Lisbon, Portugal
The capital city of Portugal is full of historic sites, palaces, beautiful tile work on buildings and the sidewalks, unique and fresh food and so much more. Its a beautiful city a long the Tagus River. The culture is very unique and coming to Portugal you can see where countries like Brazil and much of Latin American culture evolved from. While you are in Lisbon you can taste the fresh fish, and the numerous pastries the nation is famous for. A must see while in Lisbon is also the famous Fado music you can find all over the city but especially in the Alfama district in Lisbon. There are also nice day trip options from Lisbon as well that are well worth it. Donna and I went to Lisbon in 2017 and in 2018 on stay over options while flying the national carrier of Portugal TAP Portugal Airlines. After visiting Portugal I understand why it is rated as one of the most up and coming tourist destinations!
Getting to Lisbon and transportation
There are a few ways to get to Lisbon depending on where you are coming from. If you are coming from North America the best option is to fly into the Lisbon Humberto Delgado International Airport. There are numerous airlines that fly into Lisbon but TAP Portugal is the main airline (flag carrier of Portugal) and gives the most options. They offer free stop overs where if you are flying elsewhere you can spend a few days in Lisbon or Porto. If you are in another city in Europe Rail is an option or many cruise lines visit Lisbon if you want to take a cruise that stops in the city. When you get to Lisbon there are many public transportation options to get you around the city. Lisbon has a subway system that does go to the airport and to much of the city. Lisbon also has many historic trolley lines that take you around the city and up the many hills (its nice to keep you from walking the steep inclines). There are also many Taxis around the city you can hire. We used a private transfer from the airport to our hotel. It is not overly expensive (around $20-30 a person). If you are touring a great option is to take a hop-on hop-off bus tour like we have done on multiple occasions that really helps you see the most you can. You can also book guided tours as we have as well that gives you a good overview of the city.
Other Country Information
Portugal is a part of the European Union and is a part of the Schengen agreement that allows for easy entry into other European countries. Portugal is located on the Iberian Peninsula and has a mild climate. While other area’s of Europe can get very cold in the winter, that is not usually the case in Lisbon. The currency in Portugal is the Euro and it is usually worth a little more than a US Dollar. The language of Portugal is Portuguese but like in many countries in Europe English is spoken in many areas and we had not trouble communicating with people in Portugal. Portugal is a very affordable country to visit compared to some countries in Europe. Food and accommodations will not hurt the pocketbook too much in this capital city.
Tower of Belem
On our first day in Lisbon Donna and I took a hop on hop off bus tour of Lisbon. One of our first stops was in the historic Belem area of Lisbon that lies along the Tagus river. One of the highlights is the UNESCO World Heritage site called the Tower of Belem. This ornate defensive structure was built in the 1500s and survived the Great Lisbon Earthquake that leveled most of the city. The tower was built to protect the mouth of the Tagus river and Lisbon from attack. For a few Euros you can tour all levels of the tower including walking up a narrow staircase to get great views of Lisbon, the river and the 25 de Abril bridge (it looks much like the Golden Gate Bridge. While in the tower you can read about its history and the Portuguese Age of Discoveries. This is a must see place in the Belem area and it will take you at most an hour to visit.
Museu do Combatente (Museum of Combat)
A short walk from the Tower of Belem is another interesting and affordable museum you can visit. Located inside Bom Sucesso Fort you can look at exhibits, military equipment and the history of Portuguese military power. I was well aware of the Power Portugal had during the Age of the Discoveries but I was unaware of the combat Portugal was a part of as their colonies in Africa such as Angola fought for independence. You can also learn about the current Portuguese military in the museum. The museum is fairly small so an hour or so is all what it will take, but for just a couple Euros its worth the visit. We enjoyed the visit there and it got us out of the rain for a little while.
Monument of the Discoveries
In the Belem area near the Tower of Belem you can see the Monument of the Discoveries. For many years Portugal was a powerhouse of exploration and discovery with famous explorers such as Vasco Da Gama, Henry the Navigator and many others. Many of the ships exploring the world from Portugal left from the area where the monument stands. The monument looks like a ship and sail and has sculptures of many of the people who helped with Portuguese exploration. In the base of the Monument you can pay to ride the elevator to near the top of the monument. A few stairs take you up to the rather narrow top of the monument that gives you good views of the area. It will take you around 30 minutes to see the monument and visit the top if you want to. We enjoyed the views on our second visit to the area in 2018.
Jeronimos Monastery and Portuguese Maritime Museum
Still in the Belem area of Lisbon is the beautiful Jeronimos Monastery. The elaborate monastery was built in the 1400s and was also a survivor of the Great Earthquake of 1755 in Lisbon. You can buy a ticket to walk through the main Chapel (we decided to skip this due to time constraints) and admire the magnificent architecture of the building. On one side of the Monastery is the very interesting Maritime Museum. This fairly large museum goes over Portugal’s impressive maritime history that spanned for many years. Portugal was at the forefront of exploration and colonization during the Age of Discovery. Portugal had colonies in places such as Brazil and Africa. In this museum you can see artifacts from many different ships and learn about the people that explored on this ships so many years ago. It will take you an hour or two at this spot depending on how fast you tour and it will cost a few Euros for admission.
Sao Jorge Castle
On a towering hill near the Alfama district of Lisbon sits a Moorish Castle that over looks Lisbon. The Moors were Muslims from Northern Africa that occupied areas of Europe such as the Iberian Peninsula. The area of the Castle has been fortified since Roman times but this Castle was built during Medieval times. For a few Euros you can tour the Castle and read historical plaques about it. We took some time to walk on top of the walls and see the exhibits. The views of Lisbon and the Tagus River are very nice from the Castle. We got up to the Castle by trolley just before sunset so we were able to see the sun set over Lisbon from the Castle area. There are shops and restaurants in the Alfama district you can visit as you leave the Castle. The Alfama district is a very old area of the city so it is interesting to walk through.
Santa Justa Lift
After we toured the Belem area, finished the hop on hop off bus and rode the trolley up to the Castle area we walked back to the main area of the city and the Augustus Street. On the way we passed by one of this lifts built in the late 1800s in an interesting Gothic lift that linked a lower and upper area of the city. For a price you can ride the elevator to the top for the view. The line was very long and it is somewhat pricey so we opted to just look at it from below and go eat before our walk to the hotel. It is a unique attraction in the city.
Rua Augustus, Comercio Square, Avenida Da Liberdade, Restauradores Square and the Marques de Pombal
Throughout Lisbon there are grand streets of shops, beautiful statues, squares and shops. Donna and I on both trips to Lisbon had the chance to walk down Rua Augustus and see the many shops on the way to Comercio Square. Rua Augustus is the large pedestrian street the runs through downtown Lisbon. There are many shops, restaurants and street vendors along this beautiful street. On our first trip to Lisbon we ate some of the freshest seafood we had ever had at a restaurant just off from the street. The Rua Augustus connects to the large Comercio Square that ends at the Tagus river. Comercio Square contains a museum about beer and some other restaurants and stores. We did not stop at the museum but it looked nice. We did take pictures in the square near the statue of one of Portugal’s Kings and of the beautiful architecture in the area. A short walk from the Comercio Square is a pickup point for some of the trolleys that can take you to Alfama and the Sao Jorge Castle. Avenida Da Liberdade is a major street where you can find shopping, restaurant and theaters. The Restauradores Square is found along Avenida Da Liberdade and contains a nicely tiled walk way like much of Lisbon and an obelisk. On the Avenida you will find all the expensive shops you can find in New York or Paris. You feel like you are walking on a Parisian street when walking down this street. The Avenida makes it way to the center of the city to the Praca Marques de Pombal. The round about circles the impressive statue of the Marques de Pombal. The Marques de Pombal was instrumental in helping Lisbon through the Great Earthquake of 1755 and bringing reform. There is also the Eduardo VII Park behind the Marques De Pombal statue you can walk through. The park is on a hill so at the top you can get a decent view of the city. At the Marques De Pombal Plaza you can catch many of the hop on hop off buses in the city. It is stop number 1. We spent a few hours on both trips walking through these areas and it is well worth it and free unless you go shopping.
Oceanario De Lisbon
Located in a newer area of Lisbon in the Parque das Nações is the very large Oceanarium of Lisbon. The aquarium is very nice and has many different fish, animals and plants you can see. Most of the Oceans have exhibits and it is very well done. They also have temporary exhibits and many interactive areas you can experience. They have everything translated into English next to the Portuguese so you can read about what you are seeing. We visited the Oceanarium on our second trip to Lisbon and it took us a couple hours to tour. The cafeteria there is a good place to take a break and the food is good and reasonably priced.
The Alfama District and Fado
The oldest area of Lisbon is the Alfama district that lies near the Sao Jorge Castle. Donna and I walked through the winding old street on a number of occasions during a few different tours and on our own. There are historic churches and some small museums in the area. The shops are restaurants and the history is the main attraction in this area. You can also find many Fado houses in the area. Fado is a beautiful Portuguese style of music that uses the Portuguese guitar and usually one singer. The songs are usually sad in tone but can be about anything. The singers can be male or female and in some cases there can be multiple people singing. Seeing a Fado show is a great way to get into the culture of Portugal and to me it is very nice music and relaxing. Donna and I took a Fado walking tour through Lisbon that went over Fado and its history starting in the 1800s. Our tour ended at a restaurant were we listened to quite a few Fado performances (they had different people and group perform a single song as we ate. It was a very nice evening and I recomend taking a Fado tour or at least going to see a show. Alfama is the area you will find many shows and where we went to see the show.
Jewish Tour and Churches of Lisbon
Donna and I had a layover in Lisbon of 15 hours at one point so we decided to take a private guided tour of Lisbon but we chose a different type of tour. Donna and I are not Jewish but we decided to take the Jewish Historical tour of Lisbon to learn a little more about the Jewish people and a different take on Lisbon. We had no idea that Lisbon had a sizable Jewish population historically and that Portugal was very tolerant towards the Jewish people when other areas were not as tolerant. On that tour we had the chance to see areas of Lisbon we had not seen before, visit many churches that even had Jewish symbols built into the Christian churches. Like in most countries there are stories of hardship like during the inquisition there were many Jewish people killed and burned. We visited Rossio Square where there is a monument and a church that was damaged during the massacre. Our tour guide Vasco was wonderful during this tour. The churches of Lisbon are beautiful like you can find in many places in Europe. We ended with a visit to a Synagogue who welcomed us inside to tour. We learned a lot on this unique tour! When you travel you never know what interesting things you might learn and see.
Other Sites in Lisbon
There is much more to see in Lisbon than what we went to. One way we got a good view of the city was on the Hop On Hop Off Bus. It allowed us to see areas we did not have a chance to visit. There are many other museums we would like to visit someday like the Military museum, the Portuguese tile museum (Portugal makes wonderful tiles that they use on their buildings, you see them all over Lisbon) and many others. It would take quite a bit of time to see everything Lisbon has to offer so depending on how much time you have plan out your itinerary so you can see as much as you can while there.
The Food of Lisbon and Portugal
The food in Lisbon and Portugal is great and there is a lot to try. The fish is very fresh and well done in Portugal and we had it a few times while in Lisbon. Pastries are one of the specialties in Lisbon and you will see many local pastry shops where you can get the favorite Portuguese Custard Tart. They are really wonderful especially when you put powdered sugar on top. Do not eat too many though since they are extremely rich. The local beer Sagres, and the Port and Maderia wine is very good. The juice is also very fresh (Compal is a Portuguese brand). You will find compared to some nations in Europe the food is very affordable. Be adventurous and give the different dishes a try!
Day Trips from Lisbon
There are some great day trips available to go just outside of Lisbon. Donna and I took a day trip to Sintra, Cabo da Roca, the devils mouth, and Estril. Our tour picked us up at the hotel and took us to the scenic small city of Sintra and up on top of a mountain to visit the whimsical Unesco World Heritage site Pena Palace. The palace is extremely coloful and has archetecture from different areas of the world built into it. It was built in the 1800s and the rooms inside are just as impressive as the exterior. The ceilings are covered with carvings and the walls are impressive. Its a must see when visiting Lisbon/Sintra. Our tour then let us spend some time in the city of Sintra where we decided to tour the Newseum. It is a hidden gem that goes over not only Portuguese media but world media as well. Its a highly interactive museum and well worth a visit. We did not have much time to visit (about an hour) but we could have spent more time. The price was reasonable. After visiting Sintra we drove to the edge of Continental Europe at Cabo Da Roca. Its a scenic cliff that drops into the Atlantic ocean. There is a monument to the end of Europe there as well. Our final two stops were at the Devils Mouth where there is a cave that goes into the ocean that was believed to be an entrance to hell. Estril is a resort city where we drove through and saw the casino in the city. It was a great day trip on our first trip to Portugal and one I highly recommend. Another day trip we have not taken yet is to Fatima where you can see a holy Catholic church among other things.
Lisbon Tips
Lisbon is a great and affordable place to visit that is winning many awards when it comes to travel and culture. If you are traveling to Portugal or somewhere else in Europe TAP Portugal is a great option not only because of the service but the stopover option is a huge bonus. I cannot recommend the hop on hop off bus option in Lisbon and a tour to Sintra enough. They are the perfect way to see Lisbon. The trolley system is nice in Lisbon but it can be very crowded onboard the small trolleys. Watch for pick pockets on the trolleys since you can be a victim (we have not experienced it but it can happen). Staying in a hotel that is within walking distance of the Marques de Pombal plaza makes touring Lisbon much easier. We stayed at the Doubletree Hotel in Fontana Park and were able to easily get around the city. When in Lisbon try the local food for sure. The pastries and fish are great in Lisbon. Give yourself 2-3 days to be able to see much of the city but to see it all you will need longer. Also seeing a Fado show is a great cultural experience that I recommend. Lisbon is a fabulous place to visit so give it and Portugal a try!