Conference Venue
The conference will be held at the Olga Cadaval Cultural Centre, located in the heart of one of the most beautiful villages in the world, Sintra.
Just 30 km away from central Lisbon, the “Cultural Landscape of Sintra”, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, showcases a unique blend of natural beauty and architectural wonders. With its fairytale palaces and lush vegetation, nurtured by a unique microclimate, Sintra has inspired many great writers and poets. Lord Byron famously called it a “Glorious Eden,” and Robert Southey longed to spend his final days there.
For sea lovers, Sintra’s extensive coastline offers many opportunities for surfing and windsurfing. Guincho Beach, a renowned windsurfing hotspot, is just minutes away. Also nearby is Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point of mainland Europe, which offers spectacular views along the coastline leading back to Lisbon.
We hope you will attend the “Beyond the Edge of the Universe” conference. Whether it’s your first time or you’re returning after the 2015 or 2006 meetings, we strongly recommend taking a couple of extra days to explore this stunning region.
Travel Information
If you are flying, you will arrive at Humberto Delgado (Lisbon) Airport. A taxi or a ride with Uber or Bolt directly to Sintra takes about 40 minutes (depending on traffic) and costs around €40.
It is also possible to reach Sintra from the airport using public transportation, which is the most economical option. The total trip (Airport to central Sintra) will cost you under €10. Please note that the journey may take a bit longer on weekends:
a) Take the Metro (operating from 06:30 to 01:00) from the airport to Oriente Station (2 stops). Metro tickets can be purchased at automatic vending machines for 1.80€ (plus 0.50€ for the rechargeable navegante ocasional electronic card, which you will need for the next leg of the trip). For convenience, in the Metro, you can also use your preferred contactless device (smartphone or smartwatch with Apple Pay or Google Pay) linked to a Visa, VPay, Mastercard, or Europay card.
b) At the Oriente Station, transfer to the CP train network. Look for a Sintra-bound urban train on the Linha de Sintra. If you’re headed to the Olga Cadaval Cultural Centre, get off at “Portela de Sintra” station. Depending on your hotel location, you may choose to continue to the final stop, Sintra station. Trains to Sintra run frequently (approximately every 10 minutes on weekdays and every 30 minutes on weekends), and the journey takes about 45 minutes. Before boarding, load your Navegante Ocasional card with a CP train ticket (for 4 zones, €2.40) at the ticket offices or vending machines. You can also use the “zapping” option, where you add funds to your card. Depending on the train and the day of the week, you might need to change trains. Be sure to validate your ticket before boarding.
Please check the timetable, prices, and map for the Oriente to Sintra trip here.
c) From Portela de Sintra station, the Olga Cadaval Cultural Centre is just a 10-minute walk. If you arrive at Sintra station, the walk to the conference venue will take about 20 minutes. If you have heavy bags, local buses or taxis are available to assist.