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City guide

Lisbon, Portugal

Lisbon is the capital and most populous city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 658,236 as of 2025, within its administrative limits and 3,353,000 within the metropolis, as of 2025. The city lies on the Atlantic Ocean in the western part of the Iberian Peninsula, fronting the northern shore of the River Tagus.

Type CityPopulation 2,925,000

Why go

  • Capital and largest city of Portugal.
  • Served by Lisbon Portela Airport (LIS).
  • Home to roughly 2,925,000 people.

History

Lisbon is the capital and most populous city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 658,236 as of 2025, within its administrative limits and 3,353,000 within the metropolis, as of 2025. The city lies on the Atlantic Ocean in the western part of the Iberian Peninsula, fronting the northern shore of the River Tagus. The western portion of its metro area, the Portuguese Riviera, hosts the westernmost point of Continental Europe, culminating at Cabo da Roca.

Airports

Lisbon Portela Airport (LIS) 7.5 km to the centre
Lisbon, 11, PT — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 44 airlines (TAP Portugal, SATA International, easyJet, Ryanair…) · direct flights to 103 destinations incl. Amsterdam, Brussels, London, Madrid, Paris… (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 44 airlines, 103 direct destinations

Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.

Indoor
Cascais Airport (CAT) 16 km to the centre
Cascais, 11, PT — Indoor waiting areas, but some gates board by bus or on foot across the apron — plan for the weather on the day.
Indoor | Outdoor
Herdade do Rio Frio Airstrip 27 km to the centre
Palmela, 15, PT
Outdoor
Leziria Aerodrome 29 km to the centre
Vila Franca de Xira, 11, PT
Outdoor

Getting there by ferry

Cais do Sodré
Ferry terminal · 2.5 km from the centre · Transtejo Soflusa
Outdoor
Terminal Fluvial do Cais do Sodré
Ferry terminal · 2.5 km from the centre · Transtejo Soflusa
Outdoor
Terreiro do Paço
Ferry terminal · 3.3 km from the centre · Transtejo Soflusa
Outdoor
Terminal Fluvial do Terreiro do Paço
Ferry terminal · 3.3 km from the centre · Transtejo Soflusa
Outdoor
Belém
Ferry terminal · 3.8 km from the centre · Transtejo Soflusa
Outdoor
Cacilhas
Ferry terminal · 3.8 km from the centre · Transtejo Soflusa
Outdoor
Cacilhas – Cais do Sodré
Ferry route · Transtejo Soflusa
Outdoor
Transtejo Soflusa: Cais do Sodré → Cacilhas
Ferry route · Transtejo Soflusa
Outdoor
Transtejo Soflusa: Cacilhas → Cais do Sodré
Ferry route · Transtejo Soflusa
Outdoor
Porto Brandão – Belém
Ferry route · Transtejo Soflusa
Outdoor
Belém – Pedrouços/Algés
Ferry route · Transtejo Soflusa
Outdoor
Trafaria – Porto Brandão
Ferry route · Transtejo Soflusa
Outdoor
Porto Brandão – Pedrouços/Algés
Ferry route · Transtejo Soflusa
Outdoor
Transtejo Soflusa: Porto Brandão → Trafaria → Algés → Porto Brandão
Ferry route · Transtejo Soflusa
Outdoor

Where things are

Full geo-intelligence in Better Mapping →
Local search powered by Geoverts and geo-intelligence by Better Mapping base map © OSM

Photographs

When to go

Tourist season
May – September

The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.

Shoulder season
April, October

Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.

Worth avoiding
Deep winter

Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.

Getting there & around

Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Lisbon Portela Airport (LIS); 25 other airports serve the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By air: LIS has direct flights to 103 destinations on 44 airlines (incl. Amsterdam, Brussels, London, Madrid, Paris…). By water: 6 ferry terminals within 20 km (nearest: Cais do Sodré, 2.5 km); routes include Cacilhas – Cais do Sodré, Transtejo Soflusa: Cais do Sodré → Cacilhas, Transtejo Soflusa: Cacilhas → Cais do Sodré.

Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Lisbon, Portugal. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.

Local transit

Tram, bus · The famous yellow trams, including the 28, and city buses. · Fares: Viva Viagem card
Metro · Lisbon's four-line metro; Carris runs the trams and buses. · Fares: Viva Viagem or Navegante card · Airport: Red line metro from the airport
Public transit · Schedules & GTFS data

Trains & rail

Rail operator
National rail

Private aviation

On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.

Fractional, jet card · Citation, Phenom, Challenger, Global · The European arm of NetJets, based in Lisbon.
Broker · Any aircraft via operators worldwide · Global charter broker with 30+ offices; private jets, group charters and cargo.
FBO, charter, management · Managed fleet · FBO network and management across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia-Pacific.
Fractional, jet card · Embraer Praetor, Bombardier Challenger & Global, Gulfstream · Fractional ownership and jet cards in North America and Europe.
Charter, management · Large-cabin & VIP airliners · Geneva-based operator known for large-cabin and VIP airliner charters.

Tours & experiences

Bus Tour
Sightseeing
Sightseeing
Sightseeing