Guide to Lisbon

"Sitting on a series of hills above the sprawling Tejo estuary, Portugal's capital is intertwined by a labyrinth of cobbled streets. Famous for its liveliness, Lisbon has a varied cultural calendar that is bursting with something for everyone. Bairro Alto is the district for party people, crammed full of vibrant bars, while the Gulbenkian Museum with its inspirational art and the Mosteiro dos Jeronimos will appeal to culture lovers."

Portugal's capital has irresistible facets lacking in many other capitals, especially in its friendliness and its unbroken continuity with the past. Lisbon suffered great losses in the earthquake (and subsequent fire and flood) of 1755, leading to the rebuilding of much of the city in a stately style, typically 18th-century and with streets laid out in a distinctive grid. Some significant monuments have been restored, and there is still much history in evidence on Lisbon's streets.
The impressive square of Praco do Comercio is well worth a visit; for 400 years it has been the site of the Royal Palace, and it is easy to imagine the grandeur of the spectacle to visiting dignitaries in dyas gone by. The hilltop quarter of Bairro Alto has a smart but laid-back feel and provides some wonderful dining, upmarket shopping and the beautiful ruin of Igreja do Carmo. The remains of this Carmelite church stand as a testament to the 1755 earthquake, and are still impressive, housing an archaeological museum in the original chancel. The district of Belem is 20 minutes from the city centre and its buildings are remarkably unravaged; the Torre de Belem is a magnificent tower; heavily embellished with the impressive stonework and featuring unusual loggia, Moorish-style details and protective symbols.
In the heart of this beguiling city, the raffish jostles the elegant, and the fading rubs shoulders with the glossy, for here you will find a kaeidoscope of smart boutiques and street traders, of broad boulevards, and decrepit alleys. Built on as many hills as Rome, Lisbon is as much fun to get around as it is to look at. The city's 'electicos' (trams) rattle up and down narrow cobbled streets, whilst the century-old 'elevadores' (funiculars) link high and low points in more stately fashion. Lisbon cafe and nightlife are particularly exciting, due in part to the vibrant Latin American and African music (a contemporary reminder of Portugal's past). You can linger over a 'bica' (small black coffee) in a haunt of the city's intellectuals; dance to salsa, samba or 60s; or listen to Portugal's long-established version of the blues; 'fado' music.
Indoors, Lisbon has wondrous museums: the Gulbenkian, with its collection of Lalique glass, porcelain, carpets, silver and furniture, the museum of Arte Antiga with its superb collection of silver and even an azulejo museum. There are handicrafts to buy, antiques, jewellery and lace or bric-a-brac in the weekly 'Thieves' Market' in the Alfama.

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