- Turismo de Lisboa

CITY GUIDE
LISBON
ESSENTIALS
Where to stay
F
rom the moment you arrive in Lisbon and see its
whitewashed buildings, terracotta roofs, bright
yellow trams and glorious vistas you’ll be captivated,
because the city is one of the prettiest capitals in Europe.
Although Neolithic tribes lived in the area, Lisbon was
really founded by Iberian Celts with its name deriving from
Phoenician traders’ term for ‘safe harbour’. Julius Caesar
later established it as the capital of Lusitania.
By the eighth century, the Moors had begun their
invasion of Portugal, and several Moorish castles can be
seen today, the most famous being the Castelo dos Mouros
in Sintra on the outskirts of Lisbon.
Following 60 years of union with Spain, Portugal
became independent, although it was occupied by the
French under Napoleon. In 1755 it was razed to the ground
by an earthquake which cost around 35,000 lives. Lisbon
was redesigned by the then-prime minister, the Marques de
Pombal – most notably in the district of Baixa, where wide
avenues and spacious squares sprouted up.
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What to do
Wander the fortified Moorish
quarters, or barrios, exploring the
city’s hills. Head to Bairro Alto for the
nightlife or trendy Chiado, and multicultural Mouraria, ancient Alfama and
Castelo, with the 12th-century São
Jorge Castle to the east.
Explore the UNESCO World
Heritage Belém Tower, dating from the
1500s, the city’s golden age.
The Teatro Romano museum
houses the ruined Roman
amphitheatre, built by Augustus,
while the Calouste Gulbenkhian
Museum houses Egyptian, Greek,
Roman, Islamic, Asian and European
art, including works by Rembrandt,
Rubens and Monet.
In the historic Alfama quarter the
battlements of Moorish São Jorge
(Saint George) castle give a bird's
eye view of the city. A stroll around
the only surviving district from the
earthquake takes you along cobbled
streets and up soaring hills – there are
lots of bars and restaurants en route.
Lisbon is, of course, the spiritual
home of fado, the plaintive folk music
that resonates around the Portuguese
capital’s streets and restaurants. Visit
the Museu do Fado, for the history of
its use in cinema to censorship in the
20th century.
For some of the finest architecture,
the Sé Catedral with its two bell
towers and a rose window is Lisbon’s
oldest building, built in the 12th
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PHOTOS ©: ISTOCK/ILLUSTRATION©: SCOTT JESSOP
With its charming cobbled streets, fabulous
coastal location and welcoming atmosphere,
the Portuguese capital is idyllic for stay-andcruise holidays, says Liz Jarvis
century on the foundations of a
mosque. Lisbon’s more recent links
to Christianity can also be seen at the
delightful Madre De Deus Convent on
the city's western edge, now home to
the National Azulejo tile museum.
Santa Justa Elevator, built by
the Portugal-born French architect
Raoul de Mesnier du Ponsard and
inaugurated in 1902, is a major
Lisbon attraction. The 45-metre high
iron tower, observation platform and
walkway connects the lower streets of
Baixa with the Carmo Square.
Another iconic sight is the yellow
wooden Tram 28. Start at the foot
of the 18th-century bohemian Bairro
Alto and pass through Baixa and
Chiado before snapping the churches
and castles on the cobbled hills of
Alfama and Graça.
For a total contrast, head to the
Parque Das Nacoes which showcases
striking contemporary architecture
backdropped by Europe's longest
bridge. There you’ll find a state-ofthe-art aquarium, a casino, and a
magnificent waterfront promenade.
Lisbon is also within easy reach
of some glorious beaches, all easily
accessible by public transport.
The most popular are along the
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Cascais-Estoril coastline; and the
astonishing Sintra-Cascais park, with
its astonishing vistas, is well worth
exploring if you have the time.
Where to eat
For sea views and an amazing
Mozambique and Portuguese-inspired
menu, head for Ibo Restaurante (iborestaurante.pt – the crab and mango
salad and grilled tiger prawns are
particularly good).
Open Brasserie Mediterránica
(open.pt) at the Inspira Santa Marta
Hotel serves Portuguese food with
a Mediterranean twist, using largely
organic, locally sourced food, in line
with the eco-friendly ethos of the
hotel. Open is also the only certified
gluten-free restaurant in the city and it
has vegetarian and vegan options.
Of course, no visit to Lisbon would
be complete without trying a custard
tart from Pasteis de Bélem, a family
business which guards a secret recipe
sold to them by monks in 1837.
What to buy
Hand-painted wall tiles and
ceramics, canned sardines in exquisite
packaging, antiques, cork and leather
goods.
Clockwise,
from top left:
The UNESCO
World Heritage
sight, Quinta
da Reguleira in
Sintra; comfort
and style at the
AlmaLusa hotel;
no trip to Lisbon is
complete without
a Pastel de nata
and a strong,
café preto, or
black coffee
Housed in an 18thcentury building, the delightful
boutique hotel AlmaLusa Baixa
has 28 rooms which are a mix of
exquisitely-designed studios and
suites decorated in earthy tones
with luxurious finishing touches.
It's located near the grand Praça
do Commercio in central Lisbon,
close to the nightlife hotspot of
Barrio Alto and stylish Chiado and
just five minutes from the Tagus.
The hotel restuarant has a
broad, varied menu with a long
wine list and there are many
traditional eateries nearby.
Rooms start a £114pp per night
(almalusahotels.com).
Getting around
The Lisboa card gives
you free and unlimited travel on
buses, trams and funiculars, and
free admission to 26 museums,
historic buildings and other places
of interest.
Go online: You can find out more
about Lisbon at visitlisboa.com. To
read about a cruise on the Douro go
to cruise-international.com/
cruise-review-river-douro/
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