Lisbon Big Weekend

Your weekend, day by day

1. 1

   Day 1

   

   Boat party & cruise

   From about 15:00 · 2 hours

   Arrival day. A short transfer from the airport to the hotel, then the private boat charter on the river in the afternoon, with the group on its own. Be at the meeting point on time, wear trainers or deck shoes and bring a layer.

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   Lisbon's boats run on the Tagus and out along the coast, passing under the 25 de Abril Bridge and Belém Tower. The public party boat leaves from the centre, 7pm to 11pm on Saturdays from March to October and on Thursdays and Fridays in summer, with a DJ and two drinks each. Private boats and catamarans for 12 to 18 leave from marinas at Belém or Alcântara for two or three hours, day or evening. Some let you bring your own drinks, but cans only and no red wine. Anyone who arrives intoxicated is refused boarding. Bring swimwear for daytime sails.

   You board at a fixed time and the boat runs a set loop, so latecomers are left on the dock. Onboard there is a bar and usually a DJ or a sound system you can plug into. Some are private charters for your group alone, others are shared with other bookings.

   What is included varies more here than anywhere else: some are entry only, some include a drinks package, some include food. Get that in writing before you pay.

   Deck shoes or trainers, nothing with a heel. It is colder on the water than on land, even in summer, so bring a layer.

2. 2

   Day 2

   

   Go-karting

   From about 12:00 · 2 hours

   A slow morning, then go-karting outside the city: a briefing, practice, qualifying and a scored final. Trousers and trainers, and every driver must be sober. Back in the centre for an evening in Bairro Alto.

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   Lisbon's karting is outdoors on a full circuit outside the city, racing 270cc karts: about ten minutes of practice and qualifying, then a 15-minute race and a podium with prizes, around two hours in all. Sessions run between 10am and 5pm, and the main track is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Because of heavy traffic, groups are told to aim to arrive 90 minutes ahead of the start time, so book transfers. Every driver needs photo ID, either a driving licence or a passport, must be 18 or over, and cannot have been drinking. It is weather-dependent, so keep a back-up plan.

   You get a briefing, race suit, helmet and gloves, then a session that usually runs about an hour: practice laps, a qualifying run and a scored final. Timing is automatic and the results go on a board, which is where the arguments start.

   Indoor circuits run all year; outdoor ones are longer, faster and at the mercy of the weather. Both put a podium and a bottle of something at the end.

   Wear trousers rather than shorts, and trainers. There are height, weight and footwear limits at most tracks, and you have to be sober.

3. 3

   Day 3

   

   Group dinner & restaurant

   From about 20:30 · 2 hours

   The booked group dinner at one table. Lisbon's nights start after eleven, so a late dinner sets the evening up rather than ending it. Confirm final numbers and dietary needs ahead, and dress for the bars afterwards.

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   Lisbon's group dinners come in two main formats, both central. The rooftop option is a three-course meal with views over the city and two hours of open bar. The Bairro Alto option is a 90-minute set three-course dinner with unlimited beer, wine and sangria and coffee to finish, which puts you right where the bars are when you stand up. Bottomless tapas with drinks is the more casual alternative. Smart casual is expected. Book later than you would at home, as nights here start late, and send dietary needs in advance.

   A restaurant taking a large group will usually want a set menu, a deposit and final numbers a few days ahead. That is normal and it works in your favour: the food comes out together and the bill is per head rather than an hour of arithmetic.

   Tell them about allergies and anyone who does not eat meat when you confirm the numbers, not on the night.

   Dress code is the restaurant's. If you are heading to a club afterwards, dress for the club, because the restaurant is the softer door.

4. 4

   Day 4

   

   Club entry, VIP & booths

   From about 23:30 · 4 hours

   Reserved club entry for the group, past the queue on the guest list. Lisbon's clubs run until very late. Dress codes are enforced on stag groups: no sportswear and no matching shirts.

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   Lisbon's clubs are sold two ways. Standard guest-list entry gets the group into a club in central Lisbon with a drink each. The VIP option adds priority entry, a reserved table and a bottle of spirits with mixers for every four people, so a group of 12 needs three bottles and the package scales by the four. Smart casual is expected and ID should be carried. Nights in Lisbon run late, so there is no rush: eat properly, work through the bars first, and save the club for the end of the night rather than heading straight there.

   Standard entry gets the group past the queue on a guest list, which matters because large male groups are the first ones a door turns away. A booth adds a reserved table, a set number of bottles with mixers and a host who looks after the table.

   Booths are sold on a minimum spend rather than a flat fee at many clubs, so the bottles you order count towards it. Ask what the minimum is and what it includes before you agree to anything.

   Dress code is enforced hard on stag groups. No sportswear, no trainers at some doors, no matching shirts, and nobody visibly drunk gets in regardless of the booking.