Lisbon - Experience
Seductive and fun, but with a sense of yearning, Portugal's eclectic capital city is built on seven hills. Famous for its seafarers and melancholic fado music, Lisbon is a vibrant mix of ancient azulejos tiles and vibrant riverfront bars.
St George’s Castle crowns the ancient Alfama district, looking across to the majestic ruins of Carmo Convent. The imposing Comércio Square leads to the neoclassical Baixa district. Belém Tower guards the city's seafaring past, while the Vasco da Gama Bridge takes the city into the future.
Splash out on designer labels in the Baixa-Chiado and Avenida da Liberdade, buy traditional leather goods and jewellery in the Campo de Ourique and international brands in Vasco da Gama shopping centre. Glimpse local life in the Mercado da Ribeira fish market and rummage for bric-a-brac at the Thieves Market in the Alfama.
Lisbon life spills into pavement cafés on every square. Take a seat at classical favourite Suiça in Praça da Figueira, or literary A Brasileira in the Bairro Alto. Marvel at the views from the city's panoramic miradouro look-outs and take in the formal gardens of Edward VII Park. Welcome shade awaits in the tropical cool of the Botanic Garden.
Unwind to live music over an evening meal at fado houses such as the Adega Mesquita in the Bairro Alto or Alfama favourite Clube de Fado. Don't miss the quality performances by the Gulbenkian Orchestra and Choir or jazz, contemporary dance and performance art at the Belém Cultural Centre. Head to the Camões Theatre for the National Ballet of Portugal.
Portuguese cuisine is an all-day experience. Ponder over the secret recipe of the custard tarts (pasteis) in Belém and stop in Bairro Alto for salted codfish with cream (bacalhau com natas). Go upmarket for modern Portuguese cuisine at Michelin-starred Restaurant Eleven in Edward VII Park or choose from Asian and Japanese dishes in Alcântara and Nations Park, but don't turn down the budget bowl of soup or Brazilian buffet in the shopping centres.
Climb the steps to the roof of the National Pantheon for a view over the red rooftops of the Alfama. For even headier vistas, cross the 25 de Abril Bridge and ascend 109m to the Christ the King statue for a panoramic view of Lisbon.
