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An optional visit to Sintra will be available on the 3rd April. If you want to take it, you should indicate that in the registration. Payment is made on arrival at the congress site.
Departure from the congress site 3rd April at 14:00, towards the town of Sintra.
You will get to know a unique and beautiful village that will make you want to get lost in its streets, palaces, and chalets, and delight in its traditional sweets.
In this tour, you will visit the site where the Portuguese royal family spent their summers [National Palace of Sintra (entrance included)], as well as Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of Europe.
We will also take a panoramic view of Praia do Guincho, Boca do Inferno, the cosmopolitan town of Cascais and the gardens of Casino Estoril (depending on the time available we will try to take one or more stops in these places).
Return to the place of departure with arrival scheduled at 18h00 / 18h30.
Accompanied by accredited English-speaking guide
Please indicate in the registration form if you want to join the visit, but payment will be made on arrival at the congress site. Not with the registration!
The final dinner will take place in a very nice restaurant in downtown Lisbon, close to the Castle, called Zambeze, where we will be served typical portuguese cuisine. The restaurant is in a high point and has a beautiful view of Lisbon and the river Tagus. The welcome drink will be outside, enjoying the nice view (weather permitting). In the registration form you will have to select if you will have fish (a dish with "bacalhau", i.e. cod, which is very typical in Portugal), meat (a dish with veal) or vegetarian (vegan). You will not be able to change this option later on.
To get to the restaurant you should take the subway and exit in the "Baixa-Chiado" station, taking the exit to "Rua do Crucifixo". When you exit continue in the street right in front ("Rua da Victoria") and walk all along until the end, where you will see a building with the letters "ELEVADOR" on top. This building is in Rua dos Fanqueiros, nº 178, where you should go in and take the elevator up. You will exit in Rua da Madalena, where you turn left and then walk across the small Square (Largo Chão do Loureiro) and turn right. At the end of this small street there is a supermarket (Pingo Doce) where you take another elevator to take you up to the restaurant (7th floor).
Lisbon is a beautiful city that you should not miss the opportunity to visit!
We will not have organized visits, but downtown is easily reached from the congress site by subway or bus.
Below we provide some suggestions for walks to help you explore the city on your own.
Baixa, or downtown Lisbon, is the heart of the city. It is the main shopping and banking district that stretches from the riverfront to the main avenue (Avenida da Liberdade), with streets named according to the shopkeepers and craftsmen who traded in the area. It was completely rebuilt after the Great Earthquake of 1755 with streets flanked by uniform, neoclassical buildings. This was Europe's first great example of neoclassical design and urban planning, and one of the finest European architectural achievements of the age (golisbon.com)
Here, we propose a 5 km walk in which you can see some of the most historical and beautiful monuments and views of the city (click on the monument icons for more information).
The glories of Portugal's explorers and the Age of Discovery is celebrated in this area of the city. It was from here that many of the great Portuguese explorers embarked on their voyages of discovery. During this time Lisbon flourished with riches pouring into Portugal and saw the construction of great monuments like the Belem Tower and Jeronimos Monastery. Today these monuments and their surrounding museums are essential viewing for any visitor (golisbon.com).
The futuristic architecture of Eastern Lisbon riverfront is a complete contrast to the city's old quarters. Most of it was built by innovative architects for Expo 98, the World Fair that took place in Portugal's capital between May and September of 1998 (goolisbon.com).