Lisbon 2024 Main Venue
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Travel
Prepare for your trip to Lisbon & Cascais
Getting around
By taxi
We recommend installing the Bolt taxi app to get around Portugal. It’s cheaper than in most other European cities.
A Bolt ride from the airport to the hotel will cost approximately €25-30 and take about 45 minutes.
By metro, train & bus.
We recommend using Google Maps to plan for public transport routes and schedules.
To reach Cascais from Lisbon, you can use commuter trains departing from Cais do Sodré station every 20-30 minutes. The Cascais train ride takes around 40 minutes with splendid views of the ocean.
- Use the metro.
You can get to the Cais do Sodré station from the airport by metro in about half an hour with one transfer at Alameda station. In Lisbon’s metro, you can pay for your trip with a card, Apple Pay or Google Pay by simply tapping your phone (with a watch or card) at the entrance. - Buy tickets to Cascais at the station.
Train tickets can be purchased or loaded onto your card only at machines at the station or at the ticket counter. You can either pay for a specific station (€2.5 one way to Cascais) or use it as an electronic wallet (Zapping system) that can be used on Lisbon’s metro, buses, and trains. There is now way to buy tickets for Cascais trains online. - When you arrive at Cascais
(It’s the final destination station), you can go to Oitavos hotel by taxi or bus.
A taxi from the final Cascais station to the hotel will cost around €5-6 and take 10-15 minutes. You can also take buses to the “S. Jorge de Oitavos” stop, with bus numbers M05 (stop at “Cascais Terminal,” about 20 minutes) and M43 (an express bus directly from the station, 15 minutes). Please note that to signal the bus to stop, you must press the red “stop” button on board. If you’re waiting at a bus stop, raise your hand to signal your intention to board; otherwise, the bus may pass you by.
NB! The distance from the bus stop to the hotel is 700 meters on foot. We are working together with the municipality to make a temporary stop right at the hotel entrance to skip the walk for the days of the event. We will make an announcement, if that happens.
Weather
In mid-November, Portugal starts to cool down. It’s not shorts and t-shirt weather, especially if it’s a windy day. The average temperature during this time of the year is around 16-18°C, but it can go up to 20-22°C during the day, and it can drop to around 10°C at night. Rain usually starts later in December, allowing you to enjoy the autumn sun for most of the day while wearing a sweater or a light jacket.
Money
In most of the places in Portugal you can pay with an international debit or credit card.
But we still recommend carrying a small amount of cash with you.
In some smaller shops in Cascais you can pay with a card only when you spend over 10 EUR.
You can withdraw cash from any ATM, but not more than €200 at a time.
Public Transport
As a courtesy from the Cascais municipality, all DevGAMM participants are invited to enjoy FREE rides on Mobicascais buses upon presenting the conference badge.
This opportunity is valid from November 13 to 15 within Cascais Municipality (that includes Estoril as well). Please note it is not available for the Lisbon area or trains.
We’re also offering free bus shuttles from the Cascais Train Station (view on map) to the Oitavos and back. Please refer to this schedule.
Language
Portuguese is not the easiest language, but in the service industry and especially in a tourist destination like Cascais, you’ll likely be able to communicate in English. Here are a few common phrases that might come in handy for greetings and thanking locals in their native language:
- Obrigado-a! (pronounced “obrigadu-a,” with the ending depending on your gender, m/f) — thank you!
- Bom dia \ boa tarde \ boa noite (“bom dia\boa tarde\boa noite”) — used for greetings and farewells at different times of the day: morning\from noon until sunset\after sunset, respectively.
- Sim \ não (seem\nown) — yes\no
- Olá \ Oi (“ola\oy”) — brief greetings, similar to “Hello\Hi” in English
- De nada (“di nada”) — you’re welcome.
- Preciso de ajuda (“presizu di azhuda”) — I need help. Depending on the intonation, it can be a question or a request.
Food & drinks
There are two nice but a bit expensive restaurants in the walking distance from Oitavos – Verbasco and Monte Mar. However, you can find countless cafes & restaurants for any price range in the center of Cascais.
If you don’t have lunch & dinners included in your tickets, there will still be an option to buy food at Oitavos itself. The hotel promised us lower prices during the event.
We recommend trying seafood in Portugal, it’s amazing in this region. The most famous fish is cod or Bacalhau. As for desert, you cannot leave Portugal without trying Pastel de Nata.
It’s the DevGAMM team’s favorite 🙂
To go with food, order some vinho verde, or Port wine. Even cheap wines are extremely good in Portugal. If you like cherry liquors (like Piana Vyshnia in Ukraine), go for Ginjinha (but learn to pronounce it first!:)
Activities
We know that a lot of DevGAMM attendees are staying extra days to explore Portugal. Here are some recommendations.
If you stay in Oitavos, take a look at:
- Golf – Cascais area is famous for the great golf courses
- Surfing lessons – November is a start of the season for experience surfers
- Horse riding to explore surrounding forests
- Hiking trails to the cliffs overseeing the ocean
If you only have one day, we urge you to go to Cabo Da Roca – the westernmost point of continental Europe and the magical town of Sintra with unique castles like Quinta da Regaleira and Pena Palace.
Check out official Visit Cascais Website to learn more about the region
