Eurovision 2018 is just around the corner! This year the 43 participants from Europe and two special guests from Australia and Israel will compete showing their best talent in the wonderful Lisbon. Discover how to buy tickets for Eurovision, what the Portuguese capital will offer to the tourists and how to fully enjoy the trip to this iconic festival with our travel guide of Eurovision 2018.
To facilitate your trip with friends to Eurovision download Wave Application, a free app that helps you stay connected with your friends in the crowd. With Wave you can share your live location with your friends for a few minutes or throughout the festival, set an edible meeting point in your favorite place and chat. In addition, you can see how to get to the meeting point or to your friends and how long it takes you to arrive there.
Wave is the best navigation tool with GPS to meet your friends. And to ensure that you live to the fullest your experience in Eurovision. It is available for iOS and Android.
HISTORY OF EUROVISION
What does this television contest have to drive crazy Europe and part of the world? Let’s see briefly what the origins were like.
It was the middle of the 50s and the European Economic Community, predecessor of the European Union, was growing. There was the feeling to cooperate with neighbour countries. So, it was a perfect time to organize an international music contest, and to test for the first time how to broadcast live television for a massive audience.
The beginnings were exciting. Renowned singers from each country as well as new talents competed with their European colleagues for fame. Every performance was surrounded by pyrotechnics, dancers and props never seen before.
For political reasons, only Western and non-communist countries participated in the beginning of the show. However, over the years the number of participants have grown up to 43 countries.
HOW DOES EUROVISION WORK?
A few days before the final there are two semi-finals in which each participant country sends a singer or a duet to compete with others, except Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and the host country, that send their singers directly to the final. In the final 26 participants perform a live show and the winner is chosen by a combination of votes from the audience and the impartial jury.
The winner is then announced and rewarded with a crystal microphone and with a promise of success in his or her artistic career. In general, his or her country is the host country for the event the following year.
EUROVISION LISBON 2018
This explanation brings us to this year’s event, which will take place in May in Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. Thousands of attendees will enjoy what has become one of the most iconic concerts in the world. The musical talent is surrounded by a show that involves pyrotechnics, dancers and political claims.
The event is also known for showing tolerance and diversity among singers of different races or sexual orientations.
To fully enjoy the show, it is convenient to drop by the host city the week before- That way we can enjoy the tides of people from all countries that are going to support their countries. And attend to the concerts and events that are organized throughout the city.
HOW TO ACQUIRE THE TICKETS FOR EUROVISION?
Buying tickets for the venue is a difficult task. Especially for attending the final. The first round of tickets are sold, though. In the upcoming months the organization will sell the rest of them. Do not miss the last minute information as well as the latest news, participants and events. Everything is on the free Eurovision app. It is available for free for iOS and Android.
WHERE TO ENJOY EUROVISION IN LISBON?
The neuralgic areas to go are the MEO Arena and Eurovision Village. The latest is placed in Praça do Comércio. The opening will take place on the 6th of May in the Arena.
The first and the second semi final on the 8th and 10th of May respectively. The final on the 12th of May. In Praça do Comércio there will be events over the week and big screens to view the show on live. You can check all the information on the official page of Eurovision.
WHAT TO DO IN LISBON?
In addition to the concerts, tourists have the privilege of enjoying Lisbon. It is a picturesque city at the gates of the Atlantic Ocean that stands out for its beauty and its delicious food.
We strongly recommend visiting during the day the neighborhood of Alfama. It is the historical center of lisbon, characterized by their narrow white streets and their slopes in which to find views of the sea. Once up, we can visit the São Jorge Castle. At night we would go to the upper district, Bairro Alto. It is the most lively place to party and to drink in the capital.
If the weather is nice tourists can swim on the beach of or take the bus to the coastal town of Cascais. There is nothing better to enjoy Eurovision than to explore the city to the fullest and get the know the people. We suggest a different plan for each taste on this post. Whether we are looking for gastronomy, party, culture or nature.
Now you are all set to enjoy Eurovision in Lisbon. Drop us a line with your travel itinerary!
Pablo Clemente Pérez 