Hen Party Activities in Lisbon

Did you know?

• Lisbon is the capital city of Portugal.
• The raven is a symbol of Lisbon.
• You’ve got to try The Ascensor de Santa Justa, which is a street elevator. It connects Baixa to the Chiado district which is 45 meters higher.
• Lisbon is known to be built on seven hills. We won’t name them all!
• You’ll see the infamous Portuguese pavement around Lisbon. It looks like you’re walking on a mosaic!
• A tram is actually one of the best tourist attractions. Hope on the number 28 route for the best sights.
• Estádio da Luz or the Stadium of Light in Lisbon is one of the largest stadiums in Europe.
• Football is one of the most poplar sports in the country. With some top players such as Luís Figo and Cristiano Ronaldo it’s no wonder why.
• Lisbon holds a UNESCO World Heritage Site - Belém Tower.
• Little do people know that actually Belém Tower used to be used as a political prison during the 19th century.
• Lisbon’s oceanarium is the largest indoor aquarium in Europe. It houses around 16,000 animals and 450 species – plenty to see then!
• Lisbon has the oldest bookstore in the world. Chiado Bertrand Bookstore is in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the oldest bookstore still in operation.
• Livraria Simão is known as one of the smallest bookshops in Lisbon. With only room for a few people allowed in at a time!

Lisbon in numbers

• The Vasco da Gama Bridge over the Tagus River is one of the longest bridges in Europe. It sits at over 12km in length.
• This bridge cost over 1 billion dollars to make.
• The number of visitors in Lisbon per year has increased in recent years. Lisbon hosts around 4.5 million tourists.
• The coordinators of this capital city are 38.7223° N, 9.1393° W
• The population of Lisbon is over 500,000 as of 2016.
• It is estimated around 60% of the population in Lisbon identify as Catholic…
• …yet only around 30% attend regular church services.

You’ve got to try the Bacalhau à brás – most restaurants have this special dish on their menu. It’s made up of shredded codfish with fried potato, onion and scrambled eggs. It can come with various toppings but is most commonly topped with black olives and parsley.

Ginjinha (or Ginja) is a Portuguese liqueur made from infusing ginja berries (sour cherries) in alcohol and sugar. It usually comes served in a shot glass with a cherry in. This local drink is a must-do whilst in the city. Get a round in whist you’re out one evening and savour its sweet taste!

If you find yourself running out of time to explore Lisbon, or just fancy a drink whilst you head on your sight-seeing. why not try out a Sangria Bike? You guessed it, you’ll be served sangria on a bike! You’ll all have to do the pedalling as you sip on sangria going through the streets of Lisbon. This is one activity not to be missed as it’s a hilarious way to have fun with your friends whilst still seeing the top attractions.

When the sun starts to set, head to a cocktail bar and try Cocktail Making with your friends. You’ll learn all about how to make these delicious drinks as well as tasting everything you make. Yum!

The nightlife here is something that must be experienced. Check out the Hen Fiesta that'll see your group sit down to a three-course meal, have a striptease performance at the restaurant or in a nearby bar before you start your bar crawl through Lisbon. Once you’re bar crawled out, you’ll head to a top club to carry on your partying and celebrations into the early hours! This activity is perfect for your Lisbon hen do where you get a bit of everything thrown into this night!

If you’re just looking for the bar crawl and club entry without all the extras you can head on a Guided Bar Crawl in Lisbon. You’ll be picked up at your accommodation by your English-speaking guide who’ll show you the best spots in town. This is perfect for your first or second night in the city so you can explore the nightlife ready for the rest of your trip, so you’ll know which places to head to! Of course, you can just book a nightclub entry ahead of time on its own so you can do your own exploring too. Whatever takes your fancy. Check out the nightlife listings in Lisbon and see which suits you and your group best.

When planning a hen do in Lisbon, it’s best to think about when to go well ahead of time. As different seasons of the year can vastly change the price of not only plane tickets but accommodation, as well as how crowded the city will be.

March to May and September to October are the best times to go when the weather’s warm, the hotels are cheaper and of course there’ll be fewer crowds. If you can’t stand the heat too much then this is a very pleasant time of year to come!

Alternatively, you can head to this city in the summer months where the sun is stronger, the temperature is hotter, and the streets are crowded. This is, of course, a very popular time to come so make sure you book ahead to ensure your hotel space!

An unusual, but not unheard of, time to come is from November through to February when the weather is cooler but still pleasant and warmer than the UK! The prices will drop at this time and you’ll have the city to yourselves and the locals.

Getting to Lisbon is easy as the airport is just a short distance into the main city of Lisbon. Once you’re here, you can hop on the Metro line that serves 56 stations in total. If you’re looking for more of a scenic route, take a tram to get you where you need to go. Or for a unique experience you can jump on the number 28 tram and ride the whole route that turns out to be one of the best tours in the city!

With the weather so warm it makes it perfect to do some walking and explore the city by foot or bicycle. After a night out your best bet might be to jump in a taxi who’ll take you straight to your front door.