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Lisbon public trasnport

Hi I will be in Lisbon 14 November, can someone advise things to do and also local transport
hop on hop off is a good option or tram is better
Do I need to have card to travel and where do I need to buy it
From airport to baixa best way to go and good price
Tour to sintra is it a good idea to do it by myself or better to have a tour
Where can I check tours
thanks
gaby

Posted by
3150 posts

First thing I suggest is to get a good guidebook to learn about the sights of Lisbon. A good guide will also cover transportation in the city. For some quick suggestions, look at the itinerary for the first few days of Rick’s Heart of Portugal tour on this site. The simplest way from the airport is by taxi and it should cost no more than €15. You can also take the Aerobus or the Metro to save some money. As far as getting around the city, get a Viva Viagem card at any Metro stop. You can chose an all day pass or pay by single trip. The card is good for the Metro, buses and all trolleys. The public transportation system in the city is all encompassing and simple to navigate. If you have an all day pass, you can even use it at the Elevador de Santa Justa which normally costs €5.

When I visited Lisbon I used only public transport so I can’t really comment on HOHO buses. One visit I would recommend is to visit the Gulbenkian Museum. If you have a smart phone or tablet, download Rick’s Portugal guidebook. It covers all the questions you’ve posed, has three interesting walking tours of Lisbon, describes the sights, restaurants and hotels.

Posted by
2455 posts

Gabriela, yes, the Rick Steves Portugal book gives a lot of information and guidance, not sure if there is a Rick Steves Lisbon book or not. I can’t tell if you will only be in Lisbon for the one day of Nov 14, or for some days after that. You can spend hours just wandering through the various neighborhoods of Lisbon, including Alfama and Mouraria. Various excellent sites, although none that are world famous like the Eiffel Tower, Colosseum, or Alhambra. One unique place I enjoyed was the Tile Museum, assuming you like ceramics and tiles. Sintra is wonderful and merits much more than a day trip. I spent my first 2 nights in Portugal there. There are about 5 palaces with estates and gardens right around Sintra, plus the town itself, each of which merits half a day or more.

Posted by
1878 posts

The trams are a great way to get around, I would not do a bus tour--just not necessary. Gulbenkian Museum, Belem, and then walk around. If you have one day only I would stay in Lisbon. Sintra is great and a lot better if you can stay over night, given extra time.