Location and Travel

Conference Venue

The conference will be held in the Hotel Tivoli Sintra, at the very centre of one of the most beautiful villages in the world, Sintra. Just 30 km away from central Lisbon, the “Cultural Landscape of Sintra” is part of the World Heritage List, displaying a unique mixture of nature and architectural treasures. Sintra, with its fairytale palaces and luxuriant vegetation resulting from a unique microclimate, has inspired many great writers and poets: Lord Byron called it a “Glorious Eden”, while Robert Southley longed to spend his last days here.

For the sea lovers, the extensive Sintra’s coastline offers many opportunities for surf and windsurf (Guincho, a renowned windsurfing Mecca, is just minutes away). Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe is also nearby, hosting spectacular coastline views all the way to Lisbon.

We hope you can attend the “Back at the Edge of the Universe” conference. If you are coming, we strongly advise you to take a couple of extra days to explore this beautiful place. Elsewhere on these pages you will find more information on Sintra, so that you can enjoy your Sintra experience to the fullest.

Travelling Information

The most practical way to get to Sintra is to take the 100rumos Lisbon Airport Shuttle, official shuttle service for this conference. Participants and accompanying persons have a special price (1 pax – 30€; 2 pax or more – 15€/person). You can book or ask for information here.

You can also take a taxi straight from Lisbon Airport to Hotel Tivoli Sintra. That should cost around 40 €.

Also note that most hotels have transfer services from the Airport.

Finally, it is also possible to get to Sintra from the airport using public transports, the most economical way. The total trip (Airport – Hotel Tivoli Sintra) will cost you under 10€. Note that on weekends, the route is a bit more complex than on weekdays (see below):

a1) You will have to take the Metro (the Airport Metro Station operates from 06:30 to 01:00) to Oriente Station; The metro ticket is purchased at automatic vending machines costing 1,90€ [ single ticket (1,40€) + electronic card Viva Viagem (0,50€)]. You will use the Viva Viagem card again on the next leg of the trip;

b1) At the Oriente Station, change to a train (CP) to Sintra. Load your Viva Viagem card with a CP train ticket on the ticket offices or vending machines before boarding (4 zones – 2,15 €). Depending on the train and day of the week, you may have to change trains. Please check timetable, price and map carefully for the Oriente to Sintra trip. All tickets must be validated before you board your train.

If you are arriving over the weekend, the above route will force you to change trains. To simplify your trip, we advise the following route instead:

a2) You will have to take the Metro (the Airport Metro Station operates from 06:30 to 01:00) to Restauradores/Rossio Station – note that you will have to change Metro lines halfway; The metro ticket is purchased at automatic vending machines costing 1,90€ [ single ticket (1,40€) + electronic card Viva Viagem (0,50€)]. You will use the Viva Viagem card again on the next leg of the trip;

b2) At the Restauradores/Rossio Station, change to a train (CP) to Sintra. Load your Viva Viagem card with a CP train ticket on the ticket offices or vending machines before boarding (4 zones – 2,15 €). Take a train directly to Sintra (at 8 and 38 minutes past the hour, from around 6am to 1am). Please check timetable, price and map carefully for the Restauradores/Rossio to Sintra trip. All tickets must be validated before you board your train.

And finally,

c) From Sintra’s train station to the conference venue (Hotel Tivoli Sintra) it´s just a short 15 minute walk, but if you are heavy with bags you can take bus 433 or bus 435 (ticket sold on board, 1,10 €) to the Tourist Information Office, very close to the hotel, or just take a taxi (around 5€).