Lisbon,local knowledge

[Banjo]

Never been to Lisbon before and have heard good reports about it.Any info on where to stay and obviously where to drink would be greatly appreciated 

[kumnio]

Stay near Bairro Alto, there's plenty of bars there, which is only 10 minutes walk from central Lisbon, and 5 minutes walk from a view of all of Lisbon.

There's dozens of nice restaurants in the central area, just avoid Moma's Grill which is a tourist trap and will charge you extras, and service, and tax and whatever else they could.

[WeeJohnny]

The amalfa are is brilliant. Lovely bars etc and just that right distance from the centre to be not in the thick of the tourists and a bit self contained but really quick to get to the centre. Fallen in love with portugal in the last two years. Cheap. The People actually want you to be there and are super friendly. Food and drink superb !

[Paolo H]

A visit to the Castelo de Sao Jorge for sunset is a must. Queues in Praca de Figueira for tram 28 (one of the traditional old wooden ones with no windows) can be long, so I'd suggest taking the steep (but short / around 15 minutes) walk up through the Alfama neighbourhood, which is lovely. Google Maps will guide your walking route from Praca de Figueira!

The city centre is small enough to be explored entirely on foot, and if you're staying a little further out the metro (which has stops at airport and at stadium) and tram systems are great.

On my most recent visit I took my 7-year-old son to the Parque da Nacoes, beside the Oriente station. Fabulous aquarium there, with tickets that include a ride on the cable cars nearby.

Edited August 16, 2024 by Paolo H

[Scotschic]

Is there a metro route from the airport into town?

[wee_ando]

24 minutes ago, Scotschic said:

Is there a metro route from the airport into town?

Yes, 1.50euros for metro and 2 euros for bus. The moovit app is good for planning public transport in foreign countries 

[wanderer]

Be prepared to be stalked by drug dealers all day.

They will walk up to you in bars and cafe's while you are enjoying your lunch/having a coffee or beer, and ask you in you want Hash or Cocaine (which in reality is oregano and washing up powder from what a local told me when I asked why it was so bad).

When me and my wife were there, we were having a coffee in a cafe just off Praça do Comércio, and suddenly this guy who could only be described as Borat (he was literally wearing a suit and carrying a briefcase) just walked right up to us at our table and asked if we want drugs..... said no and he simply walked off.

This put us aback a little, but we had 4 more offers of drugs across the rest of the day as we walked around the plaza area. 

[thesaint]

4 hours ago, wanderer said:

Be prepared to be stalked by drug dealers all day.

They will walk up to you in bars and cafe's while you are enjoying your lunch/having a coffee or beer, and ask you in you want Hash or Cocaine (which in reality is oregano and washing up powder from what a local told me when I asked why it was so bad).

When me and my wife were there, we were having a coffee in a cafe just off Praça do Comércio, and suddenly this guy who could only be described as Borat (he was literally wearing a suit and carrying a briefcase) just walked right up to us at our table and asked if we want drugs..... said no and he simply walked off.

This put us aback a little, but we had 4 more offers of drugs across the rest of the day as we walked around the plaza area. 

Might need some of that oregano and washing up powder to get through the game.🤣

[wanderer]

2 minutes ago, thesaint said:

Might need some of that oregano and washing up powder to get through the game.🤣

Remember the local telling me this and thinking "that is actually pretty genius!".... its become something of a local joke, as the police are trying to clamp down on the drug dealers, so they have adapted their ways to fleece tourists, as its not illegal to sell oregano and washing up powder 😂

[SY Cove]

I experienced this as well, glad to hear it's not just me the dodgy dealers were asking 🙃 I was in Lisbon with the wife when the finals draw was made for the Euros, was really surprised when they approached us in the street 5 minutes walking round Barrio Alto, didn't expect it to be like that in Lisbon

[TDYER63]

On 9/3/2024 at 8:12 AM, wanderer said:

Be prepared to be stalked by drug dealers all day.

They will walk up to you in bars and cafe's while you are enjoying your lunch/having a coffee or beer, and ask you in you want Hash or Cocaine (which in reality is oregano and washing up powder from what a local told me when I asked why it was so bad).

When me and my wife were there, we were having a coffee in a cafe just off Praça do Comércio, and suddenly this guy who could only be described as Borat (he was literally wearing a suit and carrying a briefcase) just walked right up to us at our table and asked if we want drugs..... said no and he simply walked off.

This put us aback a little, but we had 4 more offers of drugs across the rest of the day as we walked around the plaza area. 

Been here 3 days and not one person has approached me offering drugs, only folk trying to lure me into their restaurant. I am clearly no cool enough to look like I take any other drugs apart from blood pressure tablets . Just another depressing fact about getting old.

It’s a great place though, loads going on for every budget. Time Out market has lots of different foot outlets which is worth a walk along the waterfront. Bairro Alto that Kumnio mentioned has been the best area that I have seen though.
For younger folk then Pink Street might be worth checking out. 

 

[robboaccie]

4 hours ago, TDYER63 said:

Been here 3 days and not one person has approached me offering drugs, only folk trying to lure me into their restaurant. I am clearly no cool enough to look like I take any other drugs apart from blood pressure tablets . Just another depressing fact about getting old.

It’s a great place though, loads going on for every budget. Time Out market has lots of different foot outlets which is worth a walk along the waterfront. Bairro Alto that Kumnio mentioned has been the best area that I have seen though.
For younger folk then Pink Street might be worth checking out. 

 

This.

Lovely city. Easy to get around and Uber/Bolt v cheap. 

40 minute coastal train to beaches at Estoril and Cascais if that's your bag.

Took in the Portugal Croatia game last night. Stadium is great. Loads of food and beer kiosks outside open hours before kick off. Benfica club shop and couple of resteraunts in both main stands.

 

 

 

 

[dan cake]

5 hours ago, TDYER63 said:

Been here 3 days and not one person has approached me offering drugs, only folk trying to lure me into their restaurant. I am clearly no cool enough to look like I take any other drugs apart from blood pressure tablets . Just another depressing fact about getting old.

Usually folk ask me if I’m selling drugs! Genuinely no idea why but it’s happened numerous times abroad, should really start filling my sporran with oregano and washing powder 

[TDYER63]

15 hours ago, robboaccie said:

This.

Lovely city. Easy to get around and Uber/Bolt v cheap. 

40 minute coastal train to beaches at Estoril and Cascais if that's your bag.

Took in the Portugal Croatia game last night. Stadium is great. Loads of food and beer kiosks outside open hours before kick off. Benfica club shop and couple of resteraunts in both main stands.

 

 

 

 

Went on an organised tour on Thursday to Sintra and Cascais but didn’t have a huge amount of time in either so jumped on a train to Cascais today for the beach, its a lovely wee place..Tour guide showed us where Ronaldo was getting a new house built on the hills here. Started at £15 mio to build and now escalated to £31 mio. Probably pocket money to him .  
 

As you say, Bolt is very cheap. Priced up a trip to Sesimbra which is a 50 min drive away and it was only Eur 25. Decided just to come to Cascais in the end though . 

[TDYER63]

15 hours ago, dan cake said:

Usually folk ask me if I’m selling drugs! Genuinely no idea why but it’s happened numerous times abroad, should really start filling my sporran with oregano and washing powder 

Must be your Borat moustache. If I spot a guy in a tartan mankini I will be sure to say hello 😊

[WeeJohnny]

17 minutes ago, TDYER63 said:

Went on an organised tour on Thursday to Sintra and Cascais but didn’t have a huge amount of time in either so jumped on a train to Cascais today for the beach, its a lovely wee place..Tour guide showed us where Ronaldo was getting a new house built on the hills here. Started at £15 mio to build and now escalated to £31 mio. Probably pocket money to him .  
 

As you say, Bolt is very cheap. Priced up a trip to Sesimbra which is a 50 min drive away and it was only Eur 25. Decided just to come to Cascais in the end though . 

Cheers for this. I'm arriving in a couple of hours having come via Porto and aveiro (a real pleasant surprise). Been to Liabon before but not to either of those places. Been told cascais and sinatra both great and didn't know which one to do so will do cascais on Monday as I dinnae fly back Tuesday. Appreciate the tip. Are scotland supporters in a particular area today? 

[TDYER63]

20 minutes ago, WeeJohnny said:

Cheers for this. I'm arriving in a couple of hours having come via Porto and aveiro (a real pleasant surprise). Been to Liabon before but not to either of those places. Been told cascais and sinatra both great and didn't know which one to do so will do cascais on Monday as I dinnae fly back Tuesday. Appreciate the tip. Are scotland supporters in a particular area today? 

Yeah i would recommend Cascais over Sintra if you are organising the transport yourself. Sintra town is lovely but very small, most folk visit the palace which has massive queues both for driving up to the palace and getting in. . We were lucky, our guide started us travelling at 8 am so we avoided the long queue to the car park on arrival which was 40 min waiting time by the time we left. Then he  just strolled up past the big  queue to get in the palace . Not sure if he just brass necked it but glad he did. There was only 8 of us which was good. 

Definitely more supporters around today when we were walking to the train station but no obvious meeting area yet. 

 

[WeeJohnny]

Bloody hell I'm so glad you posted as I hate wasting valuable drinking time queuing for anything and that sounds like a nightmare. I'll treat myself to a  uber on Monday. On the off chance anyone on here wants a free trip there just post and you can jump in my uber on Monday. Pro leave about 10.30 post hangover. 

[fringo]

I was in Estoril last Oct for 5 nights. We were golfing every day so didn't make into Lisbon but went to Cascais for dinner a couple of times so would also recommend it. There are trains from Lisbon to Estoril and I'm pretty sure it continues on to Cascais (probably the next stop).

[Silversand]

Arrived late last night, hotel in Bairro Alto, amazing, old district for bars / restaurants. 

No drug sellers yet, but have been offered about a dozen pair of sunglasses. Also saw a bust up between different sunglasses sellers, obviously big business here.

[TDYER63]

1 hour ago, WeeJohnny said:

Bloody hell I'm so glad you posted as I hate wasting valuable drinking time queuing for anything and that sounds like a nightmare. I'll treat myself to a  uber on Monday. On the off chance anyone on here wants a free trip there just post and you can jump in my uber on Monday. Pro leave about 10.30 post hangover. 

Not a  chance of getting my husband to a beach 3 times in a week or would take you up on your offer ! 
 

57 minutes ago, fringo said:

I was in Estoril last Oct for 5 nights. We were golfing every day so didn't make into Lisbon but went to Cascais for dinner a couple of times so would also recommend it. There are trains from Lisbon to Estoril and I'm pretty sure it continues on to Cascais (probably the next stop).

Yip. Its just after Estoril , its the final stop so no chance of missing it 😊 Trains are cheap. Cost eur 10.60 for 2 return tickets. Which is just as well as I blew the budget for the entire trip in a rooftop restaurant last night. 

7 minutes ago, Silversand said:

Arrived late last night, hotel in Bairro Alto, amazing, old district for bars / restaurants. 

No drug sellers yet, but have been offered about a dozen pair of sunglasses. Also saw a bust up between different sunglasses sellers, obviously big business here.

Funny you should mention the sunglasses, on the way to the train station we were stopped by about 5 people and I actually said to my husband how on earth do they all make money as nae bugger was buying them. 

[WeeJohnny]

2 minutes ago, TDYER63 said:

Not a  chance of getting my husband to a beach 3 times in a week or would take you up on your offer ! 
 

Yip. Its just after Estoril , its the final stop so no chance of missing it 😊 Trains are cheap. Cost eur 10.60 for 2 return tickets. Which is just as well as I blew the budget for the entire trip in a rooftop restaurant last night. 

Funny you should mention the sunglasses, on the way to the train station we were stopped by about 5 people and I actually said to my husband how on earth do they all make money as nae bugger was buying them. 

Aye. Sounds affy shady to me. 

[ceudmilefailte]

On 9/3/2024 at 8:12 AM, wanderer said:

Be prepared to be stalked by drug dealers all day.

They will walk up to you in bars and cafe's while you are enjoying your lunch/having a coffee or beer, and ask you in you want Hash or Cocaine (which in reality is oregano and washing up powder from what a local told me when I asked why it was so bad).

When me and my wife were there, we were having a coffee in a cafe just off Praça do Comércio, and suddenly this guy who could only be described as Borat (he was literally wearing a suit and carrying a briefcase) just walked right up to us at our table and asked if we want drugs..... said no and he simply walked off.

This put us aback a little, but we had 4 more offers of drugs across the rest of the day as we walked around the plaza area. 

Can’t find them anywhere even with my “I want drugs t shirt “on

[TDYER63]

On 9/7/2024 at 3:30 PM, WeeJohnny said:

Aye. Sounds affy shady to me. 

😁

Hope you enjoyed your day in Cascais. 

Got home this morning. Really enjoyed Lisbon and glad we made a week’s holiday of it as I don’t think we would have managed to cram so much in otherwise .

On 9/8/2024 at 12:29 PM, ceudmilefailte said:

Can’t find them anywhere even with my “I want drugs t shirt “on

😁

We finally got offered them ! I just told the guy I bring my own washing powder on holiday !  😊
 

[wanderer]

25 minutes ago, TDYER63 said:

 

We finally got offered them ! I just told the guy I bring my own washing powder on holiday !  😊
 

Sunday night on our groups Whatsapp chat, someone posted "Locals seem to think I am called Charlie, as had loads of guys creep up and calling me that" 😂

Edited September 10, 2024 by wanderer