Sunny Lisbon

The Casino Lisboa is more or less a new space. It open doors in 2006 but it was  an old dream from it’s owner, Stanley Ho, already owner of Casino Estoril and other casinos in Macau. The building of a casino in Lisbon was controversial : allegations were made that it would increase the gambling habits of the population. On the other hand, the city hall defended that Lisbon needed a space like this, where people (an mainly tourists) could go out at night, not only to play at their tables but also to attend to cultural event like concerts, plays and other performances. It is located in the Parque de Nações (former Expo 98 area), right by the Gare do Oriente train station.

The Casino Lisbon is worth seeing at night, when it’s working at full steam. It’s design is modern and it target a younger audience than the one that for instance Casino Estoril bets on. It has a lot of sitting space to take a drink, live music and circus performances. About the prices, their are about right, nothing too expensive. The casino also has a restaurant, but not the cheapest place around.

If you like gambling, welcome aboard. Casino Lisboa has more than 1000 slot machines, Black Jack and Roulette tables. Keep in mind restriction while traveling with children, since access is only allowed to people older than 18 years old.

Unless you are really into gambling, I would say that the casino is not worth the trip alone. But given what you can find the surrounding area, I would suggest an  afternoon walk through Parque das Nações (where you can visit the Oceanário, one of the world biggest aquariums), have dinner close by and have a drink at the Casino before returning “home” for a good night sleep.