Visit Lisboa organized a press trip from November 19 to 23 with the aim of selling the destination as an "alternative" for snowbirds who yearn to escape the harsh Canadian winter. TravelPulse Canada was on the trip.
Europe is still popular with Canadians, but we are seeing that "the season" is getting longer and longer.
"Just five years ago, the season for Europe was very short, about 6 weeks," Vincent Gauthier-Doré, General Manager of Sales, Canada/United States for Air Canada, told us, "but for a little over a year now we have noticed that the travel period for Europe is getting longer and is no longer limited to "July-August."
Visit Lisboa FAM trip
Indeed, Air Canada now flies year-round from Montreal and Toronto to Lisbon, and temperatures remain mild until the end of October. At the time of our visit, late November, let's remember, the mercury was around 18 degrees. Of course, you don't swim in Lisbon during the "low season", but the temperature never drops below 15 degrees, says Gonçalo Sousa, from Visit Lisbon, who accompanied our group.
"Lisbon welcomes 153 direct flights each week from Canada and the United States, offers 260 days of sunshine per year and mild temperatures even in winter, it is the safest city in Europe according to the Global Peace Index, and the value for money is hard to beat."
Praça do Comércio, Lisbon
It's hard to argue with them.
The advantages of visiting Lisbon, the second oldest city in Europe, in low season are of course the crowds, which are half as many as in summer, the hotel rates, which are more attractive and the main attractions, which are much more pleasant to visit than during the summer.
Lisbon, minus the beaches
Since beaches are not an option in the "low season", it is worth remembering that the Lisbon metropolitan area has no shortage of attractions to entertain and amaze visitors all-year long.
Its historic center is still as charming as ever, and you can even get lost there for hours, since the heat doesn't slow you down. The public square, the Time Out Market (the first and original), the Chiado district, the tramway, the funicular, the cobbled streets, the small cafes and the outdoor terraces, the charm of Lisbon works, even when it is a few degrees less.
About twenty minutes from the center, you can reach Belém by train or car. This is where you will find the famous Belém Tower, the Monument of the Discoveries, the Royal Palace and of course, Pasteis de Belém, where the famous Portuguese tartlet was born. Not stopping there would be a sin, and the line to do so is a little shorter in low season. So let's take advantage of it!
Cascais in november
Cascais, the small fishing village past Belém, is always busy in the summer for its beaches and seaside resorts, but why not in the off-season? It’s a leisurely stroll with views of the sea from every angle, at a fraction of the price. A favorite is the Hotel Farol, a member of Preferred Hotels of the World, an independent boutique hotel within walking distance of the pedestrian village, which offers 180-degree views of the ocean, top-notch service, art-filled decor, and 33 rooms that all feature unique décor.
In the summer, many beach lovers choose Cascais as their base and take the train to Lisbon for a shopping spree or a night out at a restaurant. The train in this area is extremely convenient, economical and connects Cascais and Lisbon in about 30 minutes.
Finally, our itinerary ended in Sintra, the city of a thousand castles, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A former haunt of the Lisbon aristocracy, today you can still admire and visit impressive castles, each more beautiful than the last. You have to buy a ticket and book a time slot, but it is very possible to visit 2 or 3 castles in one morning. Sintra is a very small village that can be visited in one day; you can easily get there by train from Lisbon.
Visit Lisboa wanted to show the surrounding areas, Cascais (20 minutes), Belém (10 minutes), and Sintra (30 minutes) of Lisbon, in order to demonstrate the great variety of activities, attractions and attractions around the capital and it is true, there is much to see and do around Lisbon, even if the main interest remains the city center, which is magnificent and unique for its colorful streets, its excellent restaurants and its curiosities (its vertical funicular, its vintage tram, its pink street, etc.) which convince us on each visit.
Pink Street Lisboa
During this trip, we visited many accommodations equipped to accommodate long stays, from apartment hotels with kitchenettes and dining areas to hotels offering two- or three-bedroom suites and complete villas. Visit Lisboa hopes to attract snowbirds who would like to spend the winter there, save on meals by cooking and live "like a local."
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