London Travel: Getting Around the City Like a Local

Video 1.  How to Use Public Transport in London Like a Local (YouTube link)

Terminology

In Video 1, the below terms were mentioned:

• Oyster card
• Pay as you go fares
• Tube, DLR (Docklands Light Railway), London Overground, Elizabeth line and National Rail services wholly within the London Fare Zones area, and PAYG (special fares applied) can also be used on:
• Southeastern’s HS1 service between St Pancras International and Stratford International
• Gatwick Express and Southern services between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport
• Heathrow Express (train) between London Paddington and Heathrow Airport
• Journeys to Potters Bar and Radlett
• Elizabeth line (Tube) services between Hayes & Harlington and Heathrow Airport
• Values
• Pay as you go fares are cheaper than buying a paper single ticket or Day Travelcard.
• Your Visitor Oyster card offers daily capping. This means you can travel as much as you like in a single day and the amount you pay for your travel is limited (or capped). Find prices for daily capping and Day Travelcards.
• Use your card and save money at restaurants, shops, galleries and entertainment venues.
• Need to activate a new Travel Card on your Oyster
• by touching it at a ticket machine (not a barrier) should activate a card. You won't commit to a journey by touching at a machine - that should just give you your balance. That balance should show you whether any travelcard is loaded.
• You can use your Oyster card to reach Heathrow Airport (LHR) or Gatwick Airport (LGW), but not Stansted Airport (STN)
• You can put a Travelcard on an Oyster card (read more details here)
• TFL (Transport for London)
• a local government body responsible for most of the transport network in London
• Underground (or Tube)
• Underground in UK is usually called THE TUBE, because it mostly goes inside a tunnel, a tube
• The Underground serves 270 stations and over 408 km of track
• Rush hour in the morning is from 8 to 10 am and then in the evening from 5 to 7 pm.
• Overground
• The overground are more traditional trains as opposed to the metro style for the Underground. 
• Overground is more of a ring around central London - it's useful for avoiding going via central London if you don't want to. 
• The Overground doesn't go anywhere near Heathrow.
• Thames Clippers (Route map)
• Uber Boat by Thames Clippers stops at 24 piers along the Thames between Barking Riverside Pier in the East and Putney Pier in the West
• Services run from early in the morning until late at night 7 days a week
• Trams
• a fast, frequent and reliable tram service to routes through central Croydon from Wimbledon, Beckenham, Elmers End and New Addington.
• National Rail
• Long-distance railway travel to Scotland, Wales, etc.
• Emirates Air Line cable car (see Figure 3)
• Glide above the Thames in the Emirates Air Line cable car and take in aerial views of London's skyline, as you travel from the Greenwich Peninsula to the Royal Docks.

Oyster— a blue credit-card-sized stored-value contactless smart card

Figure 1.  London Tube Map (for the large print click here; for Thameslink click here)

Video 2.  How to Ride the London Tube (YouTube)

How to Get Around

Navigating the London Transport system isn’t always easy for beginners, but the official Transport for London app (Tfl Go—Android & Apple downloads) will give you a good head start. It will also help you find the nearest toilets.

After you have downloaded Tfl Go app, you need to get familiar with the Large print Tube map as illustrated in Fig 1.  From Fig 1, you can also find the "key to lines" and from Fig 2, you can find "key to symbols" and explanation of fare zones.

The easiest and most convenient way to get around London is with contactless payment. Simply add a bank card to Google Wallet and hold your phone to the card reader at bus and Tube stations. When you see a blue checkmark, you're all set!

Figure 2.  Key to symbols and explanation of zones (credit: Transport for London)

Video 3.  London Travel Tips (YouTube)

Figure 3.  Emirates Air Line (from Royal Docks to Greenwich Peninsula)

References

1. Transport for London
2. Oyster card
3. Elizabeth line
4. Oyster & Travelcards (National Rail Enquiries)
• If you want to use Pay as you go to travel beyond the Zones covered by your Travelcard, to a station within the Pay as you go area you will need to ensure you have sufficient Pay as you go credit on your Oyster card before starting your journey.
• Special conditions apply when using Oyster cards on National Rail - please view the Oyster Conditions of Use on National Rail services.
5. Terminal 2 Arrival Guide (Heathrow Airport)
• We advise to arrive three hours in advance for all flights (European and intercontinental).
• On average, it takes between 30 minutes and 1 hour to clear customs and immigration at Heathrow Airport.  However, it could be longer (i.e., up to 4 hours) if there are any problems, no way of knowing.
6. Find out the terminal your airline uses at Heathrow (link)
• TAP Portugal (T2)
• American Airlines (T3)

Lisbon in 3 Days: Your Perfect Itinerary for Exploring Portugal's Capital

Video 1.  Lisbon Vacation Travel Guide | Expedia (YouTube link)

One of the best things about Portugal during the winter season is that the country is not covered by the dark skies – this makes it stand apart from other countries in Europe.^[1]

The country does not even observe freezing weather during the winters, which makes it bearable for the tourists to explore the country in the winter months. However, it does snow in the internal regions but the coastlines are covered with bright sunshine. Therefore, planning a vacation in Portugal in the month of December won’t be a bad idea.

 

3 Days in Lisbon: Unveiling the City's Charm and History (Click here for an interactive Takayama map on Google MyMaps)

Things to Do in Lisbon in 3 Days

Based on the recommendations of [2] and [3], here are the list of things to do in Lisbon:

1. Santa Justa Lift

• To ride the elevator up to the observation deck and back down, it'll cost you 5 euros (about $6).  To save money, you can walk to the top of the Santa Justa Lift to enjoy the view. 
• You can find the Santa Justa Elevator in the Baixa neighborhood, situated between the Baixa-Chiado and Rossio metro stops.
• The elevator is open every day from 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. and until 9 p.m. in the winter.

2. Wander through Lisbon’s Main Square (Praça do Comércio)

3. Pink Street

• Lisbon’s former Red Light District that now is one of the nightlife areas of the city. 
• It has become one of the more popular things to do in Lisbon so an early visit for an empty pink street would be required.

4. Tram 28 to Alfama – must-do in Lisbon!

• Be warned that Tram 28 could be very crowded and queue to be long (read [21] for details)

5. Alfama – Best of Lisbon

• A small labyrinth of cobblestone streets, colorful houses, and some of the best architecture of the city. To most people, this is the most beautiful part of the city where the old trams are rolling through the narrow streets. 
• Visit Sé Catedral as it is the oldest, impressive, and most important church of Lisbon.

6. Sunset at a viewpoint

• 3 locations: Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara, Miradouro de Santa Luzia and Miradouro das Portas do Sol
• For reaching Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara, you can ride the famous funicular named Elevador da Gloria.

7. Visit Sintra – Favorite thing to do on a Lisbon city trip

8. Castelo de S. Jorge 

• The visit to São Jorge Castle will take approximately the whole morning since the site is extensive. Apart from the Castle with its eleven towers, you’ll also be able to visit a small museum, a bar and a restaurant if you want to stop for lunch before you continue exploring Lisbon.
• São Jorge Hill also houses the Lisbon Cathedral. 
• From Portas do Sol tram stop (28E) or Castelo bus stop (737), make the climb to Castelo de S. Jorge.
• At the top of the Fortress, it offers the best views of the east of Lisbon and the Sunset.

9. Cascais

• Cascais is a tiny, charming old fishing village that is easy to reach by a 40-minute train ride from Lisbon. 
• It is home to Lisbon’s wealthy people who spend their weekends in their holiday homes, but luckily Cascais’s character remains.

10. Cascais beach

• Cascais has a huge advantage over Lisbon: soft-sand beaches!

11. Belem Tower

• The adult entrance fee to the Belem Tower is €8.50, and children up to 14 are free to enter. 
• Due to the size of the fort, only 150 people are allowed inside, which does mean there can be long queues to get in, especially during the peak season.

12. Mosteiro dos Jerónimos

• The Mosteiro dos Jeronimos is a highly ornate monastery that is situated in the Belem district of western Lisbon. 
• This grand religious building was historically associated with the early sailors as explorers, as it was from here that Vasco da Gama spent his last night before his voyage to the Far East.
• Try out Pastel de Nata (Custard Tart) at nearby Belem Patisserie

13.  Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology

• Watch MATT in video 1 starting at 3.23.

13. LX Factory

• Lisbon's hub of cutting-edge creativity hosts a dynamic menu of events from live concerts and film screenings to fashion shows and art exhibitions

14. Time Out Market

• Time Out Market Lisboa is a food hall located in the Mercado da Ribeira at Cais do Sodré in Lisbon.

15. Oceanário de Lisboa (Oceanarium)

• From Oceanarium, you can also board the cable car and enjoy a breathtaking panorama of Nations Park including views of the Oceanarium, the Portugal Pavilion, and the Vasco da Gama Bridge.
• Prices joint ticket Telecabine + Oceanário de Lisboa. Round trip. Children up to 2 years, Free. Children from 3 to 12 years, 19,00€. Adult, 28,00€.

Video 2.  Portugal, LISBON: Everything you need to know | Chiado and Bairro Alto (YouTube link)

References

1. When temperatures drop across Europe, head south for some winter sun in Portugal
• Lisbon, Cascais, Lagos, Faro
2. 14 Best Things To Do in Lisbon (3-Day Guide)
3. Lisbon in Three Days - A Suggested Itinerary and Tour
4. The Best Views of Pena Palace & Gardens in Sintra, Portugal
5. Where to Eat in Lagos Portugal: Take a Lagos Food Tour
6. The Best Benagil Cave Tour to visit the Benagil Caves Portugal
7. 45 THINGS TO DO IN FUNCHAL, MADEIRA, PORTUGAL
8. Magical Fairytale Castles in Europe You Can Actually Visit
9. Your New Mountain Getaway In Portugal: Casas Da Lapa
10. Why Visit Lisbon in Winter?
    
11. What not to do in Lisbon Portugal?
12. Visit These Picturesque Places In Portugal In December To Have A Fun 2022 Winter Vacay
13. Where to take the best photographs in Lisbon
14. The 19 best things to do in Lisbon
15. RAILWAY STATIONS IN LISBON
16. Viva Viagem Card: Use it on Metro, Bus, Tram, Ferry & Train (important)
17. Lisbon Metro (Portuguese: Metropolitano de Lisboa)
• The Lisbon Metro is the rapid transit system in Lisbon, Portugal. 
• As of 2017, the system's four lines total 44.5 kilometers (27.7 mi) of route and serve 56 stations.
18. Comboios de Portugal (CP)
• Comboios de Portugal, EPE is a state-owned company which operates passenger trains in Portugal.
19. Carris (Companhia Carris de Ferro de Lisboa) 
• (Lisbon Tramways Company) is a public transportation company in Lisbon, Portugal. Carris operates Lisbon's buses, trams, and funiculars.
20. Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology (MATT)
21. Tram 28 Lisbon Guide
22. Museu Nacional do Azulejo (National Azulejo Museum)
23. Palace Fronteira
• 17th-century palace open for guided tours, with traditional azulejo tiling, paintings and furniture.
24. 18 of the best attractions in Lisbon
25. Sanitorios (toilet; WC)
26. Is Lisbon safe for tourist, female and sole travelers?