Location
The conference will take place in the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation main premises, at Av. de Berna 45A, Lisboa.
Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation is a Portuguese private institution of public utility whose statutory aims are in the fields of arts, charity, education and science. The head-office, opened in 1969, include a large auditorium, a space for temporary exhibitions, a congress area with auditoriums and other rooms, as well as a large building that houses the Museum and the Art Library.
Accomodation
Although the conference does not support reservations, we can suggest the following hotels that are near the Conference site. Please contact directly the hotel and use the code “JB2009”.
Note: The availability at this rate can be canceled by the Hotel at any time.
Hotel |
Single |
Double |
Hotel Principe Lisboa |
€45 |
€55 |
Hotel Olissipo Marquês (*) |
€64 |
€69 |
Hotel Real Parque |
€70 |
€80 |
Holiday Inn Lisbon - Continental |
€78 |
€88 |
Sana Malhoa |
€85 |
€95 |
Real Residência Suites |
€100 |
€120 |
Corinthia |
€110 |
€130 |
(*) the lunch is planned to be served in this hotel
Transportation from the airport to the city
Aerobus
Aero-Bus nº91 (3.5€ and is also valid as 1 day Lisbon buses ticket) connects the airport and the city center, departure every 20 minutes from 7:00am until 11pm). AeroShutlle - 3 € - 7am - 11pm - every 20min - Also is a 24h bus ticket This one Links airport with Lisbon main Buses and train terminals.
Taxis
The average fare between the Airport and the center of the city should be around 9€ to 12€.
Taximeter starting rates are:
- Rate 1 - day - 2,00€
- Rate 2 - night and weekends- 2,50€
Luggage: 1,60€ (Maximum price).
Call: 0.80€
Additional tips/suggestions
Walking around
Warning: Lisboa is not flat. Plan your walks carefully (a city plan can be misleading...). Ask for advice.
Personal safety issues
Most areas are safe. There is very little crime. Situations do exist where people get pick-pocketed for example. But those occur mainly in cases of carelessness, such as displaying a wallet, camera or cell phone in the subway at rush hours, cashing money from an ATM during the night when unaccompanied, etc. Remember that no one else can save you from your own carelessness. Lisboa is considered generally safe.
Suggestions for visits on your free time
How to get minimal acquaintance to start with
Tourist Bus Tours. Several services are available, depending on the time of the year. Open decks if the weather allows.
A typical ride in Lisboa tramway
Lisbon has a good bus and tram network connection. Don´t leave the city without trying tram number 28 that goes over the castle hill and tram number 15 that goes to Belém. The primary place to start such a trip (either the red or the yellow Nr 28) is Praça do Comércio, in downtown Lisboa. Beware of pickpockets!
To get on buses and old trams use only the front door and validate your 7 Hills or ZAPPING card at the little yellow machine behind the driver. "ZAPPING" is a multimodal ticket. You can load money on your card, enabling you to make trips both on Carris or Metro. The card can be bought on all Carris and Metro concessionaries, has a price of 0.50 € and is rechargeable.
Another very nice way of grasping the unique character of Lisboa is to make a return ferry trip to the south bank. The best is to take the one that starts from a peer between Praça do Comércio and Cais do Sodré. The trip is no more than 15 minutes each way and the best time to do it is, in November, around 10 AM or 5 PM. You can appreciate the town from the water level, with the strange sensation of hills moving relative to each other as the ship travels. Cheap and easy. Please avoid doing this at rush hours.
Sightseeing
The monumental area in Belém
This riverside area of west Lisboa can be reached by public transportation. Visit the Torre de Belem, the Monastery of Jerónimos (maybe the most outstanding piece of architecture in Lisboa). While there you can have a taste of the world famous Lisboa pastries, the Pastéis de Belém, manufactured and sold on the spot!
Sintra
If you can spare half a day, take a train from Lisboa to the small town Sintra. This is about 40 minutes of train ride, but you can also drive there via the direct road IC19. Pleasant walks, visits to palaces and the Moorish castle. Dense vegetation in the woods around, that once inspired Byron, for example. Beforehand, you may wish to have a look at the local city council website.
Any tourist guide will offer a variety of attractive visits to Museums, The Oceanarium, etc. Strongly dependent on your taste... You can get a good printed guide on arrival to Lisboa Airport, ANA, the airport authority publishes "YOUR GUIDE, LISBOA".