23402POR
REMINDER – THERE IS A ONE HOUR TIME DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SPAIN AND PORTUGAL – PORTUGAL IS GMT – SAME AS UK
Morning sightseeing with local guide
Tour includes
· Alfama district walk around
· Belem Tower outside visit
· Jeronimos Monastery inside visit
· São Jorge Castillo inside visit
· Drive past all other major sights
· Please pay guide with a signed voucher – check the final numbers are correct.
· Call or text the local guide at least 24 hours in advance to confirm the meeting time and place.
· The walk up to São Jorge castle is very steep. If anyone is unable to do it you can arrange a rendezvous with the guide for a later time or arrange for a taxi to take them up to the castle`s ticket office.
· Groups are now provided in advance with whisper sets from London – please make sure everyone in your group has these before heading out on sightseeing ( and that you have the microphone/s for the local guide)
TIMES
09:00 Rendezvous at hotel with local guide and bus.
12:30 End of tour. The bus will drop the group back at the hotel or downtown if the group wishes. Give free time suggestions and make sure the group has the name and address of the hotel and they know how to get back. Don’t forget to make sure they know the meeting time for dinner.
FACTS AND FREE TIME SUGGESTIONS
Tourist Office Praca dos Restauradores (Palacio Foz) and at the airport
Post
Office Avenida da Liberdade
Banking
hours 08.30-14.45 weekdays / Some city branches also open 08.30-14.45 Sat
Transport Taxis are cheap. Metro open 06.30-01.00 however some stations do shut earlier so check beforehand on the Metrolisboa website (http://www.metrolisboa.pt/). You need to buy a rechargeable viva viagem card for €0.50 which can be purchased at any station.
METRO OR TRAM? TYPE OF TICKET COST Metro all zones Single €1.65 Metro/Tram combined One day pass €6.60
Museums NATIONAL TILE MUSEUM (AZULEJOS)
Madre de Deus Convent
NATIONAL COACH MUSEUM
Praça Alfonso de Albuquerque
GULBENKIAN MUSEUM
You could easily spend a day here, exhibits include Egyptian sculptures, Roman glassware and Persian carpets not to mention all the art canvasses. Avenida Berna, 45
MILITARY MUSEUM
This is said to be the largest artillery collection in the world.
MUSEUM OF PORTUGUESE DECORATIVE ARTS
Largo das Portas do Sol
DESIGN AND FASHION MUSEUM
EC1N 8HX One of the world’s leading museums for 20th Century design. Rua Augusta, 24
ANCIENT ART MUSEUM
Extensive collection of art and artefacts dating from the discovery period and even earlier. Rua das Janelas Verdes, Lapa
BERARDO MUSEUM/BELEM CULTURAL CENTRE (CCB)
Housed within the CCB, the Berardo Museum is home to a surprisingly varied collection of modern and contemporary art.
CARMO CONVENT MUSEUM
A small archaeological museum can be found in the impressive ruins of this old convent. Largo do Carmo, Chiado.
SÃO ROQUE CHURCH AND MUSEUM
This church boasts a small but important collection of Renaissance devotional paintings. Largo Trindade Coelho, Bairro Alto ELEVADOR SANTA JUSTA A popular tourist attraction to transport people up to Chiado district. Not really worth the entrance fee you can climb the hill instead and then walk to the Carmo convent where a walkway takes you out to the upper mirador for free – stunning views from here over the city
TIME OUT MARKET RIBERA
A large market filled with individual restaurants around the walls with seating in the centre – some of the original fruit and veg, and flower markets are also still in operation here. It’s a good spot for lunch.
Comprehensive website with list of museums and other attractions, including pricing and opening hours: www.visitlisboa.com
For navigating public transport, there is nice free app, called Citymapper, available for many major cities around Europe, including Lisbon. It has very thorough searches and tends to be more accurate than Google Maps.
Things to do BULLFIGHTS (TOURADAS)
On Thursday nights at Campo Pequeno
WALK
Around Alfama area (medieval quarter). Chiado district (but very hilly)
PARKS
Edward VII park contains a tropical garden (Estufa Fria)
BOAT TRIP
On the Tagus. Several options, try Transtejo tours which depart from the Cais do Sodré terminal.
TRAM RIDE
Ride the historic number 28 tram which takes in 4 of Lisbon’s 7 hills and many of the city’s most important sites. Board at Largo de Camões in Chiado to see the best of the route.
ESTORIL/CASCAIS
Travel along the coast by train to Estoril or Cascais / trains every 15 minutes from the Cais do Sodré station
CARCAVELOS
Has the most beautiful beach / quite windy though.
MARKETS/SHOPPING
Baixa area contains main shopping streets. Chiado district (just behind the Santa Justa elevator) is good for smaller shops and also has a three floor shopping mall. There is also a much larger mall complete with roller coaster and go karting in the Colombo Centre. Metro Colégio Militar.
EAT
Try the local pastries, pasteis de nata. Available at any bakery the most highly regarded are to be found in the Casa Pasteis de Belem
VIEW
The Miradouro de Graça offers one of the finest views of the city complete with a small reasonably priced café at the site. Not well served by public transport so there is a hilly walk involved.
Evening
activities EVENING ACTIVITIES
Fado shows (not really suitable for kids) normally in Bairro Alto / try O Forcado in Rua de Rosa. There are cinemas (English films usually shown in English with PT subtitles) and a bowling alley as well as a shopping mall that stays open until 12pm at the expo site – Oriente metro