Lisbon port how to get there by train. What is the best transport to get from Lisbon to Porto? Transport from Lisbon Airport

Portugal is the most remote country in western Europe, so it takes the longest to get here. The flight from Moscow to Lisbon will take five and a half hours if the flight is direct. With transfers you will travel from seven and a half hours to one and a half days.

Lisbon and Porto are Largest cities in Portugal, which you need to visit when traveling around the country. Every corner of Portugal breathes the Middle Ages; all cultural and architectural monuments are literally filled with history. Every corner of Lisbon and Porto reminds of the former greatness of these cities.

Portugal for tourists

Two main ports can receive you from Russia to Portugal: Portela is located in Lisbon, Francisco de Sa Carneira is located in Porto. Ticket prices range from ten to twenty thousand rubles, depending on the season.

If you plan on your trip not only to see the sights, but also beach holiday, then you can go from May to September. The air temperature during this period ranges from plus 25 to plus 35 degrees. And you will swim not just anywhere, but in the waters Atlantic Ocean!

Lisbon or Porto. Where to stay

Much like we have Moscow and St. Petersburg - the two capitals of Russia, Lisbon and Porto - the capitals of Portugal. It is impossible to unequivocally answer the question of where it is better to stay. While in Portugal, you should definitely visit both cities. How to get from Lisbon to Porto can be found at local residents- they will tell you the cheapest and fastest way.

Lisbon was almost completely destroyed by an earthquake in 1755, much was lost, but despite this fact, the restored city is no less interesting. Getting around the city will not be difficult. The transport network here works smoothly. Metro and funicular railways, buses and trams are at your service. In the capital of Portugal you should definitely visit the following places:

  • Praça do Comércio is the most beautiful square in Europe.
  • Calle Augusta is a pedestrian boulevard in Lisbon.
  • Alfama district with medieval architecture that survived the earthquake.
  • which was created in honor of Vasco da Gama's discovery of the route to India.

Porto is the second city of Portugal, built on granite rocks. This locality is known for the following historical fact: Portugal's most famous product, port wine, was named after this city. Walking along the embankment, you will see ancient ships carrying wine.

There are bus and train connections between the cities.

Lisbon - Porto. How to get there

Let's get acquainted with one of the options for getting from Lisbon to Porto. You have landed at Portela Airport. The distance from Lisbon to Porto is about three hundred kilometers. Oriente train station is a five-minute drive from the airport. The station is the main one in Portugal. Trains on the route Lisbon - Porto are high-speed. Travel time on the Alfa Pendular train will take 2:32 or 2:42 hours. The ticket price will be from thirty to forty-three euros. The Lisbon - Porto (Intercidades) train will take you to your destination in three hours. For a ticket you will pay from twenty-four to thirty-six euros.

Organized excursion

Another option for traveling by train is Lisbon - Porto - organized excursion. You pay the cost of the mini-tour and hit the road. The duration of such an excursion is from ten to twelve hours. You will be introduced to the sights of Portugal in Porto, take a boat ride on the Douro River, and be introduced to local taverns. The tour is very interesting and not tiring. Travel is included in the price of the excursion, after which you can skip the trip back to Lisbon and stay in Porto. This option is suitable for those who want to see the sights of several cities in Portugal and are not limited by a strict travel itinerary.

Travel by bus

There is a bus service between Lisbon and Porto. The main company providing bus services between cities is Rede Expressos. A bus ticket will cost twenty euros one way. The ticket can be reserved or purchased in advance.

Rent a Car

Renting a car is common in Portugal. If you have sufficient driving experience, you can choose this option. You must be 21 years old and have one year or more driving experience. You will cover the distance from Lisbon to Porto by car in four and a half to five hours. More comfortable than by train, but a little longer.

You can travel from Porto to Lisbon by car. Here, as in Russia, traffic is on the right, so there will be no difficulties.

Route

We offer one of the travel options from Lisbon to Porto. We're leaving for east direction along Praça do Comércio, and then follow the route:

  • after 5.3 km we continue along Av. Infante Dom Henrique;
  • after driving 1 km on the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto R. Cintura do Porto;
  • after 0.8 km we continue moving along Av. Mar. Gomes da Costa;
  • after 200 m we turn right towards Av. Infante Dom Henrique;
  • after 300 m we smoothly turn right onto Av. Infante Dom Henrique;
  • after 2.3 km we keep left and continue along Av. Infante Dom Henrique; follow the signs to A1 Norte/A12 Sul/P.te V. Gama/Pq.das Nações;
  • after 700 m we take exit A1 Norte/IC 17 to A8 Oeste;
  • after 292 km, at the fork, move closer to the left, follow the signs for A1 Norte and merge onto A1;
  • after 12.8 km, at the fork, move closer to the left and continue on the A200;
  • after 6 km we take the exit to Porto Centro;
  • after 700 m we move along R. de Faria Guimarães;
  • after 300 m R. de Faria Guimarães goes left and becomes R. de Bolama;
  • after 84 meters we turn left onto Tv. Álvaro de Castelões;
  • after 86 meters turn left onto R. do Alto;
  • after 50 meters turn right.

The city of Porto is located on the left. This is the shortest and convenient route, but if you wish, you can choose a different travel option.

Where to stay in Lisbon

Alfama is an ancient district in Lisbon. Small cozy apartments, narrow streets, lack of traffic. Great option for quiet rest. Nearby are the Fado Museum, the Jewish Museum, a flea market and so on. The Graça district used to be a working-class neighborhood in Lisbon. Now it offers a wonderful view of the city. Public transport includes trams and buses. The Mouraria district is one of the oldest areas of the city. Many immigrants live here, so there are various international restaurants and supermarkets. A very colorful area. Among the attractions is St. George's Castle.

Baixa is the most comfortable area for tourists. A large number of hotels and restaurants, convenient location for walking in any direction. The Museum of Design and Fashion and the Museum of Money are located in this area. One of the attractions here is the Santa Justa elevator, which takes Lisbon visitors to the Chiado district.

Avenida da Liberdade is a city street built in the image of the Champs Elysees. It is the most expensive street. The shopping center, train station and historical center are located here.

Chiado is a very lively area. Lots of cafes, restaurants, shops, attractions. Bairro Alto is an area for those who like to relax at night. Night clubs, cafes, restaurants. Principe Real is a fashion district. Shops and design galleries are located in this area.

Where to stay in Porto

Cordoaria is a classicist area with many shops and a green park. Boavista has a large number of original cuisine restaurants and design workshops. You should definitely visit the House of Music and the Museum of Art. Foz do Douro is an area with promenades and beaches. Ribeira is suitable for walking.

Beach holiday in Lisbon

Going on vacation to Portugal in the summer, you can not only wander through beautiful streets and neighborhoods, admire ancient buildings and visit local attractions, but also enjoy a vacation on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. Around Lisbon there are beautiful beaches with the necessary infrastructure for relaxation. You can get to the coast from Lisbon by train; on average, it will take twenty-five to thirty minutes.

The closest beach to Lisbon is Caxias Beach. A little further away is Carcavelos Beach, a little over a kilometer long. Restaurants and bars on the beach are open even at night. There are volleyball and football courts. Paço de Arcos is perhaps the most visited beach. Fishing and water sports can be enjoyed here. Praia de Torre is a beach with a seawater swimming pool, next door is the official residence of the Portuguese Ministry of Defense.

There are not many beaches in Porto. The most famous are Matosinhos and Espinho. The second beach is a favorite place for surfers, as the winds often blow here. Espinho is for you if you want to enjoy the view of the Atlantic Ocean in privacy.

So, when going to Portugal and wanting to combine all types of recreation, it would be nice to stay in Lisbon. And from there you should definitely go to Porto. You already know how to get from Lisbon to Porto. Have a nice holiday!

Every year more and more travelers turn their eyes towards Portugal, and of course, the capital Lisbon. And not surprisingly, in Lisbon you can find everything that attracts tourists in other cities: beautiful architecture, beautiful scenery, authentic cuisine and unique local flavor.

If you travel by plane, you will certainly end up at Lisbon Portela Airport. So this article is dedicated to the very first question that will arise in your mind upon arrival in Portugal - how can I get to the city?

In this article you will learn how to get from Portela Airport to Lisbon, how much it will cost you, and how long the trip will take. How to get from the airport to Lisbon

How to get from Portela Airport to Lisbon

Portela Airport is the busiest airport in Portugal, and therefore the largest international airport in the country. It is located seven kilometers north of the city center. Portela consists of two terminals: 1st and 2nd. Terminal 1 is of interest to tourists, since this is where everyone flies international flights, but terminal number 2 is intended for domestic flights. Since most travelers travel within the country by train or car, we will devote this article to the 1st, and not the 2nd, terminal. But just so you know, the terminals are nearby, so if anything happens, you can follow our advice even if you fly into Terminal 2. And there is a free bus between the terminals.

Metro

Cost: from 1.4 euros
Travel time: about 20 minutes
Opening hours: 06:30-01:00

There is a metro to Lisbon Portela Airport and Aeroporto station on the Crimson Line. This line intersects with three other lines: yellow, blue and green - in the city center, so getting to any point in the capital from the airport by metro is not difficult.

In addition, the metro is a godsend for budget travel. A trip to the center will cost you only 1.4 euros. And if you buy a pass for the whole day, it will cost 6 euros. You can purchase tickets at the box office or from a special machine at the station. There is also a metro map, but in extreme cases, you can ask for a metro card and a city map at the kiosk tourist information in the airport arrivals hall.

The metro ride to the city center lasts only 20 minutes. Trains run daily from 6:30 am until 1 am. Some stations close earlier, this is always written on the official website of Lisbon transport www.metro.transporteslisboa.pt in the Customer info/Cliente info section.

Bus

Cost: 3.5 euros
Travel time: from 30 minutes
Opening hours: 07:00-23:00

There are special Aerobus buses from the airport to the center of Lisbon, which in many ways may seem even more convenient than the metro. The two Airbus routes cover almost all the key locations in Lisbon, Route 1 goes to the city center, and Route 2 goes to the business part of the capital.

An Airbus ticket costs 3.5 euros for adults and 2 euros for children. You can also purchase a round trip ticket for 5.5 euros. And for groups of tourists from 4 people there is a discount - each ticket will cost only two euros. You can buy a ticket from the driver or at the airport. Tickets are also sold at some stops along the route.

The Airbus stop is located directly opposite the exit from the airport, from the arrivals hall. Yellow buses with the inscription “Aerobus” immediately catch your eye, so if the bus is already at the stop, you definitely won’t pass by. And buses, by the way, run every 20 minutes, starting at 7 am (route 2 - from 7:30, and sometimes from 8), ending at 23:00. After 20:00 the interval between Airbuses increases to an hour.

Route 1 passes all the most important tourist points of the center and the most large hotels. In addition, it stops at the main train station, at the bus station and even at river station. Route 2 goes to the financial and business center of Lisbon Av. José Malhoa (Avenida Jose Malhoa).

Taxi

Cost: from 10 euros
Travel time: from 15 minutes
Opening hours: 24 hours a day

There are not many options for getting from Portela Airport to Lisbon for those arriving at night. One of these options is a taxi. Convenient, fast, around the clock, and in Lisbon the prices are also quite affordable. A trip to the center of Lisbon will only cost you about 10-15 euros. Taxi parking is located near the Airbus bus stop, that is, opposite the exit from the airport arrivals area.

But if you decide to choose a taxi as a means of transportation, then be careful. In Portugal, taxi drivers often try to profit from tourists by charging inflated fares, taking you on roundabout routes to get the meter to show more, or simply turning on the meter before the trip. So it’s better to immediately refuse those who offer more than 15 euros for a trip, and also use a navigator to track the car’s path.

One piece of luggage, by the way, costs an additional 1.6 euros. In addition, the tariff may increase depending on the time of day (more expensive at night), traffic conditions and your destination.

To protect yourself, you can purchase a voucher right in the airport arrivals hall, at the tourist information desk, which gives you the right to travel by taxi. You will pay a certain amount when purchasing a voucher, which will save you from the risk of being deceived by a taxi driver. True, you will have to pay a little more for this, for example, to the center of Lisbon a voucher costs from 16 to 25 euros.

Rent a car in Lisbon

If you need a car on your trip, you can rent one right at the airport. True, only during the daytime. If you arrive at night, then the best solution would be to get to your hotel, and the next morning find one of the rental company offices somewhere in the center of Lisbon.

At Portela Airport there are representatives of all the most famous rental companies: Hertz, Europcar, Sixt, Budget and Budget. You can find them in the arrivals hall of Terminal 1. Here you can choose a car from stock, or you can pick up a pre-booked car. Moreover, booking in advance has a lot of advantages: more choice, lower price and the ability to order additional equipment that simply may not be available.

To better understand the entire system, we recommend reading our article on this topic “”, where you will find detailed instructions for booking a car using the example of a website. In addition, the articles "" and "" may be useful.

Transfer from Portela Airport to Lisbon

By booking a transfer from the airport to the city in advance before your trip, you reduce all your movements within the airport to a minimum. After all, you will not only be greeted in the arrivals hall (as soon as you leave the baggage claim) with a sign with your name, but they will also help you with your luggage and take you to the address specified in advance for a fixed price. Moreover, as you can see, a transfer provides more services than a taxi, but, on the contrary, it often costs less. In order to use the transfer, you just need to order a car from home online (how to do this is described
here "") and make an advance payment. To order a transfer now or just ask the price, fill out the form below.
You are finally ready to travel around Portugal and become the proud owners air tickets to Lisbon. But Portugal is not only its capital Lisbon, great amount amazing sights and most interesting places located throughout the country. And if you have set yourself the task of studying this amazing country in as much detail as possible, then you definitely need to carefully consider your movements around Portugal in order to fully enjoy your first acquaintance with this southern beauty.

Therefore, I propose to consider ways to travel between Lisbon and the most popular attractions in Portugal:




Lisbon Airport – how to get to the city center

A) From Lisbon Airport (Lisbon Portela Airport or Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport), which is located within the city, the most convenient and easiest way to get to the city center is by taxi; in Lisbon it is very inexpensive, or, for greater reliability and peace of mind, order in advance from 8 euros per person on the bus or rent a car for a family or company:

B) You can get from Lisbon Airport to the center by metro: Aeroporto station is located in the arrivals area in the airport building. Lisbon metro opening hours: from 6-30 to 01-00 daily. The cost of one metro trip is 1.45 euros, the ticket is valid for 1 hour, it can also be used on ground transport - this is a combined Carris/Metro ticket. If you plan to use Lisbon's public transport a lot (buses, trams, Santa Justa elevator, Lavra, Glória, Bica funiculars), then it will be beneficial for you to immediately buy a 24-hour pass, its cost will be 6.15 euros.

Lisbon metro map (Clickable)


Save even more on public transport Lisbon can be accessed using a rechargeable VIVA Viagem or 7Colinas pass. The cost of the card itself is 0.50 euros, the cost of a trip with the card will be from 1.30 euros. The card is valid for 1 year from the date of purchase. The card is replenished by 3, 5, 10, 15, 20, etc. Euro.

You can also save on travel from the airport to the metro by purchasing in advance LISBOA CARD, with which access to the main attractions of Lisbon and its suburbs is free.

Lisbon metro - diagram on the city map.

C) From Lisbon airport to the city center and back to the airport you can take the Aerobus, which departs every 20 minutes. Round trip fare within 24 hours: 6 euros/adult, 3 euros/child from 4 to 10 years old; Aerobus one-way ticket costs 4 euros/adult, 2 euros/child.

There are two Aerobus routes:

Route 1: Route 2:


How to get from Lisbon airport to the place you need in the city is up to you to decide, after making simple calculations and taking into account the convenience and comfort in a particular case.

Personally, in order not to have to wonder about this question, and also to comfortably explore all the other sights on the trip, we prefer to rent a car.

Lisbon – Sintra – Cape Roca: how to get there

You need to get to the attractions in Sintra using the circular routes of buses 434 and 435.

Buses in Sintra - schedule:


B) Order, convenient for a company or a family with children.
C) Come here with, and in addition to Sintra, also visit Cape Roca


Lisbon – Cape Roca: direct message there is no between these points. You can get to Cape Roca from Lisbon either using the above-mentioned excursion or by rented car (the distance from Lisbon to Cape Roca is only 40 km). If you still need to get to Cape Roca by public transport, then it is best to do this from Sintra, from where bus 403 goes (travel time is about 40 minutes).

Bus schedule 403 Sintra – Cape Roca


I think that now you can easily figure out how and what to get from Lisbon to Sintra and Cape Roca on your own.

Without visiting the unique medieval cities, monasteries and fortresses of the districts of Leiria and Santarem, your acquaintance with Portugal can be considered “shady”; this is where such famous cities, like Obidos, Alcobaza, Batalha, Nazaré, Tomar and many others.

The easiest way is to travel around these places by car, as we did, or, as a last resort, take in and cover all the sights in one day. If neither one nor the other plan suits you, then the following paragraphs of the article are just for you, and the scheme of your independent movement will look something like this:

How to get from Lisbon to Óbidos

Lisbon – Obidos - distance is 84 km.

B) You can get from Lisbon to Óbidos by bus as follows:
- from the Lisboa Sete Rios station, where the central bus station of Lisbon is located, the Rede Expressos bus departs to CALDAS da RAINHA (Caldas Rainha) - this is a town 5 kilometers from Obidos, the bus makes a stop there. The bus travel time is 1.10 hours. The fare is 9 euros one way. You can view the bus schedule to Óbidos in 2019 and, if desired, purchase tickets in advance at;

From Campo Grande station by bus from Rodoviária do Tejo. Bus No. 788 departs from 7.30 am every hour, on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays every half hour, in the afternoon more buses are added every 15 minutes. Travel time to Óbidos is 1 hour, it is not the final stop, but it stops in Óbidos and tickets can be purchased before it. Tickets must be purchased from the driver; the fare is 7.70 euros.

C) The method is more expensive than the previous two, but more comfortable - order, convenient for a company or a family with children, a minivan for 7 passengers will cost only 20 euros per person;

From Lisbon to Tomar

Lisbon – Tomar – distance is approximately 140 km.

A) You can get to Tomar from Lisbon by Regional train from Lisboa Santa Apolónia train station, travel time is about 2 hours, the final station is Tomar. The train leaves Lisbon every half hour. The one-way fare is 9.95 euros.

B) You can get to Tomar by Rede Expressos bus from central bus station Lisboa Sete Rios (7 Rios). Travel time to the Tomar stop is 1 hour 45 minutes. The fare is 10 euros one way. available on the carrier's website. You can also go to Tomar from Oriente station, but it will cost more.

A) The train to Évora goes from the Entrecampos railway station in Lisbon. The travel time will be one and a half hours, and the cost will be 12.20 euros in 2nd class and 16.20 in 1st class. There are promotions on this route, so you can even leave for 7.50 euros.

B) You can get from Lisbon to Évora on your own by taking the Rede Expressos bus, the travel time will be 1.40 - 1.45 hours, buses leave quite often. The one-way fare is 11.90 euros.

You can view the train and bus schedule to Évora and purchase tickets in advance.

C) You can also order an inexpensive one

How to get from Lisbon to Lagos

Lagos is famous not only as a port city with a history of two thousand years, but also as the pearl of the Algarve coast. Gorgeous, incomparable beautiful beaches stretch here for several kilometers... If you are traveling around Portugal, be sure to choose a few days to stop in Lagos, enjoy relaxing on the ocean and explore the local attractions. For example, we chose the excellent and completely inexpensive villa Mar Azul for this.

B) There is no direct train from Lisbon to Lagos; you will have to change trains. From Entrecampos station in Lisbon to Tunes and then to the final station Lagos. Travel time, including transfers, will take from 3 hours 37 minutes. For a one-way fare in 2nd class you will pay 22.70 euros, in 1st class = 29.30 euros.

C) You can also travel from Lisbon to Lagos by bus. On South coast carried by Rede Expressos, Renex and Eva. depart from 7Rios or Oriente bus stations; there are quite a lot of flights per day:

Travel time is from 4 hours or more, depending on the carrier and route. The one-way fare is approximately 19-20 euros, depending on the carrier.

Already a hundred years ago, wealthy Lisbon residents, having chosen the place where there was once a fishing harbor, began to build luxurious mansions here. Fishing here is still ongoing, and Cascais has become the most popular suburb of the capital. In addition to the beaches, the best of which is Guincho, 10 km to the west, there are many golf courses, surf schools and places for have a nice walk. One of them has the very ominous name Boca do Inferno or Gate of Hell and is located 3 west of the city. In bad weather, the sea here with an ominous roar attacks the crevices and caves in the rocks, sending powerful fountains of spray upward. Cascais Station, located below the shopping centre, provides easy access to Sintra and Cape Roca.

The city's favorite vacation spot, as evidenced by kilometer-long traffic jams during the season, is located on the other side of the Tagus; you can get there via the 25 April Bridge. To get there by public transport, you need to take bus 153 or 161, the fare costs 3.2-4 euros one way, the route can be viewed on the website www.tsuldotejo.pt in the section suburban routes. In summer, a train with open carriages runs along the 10 km of well-maintained beach, dotted with cafes and restaurants with fresh seafood.




Most tourists strive to get to this famous cape - the extreme point of Europe. They say that here, looking at the vast ocean, there is a special feeling of the passage of time. But, if your plans do not include long gatherings and watching the endless water, then there is nothing special to see here - a memorial stele, a lighthouse where you can be given a certificate for visiting the “end of the Earth” and a restaurant, quite expensive by Portuguese standards. It is worth considering that the wind is a frequent visitor to this rock; buses run once an hour and arrive at the cape only until 18.00, and during the season they can be overcrowded. It’s convenient to get here from Cascais or Sintra 403 by circular route (www.scotturb.com, one-way ticket 3.2-4 euros), travel time 20-30 minutes.




Many tourists try to combine a trip to Sintra, located 20 km from Lisbon, with a trip to Cape Roca and Cascais or Estoril. But, even if you are limited in time, it is better to allocate a whole day to this fabulous town, perhaps to the detriment of the Lisbon Riviera. After all, by and large, apart from leisurely walks along the ocean shore, there is nothing special to see there, and the extreme western point of Europe, although a significant place, does not impress everyone, unlike Sintra, located at the foot of the mountain of the same name, the slopes of which are literally strewn with palaces and castles.

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is divided into three districts connected by a network of winding roads - Sintra Vila Centro Historico or the historical center, Estefania, where the train station is located, and Sao Pedro, where the wide market square there is a Sunday market. Of greatest interest is Sintra Vila, where it is located National Palace(Palacio Nacional de Sintra). This is a labyrinth of cobbled streets, where literally every building, be it a cafe, a store, a post office or a municipality, looks like a fairy-tale scenery.

It is worth mentioning that most of the attractions are located on the mountain, where a short but very winding serpentine leads, and the lack of sidewalks makes the ascent on foot very uncomfortable. It is convenient to walk only to the Quinta Rigaleira (Palácio da Rigaleira). There is a tourist office at Sintra station whose staff, who speak excellent English, can provide you with free card city, a printout with prices and opening hours of interesting objects and advice on the bus. In addition, at all attractions with a ticket you will be given a map of the site with explanations and excellent diagrams. The tourist service in the city is simply excellent; the websites www.pnsintra.imc-ip.pt, www.parquesdesintra.pt have comprehensive information with a list of facilities, schedules and prices. Below is the entry price for one adult tourist, but it is worth saying that there are discounts for children, elderly travelers, families with children, tourist map Lisboa Card and when purchasing a ticket for several objects at once. You should also check the schedule there, since some objects have different opening hours depending on the season and the “composition” of the attraction: park and palace.

The easiest way to get to the city is by train from Lisbon Rossio station; trains leave every 20 minutes, travel time is 40 minutes, a ticket costs 2.15 euros (http://www.cp.pt). If you get from Cascais or Cape Roca, you need to take bus 403 or 417, both routes are circular, but the latter does not go to Cape Roca. In Cascais bus station located on the ground floor shopping center Cascais Villa, located across the street from the train station. Route 418 goes from Estoril to Sntra.

All buses eventually arrive at Sintra train station, from where you either walk or take the 434 or 435 bus, both routes are circular. The choice depends on what attractions you are going to visit: 434 goes to the Pena Palace (Palacio da Pena), the price is 5 euros up with stops or 2.75 euros directly to the Palace and 2.75 euros for a trip back down. Route 435 goes to the Palacio de Monserrate, price 2 euros or 0.85 euros per stop. It is important that when going up, you can get off and board the bus of the corresponding route with an already purchased ticket (except for a ticket for 0.85 euros), but on the way down to the station, this is no longer possible, i.e. If you get out and sit down again, you will have to pay the fare again. The full timetable, route and prices for these buses can be found on the website www.scotturb.com.

Palaces and castles of Sintra

(www.pnsintra.imc-ip.pt, from 9.00 to 18.00 entrance 8.5 euros). This is the only completely preserved one in the city. medieval castle attracts attention from afar with a pair of tall conical chimneys. At the end of the 15th century, King João I added kitchens and part of the premises to the former residence of the Arab rulers, and the palace became the favorite summer residence of the kings. The external strict Gothic appearance is deceptive - the building is an interesting mixture of details of different styles - Manueline-style windows, painted ceilings, Azulezuz tiles, Arabic mosaics. Looking at the furnishings of the rooms and getting lost in the nooks and crannies leading to small patios, it is quite pleasant to get lost here.

(Palacio Nacional da Pena, www.parquesdesintra.pt, from 10.00 to 18.00, entrance 11 euros for the palace and park or 6 euros for the park only), rising on the mountain - a recognizable “postcard” view of Portugal. Built in the 19th century on the ruins of a Jeronimite monastery for Queen Maria II's husband, Prince Consort Fernando II, it is a deliberate mixture of different styles - Gothic, Manueline, Mudejar and Renaissance - and is one of the most eclectic buildings in Portugal. The interior interiors have remained unchanged since the time of the kings, since observation platforms The views are magnificent, and the adjacent park contains trees from all over the world.

Montserrat Palace

Once upon a time, on the site of the Montserrate Palace (Palacio de Monserrate, www.parquesdesintra.pt, from 10.00 to 17.00, entrance 6 euros palace and park) there was a tiny chapel dedicated to the Catalan Virgin of Montserrat. Now these romantic gardens of the English millionaire Francis Cook, who bought them in 856, attract tourists with exotic trees, ponds and waterfalls, being considered one of the best botanical gardens in the country. The small, now empty palace was built in the Moorish style.

Although the walls of the Castle of the Moors (Castelo dos Mouros, www.parquesdesintra.pt, from 10.00 to 18.00, entrance 6 euros) were restored in the 19th century by King Fernando II, whose Pena Palace stands nearby, a walk through them will be an exciting adventure thanks to its location on a high hill above the city. Behind the walls, running along a natural ridge, you can see the ruins of a chapel with traces of frescoes and decorations, and the ruins of an ancient Arab water tank of the 9th-10th century, the same age as the original building.

Monastery of Santa Cruz de la Serra de Sintra or simply Capuchin Monastery of the 16th century

(Convento dos Capuchos, www.parquesdesintra.pt, from 10.00 to 18.00, entrance 5 euros), located some distance from the Pena Palace, a place full of mysteries and romanticism. Looking around the stone buildings, erected in perfect harmony with the surrounding nature, it is interesting to imagine how the monks lived here for almost two centuries, starting in 1560.

(Palacio e Quinta da Regaleira, www.cultursintra.pt, from 10.00 to 17.00 in winter and 20.00 in summer, entrance 6 euros palace and park) - a landmark of Sintra, which, according to most tourists, produces the most indelible impression. Only to the uninitiated it seems as if this is just an ornate neo-Gothic palace and park with architectural whims. Considering that the first owner of the estate was the eccentric millionaire Carvalho Monteiro, whose membership in the Masonic lodge was rumored, every detail of the extraordinary park carries a hidden meaning, starting from the unusual sculptures framing the garden alleys and ending with the 27-meter well of Initiation, in which, it is believed that initiation ceremonies into Freemasonry were carried out.

Sintra Museums

If you go to Sintra as part of a day trip, then after visiting the palaces and parks you are unlikely to have any energy left for museums, but if time allows or there is a special interest, then the following list is given below:

Toy Museum (Museu do Brinquedo www.museu-do-brinquedo.pt, from 10.00 to 18.00 entrance 4.5 euros);
Archaeological Museum (Museu Arqueologico de Sao Miguel de Odrinhas www.museuarqueologicodeodrinhas.pt, from 10.00 to 13.00, from 14.00 to 18.00, entrance 2 euros);
Museum natural history(Museu de Historia Natural de Sintra www.cm-sintra.pt from 10.00 to 18.00 admission is free);
Science Museum (Centro Ciencia Viva de Sintra www.cienciavivasintra.pt/, from 10.00 to 18.00, entrance 3.5 euros).

Let's now talk about rail transport throughout Portugal. You can read about railway connections in Lisbon itself and its suburbs in.

Rail transport in Portugal

So, in Portugal there is a fairly extensive network of railways. The main railway carrier is CP (called SePe) - Comboios de Portugal, which literally means Trains of Portugal. In Russia I always prefer to move around railway, because over long distances the train will always be out of competition with the bus. But here the situation is different: by our standards, it is a small country, and here trains and buses are approximately equal. On some routes, the bus is faster and more convenient than the train. In general, you need to look specifically at where and where you are coming from and then decide what is more convenient.

To make it clearer, let's look at a few of probably the most popular routes: Lisbon-Porto, Lisbon-Faro and Porto-Faro. Let's look at prices and travel times.

How to get there from Lisbon V Porto?

- Oriente station (Oriente) in Porto - Campanha station (Campania)

Travel options

Option 1:

intercity train Intercidades(Intercidadesh)
Travel time: 3 hours
Ticket price: tourist class - 24.30 euros, 1st class - 35.90 euros

Option 2:

intercity train AlfaPendular(Alpha-Pendular) is a modern high-speed magnetic levitation train
Travel time: 2:34 – 2:43 depending on departure time
Ticket price: tourist class - 30.30 euros, 1st class - 42.40 euros

As we can see, the difference in travel time is not that big, and the difference in price is insignificant. Therefore, it seems to me that it doesn’t make much difference which train you take.

How to get there from Lisbon V Faro?

Lisbon - Oriente Station - Faro

Travel options

Option 1:

Intercity train Intercidades(Intercidadesh)
You can also take this train from Faro from Entrecampos station, which is located almost in the city center.

Travel time: 3:23
Ticket price: tourist class - 21.20 euros, 1st class - 27.80 euros

Option 2:

Intercity train AlfaPendular(Alpha pendular)

You can also take this train from Lisbon to Faro from Entrecampos and Sete Rios stations, which are located almost in the city center.

Important! Near the Sete Rios railway station there is the main bus station of the same name. This information will be useful to those who may be undergoing a transplant.

Travel time: 3 hours
Ticket price: tourist class - 22.20 euros, 1st class - 29.80 euros

How to get there from Porto V Faro?

Porto - Campanha Station - Faro

Travel options

Option 1:

intercity train Intercidades(Intercidades) with a transfer in Lisbon (Oriente)
Travel time: 6:48 – 6:58 depending on departure time
Ticket price: tourist class – 41.70 euros, 1st class – 57.70 euros

Option 2:

intercity train AlfaPendular(Alpha pendular)
Travel time: 5:37 – 5:42 depending on departure time
Ticket price: tourist class - 51.50 euros, 1st class - 70.70 euros

Currently there are 5 trains a day on this route, summer time maybe more.

If you need to create your own route, use the CP website. There you will find schedules, prices and other necessary details. This is a link to the page with schedules and ticket prices (in English). You need to specify the usual data: where, from, date, etc., then click OK and a list of options will appear. Follow the “detail” link next to the selected departure time, it will contain the details of the route, its schedule and prices.

Attention! Depending on the route you choose, you may need to make transfers, so be careful. This is always indicated in the “detail” paragraph.

Discounts and combination tickets

CP offers various discounts when purchasing tickets:

25% discount, which exists on this moment for those who purchase tickets in advance and online, as well..

here you will find different profitable combination tickets for different occasions: family tickets, ticket+parking, ticket+museum, etc. There are so many options that it makes no sense to translate it all. Let everyone choose what suits them.

Interesting! For lovers of trains and everything connected with them: CP has opened several museums in the cities of Entroncamento, Bragança, Chaves, Estremoz, Lagos, Valença, Santarém, etc.

Diesel narrow gauge train, Tras-os-Montes

By the way, while traveling along the Douro River valley in the province of Traz-os-Montes, we used only railway transport. Was really interesting trip, we even rode a diesel train on a single-track line from the city of Régua to the city of Vila Real. The train wasn’t even really a train, just one single carriage with a driver. The landscape was unusual and very beautiful. This line follows one side of the winding valley of the Corgo River, which flows into the Douro. Now this line is closed, as I understand from the latest diagram, the railway has been replaced by a bus. But I think that in the summer tourist season it is opened. I highly recommend traveling in those parts - an unforgettable experience.

During the same trip, we stopped at Tua station. Judging by the map, this was supposed to be a railway junction and we expected to see a town there, take a walk there and return.

 

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