Lisbon Crown Plaza Hotel/Douro Cruise
 

How close is the Lisbon Crown Plaza hotel to the major sights of Lisbon? Is it close to any public transport?

Has anyone taken the Uniworld Douro River Cruise in the second half of this year (2005)?

If so, did the draught in Portugal affect the water level of the river to the degree that the ships couldn't go? If so, how did the cruise by bus compare with the EXPECTATIONS you had of the river cruise? Where did you stay overnight (locations)? How good were the lodgings, the food, the tours?

topping for treplow

Going to Portugal myself, and I find Fodors guide answers a question like yours. Suggest you get a copy and it will help you plan.

I'll try to answer your questions.

I don't find a Crowne Plaza (from the Intercontinental website) in Lisbon, but there are 2 Holiday Inns - one at Avenida Antonio Jose de Almeida, and a Lisbon-Continental at R Laura Alves. From my map, the HI Continental is the closest to Metro stop Campo Pequeno, probably 1-2 blocks walk.
The Lisbon public transportation guide I brought back with me shows there is a bus route east of the other HI, but I can not tell how much walk you have to do to catch a bus; this looks like the closest to the hotel.

When we went last October, we did not cruise the Douro River, but spent a little time in the Douro Valley before going to Porto, drove along the river between Pinhao and Canelas (I think), and saw a few boats running on the river. I believe they are called rabelas, the boats that were used to transport port. As I understand, the rabelas are no longer used for transporting wine and are really used for tours now, but I am not certain if those are the river cruises. We were there mid-week, don't know if there are more cruises on weekends in Oct.

Hope this helps a little.

If it's the one banares is writing about, it's very close to several modes of Public Transport. I have stayed in that area several times: twice at Hotel Cinco de Outubre and twice at Hostal Estrela do Saldanha. If you walk due west from the hotel, when you get to Avda. da Republica you will encounter MetroLisboa Campo Pequenho station stop. The next stop (south) is EntreCampos and there are 2-tranvia lines there; the next stop north is Saldanha which is a major Bus transfer point: you can catch a #28 Bus to Belem.

After EntreCampos (on MetroLisboa) is Campo Grande: the end of the line for several Lineas. You don't have to pay another fare; just cross the platform or go to the other platform to get on the line to Oriente or Rossio or Cais do Sodre or wherever.

You can view a MetroLisboa map at http://www.metrolisboa.pt

Sorry, I can't help you with uour Douro river cruise.

Thanks for the info. The Metro Map and info. on passes is very useful.

I've seen buses on Avda. de Berna when I was waiting for 9:00 AM Mass at the Nossa Senhora da Fatima Church which is just east of the H.I. Intercontintal that you're looking at. It must be close to Portela airport because the aircraft on landing approach come in very low.

Glad to read that you found the Metro Lisboa map helpful: Back in '98 I did a Photo-essay of the new Oriente line. The Oriente Multimodal Transportation Center and the Oriente Metro Line (from Alameda) were built for Expo'98. Now the Oriente Station has pretty much displaced Santa Apolonia as Lisbon's main rail station; and one can get MetroLisboa or Bus or Tranvia to just about anywhere from Oriente.

MetroLisboa stations are user-friendly and theme-designed. I especially liked the Chelas Station. That's the way it is in Lisbon's entire Metro system: Check it out!
BTW
My Photo-essay was never published: I couldn't find a sponsor or publication that cared that much for Lisbon.

One more question: Other European cities we have visited often offer an all-inclusive pass for anywheres from 1-7 days, covering public transport and museum and other entry fees. Does Lisbon offer such a pass? If so, do you know how much it is and where I can get it?

treplow, yes Lisbon has the Lisboa card and the colinas card.

The Lisboa card can be used on all public transportation, except for 2 trams to Belem and Elevador Sta Justa, and free or discounted admissions to certain museums/attractions in Lisbon, Belem, and Sintra. It costs something like 13.25Euro for a 24-hr card; 22.50Euro for a 48 hr card or; E27.50Euro for a 72-hr card. I did not get this because I was not interested in all the museums it covers, and it would not have saved me any. The colinas card was of more use to me.
One thing to remember is senior citizens get good discounts from most museums. There is a website with the list of the places it is good for, but I can't remember it at the moment.

A colinas card costs 50 cents for the card plus 3Euro for rides, good for 1 day . This can be used on all buses, trams, elevadors, and subways (metro). The card can be re-filled for 3Euro for each day of use. I bought the card from a kiosk at Praca Restauradores, but was able to refill at a metro station. There are probably other locations where you can get the colinas card. Tourist welcome centers can tell you where else; there's one in the airport , at P.Restauradores, and several places around Lisbon.

I read about a colinas card where one buys units rather than days, but the welcome center and the kiosk that sells the cards told me there is no such thing.

banares, you are great!

Thanks so much for your help. Mui obrigado (I'm sure the spelling is completely wrong, but I learned that to say while working in Brazil)