Lisbon Travel Guide

The castle Sao Jorge has been built by the Moors in the mid 11th century, it was the last defensive stronghold of people who resided in the citadel: the Moorish governor(his palace was nearby) and the elite city administrators whose homes are visible today in the Archaeological site. After Dom Afonso Henriques conquered Lisbon on October 25th 1147,...

This is the oldest part of Lisbon, where muslims lived when they invaded the city, until they were expelled. You will find the cathedral and narrow streets with bars and restaurants offering authentic fado during the evening.

This tower was part of the Tagus river defense system It has been built betwen 1514 and 1520. It is one of the most popular building of Lisbon if not of all Portugal and it is one of the architectural jewels of the kingdom of Manuel I. In 1983 it has been classified by UNESCO as "Cultural Heritage of Humanity".

This is a must do ….and a nice one of its kind! Little pastries with a vanilla cream inside baked and with a little cinnamon on top. Simple good and not expensive. …..I wonder why more words makes a better tip?

This is one of the oldest surviving coffeehouses in Lisbon. It has done virtually nothing to change the opulent but faded Art Nouveau decor that has prevailed since it became a fashionable rendezvous in 1905. Once a gathering place of Lisbon's literati, it was the favored social spot of the Portuguese poet Bocage. Patrons sit at small tables on...

This is perhaps the most upscale interpretation of a beer restaurant I have run across. The restaurant, now run by the Sagres Brewery, is a converted monastery, and like many monasteries, brewed its own beer. They claim to be the oldest beer brewery in Lisbon. Except for some ornate tiles on the wall, the place doesn't look like much on the...

If you are asked 200€ to enter a nightclub … they do not want you to go in! In most clubs arround the world, the normal procedure is that you wait in line and pay what you pay to enter the club when it comes your turn. But not in Lisbon… Many clubs here will “discriminate” you based on what you are wearing, with whom you are, etc… Regular...

The Santo Amaro Docks is a part of the former industrial docks by the Tejo river that has now been torned in to an upscale cafe/restaurant area that is in particular lively during the evening hours and it´s a really nice place to go if you want to hang out with friends for an evening, starting with a good dinner and then moving on to some drinks...

Everybody knows Amalia, but the real first icon of fado was Maria Severa, a reference to Amália herself. There's a fado restaurant with her name in Bairro Alto, but she lived and sung in Mouraria, by the castle. Rua do Capelão, (a known fado theme thanks to Severa), is the place where she lived, with her house well identified. Several small...

I was very impressed by Lisbon's metro system during my visit in September 2016. Back in 2012 on my previous visit, I walked a lot around the Portuguese capital and did not use the underground metro system at all. I realise now that I could have saved my feet from a lot of blisters! Lisbon has a fairly extensive metro system which links many of the...

What’s the best travel card for a tourist, in the triangle Lisbon – Cascais – Sintra? Well, maybe… none. I explain: In Cascais or Sintra and connecting them, the only public transport is bus, owned by Scotturb - www.scotturb.com Local service in Cascais is called BusCas, paid in the bus (1.00€). Local service in Sintra is called Sintraline, paid...

To use the Metro you have to get first a rechargable card: Viva Viagem, it costs € 0.50 plus € 0.85 for each ride (small discount if you buy more). This card has different possible modes: Metro or Metro, Bus and Tram, or Suburban Trains.... You have to be carefull, you can switch modes only when the card is emty or new. If you are going to move...

During my stay in Lisbon it rained a lot. When I decided to visit the new area around Oriente station I practically could not avoid going inside the Vasco de Gama mall as it was the only warm and dry place where to wait for the weather to get any better. It is a big mall with many shops and also many public chairs where to sit and read something if...

This large food market is opened since 1892. On the ground floor you can find fruits, vegetables; meat, fish and other food. There are also various cafes and eateries on the ground floor. This market is opened from 6 a. m to 2 p. m. It is closed on sundays.

Lisbon has them too: sex shops. This one, Megasex II is one of the bigger one and also is available on the Internet. Interesting to see how their products are names in Portuguese: Vibradores, vaginas, afrodisiacos, sadomaso, filmes pornográficos, revistas, bonecas, etc...

Ginginha do Carmo is the most recent hype in terms of Ginja. You can find it in several places, all freshly built, so it's not a place with big traditions and a story behind. For me, it's too sweet. And I must say, I really prefer to have some ginja in a place that has been there for several years, and with their own production... You know, where...

The Guarda Nacional Republicana at the Largo do Carmo is well guarded. The Guarda Nacional Republicana was founded in 1801 asthe Guarda Real de Policia (Royal Police Guard). These are special security troops.

Portuguese are traditionally catholics, tradition that is fading, mainly in the big cities. Here and there religion is mixed with popular beliefs with stronger manifestations than the official religion. A medical doctor from the second half of the 19th century, Sousa Martins, dedicated his life fighting tuberculosis, with such empathy with his...

Apart from being a nice country Portugal is teeming with scammers and thieves. I have multiple bad and bitter experiences with Portuguese businesses trying to steal my money and if I tell all the stories here it will take many pages and a full day to write them all. At first they seem very friendly and smiling at you (and a lot of people are nice,...

We are Brits living in Portugal. Almost every time my wife and I are in Lisbon we are hassled by hash sellers. All drugs are decriminalised for personal use in Portugal (the focus is on health to help addicts instead), and unfortunately that extends to the dealers unless they are caught with a huge amount on them. Result, there are more hash...

If on top of the value indicated on the taximeter the taxi driver sums extra 2€, it is probably because you have put some luggage in the trunk. You are not being ripped off 😉 What is scam is if the taxi driver takes you more than 12-15 € for a trip from the airport to downtown Lisbon. Of course that if you are going to Estoril or Cascais...

It's true Lisbon can be dangerous at night (especially certain areas) mainly the downtown, but a lot of it is exagerated. I've been to Rossio many times at night (not alone obviously) and have never been mugged, robbed or even close to that. Ok so it was before 11pm... still it was already dark. After 11 would be a different story though, so alays...

On Friday ( November 27, 2015) at about 8:00pm, my hotel ( DoubleTree, Fontana Park/ Lisbon) arranged with Retalis (www.retalis.pt) to send a taxi to take us to Fundação Gulbenkian. The driver came soon after 8:00pm and drove us to the center. Upon arrival, I handed the driver a €20 note. The fare was just under €8. He gave me back €2 and a few...

This is the worst eating experience I ever had. The vegetarian dish tasted like nothing, after complaining, the waiter showed us the desserts card. Thinking it would be free, we ordered a pudding, but it was added to the bill as well. Very bad price-value relation. There’s Indian restaurants around the corner, and a very good Maroccan one, Ali A...

Lisbon is often nicknamed the "city of seven hills". These hills are very steep, and most often the streets or stairs leading up there are not in very good condition. The cobblestoned pavements aren't much better, so bring some sturdy shoes. In rainy weather the stones also become quite slippery.

Lisbon is completely covered in cobblestones - uneven and very slippery cobblestones. Plus, the up and down terrain throughout the city makes for very treacherous walking if you are in anything but flat shoes with a rubber sole. Seriously. Do not think you will be OK wearing heels of any kind unless you plan on taking a taxi door-to-door, from...

I usually borrow guide books from a library for my travels, but sometimes I feel like I have to buy a guide book just to make my bookshelf look well travelled. As I was really looking forward to finally visiting Lisbon, I decided to buy the "Rough Guide to Lisbon". Rough Guides are my prefered travel book series.I read quite a lot in this book...

Mandatory for anyone spending more than two days in Lisbon, a trip along the coast until Cascais allows you to see some beautiful beaches lined with classical palaces and modern villas. Estoril joins the best of the several beaches with the Casino that now has got some competition in Lisbon but keeps being a highlight in Lisbon's coast. It's also...

This residential area, a little bit in the outskirts of town when built, now almost in the heart of it, keeps its original look and lifestyle. The local market, inaugurated in 1939, suffered already two transformations, trying to adapt to the new standards (including tourism). It's a calm area to stay, but with short tourist facilities.

One of the oldest traditions still in use in Lisbon is the "Volta Saloia" that consists in going out from Lisbon to the surrounding small towns and villages, from where the "saloios" (rural folks) used to feed Lisbon. It's a search of nature, and culturally unspoilt people. Well, things are changing, and the landscape evidences the hand of...

Estádio José Alvalade is the Soccer stadium for the Sporting Clube de Portugal, One of Portugal's most popular soccer teams. it was completed in 2003 and includes a movie theater among other amenities.

We happened to be in Lisbon when the Lisbon Marathon was being run. It was a lovely morning for it, at least it was for watching it. The route took the runners down the seafront, finishing in the Praca de Comercio. It looked very good, though we didn't stay to see them finish as we were off to Sintra for the day. We saw some of the half marathoners...

Estádio José Alvalade is the Soccer stadium for the Sporting Clube de Portugal, One of Portugal's most popular soccer teams. it was completed in 2003 and includes a movie theater among other amenities.

Once upon a time, I lived in Lisbon, when the cultural references for most of our citizens were those maniac that seven or eight centuries ago went east and south to cut Muslim's throats. The dictatorship times were gone, and it's a pleasure to meet another Lisbon, where tolerance and multicultural coexistence is appreciated. More than a...

I stayed just off of Avenida da Liberdade (at the Ibis Hotel) and I spent lots of time strolling up and down. This was especially so when I just arrived in Lisbon and my room was not yet ready. I was dead tired and walked up and down this palm lined avenue just trying to keep awake. There are plenty of cafes, pasteurises and restaurants here to...

When I lived in Lisbon (I left in 1972) the city was divorced from the river. Ugly and dirty banks, abandoned buildings, dangerous territory! With EXPO 98 Lisbon rediscovered the river, and now Tejo is not only the traditional theme for poems and fado, but also a well maintained resource, with lots of places where we can safely stroll, rest, or...