Lisbon Travelers Recommend

Lisbon is a city to get lost in, wandering steep, narrow streets lined with tiled buildings, and discovering hidden bars and cafes. Day 1: History, Hills & Local Flavor Start at Rossio and head south into the Baixa district. Wander along the old shopping streets past elegant buildings with their tiled facades. At the other end of Baixa, you reach Praca do Comercio. Day 2: Museums, Monasteries and the River Tagus The western waterfront area of Belem on the River Tagus is full of museums, including a Naval Museum, an Archaeological Museum and a modern cultural center. Day 3: Day Trips from Lisbon Sintra is famed for its gardens and turreted buildings. Enjoy the beaches on the Sunny Coast or Portuguese Riviera. Visit the Estoril casino, the Bay of Cascais and the wild waves of Boca do Inferno.

Day trips from Lisbon to the UNESCO World Heritage listed town of Sintra kick off with guided tours of its magical palaces. Later, a drive through pine-swathed hills leads to the western edge of Europe at the rugged cliffs of Cabo da Roca – and that’s all before exploring the traditional fishing village of Cascais and driving back to Lisbon along the wild Atlantic coastline. Within easy reach of Lisbon there’s a cross-section of traditional villages to discover; a tour of fortified Óbidos combines perfectly with lunch in the fishing village of Nazaré, famous for its surfing waves, and guided visits to the UNESCO-listed monasteries at Batalha or Alcobaça and Portugal’s most sacred sight, the Sanctuary of the Virgin Mary at Fátima. To uncover the story of the mysterious Knights Templar, the Christian militia that played a monumental part in medieval European history, take a guided boat trip to fortified Almourol Castle, sitting high over the banks of the Tagus River.

Portugal is renowned for its wines and fortified port wines. Tours head off from Lisbon to the surrounding vineyards and wineries, where you can see how the wines are made, get a feel for the centuries-old winemaking traditions and, most importantly, taste the fine wines produced here. Pair wines with Portugal’s famous Azeitao cheese, or visit the Herdade do Esporao estate in Reguengos de Monsaraz to sip award-winning oak-aged wines. At Quinta de Santana in Mafra, wines are served in the picturesque surroundings of rolling hills striped with vines, providing glimpses of the sea. Of course, you don’t need to leave Lisbon to sample a good drop. The city’s atmospheric wine bars serve sparkling whites and ruby reds accompanied by Portuguese tapas like sausage and olives, or garlicky prawns and clams.

Seafood abounds throughout the city; sardines, dorado and sea bass come perfectly grilled, while the rich fish and seafood stew Caldeirada is spiced with chili and bulked with green vegetables, but the national dish of Portugal is cod – bacalhau – and it is served in virtually all Lisbon restaurants, whether grilled, cooked with rice and scrambled eggs, cooked au gratin or as fritters. Pork comes in many guises too; carne de porco Alentejana pairs pork with clams and roast potatoes, while the bifana is the Lisbon street food of choice, comprising layers of thinly sliced pork steak sautéed with garlic or onions and presented in a bread roll. Rivaling cod in the popularity stakes, Caldo verde (literally ‘green soup’) is a broth made with onions, cabbage, potatoes and occasionally chourico (smoked sausage). It’s often served late at night in fado clubs, as reassuring and nourishing as fado is mournful and haunting.

Lovely Lisbon has two UNESCO World Heritage listed sights; the landmark Belém Tower is the symbol of Portugal’s 16th-century maritime power and perches on the Tagus River. It was completed in 1519 to commemorate Vasco da Gama’s discovery of a sea route to India. Also inspired by Da Gama’s navigational successes, the Monastery of St Jerome (he is patron saint of sailors) is also UNESCO listed; it once stood on the river side but the course of the Tagus has changed. The monastery is a paean to the elaborate Gothic architecture of the Portuguese Golden Age and its beautiful cloisters are covered with maritime carvings and motifs. Around Lisbon there are many attractions of great international significance; the entire hill town of Sintra is designated a UNESCO site. Its red-roofed, white-washed National Palace dates from the 14th century and has one of the world’s most important collections of azulejo tiles decorating its flamboyant paneled and gilded apartments.

Fado is Portugal’s proud musical tradition. The often mournful melodies and lyrics of fado tell tragic stories of the sea and the hardships of life lived by the poor. Fado is linked to the Portuguese word ‘saudade’, a hard to define word conjuring up the sense of loss and homesickness felt by sailors. The soulful songs can be accompanied by solo guitar, a string quartet or even a full orchestra. It’s easy to experience the romance of fado while you’re in Lisbon. Combine dinner and a fado floorshow with folk dance and music at one of the city’s renowned fado restaurants.