Rua das Portas de Santo Antao, the Casa do Alentejo (No 58) and Solmar (No 108) are great settings. Pap’ Acorda (Rua da Atalaia 57) is a fashionable choice in the Bairro Alto, Lisbon’s nightlife hub. Good bars include Lisbona (No 196) and Portas Largas (No 103) on Rua da Atalaia and the nearby Estadio (Rua Sao Pedro de Alcantara 11). For coffee, the Cafe Nicola (pictured, bottom) (Praca Dom Pedro IV) is an institution.
Daytime entertainment
Apart from Se Cathedral and the Castelo de Sao Jorge, central Lisbon lacks must-see sights. The district of Belem, with its fabulous Jeronimos Monastery, Monument to the Discoveries and Belem Tower (pictured), provides the best diversion. The Oceanario at the Parque das Nacoes Expo 98 site is the world’s second biggest aquarium. Lisbon offers old-style shopping along Rua da Conceicao and around Chiado. There, on Rua do Carmo, Armazens do Chiado is a grand department store.
After dark
The after-hours scene is down at the river. The stand-out club is Lux (Avenida Infante Dom Henrique; www.luxfragil.com), near Santa Apolonia station.
Newsletter
