About Lisbon
Lisbon is a major port city at the crossroads of the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, and one of the most cosmopolitan citys in southern Europe. From the early modern period, the Portuguese capital was an important hub connected to different parts of the world. As a result, Lisbon’s culturally diverse population inhabits today an urban landscape that reflects histories of tradition and industrialization, empire and decolonization, social diversity and intolerance. Together we will encounter this multifaceted city in its streets, but also in its museums, restaurants, bookstores, and nightlife.
Check Lisbon’s tourism office official website for up to date information about what to do during your stay.
How do I get to Lisbon?
Air travel
Lisbon is a major travel hub in Southern Europe and is well connected to many destinations across the Americas and Africa. Major intercontinental airlines include TAP Air Portugal, Azul, American Airlines, Delta, LATAM Airlines, and United. Many low-cost companies fly to Lisbon from most European capitals, including Ryanair, easyJet, Eurowings, Transavia, Vueling, and Wizz.
We recommend you to find flight options on a search engine such as Google Flights or Skyscanner.
The airport is close to the city center, which you can reach by metro in just about 20 minutes (1.50 EUR). Car services such as Uber and Bolt are also available, in addition to regular taxis. Click here for more information on Lisbon’s international airport.
Trains
International train services to Lisbon have been suspended because of COVID-19. However, you can travel by train from Porto and Faro, which are also serviced by international airports. Porto (Campanhã station) is 2H50 away from Lisbon (Oriente station), and Faro 3H05. One-way tickets from Porto start at around 19 EUR (Regional trains, which are slower). The cheapest one-way tickets from Faro are about 23 EUR.
Click here to see train schedules, prices, and detailed information about train services in Portugal.
How do I get around?
We recommend you to use Google Maps to plan your journeys. The map will provide you current schedules and accurate travel times.
Metro
The simplest way to get around Lisbon is the metro, which covers most of the city centre. Single tickets cost 1.50 EUR. There are also options for 24H and/or combined tickets with other public transports (Viva viagem). Click here for the metro diagram and ticket modalities.
Bus and tram
The city is well-covered by Carris, a municipal company that will be particularly useful if you decide to stay away from the city centre. A single bus ticket will cost you 2.00 EUR, and a tram ticket 3.00 EUR. There are also options for 24H and/or combined tickets with other public transports (Viva viagem).You can check their schedules and routes here.
Train
You do not need the train to get around Lisbon, but you might want to take a short trip to see the seaside or one of the towns in the outskirts. A one-way ticket from Lisbon to Cascais or Sintra will cost you 2.30 EUR. There are also options for 24H and/or combined tickets with other public transports (Viva viagem). Click here to see schedules, routes, and prices.
Ferry
The southern bank of the river Tagus is famous for its views of Lisbon, and the many restaurants and bars. It also offers cheaper accommodation options. It is easy to get there from the city centre by ferry. One-way tickets start at 1.30 EUR from Lisbon (Cais do Sodré) to Cacilhas. There are also options for 24H and/or combined tickets with other public transports (Viva viagem). Click here for schedules, routes, and prices.
Taxi
Car services such as Uber and Bolt are widely available. We recommend you to use local taxis, bookable via a central or a mobile app. Click here for detailed information.
Where do I stay?
Lisbon is heavily touristified, so there are many options available. We recommend you to find accommodation using a search engine such as Booking.com (for hotels, hostels, and pensions) or Airbnb.com (for private rentals). Make sure check the reviews before booking a place to stay!
Padrão dos Descobrimentos, the conference venue, is located in the riverside neighborhood of Belém (click here for reference). There are several high-end hotels in the area starting at 140 EUR/night. The venue is about 30 minutes or 40 minutes from the city centre by public transportation. In the city centre you can find more affordable accommodation starting at 20 EUR/night (shared rooms) in decent hostels, or 40 EUR/night (single room) in pensions or small hotels.
We recommend you to stay within walking distance of the metro Green line, which will take you directly to Cais do Sodré’s transportation hub. From Cais do Sodré you can easily take a train, a tram, or a bus to Belém (click here for your reference).