Lisbon Basics Lisbon

Weather & Climate: When's the best time to visit Lisbon?

Lisbon has Mediterranean climate, with mild, rainy winters and warm, sunny summers. The location in the far west of Europe and overlooking the ocean, makes the climate particularly mild, compared with other European cities. Winter, from December to February, is mild: the average temperature in January is 11.5 °C. Spring, from March to May, is mild, with some periods of bad weather. Summer, from June to mid-September, is warm and sunny. Sometimes, there may still be spring-like weather, a little cool, especially in June. The average temperature reaches 23.5 °C. Autumn, from mid-September to November, is initially warm and sunny, then it gradually becomes milder.

Is Lisbon safe for tourists?

Lisbon remains a safe city by the standards of most European capitals. However, it’s a big city with hundreds of tourists and anything can happen if you are not paying attention to your valuable stuff. Of course, everyone should be wary of pickpockets (like in any other country) - particularly on public transport and crowded public places - and should avoid leaving valuable things in hired cars. There are some areas to avoid, especially at night or when alone. Be extra aware of your personal belongings while visiting the main attractions of the city and everything will be alright.

Hospitals & Pharmacies in Lisbon

EU citizens are entitled to free or subsidized medical treatment if they show a European Health Insurance Card. All other nationalities should take out private health insurance. Pharmacies are marked with green cross and should be in first and should be the first port of call for minor illnesses. Pharmacy staff often dispense advice as well as medication.

Public Toilets in Lisbon

There are not many public toilets in Lisbon, however, you can go in every cafe or restaurant and ask to use the one there. Some of the owners might ask you to buy something like water or coffee, but this probably won’t happen if you are polite.
There are also free public toilets at the big train stations, which is very comfortable

Internet & WiFi Access in Lisbon

Wi-Fi is widely available in public spaces, usually for free. There are also many internet cafes where you can use it free and some which will charge you.

Can you drink the tap water in Lisbon?

Tap water in Lisbon and elsewhere in Portugal is perfectly safe to drink. Of course, it might taste different from the water in your home country, however, it has very good quality. In case you do not like the taste of it, just buy bottled water.

Speaking Portuguese

The language spoken in Lisbon is Portuguese but English is widely spoken by all people who work within the tourist industry. However, the Portuguese are proud of their language and appreciate visitors' efforts to communicate. While written Portuguese is similar to Spanish, attempting to communicate in Spanish may cause offence.

Lisbon's Tourist Card

The tourist card of Lisbon is called Lisboa Pass. The card gives you free access to Lisbon’s best museums and attractions with the Lisboa Card. The card includes free admission to the Torre de Belem, Jeronimos Monastery and the Santa Justa Elevator among others. It also can be used as a travel card, which means unlimited free travel by bus, metro, tram and elevadores. With Lisboa Pass you can a complimentary tourist guide full of helpful city info and many other helpful stuff.