FLIGHTS, ACCOMMODATION AND MOVEMENT IN LISBON
The Lisbon tram is one of the city’s hallmarks.
Direct flights to Lisbon
It is easy to travel from Finland to Lisbon, as there is a direct flight connection from Helsinki to the Portuguese capital. The Portuguese airline TAP Portugal operates direct flights from Helsinki to Lisbon three times a week. The direct flight takes about five hours.
Several airlines also offer connecting flights between Helsinki and Lisbon. It is a better option for many budget travelers, as direct flights are often more expensive than connecting flights. At its cheapest, direct flights from Helsinki to Lisbon cost about 300 euros.
Lisbon Airport is located just six kilometers from the city center. There are good transport connections from the airport to the city center, and the journey can be made, for example, by metro or airport bus.
Stay cheaply
If traveling from Finland to Lisbon is quite expensive, the price of air tickets will be compensated at the latest when booking accommodation. Most of Lisbon’s hotels are located in the city center. Like modern metropolitan areas, Lisbon offers accommodation of varying quality and price.
At its cheapest, a double room in a modest hotel costs about 40 euros per night and a three-star hotel room for two 50 euros per night. You can stay in a five-star hotel in Lisbon quite cheaply: double rooms start at around 100 euros per night.
In addition to traditional hotels, you can also stay in hostels in Lisbon. There are plenty of cheap hostels on offer, and as Lisbon is also a popular destination for backpackers, the level of hostels is high and the prices are quite affordable. A hostel night in Lisbon costs around ten euros per night at its cheapest.
In addition to hostels, Lisbon also offers affordable accommodation at the home of locals. Home accommodation services make it possible to rent your own room or an entire apartment at an affordable price from where the locals also stay.
Public around the city
The center of Lisbon is quite close and sightseeing on foot is possible. However, public transport is efficient and cheap if the need starts to stumble. In addition to buses, trams and metros in particular are easy to use for intra-city trips.
Lisbon is known for its iconic yellow trams that transport people around the city. In addition to trams, there are also buses on the city’s roads, in addition to which the metro is also a popular means of transportation. Tram line 28 takes tourists on a popular sightseeing route, and the yellow rustling tram has a very distinctive atmosphere. There are many tram lines cruising in the city center, and you can’t miss the trams that run here in Lisbon.
Instead, the train provides convenient access to the vicinity of Lisbon and, if necessary, beyond. The price of the trip is determined by its length.
In addition to public transportation, a taxi is a useful go-to game. The price level is cheap compared to Finland. Taxis charge for the trip according to the taximeter, but it is worth asking the driver for an indicative price in advance.
LISBON ATTRACTIONS
Belém Tower is one of Lisbon’s most renowned sites.
Belém Tower, a memory of the expeditions
The Belém Tower at the mouth of the Tagus River was built in honor of Vasco da Gama’s trip to India and to protect Lisbon in the 16th century. Originally a starting point for sailors and a symbol of Portuguese world power, the tower has since been used as a weapons depot and prison, among other things.
From the top of the tower on the UNESCO World Heritage List, you can admire the Tagus River, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean, and western Lisbon.
Walls and landscapes: São Jorge Castle
The first walls of São Jorge Castle, perched on the highest hill in the Alfama district, were erected in the first millennium. In the courtyard of the castle, which was previously used for military use, the songs of peacocks and troubadours are now carried to the ears.
From the entrance to the castle you have to shell out five euros. However, the experience is worth the price, as the views over the city and the river from the castle walls are spectacular.
Those planning to go to São Jorge Castle should consider its high location. The hilly trip is a medium-heavy sport, but you can also get there by tram 28, along the route of which you can find other popular attractions.
Thousands of seafood in Oceanario
In one of the largest aquariums in the world, the tourist can enjoy the underwater kingdom without getting wet. Under the same roof you can admire the inhabitants of all the oceans of the earth, from otters to penguins.
Oceanario is a completely unique aquarium. Nearly all of its 25,000 animals live in the same pool, which is divided by invisible acrylic walls.
Scenic Sintra
Less than an hour’s train ride from central Lisbon, the city of Sintra with its surroundings is a unique combination of lush nature and beautiful architecture.
If you are hunting for the most beautiful scenery on a trip to Lisbon, you should definitely take the bus up the slopes of the Serra Mountains. The view from the Moorish castle on the hill is at least impressive.
THE BEST OF LISBON
The westernmost point of continental Europe and the Cabo da Roca lighthouse there are easy day trip destinations from Lisbon.
The best attractions
- Belém tower
- Castle of São Jorge
- Monastery of Hieronymos
- Oceanario
- The labyrinthine streets of Alfama
The best day trip destinations
- Sintra
- Cascais town and beach
- Estoril beach
- José Maria da Fonseca winery
- Cristo Rei Monument
Experience these Lisbon experiences
- Admire the scenery at one of the city’s numerous Mirador vantage points
- Treat yourself to Portuguese Pastel de nata
- Jump aboard the yellow tram
