Lisboa

About Lisboa

Lisbon spreads across seven hills along the Tagus estuary, and walking it means climbing cobbled streets polished by centuries. Its historic heart is the Pombaline Baixa, rebuilt in a grid after the 1755 earthquake, linking the riverside Praça do Comércio —with its Arco da Rua Augusta— to Rossio. From there you climb into Alfama, the Moorish-medieval maze of impossible lanes where fado and azulejo-tiled houses survive, crowned by Castelo de São Jorge (general entry ~€15). Opposite, Bairro Alto and Chiado blend century-old bookshops like Bertrand with nightlife. The yellow tram 28 links Graça, Alfama and Estrela; the Santa Justa lift and the Senhora do Monte or São Pedro de Alcântara viewpoints offer the best panoramas. Six km west by the river lies Belém: the Jerónimos Monastery and the Belém Tower, both UNESCO sites, and the original Pastéis de Belém bakery, going since 1837. Lisbon is markedly cheaper than Barcelona or Paris: a bica (espresso) runs €0.80-1.20, an imperial (small beer) €1.50-2.50, and a set lunch menu costs €10-15. The metro (single fare €1.90) and commuter trains to Sintra and Cascais make getting around easy. Humberto Delgado airport sits just 7 km out, on the red metro line about 20 minutes from the centre. In June the city erupts with the Festas de Lisboa: on the night of Santo António (12-13 June), Alfama, Mouraria and Graça fill with grilled sardines, street arraiais and the Marchas Populares down Avenida da Liberdade. Three days cover the essentials, though Sintra deserves an extra day.