Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - Lisbon and Lisbon airport

I have just returned from a very quick conference (3 nights) with one free long morning to lovely Lisbon.

I had been there almost 40 years ago as a student, and was happy to return, and will not stay away so long again!

It is a place I would not rush through. Lisbon has a lot more to offer than meets the eye, with hidden gems spread all around.

I could have easliy spent a few more nights there and done the lovely side trips most posters have written about.

Not to repaet what has already been said, I will point out a few things that I can recommend.

Our hotel was the Lisboa Corinthia 5 star. It is located in front of a bus stop,(746) and had a metro at the back side.( the zoo station)

There are a number of hotels also a block or two away. (Novotel, Ibis, Sana Jose malhoa).
I would go back to this convenient area.

It had an outdoor swimming pool, gym, and all 5 star amenities. Pleasant attentive staff.

We got this for an incredible 60 euros/night including tax but not breakfast on www.talonotel.com.

The all day bus/metro/tram combination pass ( bought at manned metro booths) was only 3.85 euros. It also gives you access to the "elevators" in town.. Sant Justa, for example, which turned out to be a fun experience, especially when a guitar singer played up on the roof terrace.

As suggested in every post..
do not miss Belem, nad all it has to offer.
And especially for non-diabetic gourmands.. those yummy mini cream /custard warm puff pastry sinful specialities at the blue awninged pastry shop (name??) seen from the tram as you go by.

i am still dreaming about them, but ate enough to raise my cholesterol for quite awhile.

About the trams.. when they are crowded, take the bus that also follows the same route.
In the end.. you can be squashed and uncomfortable and it is just not worth it.

We enjoyed the short ferry ride over to calinhas to take the taxi up to the feet of cristo rey monument.

Everywhere we had Very good coffee.

Prices: good value for money. Inexpensive taxis, coffee, hotels, transportation and the museums were also reasonable.

At the airport:

Give yourself plenty of time. I just came back a few hours ago, and there was such a traffic jam just to get INTO the lanes to drop off passengers, some people were getting out of the taxis 100 ft. from the terminal. The Iberia and TAP lines were terribly long.

Then security was a long snake line, but I have to admit it moved very quickly as they had at least 6 scanners open.

It only took 10-15 mins. from our hotel by taxi, but we were happy we had left 1.45 hours (for an intra-european flight) as had we left any later we would have gotten a bit nervous seeing the lines inside on this Saturday morning.

Put Lisbon on your list, if it is not already. It will not "jump out" at you, perhaps, but if you move around and investigate some of its many lovely "corners" I am sure you,too, will leave with a warm respect for the city and its friendly hosts.