Luxury holidays in Lisbon

When to go

The best time to visit Lisbon is late spring, when the city is sunny and the sardines start to come into season. With year-round temperate weather, there’s no bad time to go – just brace for busy streets and beaches if you opt for summer.

Getting there

• Planes

  Fly direct to Lisbon from a host of European cities, including Barcelona, Edinburgh, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Manchester, Paris and Rome, or from North American cities including Montreal, New York and Toronto. Lisbon is also a major European hub for South America and Africa, with flights from Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Casablanca, Marrakech and more touching down here.

• Boats

  Several ferry routes criss-cross the River Tagus and are a great way to take in Lisbon’s beauty; the most scenic options are Belém to Porto Brandão and Cais do Sodré to Cacilhas.

• Trains

  Lisbon has two main stations, Santa Apolónia and Oriente, which connect to several Portuguese cities: get to either in under three hours from Porto, or to Oriente in just over three hours from Faro. The city’s historic Remodelado trams are convenient and charming — the number 28 route is particularly picturesque, passing through Alfama, Chiado and Bairro Alto.

• Automobiles

  Lisbon’s one-way roads, narrow streets and near-impossible parking mean it’s best to stick to taxis if you want to get around on four wheels.

• Taxis

  Lisbon has taxis in abundance and they are pretty good value; it’s unlikely you’ll spend more than €10 on a fare.