Current Events > Going on vacation to Lisbon, Portugal soon, any practical advice?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Going for a week and a half, on my own. It'll be my first visit to Portugal. I've received plenty of recommendations on places I should visit, but I'm curious about the more practical side of things, like:

1. Are there any bad areas in Lisbon tourist traps/scams that I should avoid?
2. Are there any cultural customs/nuances that are good to know? (I'm from the Netherlands)
3. What would be good to know if I want to make use of public transport in or near Lisbon?

Don't try out your Spanish.

Great city! Fully developed city but prices are pretty low. You can really splurge. For instance, I have a ridiculously cool hoodie that I bought for 12 euros.

Seriously worth going to Porto if you can.

Nudity is not encouraged

ai123 posted...

Don't try out your Spanish.

Don't forget to say obrigado (thanks)

Find a place where you can hear some live fado music.

Dissident_77 posted...

Great city! Fully developed city but prices are pretty low. You can really splurge. For instance, I have a ridiculously cool hoodie that I bought for 12 euros.

Seriously worth going to Porto if you can.

Looks like that's a few hundred km away from Lisbon, so not sure if I'll get the chance. I do intend to visit some places outside of Lisbon though.

Also, I have you tagged as 'likes karaoke'. Do you happen to know of any good karaoke places there? I've looked around on the internet, but often end up with bars that may or may not incidentally host a karaoke night once in a blue moon at most.

Aressar posted...

Looks like that a few hundred km away from Lisbon, so not sure if I'll get the chance. I do intend to visit some places outside of Lisbon though.

Also, I have you tagged as 'likes karaoke'. Do you happen to know of any good karaoke places there? I've looked around on the internet, but often end up with bars that may or may not incidentally host a karaoke night once in a blue moon at most.

I have never done karaoke on a trip before but now that sounds like fun

The Asian food is shockingly good
Going to places like Sintra is worth it
Consider doing a highly rated Airbnb tour

In popular areas, when they see you're a tourist, people are likely to come up to you and offer to sell you trash drugs, don't buy, ignore them of course.

There's an area up in the hills Northeast of Alfama that's really cool, but on the way there, there's a strange neighborhood that seemed to be entirely populated by South Asian men, and there were no women anywhere. They all just kinda stare at you like you shouldn't be there. I wouldn't go there alone as a woman or just as a pair.

Be wary of Portugal. The Man

Portugal? Going to live it up down ol South America way.

Don't ride the funicular. :-(

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/facts-lisbon-funicular-crashed-180029761.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall

Sariana21 posted...

Don't ride the funicular. :-(

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/facts-lisbon-funicular-crashed-180029761.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall

Holy shit, I rode one of those, I'm shocked that it would crash with enough speed to kill that many people.

And the best sushi I have ever had was in Sao Paulo, which actually has the largest Japanese population outside of Japan

I speak portugus meu amigo, I could give you some handy terms for every day use

Sariana21 posted...

Don't ride the funicular. :-(

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/facts-lisbon-funicular-crashed-180029761.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall

Yeah, this has been all over the news these last few days. I'm kind of assuming it was a freak accident that usually never happens, but either way, I'm used to walking hills and stairs, so I don't really expect to make use of trams.

cousinvini posted...

I speak portugus meu amigo, I could give you some handy terms for every day use

I've downloaded Portugese on my language apps and have a tourist book with practical Portugese words and phrases, but if you know of any informal phrases that might come in handy, shoot.

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]


Thanks, this is pretty reassuring info!
From what I've heard, the average Portugese person speaks English well enough too. Whenever I travel I try to learn enough of the local language to get around, but for some reason I'm finding Portugese very difficult to pick up.

Bump for not-morning CE.

Karai

Aressar posted...

Yeah, this has been all over the news these last few days. I'm kind of assuming it was a freak accident that usually never happens, but either way, I'm used to walking hills and stairs, so I don't really expect to make use of trams.

I've downloaded Portugese on my language apps and have a tourist book with practical Portugese words and phrases, but if you know of any informal phrases that might come in handy, shoot.

Thanks, this is pretty reassuring info!
From what I've heard, the average Portugese person speaks English well enough too. Whenever I travel I try to learn enough of the local language to get around, but for some reason I'm finding Portugese very difficult to pick up.

I just always learn basic greetings, so I can be polite in their language. Many people will then switch to English because clearly I suck at their language. But most appreciate the gesture.

Dissident_77 posted...

I just always learn basic greetings, so I can be polite in their language. Many people will then switch to English because clearly I suck at their language. But most appreciate the gesture.

Yeah, I've noticed this can work wonders in how helpful and welcoming people will be when visiting a foreign country, even if you learn just a few words.

Well, I'm here. And having a blast so far!

Dissident_77 posted...

I have never done karaoke on a trip before but now that sounds like fun

Turns out there's this Irish pub named Cheers that has karaoke every night. Great atmosphere, and definitely a place to remember if you're ever looking to sing in Lisbon.

(I might have just doxxed myself if anyone here happened to be one of the 80 or so people there tonight but w/e)

legendary_zell posted...

Holy shit, I rode one of those, I'm shocked that it would crash with enough speed to kill that many people.

I'm just judging from the one picture, but I'm not sure if it had any safety measures in place. It looks like it crumpled like a very fragile bus.

it's a beautiful city (with some slightly crazy drivers). For transport when I was there, I used a service called bolt

Try a hotdog from a place called Cervejaria Gazela. Oh sorry this is actually in Porto

you might not be able to get there this trip, but Porto and the Douro Valley is an amazing visit