Getting around by boat and ferry Portugal

This ferry takes you to Trafaria and from there you have connections to Costa de Caparica. It is not necessarily the most convenient way to reach the beaches of the south and therefore not necessarily the most frequented by tourists who prefer the one leaving from Cais do Sodré. Its service hours are not as long as those of other ferries, as it stops around 10 pm. Always check the time of the last ferry before boarding: times are sometimes random. Your ticket can also be paid with the zapping formula of your transport card.

Departures to the island by boat with the Viamar company take place near the Péniche fort. They leave at 10am and 12.15pm in May and June with a return at 5pm; at 10am and 12.15pm in July, August and September with a return at 3pm or 6pm (sometimes 5pm in September). Please note that although the ticket offices open at 8am, places are difficult to obtain because of the crowds and the lack of organisation, so it is advisable to get to the port very early. Another safer option: book your tickets on the Internet, but you will still have to arrive early...

This terminal takes you to Cacilhas, home of the famous Cristo Rei. You can take your car or even a bicycle (free). You can pay for your ticket with the zapping card. From Cacilhas, there are numerous connections (Carris bus or MTS metro, www.mts.pt) for Costa da Caparica, Setúbal, Sesimbra... The crossing takes about 10 minutes. There's also another boat to Seixal or Montijo, which takes 30 minutes.

Manages all ferry transport in Lisbon. Each ferry station (terminal) has an information and sales office, where you can buy tickets, otherwise you can simply load your transport card with the zapping formula. The company also organizes yellow boat tours on the Tagus lasting 2h30 or 1h, every day, from April to October. Departures take place from Terreiro do Paço (at 3pm) or Cais do Sodré (at 4.30pm).

On the Tagus, near Praça do Comércio, this river station provides a ferry connection with the southern railway line, whose trains leave from Barreiro, on the left bank of the Tagus. From Barreiro, you can go to Alentejo and Algarve: Beja, Évora, Faro, Vila Real St António and even, why not, in Seville. In Barreiro: rail connections to Setúbal, Alentejo and Algarve. The journey takes about 25 minutes to Barreiro.

Ferries to Tróia, opening to Alentejo and Algarve, leave every 35 or 50 minutes day and night from the port of Setúbal, located near Avenida Todi. In summer, there are monster traffic jams every Friday and Sunday evening to come back. If you do not have a vehicle, we advise you to take the catamaran, faster and more frequent, it arrives directly in the marina (near the beaches). For the South, it is sometimes preferable to go around Alcácer do Sal, it is longer, but often a little faster!

Don't feel like crossing a bridge to reach either side of the Douro? Doesn't going down and coming back up (or vice versa) give you more pleasure than that, or have you already done it so many times that it becomes routine? Then take the cabboat. It is the fastest way to cross the Douro, between the quays of Porto and Gaia. Aboard a rabelo-inspired boat, you'll be on the other side in less than 5 minutes! However, this comes at a cost. Try it at least once to get as close as possible to the wonderful Douro.

Here is an experience to live, coming in the summer of 2021: a trip on the Côa River in a solar boat. The boat, built with sustainable materials, can accommodate up to 12 people at a time, who will discover the surrounding fauna and flora during the trip, without any pollution. The route is 4 km long, between the Canada do Inferno and Fariseu docks. Tickets can be purchased at the reception desk of the park museum. Reservations are recommended.

Atlânticoline runs the Corvo-Flores route throughout the year, with a minimum frequency, in winter, of two daily dawn and dusk trips, two days a week. Between May and September, the company expands its offer, with maritime connections between all the islands of the archipelago. Depending on your route, you will have to climb one or more times: if you do not have much time, make sure you know your itinerary before making the reservation. The shuttle is an excellent option in the Azores. The routes are certainly longer, but the experience is different.

Here's another way to discover Coimbra. Climb aboard a boat resembling a smaller Parisian bateau-mouche and let yourself be carried along the Mondego for a 50-minute journey. You'll pass under the city's emblematic bridges, past the Santa Clara-a-Velha convent, the University of Coimbra in the distance, and the cathedral. Meals and drinks can be provided on board. The 4 p.m. departure is guaranteed every day, while other departures are subject to booking and weather conditions.