Airport arrival
Bolt taxi decided. Uber backup, official taxi rank fallback.
Current strategy
Transportation snapshot
Lisbon days
Walk + Bolt + trams/buses/metro. Buy 3 occasional navegante cards; use zapping unless it becomes a heavy transit day.
Algarve
Rental car booked. Use the Sixt car for Cascais, Sintra, Algarve beaches/groceries, and the return to Lisbon.
Car rental
Booked: Sixt via Expedia, Jun 24 9:00 AM → Jul 2 6:00 PM, Lisbon Centre Picoas.
Trip transfers
To / from each stay
Sat Jun 20
Arrival: LIS airport → Jardim da Lapa
Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS)→Jardim da Lapa by Shiadu
Plan
Primary: Bolt taxi
Backup: Uber, then official taxi rank
Door-to-door with luggage and jet lag. Open Bolt first; if wait is over 5 min or no quick acceptance, switch to Uber.
Timing / cost
Timing: 9–15 min / 8–10 km
Cost: Bolt ~€9–13; Uber ~€11–16; hotel private shuttle optional at €40
From: Alameda das Comunidades Portuguesas, Lisboa
To: Rua Sacramento à Lapa 52A, Lisboa
Actions / reminders
- Before departure: install/link Bolt and Uber.
- At LIS: verify driver plate/photo before getting in.
- Have hotel address ready: Rua Sacramento à Lapa 52A.
Wed Jun 24
Transfer: Jardim da Lapa → Sixt Picoas → Pestana Cascais
Jardim da Lapa by Shiadu→Sixt Lisbon Centre Picoas→Pestana Cascais Ocean & Conference Aparthotel
Plan
Primary: Get to Sixt Lisbon Centre Picoas for the 9:00 AM pickup, then drive to Cascais.
Backup: Bolt/taxi to Sixt if luggage makes transit annoying.
Rental is booked for this whole travel block, so Cascais becomes the first car leg rather than a train/Bolt decision.
Timing / cost
Pickup: Wed Jun 24, 9:00 AM at Sixt Lisbon Centre Picoas.
Drive: Lisbon/Cascais leg is short, but allow time for counter paperwork, booster/toll questions, and city traffic.
From: Rua Sacramento à Lapa 52A, Lisboa
Via: Rua Andrade Corvo 31, Lisboa 1050-008
To: Av. Manuel Julio Carvalho e Costa 115, Cascais
Actions / reminders
- Bring English driver’s licence, passport, Expedia/Sixt confirmation, and payment card for the €500 deposit.
- No IDP should be needed for the English licence, per Sixt Portugal’s reply.
- Decide at the counter whether to decline protections; if declining LDW/CDW, note the stated €22,500 excess and that no insurance proof letter is required.
- Ask to add the booster/child seat (€108.04 total) and Via Verde/e-toll device (€2.23/day).
Fri Jun 26
Transfer: Cascais → Lagoa / Carvoeiro Algarve apartment
Pestana Cascais Ocean & Conference Aparthotel→Sunny Duplex W/ Pool & Balcony by LovelyStay
Plan
Primary: Drive the booked Sixt rental from Cascais to the Lagoa/Carvoeiro apartment.
Backup: Keep a private transfer only as a fallback if the rental plan fails.
The car covers the long transfer and gives flexibility for Algarve beaches, groceries, dinners and day trips.
Timing / cost
Timing: Long drive day; choose a simple stop plan and avoid overpacking the day.
Car: Sixt midsize SUV / Nissan Qashqai or similar, automatic, 5 passengers.
From: Av. Manuel Julio Carvalho e Costa 115, Cascais
To: Exact Google Maps apartment pin, Rua do Barranco 58 area, Carvoeiro / Lagoa
Actions / reminders
- Load apartment pin before departure.
- Confirm parking details for the LovelyStay apartment.
- Keep snacks/water and a kid-friendly stop plan for the long drive.
Thu Jul 2
Transfer: Lagoa / Carvoeiro → Sixt Picoas → Avani Avenida Liberdade Lisbon
Sunny Duplex W/ Pool & Balcony by LovelyStay→Sixt Lisbon Centre Picoas→Avani Avenida Liberdade Lisbon Hotel
Plan
Primary: Drive the booked rental back to Lisbon, return it to Sixt Lisbon Centre Picoas by 6:00 PM, then continue to Avani.
Backup: If timing gets tight, prioritize safe car return and use Bolt/taxi from Sixt to Avani.
Keep this as a logistics day before the 11:35 AM flight home.
Timing / cost
Drop-off: Thu Jul 2, 6:00 PM at Sixt Lisbon Centre Picoas.
Timing: Long drive; leave enough buffer for fuel/charging, traffic, counter return and final hotel check-in.
From: Exact Google Maps apartment pin, Rua do Barranco 58 area, Carvoeiro / Lagoa
Via: Rua Andrade Corvo 31, Lisboa 1050-008
To: Rua Julio Cesar Machado 7/9, Lisboa
Actions / reminders
- Return the car by 6:00 PM at Sixt Lisbon Centre Picoas.
- Protect buffer for fuel/charging, return inspection, final Lisbon check-in and repacking.
Fri Jul 3
Departure: Avani Avenida Liberdade → LIS airport
Avani Avenida Liberdade Lisbon Hotel→Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS)
Plan
Primary: Bolt taxi
Backup: Uber or hotel-arranged taxi
Morning flight home departs Lisbon at 11:35 AM. Use direct car to avoid luggage/transit stress.
Timing / cost
Timing: Approx 15–25 min by car in normal conditions
Cost: TBD live app fare
From: Rua Julio Cesar Machado 7/9, Lisboa
To: Alameda das Comunidades Portuguesas, Lisboa
Actions / reminders
- Confirm recommended departure time the night before.
- Use Bolt first; switch to Uber/hotel taxi if needed.
Confirmed car rental
Sixt rental booked for the Cascais + Algarve block
The rental car is now the main transportation plan from the morning we leave Lisbon for Cascais through the return to Lisbon before the final hotel night.
Booking
Expedia + Sixt
Rental company: Sixt
Pickup/drop-off branch: Lisbon Centre Picoas, Rua Andrade Corvo 31, Lisboa 1050-008
Counter phone: +351 255 788 199
Dates
Jun 24 → Jul 2
Pickup: Wed Jun 24, 2026 at 9:00 AM
Drop-off: Thu Jul 2, 2026 at 6:00 PM
Office hours in confirmation: 8:00 AM–7:00 PM
Vehicle
Midsize SUV
Nissan Qashqai or similar; 5 passengers; A/C; automatic transmission. Good fit for Benji, Catherine, Noah, luggage and beach/grocery runs.
Sixt Portugal answers
Reply received
Deposit: €500
Insurance/protection: protections optional; no proof letter needed to decline
Excess if declining LDW/CDW: €22,500
IDP: not required for an English driver’s licence
Automatic: guaranteed
Booster/child seat: available, €108.04 total
Via Verde/e-toll device: €2.23/day
Confirmation PDF
The button opens the Expedia/Sixt source confirmation. It may include private booking/payment details, so keep the link private if sharing the site broadly.
Local movement
Within each base
Jun 20–24
Lisbon arrival stay: Lapa / central Lisbon
Mode: Walk + Bolt + occasional trams/buses/metro
Current recommendation: Buy 3 occasional navegante cards once convenient. Use zapping for casual days; 24h Carris/Metro only if doing a heavy transit day.
- Walking is great but Lisbon hills are real — Bolt is the family pressure-release valve.
- Trams are fun but can be crowded; use them for experience, not always efficiency.
- Metro/bus is best for clean cross-city movement and Lapa/Estrela routes.
Jun 24–26
Cascais stay
Mode: Walk locally + booked rental car for Sintra/area movement as needed.
Current recommendation: Use Cascais both for coastal downtime and as the launchpad for a family-friendly Sintra day. Keep the Sintra plan to one major sight plus town.
- Likely Sintra focus: Quinta da Regaleira first; avoid trying to do every palace.
- Hotel is not right in Lisbon; local walking/Bolt may still matter for tired legs.
Jun 26–Jul 2
Algarve / Lagoa stay
Mode: Booked rental car.
Current recommendation: Use the Sixt rental for beaches, groceries, dinners and day trips. The beach guide uses the exact apartment pin for directions/distances.
- Car helps for beaches, groceries, dinners and day trips.
- Booster seat for Noah is now on the pre-departure list.
- Apartment pinpoint: https://maps.app.goo.gl/4az4znifTBemxaXXA
Jul 2–3
Final Lisbon night: Avenida da Liberdade
Mode: Walk/Bolt; simple airport transfer next morning
Current recommendation: Keep final night logistics simple: arrive, check in, repack, dinner nearby, Bolt/Uber to airport in morning.
- Avoid complicated transit with luggage before flight day.
- Confirm departure buffer the night before.
Lisbon passes and fares
What to buy and when
For this trip, default to occasional navegante cards + zapping. Upgrade to a 24h pass only on a high-transit day. Lisboa Card is only interesting if we deliberately stack paid attractions.
Occasional navegante card
€0.50/card
Buy one card per person. Load tickets or zapping. Best baseline for the Lisbon stay.
Carris/Metro single
€1.90/person
Valid for Carris + Metro for 60 minutes after first validation; not consecutive metro rides.
Zapping
€1.72/ride on Carris 2026 table
Stored-value credit; best for flexible casual days with 1–4 rides/person.
24h Carris/Metro
€7.25/person; €21.75 for 3
Unlimited Carris + Metro for 24h. Use on heavy tram/bus/metro days; beats zapping around 5+ rides/person.
24h Carris/Metro/CP
€11.40/person; €34.20 for 3
Adds CP trains for Sintra/Cascais/Azambuja/Sado lines. Consider for a train-heavy Cascais/Sintra day.
Lisboa Card
Online promo family: 24h €78.85 / 48h €123.50 / 72h €151.05
Tourist card, not just transit. Consider only if planning enough paid museums/monuments in the active window.
Next decisions to fill in
Progressive planning list
- Call National Bank / CanAssistance to confirm credit-card rental insurance coverage, especially whether declining Sixt LDW/CDW is sensible given Sixt’s stated €22,500 excess.
- At Sixt pickup, add/confirm booster or child seat (€108.04 total) and Via Verde/e-toll device (€2.23/day).
- Bring English driver’s licence, passport, Expedia/Sixt confirmation, and payment card for the €500 deposit; IDP should not be required per Sixt Portugal.
- Check LovelyStay arrival instructions for whether the listed parking amenity is assigned/private, on-site first-come, or nearby public/street parking.
- Plan the Cascais → Lagoa drive on Jun 26 and Lagoa → Lisbon / Sixt return buffer on Jul 2.
- Plan the Cascais/Sintra balance: check out Cascais and do one family-friendly Sintra day, likely one major sight plus town.
- Confirm final morning departure buffer from Avani to LIS.
- Re-check 2026 fares and pass rules closer to departure.
Sources / companion guides