The Ivens, Explorers Hotel

The Ivens, located in the center of Lisbon, has views of the Tagus River and is just steps away from the popular area of Chiado. The hotel is surrounded by the best shops, restaurants, bars, galleries and bookshops in this historic neighborhood. The downtown location makes is very easy to become passionate about the city born at the waterfront. Lisbon’s history, past, present, and future offer so much to see, with its yearlong blue sky, beautiful beaches, and rich cultural history, Lisbon is the most interesting European city to explore and restore. 

Nearby you’ll find the city's main monuments, such as the São Jorge Castle, the Lisbon Cathedral, Chiado and Bairro Alto neighborhoods or grab a quick ride on the Tram or Uber down to the water front to check out the Belem Tower and Monument to the Discovers, we highly recommend bringing active wear and comfortable shoes to get out in the city to explore, shop, and dine! Prior to your trip, get familiar with all the city has to offer here. 

We will provide local dining recommendations on your personalized trip itinerary, however the Ivens hotel offers two dining options as well as two bars, the Gastro and Crudo Bar. Breakfast will be available daily at Rocco Restaurant and is included in your stay! In addition, access to the fitness center is included in your stay as well.

Recommended Ways of Getting Around Lisbon:

By Car Share 

  • Uber's are readily available and a cost effective way to travel around.
  • Note that Lyft is not available in Lisbon.

By Train

Closest Subway Station:

  • Baixa Chiado 

Closest Train Stations:

  • Cais do Sodré
  • Rossio 
  • The Tram operates from 6am to 1am daily, with departures every 12 minutes.

By Bus

  • The route closest to the hotel is the 24E bus.
  • The only bus route to get to the São Jorge Castle is the 737, outside the Lisbon Cathedral.

Getting public transportation tickets 

  • Onboard ticket machines. A single ticket can be purchased from the onboard ticket machines on trams, trains, and buses and typically cost between 1€ and 4€ depending on the final location. Unfortunately these machines only accept coins and don’t provide change. 
  • Purchase a Navegante Card at a kiosk at Metro, Tram , and Ferry Stations where you can load funds to travel. You can add single tickets onto the card, purchase a 24 transit card (approximately 7€ ), or a Lisboa Card (approximately 22€) that would cover the length of your stay. 
  • More details on ticket and transportation options can be found here. Please note that all travelers will need their own card as one card is not able to be scanned twice on the same ride.
 

Helpful Tips Traveling to and Experiencing Lisbon 

  • Passport Required: For attendees from the US, a valid passport that does not expire for at least 3 months from the day you arrive in Portugal, no Tourist Visa is required. For those traveling from the rest of the world (outside of EU), a passport is required and we recommend looking up any Visa requirements for your specific passport. Please note that you are responsible to understand the travel requirements to travel to and from your home country. *This is NOT the responsibility of Executive Group Travel.*
  • For anyone arriving or departing Lisbon outside of the approved group dates, Uber and Taxis are readily available at the airport. For Ubers, when selecting your pick up location please use "Terminal 1 Kiss and Fly".  When you exit baggage claim please head to the right and up the escalators 1 level. At the top of the escalators please exit out of the doors directly to the left and cross over to the pick up location parking area.
  • Weather: For March, the average HIGH temp is 65° Fahrenheit. We recommend bringing a light jacket for evening events/exploring Lisbon at night
  • Currency and Purchases: 
    • You will need to use EURO currency while traveling in Portugal. 
    • Credit Cards (Visa or Mastercard) are accepted almost everywhere within the city and the most common method of payment. 
    • We recommend notifying your bank and credit card company of overseas travel to ensure you have immediate access to money once you arrive in Europe.
    • For those looking to have EURO cash on hand we recommend using your ATM card once in Lisbon for the best possible exchange rate. If you purchase EUROs at the airport or a bank in the US you will pay an additional conversion fee.
    • Tipping Policy: While tipping is not an expectation in Portugal, if you do decide to leave a tip, the customary amount is 10 percent at restaurants.