Here are 25 things people want to know about Lisbon, Portugal – frequently asked questions about Lisbon. Lisbon FAQs.
Do I need a visa to go to Portugal?
Americans, Brazilians, and Canadians do not need a visa to go to Portugal.
Is Portugal a Schengen nation?
Yes. Portugal is a Schengen nation. There are currently 26 Schengen countries. They are:
| Austria | Liechtenstein |
| Belgium | Lithuania |
| Czech Republic | Luxembourg |
| Denmark | Malta |
| Estonia | Netherlands |
| Finland | Norway |
| France | Poland |
| Germany | Portugal |
| Greece | Slovakia |
| Hungary | Slovenia |
| Iceland | Spain |
| Italy | Sweden |
| Latvia | Switzerland |
Again, Americans, Brazilians, and Canadians do not need a visa to enter the Schengen Area, just a valid passport (that has more than sixty days left before expiration).
Once you are legally admitted to one of the Schengen nations, you are allowed to move freely among the rest of them.
Your passport will only be stamped in the first country you land in, and the country you exit from.
Is Lisbon an expensive city?
Lisbon is not an expensive city, particularly for a European capital city.
With a Viva Viagem pass, you can use public transportation (metro, buses, trams) for 1.50 euros per ride.
If you are not in a shop that caters to tourists, you can find bottled water and espresso for less than a euro. In a non touristy restaurant, you will find that a glass of house wine is often a better deal than bottle of water. A bottle of wine can be purchased in the grocery store for five euros or less.
You can find all-you-can-eat buffets for eight to ten euros.
Lodging will be your greatest expense while visiting Lisbon, but there are plenty of rooms in the range of 60 – 100 euros per night.
For information on how to save money on your Lisbon trip, see my article How to enjoy Lisbon on a budget
Is Lisbon close to the beach?
Lisbon is fifteen miles from the Atlantic Ocean, and you can easily reach several beautiful beaches via public transportation. The closest popular beach to Lisbon is Praia de Carcavelos.
Take the Green metro line to Cais de Sodré station, where you can hop on the train headed toward the beach town of Cascais. The train runs along the river and the ocean, and there are several nice beaches along the way.
Estoril and Cascais are nice beach towns further down the track.
Another option is to cross the Tagus River by ferry at Cais de Sodré station. On the other side, you arrive at a bus terminal where you can get the 135 express bus (25 minutes) bus to the beautiful Costa da Caparica beaches.
Does Lisbon have a nude beach?
Yes. There is a nude beach very close to Lisbon. Take the green metro line to Lisbon’s Cais de Sodré station. Take the ferry across the river. There is a bus terminal at the dock. Take the 135 express bus to Costa da Caparica. Get off at the last stop – the bus terminal. Follow the crowd walking from the terminal toward the beach.
Once you arrive at the beach, turn left and walk past all of the beachside restaurants. Just past the last restaurant, you will find the vintage Trans-praia Train, which for 10 euros will carry you down the beach another 5 – 8 miles.
The nude beach begins at Stop 18. There is a restaurant at this stop.
Is Lisbon diverse?
Lisbon is a very diverse city.
Central Lisbon has a population of over 500,000.
There are several large immigrant communities residing in Lisbon, according to the Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras (Service of Foreigners and Borders). total 83,065 out of 500,000 residents of Lisbon are immigrants.
| Nationality | Number of residents living in Lisbon in 2019 |
| Brazil | 16962 |
| China | 9527 |
| Nepal | 7707 |
| France | 7319 |
| Italy | 7059 |
| Bangladesh | 4707 |
| Spain | 4444 |
| Germany | 3806 |
| India | 3260 |
| Angola | 2722 |
| United Kingdom | 2683 |
| Cabo Verde | 2670 |
| Netherlands | 2252 |
| Romania | 1976 |
| Ukraine | 1572 |
| Guinea-Bissau | 1301 |
| Sweden | 1069 |
| Pakistan | 1024 |
| United States of America | 1005 |
Is Lisbon LGBT friendly?
Lisbon is one of the most gay-friendly cities in the world. Homosexuality was decriminalized in Portugal in 1982, and Lisbon saw its first Gay Pride march in 1999. Same-sex unions were officially recognized by the state in 1999, and gay marriage was legalized in 2010. Gay couples have been able to adopt children in Portugal since 2016.
Principe Real is a a lively neighborhood and has many gay bars. Annual gay events in Lisbon include Bear Pride in May, Pride Lisboa in June, and the Queer Lisboa Film Festival in September.
There is a gay beach in Costa da Caparica, across the river from Lisbon.
What time is it in Lisbon?
Lisbon’s time zone is GMT + 1. The time is currently:
How much is $1 worth in Lisbon?
Currency Converter by OANDA
Is Lisbon the same as Lisboa?
Lisboa is the Portuguese word for Lisbon.
Is Lisbon English-friendly?
If you do not speak Portuguese, do not worry. Millions of English speaking visitors come to Lisbon every year. You will hear English on the streets, and hotel, restaurant, and shopkeepers will be able too talk with you, as they deal with English-speaking tourists every day. Most younger Lisboetas have studied English in school.
Is Lisbon near Porto?
Lisbon is 314 km or 195 miles from Porto. You can easily get there by train. The trip takes roughly three hours. The national rail company is Comboios de Portugal. You can get the train in Lisbon at the Santa Apolonia Station (on the Blue metro line) or at the Oriente Station (on the Red metro line). Tickets start at 15 euros.
Is Lisbon too hot in August?
August is the hottest month in Lisbon, with highs of 83 degrees and lows of 65 degrees. It will be hot and sunny. Lisbon will be slower in August, with fewer tourists, and you will find that many shops close for most or part of the month as owners and employees go on vacation.
Can I leave Lisbon airport during a layover?
Yes, in fact, if you fly in on TAP Air Portugal, they will allow a free 48 hour layover if you are continuing on to another destination.
If I had a several hours, I would go to the airport metro station (You can leave your bags at the airport, in the arrivals area, next to Car Park P2), take the Red line to Alameda Station and do a free transfer to the Blue line. Get off at Rossio Station. This is roughly a 15 minute trip.
Wander around Rossio Square and the neighboring Praça da Figueira.
From there walk down to the Tagus River, pass through the Arch of Triumph, or maybe go to the top of it to check out the view. Then, look around Praça do Comércio.
From here, you can hop on a tram or a bus going to the Belém neighborhood, where you can visit two UNESCO World Heritage Sites – The Tower of Belém, and the Monument to the Discoveries. You can also explore the Jerónimos Monastery, which is right across the street.
My guess is that you will have spent three hours away from the airport by this point. Retrace your steps and head back to the airport.
Can you drink the tap water in Lisbon?
The tap water in Lisbon is safe to drink, although it may have a higher mineral content than what you are used to drinking at home. According to https://tapsafe.org, “Lisbon offers tourists the best quality tap water in Portugal. It has been certified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as safe for consumption.”
How old is the aqueduct in Lisbon?
The aqueduct is older than the United States of America, but don’t confuse it with a Roman aqueduct. Construction on the Águas Livres Aqueduct began in 1731 and started bringing water to Lisbon in 1748.
All you can eat restaurantes in Lisbon
- All you can eat seafood, Baía do Peixe, Praça do Campo Pequeno, 22 euros
- Brazilian Steakhouse, Rodizio, all you can eat, Chimarrão, Rua do Carmo, Piso 6 (sixth floor of Armazéns do Chiado Mall, 13 euros
- Waterfront dining, Rodizio / Buffet, Cafe IN,Av. Brasília, Pavilhão Nascente 311, 15 euros all you can eat lunch
- Brazilian Steakhouse, Rodizio buffet, Sabor Mineiro, Avenida Jose Malhoa 16-D, 9 euros
- Vegetarian (mostly vegan) buffet, Terra Restaurante Natural, Rua da Palmeira 15, (Principe Real),
- Local and International buffet, Buffet Livre de Leão, Rua 1 de Dezembro (near Rossio Square), 9 euros
- Vegetarian buffet Mon -Fri Lunch only, Paladar Zen, Avenida Barbosa du Bocage 107
- Brazilian Steakhouse, Rodizio, Fogo de Chão, Rua Artilharia 151
- Chinese Buffet, LHC Restaurante Buffet Livre, Rua de Campolide 66 A/B,
- Dom Alimado, Jupiter Lisboa Hotel, Av. Elias Garcia 60
- All you can eat buffet, Leao D’Ouro, R. 1º de Dezembro 105, 9 euros
Is Lisbon bigger than Barcelona?
Barcelona has a slightly larger land-area, and is almost twice as densely populated as Lisbon.
Barcelona has 1.6 million inhabitants within the city limits, and there are more than 4.8 million people in the region. It is the fifth most populated area in the European Union.
Lisbon has 500,000 residents within the city limits and there are two million people living in the metropolitan area.
Barcelona’s airport serves more than 50 million passengers per year. Lisbon’s airport serves 29 million passengers per year.
Barcelona has an area of 39.34 square miles. Lisbon has an area 38.63 square miles.
Can you fly Lisbon to Barcelona?
Direct flights between Lisbon and Barcelona are 1 hour and 55 minutes. Both airports have metro stations which will take you to the city center. TAP Portugal is an airline headquartered in Lisbon. Vueling is an airline headquartered in Barcelona. Both offer very reasonable prices for direct flights between the two cities. For more information, see my article Visit the best cities on the Iberian Peninsula – Lisbon and Barcelona
I have combined Lisbon and Barcelona on previous trips and I highly recommend doing that.
Does Lisbon have Uber?
Lisbon has Uber. They also pick up at the airport.
Does Lisbon metro go to airport?
There is a metro station at the airport. The airport is on the red line. You can switch to the blue line for free at Alameda Station, and from there head to downtown Lisbon (Baixa-Chiado) or the very central Rossio Station. This trip takes about 15 minutes. For more information on the metro see my Lisbon Metro:. You might also find this article useful – Hotels located near metro stations in Lisbon
Does Lisbon have a zoo?
The Lisbon zoo is called Jardim Zoologico. https//:zoo.pt Children under 3 are admitted free. The zoo is located 20 meters from the Jardim Zoologico Metro station (blue line). The zoo is open 365 days a year. Children 3-12 are 14.50 euros, 13 – adult admission is 22.50. Seniors are 16 euros. Opens 10am, closes at 8pm in warmer months. Closes at 6pm from September 21 until March 20.
Why is Lisbon called the City of Light?
Lisbon receives more than 300 days of sunlight per year. And you can find at least 30 scenic viewpoints that overlook the city, from which you can watch a beautiful sunset over the city and the river.
When was Portugal founded?
Portugal has a long and interesting history. In 711 the Moors came from North Africa and began an invasion of the Iberian Peninsula. By the 1100’s they had occupied all of the southern and central peninsula, controlling everything from the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean. The Christians had been forced to live along the northern coast. The Christians lived in the kingdoms of Leon, Navarre, Aragon, and the county of Barcelona.
They constantly fought with the Moors and tried to expel them from the peninsula. Christian knights came from other lands to lend a hand in the fight.
One of these knights was Henry of Burgundy, who eventually became Count of Portugal. He merged the counties of Portugal and Coimbra into one.
Henry’s son, Alfonso Henriques, won independence of Portugal from the Kingdom of Leon by defeating and executing his own mother, who was loyal to the king of Leon. He declared himself Prince of Portugal on June 24, 1128, and later King of Portugal in 1139. He made Guimarães his capital.
In 1147 Alfonso and his Christian knights won Lisbon back from the Muslems. The Pope officially recognized Alfonso I as King of Portugal in 1179.
The Algarve was taken back from the Moors in 1249, and in 1255 Lisbon became the capital of Portugal.
Having worked with the English Christians to recapture the southwest coast of Europe, in 1386 Portugal signed the Treaty of Windsor with England. This is the longest-standing military alliance in the world.
I am not associated with any businesses mentioned in this Lisbon FAQ article. If you are specifically looking for statistics about Lisbon, read my Lisbon travel and tourism statistics Thank you for reading “25 Things People Want to Know about Lisbon, Portugal.
