Estadio da Luz away guide

Fly straight into Lisbon (LIS), which sits inside the city, then ride the Metro Red Line to São Sebastião and change to the Blue Line out to Colégio Militar/Luz, roughly 30 minutes and a couple of euros to a stop in the shadow of the ground (meetstadium). Away fans go in the north-east corner of the Coca-Cola (North) stand through Gate 23 V, with an allocation of around 3,000 (Football Ground Guide).

Fast facts

Getting there from the UK

There is no hub detour for this one. Lisbon has around 130 direct flights a day from the UK, so you fly straight in rather than routing via somewhere else (FlightsFrom). The choice is really budget carrier versus full-service, and which gateway: Ryanair and easyJet fly the cheapest fares but sell bags and legroom on top, while TAP and British Airways cost more with a bag and better matchday slots included. Whichever you pick, the airport sits inside the city, so it is a 30-minute Metro run to the ground on landing.

Costs and times are estimates and swing with matchday demand and how early you book.

Getting there from the airport

From Lisbon Airport (LIS), take the Metro Red Line to São Sebastião, then change to the Blue Line out to Colégio Militar/Luz. Reckon on about 30 minutes on a single ticket, roughly €2 to €5 including the reusable Navegante card (meetstadium), (Rome2Rio).

The 750 bus is a direct alternative in about 18 minutes for a similar fare, and a taxi or Bolt covers the same trip in 15 to 20 minutes outside rush hour (Rome2Rio), (airporttransfer).

Getting there from the centre and by metro

The stadium is on the Blue (Azul) Line. From the city centre, take the Blue Line straight to Colégio Militar/Luz, the nearest station, in about 20 minutes (benfica-tickets), (Brentford FC).

Colégio Militar/Luz station is about a 10-minute walk from the ground, effectively in its shadow. Alto dos Moinhos, also on the Blue Line, is a few minutes from the opposite end (Football Ground Guide), (meetstadium). The station sits under the Colombo shopping centre, with a major bus terminal above it (Wikipedia). Buses 703, 750, 765 and 799 also serve the area (Football Ground Guide).

Your match ticket does not double as a transport pass in Lisbon, so buy a Metro ticket or top up a Navegante card for the day.

Inside the stadium, allocation and entry

Away fans are placed in the north-east corner of the Coca-Cola stand, the four-tier North Stand, with unhindered views of the pitch (Football Ground Guide). The away entrance is Gate 23 V, and turnstiles open at 6pm (Brentford FC).

The allocation is usually around 3,000, larger for European ties (Football Ground Guide). Carry ID, as security may pull away fans at random for a check before entry, and all banners and flags are inspected on arrival (Brentford FC). For big matches the Coca-Cola stand and the club anthem make for a loud, hostile welcome.

Where to stay

Base yourself in the centre, around Baixa, Cais do Sodré or Bairro Alto, and use the Blue Line out to the ground. It puts you near the bars, food and sights, with a direct 20-minute metro run to Colégio Militar/Luz on matchday (benfica-tickets). Staying by the stadium itself is quieter and cheaper but a fair walk from anything worth doing before kick-off.

Where to drink

• The Corner Irish Pub (central): food, drink and live sport on the screens, a reliable away-fan meeting point (Football Ground Guide).
• Hennessy's Irish Bar (Cais do Sodré): Guinness and live football near the river, easy to find and English-speaking (Football Ground Guide).
• Sky Bar at the Tivoli (Avenida da Liberdade): rooftop views over the city, pricier drinks, good for an early one before you head out (Football Ground Guide).
• The SPOT Lisboa (near the stadium): handy for a last pint by the ground, beers from about €4.50 per 50cl (lisbon-city-guide).
• Pink Street, Cais do Sodré: a run of bars in a compact, walkable strip, the main pre-match drinking area in the centre.
• Bairro Alto: dozens of small bars where the drinking spills into the streets, best later in the evening.

Beer is cheap by UK standards. A small draught (an imperial) in a local tasca runs roughly €2 to €3, more like €4.50 to €7 in tourist bars and rooftops. Keep colours discreet around the stadium and away from Benfica's hardcore end, and go easy in the Bairro Alto crush late on, where pickpockets work the crowds (lisbonportugaltourism).

Where to eat

• A tasca (any neighbourhood one): a full traditional lunch with wine runs about €8 to €12, the smart budget option (getyourguide).
• Bifanas: grab a marinated pork roll for €2.50 to €3.50 from a counter, the city's best cheap feed (getyourguide).
• Time Out Market (Mercado da Ribeira, Cais do Sodré): one hall, dozens of stalls from top Lisbon chefs, easy for a mixed group before kick-off.
• Alfama and Baixa tascas: the place to try bacalhau in its many forms, from €10 or so a plate (getyourguide).
• Pastéis de Belém: the 1837 original custard tart in Belém, worth the queue if you are out that way (getyourguide).

Local dishes to try: bacalhau à brás (shredded salt cod with onion, potato and egg), grilled sardines, the bifana pork roll, and pastel de nata, the custard tart invented by monks at the Jerónimos Monastery (getyourguide). Wash it down with vinho verde or a shot of ginjinha.

What to do

• Belém Tower: the 16th-century Manueline fort on the Tagus, a symbol of the Age of Discovery (getyourguide).
• Jerónimos Monastery: the vast Manueline monastery in Belém, birthplace of the pastel de nata (getyourguide).
• Tram 28: the vintage yellow tram that grinds through Alfama, Baixa, Estrela and Graça, a sightseeing ride in itself (getyourguide).
• Alfama: Lisbon's oldest quarter, a maze of staircases and squares that survived the 1755 earthquake, and the home of fado (getyourguide).
• São Jorge Castle: the Moorish hilltop castle above Alfama, with the best panorama over the city and river.
• Monument to the Discoveries and MAAT: waterfront landmarks in Belém, walkable in one stretch with the tower and monastery (getyourguide).
• Praça do Comércio: the grand riverside square in Baixa, a natural meeting point for away fans before the ground (Brentford FC).

Common questions

How do you get from the airport to the stadium?

From Lisbon Airport (LIS) take the Metro Red Line to São Sebastião, then change to the Blue Line out to Colégio Militar/Luz, about 30 minutes on a single ticket for roughly €2 to €5. The 750 bus does it directly in about 18 minutes, and a taxi or Bolt takes 15 to 20 minutes outside rush hour (meetstadium), (Rome2Rio).

Which airport do I fly to for Benfica, and is there a direct flight?

Lisbon Humberto Delgado (LIS), which sits inside the city. There is no hub detour needed. Around 130 direct flights a day run from the UK, with easyJet, Ryanair and TAP flying non-stop from Manchester in about 2h55m and from London in about 2h42m (FlightsFrom), (FlightConnections).

Where do away fans sit at the Estádio da Luz?

Away fans are placed in the north-east corner of the Coca-Cola stand, the four-tier North Stand, with clear views of the pitch. Entry is through Gate 23 V (Football Ground Guide), (Brentford FC).

How many away tickets are usually available?

The away allocation is usually around 3,000, and it tends to be larger for European ties. Views from the north-east corner are unobstructed, so there is no bad end of the block to land in (Football Ground Guide).

What time should I get to the ground?

Turnstiles at the away entrance, Gate 23 V, open at 6pm (Brentford FC). Aim to be at Colégio Militar/Luz an hour or more before kick-off, as the metro is busy on matchday and security checks ID and inspects flags and banners on the way in.

Can I drink in the ground?

Beer and soft drinks are sold on the concourses inside the stadium, as at most Portuguese grounds. Prices are higher than the bars outside, so most travelling fans have a few in the centre or near the station first and treat the concourse as a top-up.

How much is a beer?

Cheap by UK standards. A small draught (an imperial) in a local tasca runs roughly €2 to €3. Tourist bars, Irish pubs and rooftops charge more, around €4.50 to €7, and the SPOT near the stadium lists beers from about €4.50 per 50cl (lisbon-city-guide).

Is Lisbon safe for away fans?

Yes. Lisbon consistently ranks as one of the safest European capitals and police presence is high on matchday. The real risk is pickpockets in busy tourist areas, on trams and on the metro, so keep your wallet and phone secure and take only what you need for the day (lisbonportugaltourism).

Where are the away-friendly areas to drink?

Cais do Sodré and its Pink Street strip, Bairro Alto and the central Irish pubs are the usual pre-match bases, all a short metro ride from the ground (Football Ground Guide), (lisbon-city-guide). Keep club colours discreet near the stadium and away from Benfica's hardcore end, and stay alert in the late-night Bairro Alto crush.

Does my match ticket give free public transport?

No. Unlike some European cities, Lisbon does not bundle local transport into the match ticket. Buy a single Metro ticket or top up a reusable Navegante card, which costs a small one-off fee and then a couple of euros a journey (meetstadium).

How far is the stadium from the city centre?

Not far. The Blue Line runs direct from the centre to Colégio Militar/Luz in about 20 minutes, and the station is roughly a 10-minute walk from the ground (benfica-tickets), (Rome2Rio). You can comfortably drink and eat in the centre and still make kick-off on one metro line.

Where should I stay?

Base yourself centrally around Baixa, Cais do Sodré or Bairro Alto. You get the bars, food and sights on your doorstep and a direct 20-minute metro run to the ground on the Blue Line (benfica-tickets). Staying out by the stadium is quieter and cheaper but leaves you a trek from everything worth doing.

What is there to do on a day or two in Lisbon?

Plenty within a short metro or tram ride. Belém has the tower, the Jerónimos Monastery and the Monument to the Discoveries in one waterfront stretch. Alfama offers São Jorge Castle, fado and Tram 28, and Baixa and Cais do Sodré cover the eating and drinking (getyourguide).