Lisbon · Cascais · Portugal
A touch of the impossible by the Tagus.
Conference, incentive trip or private celebration: in Lisbon and along the Cascais coast, Isma Zmerli turns the evening into a shared mystery with close-up magic and mentalism in English or French.
5.0 on Google (500+ reviews) · English or French · Answer within 24 hours, no commitment
Three formats
A Lisbon programme can move from a conference day in Parque das Nações or Belém to an evening in a former convent or on a terrace above the river. Each format answers a different part of that schedule.
Sunset reception
On a terrace facing the Tagus or in a cloister lit for the evening, Isma moves from one cluster of guests to the next. A secret thought spoken aloud, an object that jumps from one hand to another: conversation starts by itself, whatever your guests’ nationalities.
For aperitifs at sunset and incentive evenings.
Gala dinner
Between the main course and dessert, a stage feature invites a few volunteers to join Isma while the room follows every choice they make. The show relies on what people do and see, so it suits guests flown in from several countries.
You provide a microphone and a stage space.
Web Summit week
When Lisbon fills with founders and investors each November, Isma’s engineering background in artificial intelligence becomes part of the show: the audience tries to outguess an algorithm. For a more educational angle, see the AI keynote.
For side events, launches and partner dinners.
Tell Isma about your audience and running order: he will help you choose, with no commitment. For a company event, see also corporate magician and mentalist.
Lisbon and the Estoril coast
A direct flight from Paris reaches Lisbon in about two and a half hours. Every set is shaped to its room: an exhibition hall, a hotel ballroom, a convent cloister in Beato or a terrace facing the 25 de Abril bridge.
Isma works in English or French rather than Portuguese, a good match for the international audiences of the city’s conferences and for teams that use English at work.
Conferences and fairs
Web Summit fills the MEO Arena and the FIL halls in Parque das Nações each November, while the Centro de Congressos de Lisboa, close to Belém, hosts association congresses. Mentalism on stage can open a plenary; close-up belongs to the evening programme.
Historic settings
For gala dinners, Lisbon offers historic settings such as the Pátio da Galé on Praça do Comércio, the Convento do Beato or the MAAT on the riverfront in Belém. The magic starts at the reception and moves to the stage once dinner is under way.
Hotels and resorts
Conferences at the Corinthia Lisbon, dinners at the Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon or the Pestana Palace, incentives in Cascais and Estoril: close-up for groups on the move, stage mentalism once everyone is seated.
Baixa, Chiado, Príncipe Real, Avenida da Liberdade, Marquês de Pombal, Avenidas Novas, Parque das Nações, Belém, Alcântara, Beato, Alfama
Oeiras, Carcavelos, Estoril, Cascais, Sintra, Ericeira, Mafra, Setúbal, Arrábida, Comporta
Two and a half hours or so on a direct flight from Paris, and Cascais around 40 minutes from Cais do Sodré by train. Isma’s travel from Paris is costed in the proposal.
Good to know: Lisbon runs one hour behind Paris all year round, so give local times when you send your schedule. And during Web Summit week in November, hotels across the city book up well in advance.
What clients say
Corporate event · Mentalism
★★★★★
“A huge thank you to Isma! An incredible performance: our clients absolutely loved it. Professional, astonishing and incredibly friendly. We recommend him wholeheartedly!”
Corporate event · VIP guests
★★★★★
“Isma is fascinating and charismatic: the perfect experience and wow factor for our event with VIP guests. We were all amazed by his talent, and the guests are still talking about it.”
Company plenary · 200 employees
★★★★★
“Everyone loved the entertainment! […] He was very accommodating and tailored his performance to our company’s needs and industry.”
Meet Isma
On stage or up close with your guests, Isma turns surprise into an experience people share.
The art of capturing attention and getting your guests involved.
Trained in machine learning and deep learning.
A master’s degree exploring perception, attention and decision-making.
Easy to organise
One conversation is enough to get started, even if your programme is still taking shape.
Your questions
No. You can choose English or French, and international conferences and incentive groups in Lisbon usually work in English, which makes the show easy to follow. If many of your guests speak only Portuguese, mention it from the start so you can decide together whether the format fits.
Yes, for the events companies organise around it: client dinners, partner receptions or a team night. Web Summit takes place every November at the MEO Arena and FIL, and the city is busy that week, so get in touch early.
Yes. Hotels and estates along the Estoril coast, in the hills of Sintra or near the beaches of Comporta are all within reach. Name the town and venue when you write; the journey is set out in the quote.
Yes. Close-up works outdoors as long as guests can gather in small groups, and a set usually covers one to three hours, according to the guest list. For stage mentalism in the open air, plan sound and a sheltered spot in case the evening turns windy.
Spring and autumn are popular for incentives and conferences, and November brings Web Summit. In June the city celebrates Santo António, with street parties and parades on the night of 12 June that keep the old quarters very busy.
Pricing follows your programme: close-up or stage, running time, number of guests and date. Flights from Paris are set out in the quote, which reaches you within 24 hours once you have shared the date and venue.
Let’s talk about your event
Share your date, venue and programme for a quote, or ask which format would suit your guests.
Reply within 24 hours.
Across Europe and beyond: a selection of our recent dates.
