Whow to make the most of the 2026 edition of Web Summit in Lisbon?

Web Summit Lisbon runs from November 9 to 12, 2026, at the MEO Arena in Parque das Nações. The organisation has already started announcing speakers and sessions, although the full programme continues to be released as the event approaches.

Before travelling, download the official Web Summit app as soon as the 2026 version becomes available. It is more than a programme guide: attendees need the app to access their ticket, check in and collect their badge and lanyard. Its QR code can also be used to exchange contact details with other attendees.

Use the app to select priority talks and identify people or companies you may want to meet before the conference begins. Web Summit also includes meetups and the Night Summit, so networking does not stop when the final stage session of the day ends.

Lisbon offers several ways to travel around the city, including metro, buses, trains and trams.

The Web Summit venue is next to Oriente station, one of Lisbon's main transport hubs. If you arrive at Lisbon Airport, the Red Metro line connects the airport directly to Oriente. The station is also served by several bus routes and national and suburban trains. Lisbon Metro normally operates between 6:30am and 1am.

Public transport can be especially practical if most of your journey is between the airport, Parque das Nações and central Lisbon. However, Web Summit attracts a large international audience, so it is sensible to allow extra time when travelling at peak hours.

Trams are one of Lisbon's most iconic forms of transport, but they are more useful for experiencing the historic city than for travelling to the conference. Trains can be useful if you are staying outside the centre or planning trips to destinations such as Sintra or Cascais.

If your schedule includes meetings in different parts of Lisbon, dinners outside Parque das Nações or trips beyond the city, renting a car can offer greater flexibility. Instead of adapting every journey to a timetable, you can organise your transport around your conference agenda.

Guerin has a car rental station at Lisbon Airport, located at Terminal 1 and open every day from 6am to midnight.

Start in Parque das Nações itself. The modern riverside district where Web Summit takes place is home to the Lisbon Oceanarium, the Pavilhão do Conhecimento and a long promenade along the Tagus.

If you have half a day available, explore Baixa and Chiado, walk through Praça do Comércio and continue towards Alfama for narrow streets and viewpoints over the city.

Another essential area is Belém, where you can see the Jerónimos Monastery and Belém Tower and try one of the city's most famous pastries. For more ideas, check Guerin's Lisbon weekend itinerary.

And if you have an extra day, do not limit your trip to Lisbon. Sintra is one of the most popular options, with Pena Palace, Quinta da Regaleira and its UNESCO-listed cultural landscape. Guerin also has a dedicated guide to visiting Sintra.

South of Lisbon, Setúbal and Arrábida offer a very different setting, combining coastal landscapes with local gastronomy. Try choco frito, or fried cuttlefish, one of Setúbal's best-known dishes..

Do not wait until the first morning to decide what to see. Several sessions take place simultaneously, so choose your priorities in advance and leave enough time to move between stages.

Build networking into your agenda as deliberately as you plan talks. Meetups, informal conversations and Night Summit events are an important part of the Web Summit experience.

November weather in Lisbon can change throughout the day, so bring layers and a light waterproof jacket. Comfortable shoes are essential: expect to spend several hours walking between stages, exhibition areas and meetings.

On your first day, arrive early enough to collect your accreditation and understand the layout of the venue. Most importantly, avoid filling every minute of your calendar. An unexpected introduction or meeting may become one of the most valuable moments of the week.

If you are travelling with colleagues or as part of a delegation, sharing the driving can make a busy week easier. Guerin's additional driver service allows another registered person to drive the rental vehicle. The service currently costs €9 per day, up to €180 per rental agreement.

If Lisbon is only the beginning of your Portuguese trip, the one way service lets you collect your car at one Guerin station and return it at another. This is particularly useful if you arrive in Lisbon for Web Summit and then travel towards Porto, Faro or another part of Portugal.

International visitors who are unfamiliar with Portuguese roads can also add premium road assistance. It provides additional support for situations such as a flat tyre, dead battery, lost vehicle key or the need for towing or on-site assistance.

During Web Summit, time spent dealing with unnecessary paperwork is time you could be using for a meeting, talk or discovering Lisbon.

With Guerin's 100% digital rental process, different stages of the rental can be managed autonomously through the website, online check-in, kiosks and key dispensers. At Lisbon Airport, Key Pickup and Key Drop also make collecting and returning the vehicle quicker and more independent.

Guerin tip: once your flights and Web Summit ticket are confirmed, the next step is to book your rental car. Add an additional driver if you are sharing the vehicle with colleagues, choose the One Way service if your Portuguese journey continues beyond Lisbon and consider Premium Road Assistance for extra peace of mind while driving on roads you may not know. That way, you can spend less time worrying about logistics and more time making the most of Web Summit in Lisbon and Portugal.