Finding the Apartment

The apartment is in the pretty, well maintained square – Praceta Diogo Cao, in Carcavelos. I’ll give you precise details when you book. Its ideal location makes hiring a car optional.  If you do hire one, metered car parking is available by the apartment. Finding a parking space may prove challenging sometimes however but free parking may be found nearby.

If you choose not to hire a car, there are a few options for getting to Carcavelos. Taxi or metro or airport bus followed by the train are the quickest and easiest.

 

 

 

Taxi

Taxi’s are plentiful from just outside the airport and will take you to the apartment quickly for approximately €40. (Once you’ve found the apartment taxis may be found in front of the Riviera Hotel or opposite the petrol station en route to the beach.)

An alternative to an official taxi may be to have my trusted contact collect you in his car. He is the person whom you may meet to let you in, give you the keys and orientate you to the area. His collection fee is 40€. If you want him to take you back to the airport the return fee costs 35€ only because he doesn’t have to pay for airport parking then.

Metro

The airport has a Metro (underground) station on the red line. This connects with the green line at Almeida which takes you directly to Cais do Sodre station. It’s free to travel on the metro with a Lisbon Card which you can buy at the airport.

Airport Buses

If you choose to use the Aerobus (?4.50€ or free with a Lisbon Card), it allows you a quick view of Lisbon city, passing famous places such as Entrecampos, Ave Republica, Marques de Pombal, Ave da Liberdade (look out for the graffiti art on grand, derelict buildings – of a burglar, a crocodile, birds etc), beautiful Rossio station, en route to Cais do Sodre, the train/metro station from where you take the Lisbon coast train to Carcavelos. The bus journey can take up to an hour, depending on city traffic, and is particularly busy at rush hour. It may however only take half an hour on a good day! The airport is also served by a variety of bus lines.

From Cais do Sodre station.

This journey is also free with a Lisbon card. If you don’t have one however, you’ll need to buy an electronic card (50cents) from any rail/metro station. You can add an amount -say 20€ to this re-usable card which covers the metro, some trains, boat and bus. Be warned however! The queue’s at Cais de Sodre can be long in summer time. Picking up a train timetable then is a good idea also. Your 20 minute train journey along the Lisbon coast is spectacular, so try to find a forward facing seat on the left, sit back and enjoy the views.

Note.  All trains from Cais do Sodre stop at Carcavelos as they head west to the final stop in Cascais. If you accidentally overshoot Carcavelos, just get off at the next stop and come back! Check train times here. Ticket inspectors have become common on the train, particularly during the summer season.

Address

The apartment is near to the Riviera complex. You can get to it by taxi from Carcavelos station or by foot. Taxi’s wait by the station exit to the old part of the town and will cost approx 4-5€. There may be a small, additional charge for luggage.

Walking takes approximately 10mins but will take longer with luggage, so best avoided then.

Walking to the apartment.

From the platform, go down into the station subway and walk past the cafes/shops and exit up the slope displaying a small sign for the beach. This takes you to the roundabout (between Ave General Eduardo Galhardo and Ave Ten Cen Melo Antunes). There are no shops on this side.

Walk down from the roundabout on Ave Jorge V, heading towards the sea. It’s a beautiful, plane tree-lined avenue with wide pavements.

Follow straight on almost to the end, past St Julian’s school on your left, then turn ® into Rue do Gurue where there’s a sign for Junqueiro. Continue past the large Hotel Carcavelos on your ® and then into a square with lots of cafes and restaurants.

Turn left in front of the Riviera Hotel/Shopping Centre and then immediately ® into Infante Dom Henrique.

Take a 2^nd left (opposite the side entrance to the Shopping Centre) into Praceta Diogo Cao. The apartment is in the second block on the left.

Shortcuts

Once you’ve found your way, there are shortcuts to be discovered!

To get to the station from the apartment, turn left after you exit the complex onto Infante Dom Henrique. Where the road forks, follow it round to the right, past three, large, recycling bins. There will be a nursery school on your left and apartments from the Riviera complex on your right. As the roads bends right, turn left into a car park and park. You’ll pass an elderly person’s home on your left and you’ll see the road that leads to the station ahead of you. Head for that and turn right.

You can also cut through the front of the Riviera Hotel, across the little bridge over a mostly almost dry stream and to the main road -Ave Jorge V. Turning left here takes you to the station.

Use these routes and you’ll know the area like a local!

It’s a good idea to bring these instructions with you.