One thing to look for on Portuguese menus is the cover charges made up of little bits for bread, butter etc which can add €2-3 per person. Some go a bit OTT and try to add olives, small cheeses or tubs of pate - decline them if you don't want them.

Thanks both for the great tips! Looks like my calves will be gettiing a good workout

Not as much as mine Fi . I'm staying up there on one of those hills . Think it could be walk down and tram back.

Don't forget the little funicular railways that run up some hills and the ancient lifts that look like spare parts for the Eiffel Tower are all covered by the Carris transport passes as well as the proper trams and buses.

My wife and I are also planning a 4 night break in Lisbon next late March time. Hopefully will be warming up a bit then.
we really want to stay in some sort of an upmarket guesthouse. We have found this one called 'The House'. website is http://www.thehouse.pt/hotel-overview.html

Hopefully someone on thise will know of it and may comment. Perhapse someone may even know the area etc and could comment.

Thanks, Pete

It seems to be quite new (within a 1970s looking building) so you'll probably be the first from here. Looking on Google Street View/Bing Aerial the area is mostly residential with a large Basilica, a park and a couple of hospitals but doesn't appear to have many restaurants. It does have very good public transport but you'll need it - it must be about 30 minutes walk to the tourist centre and it's uphill coming back! If you read through this thread you'll see I recommend the 28 tram as one of the best and cheapest ways of seeing Lisbon, and it happens to stop nearby. The 25 tram to the centre stops even closer at the upper end of the street. I'm intrigued by this one, might be good to know, let us know how you get on!

Steve ,

Thanks for that - your views and comments are much appreciated. We will definitely stay here so I better book it sap.

Hopefully there will be the odd local bar nearby with snacks etc. I like small places like that - rather like the tapas bars. I don't know if Lisbon has those.

I have been looking into 'Fado' type places but from what I have read they are mostly all tourist rip-offs. I wonder if anyone knows of any reputable places that do Fado where the locals may go.

regards,

Pete

I'd imagine they'll be plenty of bars - it's not far from the Irish embassy!!

I've been reading their website and there's some useless information on it about the Metro. It says the closest station is Rato. This is true but it isn't that close and the line is a dead loss anyway, goes nowhere you'd want!

I'm not sure they are in the central zone for the taxi vouchers you can get at the airport to avoid overcharging but there is a quite easy way of getting there by bus for €3.50 each. Get the 96 Aeroshuttle to S. Sebastião (El Corte Ingles department store) then cross to the 713 (direction Estação Campolide) and get off at R. João Deus , this is the stop after the Estrela Basilica (so hard to miss!) and is the end of the street for the hotel. The special tickets sold on the 96 are valid for the rest of the day on all Carris services.

Airport - City Centre Hotels

I've mentioned before the 91 Aerobus which has run for some time but not the newer 96 Aeroshuttle which takes in more hotels. Both have special tickets bought on the bus for €3.50 (2010 price) which are then valid for the rest of the day on Carris bus, tram, funicular and elevadore services. See the line maps at http://www.carris.pt/fotos/editor2/citycenter.pdf for which hotels are close to which stops, scroll down for the 96. The references to moving 20 metres are because this is the artwork for the signs at the airport stops!

Steve,
Thanks for that info. I fancy going the way you suggested- would it be a hassle though with luggage? We wont have a lot though.
I had an email from The House and this is what they suggested if I took a taxi.

"The best way to get here from the airport is by taxi (12 to 15 euros) The
insiders tip is to avoid the arrivals taxis and go for the ones in the
departures area. You won't wait and you will probably get a nicer cabby. The
adress is Travessa do Pinheiro, 11, 4th floor (2 minutes aways from the Basilica
da Estrela)."

I think I understand what they are trying to tell me. Is it fairly straightforward to get to the departures area from where we arrive when at the airport.
The Easyjet website says something about some sort of a shuttle bus costing about 9 euros or so that drops off in town.

I've found the easyjet reference and have no idea what they are on about! The info from the airport itself is here http://www.ana.pt/portal/page/portal/ANA/AEROPORTO_LISBOA_CNT/?AE_LS=84635592&cboui=84635592 and they don't mention it. It's a third party supplier so easyjet won't have paid much attention to detail, at that price (£9 each) I'd hope it's actually at shuttle to Cascais or Estoril!! If you read between the lines in what the airport says about taxis (and what the hotel said) you get the message about their practise of overcharging, which is why the voucher system at the info desk in arrivals was introduced - but I'm not sure whether your hotel is in the zone. There isn't a lot of difference between the arrivals and departures areas, as I remember it you just go left through the arrivals foyer instead of straight out. I'll PM you a way of seeing the walks, bit much to go here.

Can anyone make sense of these flight times I have

we are flying with EJ . 12th march - returning 15th

going out we leave at 14.25 and arrive lisbon 17.05 - Im thinking about 1.5 hrs flight taking into account we lose an hour.

Coming back . leave at 19.55 and arrive gatwick 22.30 . now allowing for the hour we should be gaining back that's making the return flight 3.5 hours

Am I loosing it here or is there a change of time diference at that time of year in Europe I'm not seeing .

There is no time difference between the UK and portugal.

Well I never knew that Geoff . Is that the case all year then ?

Yes, I think so... but the more I think about it.........

It doesnt make a lot of sense to me I must admit when both France & spain have an hours difference but as I've just made myself look a complete plonker I best keep my mouth

Dont worry, you're not cracking up - there is no time difference between UK and Portugal. Both are in the Western European band (most other main European countries are in the Central European band). This has always caught daytrippers out when they catch the ferry from VRSA on the Algarve over to Ayamonte in Spain! Portugal is quite a long way , it's a bit deceptive when you think of other European flight times. So the flight really is about 2'40". Faro would be closer to 3 hours.

Lyn, you'll be heading back to the airport during the evening peak, bear in mind it can be gridlock and allow plenty of time, especially if you're south of the Pombal roundabout.

Thanks Steve . I suppose it's all to do with longitude and latitude stuff and i've just read somewhere that portugal decided not to adopt the time difference .

We are staying in the Alfama area . No idea where that is in relation to the roundabout you mention or how long the journey from the airport is . It's probably in one of these topics somewhere and I've just forgotten but I will go back and copy/paste/print all this excellent info in the next couple of weeks.

I always drive my husband mad with the amount of guide books and print out's I take with me . It must be a woman thing . It's the control freak in us .

you are the wrong side of the roundabout, allow an hour!

Portugal is right to be in the Western band, the real question is why Spain isn't since the whole country is further west than Greenwich! There's just been a piece on BBC news about some people trying to get UK moved to the Central band so that tourists here will get more light in the evenings - but that will mean some kids will be going to school in the dark for about 6 months a year, which should do wonders for road safety! Meanwhile some Scottish farmers and politicians want to move us the other way to the mid Atlantic band to avoid dark mornings.