When I told my colleagues in the Lisbon office that we'd be having a holiday in Lisbon they all agreed that we should take some time out of the city, get out to the hill town of Sintra and out to the beach at Cascais.…Read More

When I told my colleagues in the Lisbon office that we'd be having a holiday in Lisbon they all agreed that we should take some time out of the city, get out to the hill town of Sintra and out to the beach at Cascais. This could all be done with public transport, they told me, but if we went by train we wouldn’t be able to do both places in one day. However, if we hired a vehicle and a driver, we could get about more easily and see all we wanted in one day. One of my colleagues knew a couple of companies that might be able to help. She offered to ask around and get us an offer for a day tour. A few days later we received an offer by email and I booked for the four of us to have the driver and vehicle for nine hours, time enough to get to Sintra, out to the Cabo da Roca and back along the coast. It would cost us €195 for the day if we paid by credit card (via some complex paypal system) or they would knock off €5 for cash. I believe this was a small reduction on the normal price due to my colleague getting us ‘mates rates’ on the deal.


I had sent our hotel address and asked to be picked up at 10 am. At about ten to ten we got a phone call in our room from reception to let us know that the driver had arrived and would be waiting outside.

The vehicle was superb – a big plush silver Mercedes minibus-type vehicle with six leather upholstered seats. These were arranged in two rows so that nobody had to travel backwards. In the back of the van were bottles of waters and packets of tissues. The vehicle also apparently has WiFi but we didn’t test that.


The weather for our day out was awful. It looked grey when we set off and was soon drizzling. We made a short stop to look at a the outside of a pink palace in Queluz where one of the old kings sent his mad wife to live so he could get her out of his hair but this was really just a five minute ‘stretch your legs’ stop before we headed on to Sintra. It soon started to rain heavily in a way that’s really not typical for this area of Portugal. Vitor the driver told us that he’d planned to make a prayer to St Peter for good weather but he’d figured that we were British and probably not too bothered by a bit of rain. He also told us that we should take advantage of this being a private tour and take as long or as short a time as we wanted at each place where we stopped because he was completely relaxed about when we moved on.


The first big stop was Sintra, the small town in the hills where Portugal’s royals liked to stay. Sintra is said to have its own microclimate which makes it cooler in the summer and an attractive place for those who want to run away from the searing summer heat. Sadly for us, the famous microclimate on this day was monsoon-like.


My husband and I had been to Sintra before and had seen the palace in the centre of the town about ten years ago. I hadn’t realised that there was a more impressive palace up on the hill, Pena Palace, and this was the one we were due to visit. By the time we arrived the weather was absolutely shocking. Vitor drove us right up to the palace gates, but if you do go to Sintra without a car and driver, I’d recommend not to walk up the hill to the palace as it’s a lot further than it looks. As we drove along, Vitor kept up a near constant chatter, pointing out important buildings, telling us about the history of the town and about how people today are selling up their villas and moving their holiday places down to the coast.


Pena Palace is worthy of a review of its own so I’ll not go into the details here. It’s a fairy tale building set in fabulous gardens – although on this occasion, fabulous but very wet gardens. As palaces go, it’s fairly modest but it’s well worth a view. It’s the sort of place you can actually imagine living in, in a way that’s just not possible in many national palaces. Just be aware that the entrance fees are not included in your tour and are quite high at €13.50 per adult.


We just followed the standard recommended itinerary but if you want to see something else in Sintra, you only have to ask. It worked well for us as I’d have been disappointed to go to the other palace that we’d already visited but if you’ve been before and already seen something and don’t want to see it again, just discuss it with Premiumtours when you book and they’ll happily offer an alternative set of attractions.


After the palace, Vitor took us back into the town centre and told us where we could buy the local speciality pastries for which the town is famous. There are two types, trevesseiros and queijadas. The first is an oblong flaky pastry and the second is a type of cheesecake baked in a pastry case with a texture like cardboard. We found a small cafe where we hid from the rain, drank beer and ate enormous toasties.


After lunch it was time to drive on to the Atlantic coast and the most westerly point of Europe which is called Cabo da Roca. It’s quite fun to stand on the rocks and know there’s nothing but water between you and North America. Given the history of exploration that Portugal has, it’s even more a place for reflection about the brave (or crazy) sailors who headed off into the unknown so many years before. Cabo da Roca has a photogenic red and white lighthouse, a monument that’s ideal for photographs that you can use to prove to your friends and family that you really did go to the most westerly point, but it also has fabulous rocky coastal views which were the highlight for me. Cabo da Roca is notoriously windy but at least it had stopped raining by the time we got there.


From Cabo da Roca we followed the coast road back towards Cascais, stopping at a place called ‘Boca da Infer’ (that might not be spelled correctly but it means that mouth of hell) where the water erupts through a hole in the rocks. Then we were back in the van and off to Cascais, one of Portugal’s most fashionable seaside resorts. We stopped at the western end of the city to look across the harbour and then got dropped in the town centre to go for a wander along the narrow streets and to walk on the perfect clean beaches. We took an hour or so in a bar with a well earned beer before heading back to meet Vitor and drive on to Estoril.


Estoril and Cascais used to be separate towns but have expanded into each other over the years. We didn’t stop in Estoril but Vitor pointed out the sights as we passed. We continued back along the coast road, Vitor telling us about everything we passed until we came to the outskirts of the city. At this point he kicked into full on tour guide mode and told us lots about the city. He pointed out museums, told us about places for wine and port tasting, took us along the waterfront road that had opened only a day or two before and eventually delivered us back to our hotel.


We were all really happy with our day out with Premiumtours. Vitor was charming, considerate and always stressed that it was our day to do what we wanted and that he’d fit around that. We are very easy going customers so we’re no great challenge to an experienced driver. We appreciated his tips on what to do when we were back in Lisbon and we enjoyed his insights into the history of the area.


We were pleased with the vehicle, enjoyed having a driver who spoke excellent English and was had guide qualifications, and the luxury of going at our own pace was very much appreciated. If you are in Lisbon and you want to get out of the city and see a bit more of the area, this is a really nice way to do it. I would certainly recommend Premiumtours both for value for money and for the quality of the tour.


Details – www.premiumtours. pt
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The Parque das Nações – or Park of Nations - was created for the 1998 Expo in Lisbon and quickly became a major tourist attraction. Whilst many locals will still refer to it as the ‘Expo site’, its official name was adopted after the Expo…Read More

The Parque das Nações – or Park of Nations - was created for the 1998 Expo in Lisbon and quickly became a major tourist attraction. Whilst many locals will still refer to it as the ‘Expo site’, its official name was adopted after the Expo ended and it took on a new identity of its own. Prior to the development of the Expo site, this had been a run-down and unattractive industrial area like much of the Lisbon waterfront. Once you’re out of the most central parts of Lisbon, the banks of the Tejo (a.k.a. Tagus) river are lined with old cod salteries (I’m sure that’s not the word), warehouses and row after row of shipping containers that always remind me of the opening scenes of the film Wall-E. Most capital cities understood the tourist value (and the benefits to the human spirit) of exploiting their waterfront areas but Lisbon is a city with water on two sides but one which doesn’t put its poshest houses and fanciest places next to the water. I suspect that the Portuguese remain nervous about being too close to the water. After all it’s only 258 years since the Lisbon earthquake and the tsunami that followed wiped out tens of thousands of residents. That might make you think twice about the charms of a sea- or river-view.

The Parque das Nações – I’m going to call it the PdN from now on - is situated in the north east of the city of Lisbon and sits on the waterfront beside the Tejo. The PdN has evolved into an upmarket residential area which is now home to around 15,000 people as well as a place for hotel accommodation, shopping, eating, drinking, strolling around, going to concerts and – best of all – visiting the city’s famous Oceanario aquarium. The best comparison I can make (which will only be relevant if you know both places) is that it’s a little like Lisbon’s equivalent of the Olympic Port in Barcelona.

I go to this area several times a year as it’s only a 10 minute drive from the Lisbon office of the company for whom I work and within spitting distance of the hotel where I usually stay. My colleagues often use the restaurants of the PdN waterfront or the Vasco da Gama shopping centre for lunch. It’s a beautiful spot to sit in the sunshine, look at the river and watch the world go by.

My most recent visit was with my husband, my sister and her girlfriend in the week before Easter. We’d been warned about the Spanish Holy Week invasion of Lisbon and decided to prioritise our visit to the Oceanario and do it at the beginning of the week before too many of these tourists hit the city. I’d read reports of scary queues at the Oceanario and one thing I won’t do on holiday is wait patiently in line.

We took the Metro to the PdN, using the red (vermelho) line and getting off at the station called Oriente. Before you rush off to see the Parque, stop and take a look at the station as it’s a bit of an architectural marvel. The station is a wonder of steel and glass and is ‘supposed’ to look like a forest of trees but I’ve always thought – given the location – that it looks like the sails of a flotilla of yachts. Directly between the station and the riverfront you’ll find the Vasco da Gama shopping centre. This is a light, bright place with features that remind me of a giant ship. They have portholes in the lifts and water runs over the outside of the roof. Even if shopping isn’t your thing – and it’s not really mine – the food court on the top floor offers plenty of choice and good prices. If you’re lucky and can get a seat outside on the terrace, it also gives great views across the Parque. Most of the staff in the food outlets are used to foreign tourists and you should be able to get by in English if you’re patient.

The PdN runs in a strip beside the river. The most southerly of the attractions is the aquarium and the most northerly is the Vasco da Gama tower, which looks like a cross between the tower in Dubai and the one in Portsmouth, like a giant sail. Between the two points there’s a boardwalk and waterfront walks or you can take the riverside cable car.

Heading north from the Oceanarium, the next big building is the Atlantic pavilion, a large egg-shaped building which is used for concerts and performances. My colleague told me it’s where Cirque du Soleil always perform and that Justin Bieber had turned up recently, only a couple of hours late for his show. My sister commented that the whole place looked like it could do with a zap with the jet wash, and I’d have to agree with her. Perhaps it was the dull grey weather we had but I suspect that the economic crisis in Portugal means that the PdN isn’t getting quite as much care as it used to. Passing the Atlantic pavilion you come to the four giant exhibition halls which were used for the Expo. I think these are still used for trade shows now but it’s unlikely you’ll have a reason to go inside. If you pass these halls from the road, they are quite interesting to look at. The architect designed them with a wavy profile which sadly now looks rather a lot like the whole lot is falling down. Tourists will most likely walk along the front of the pavilions where there are lots of bars and restaurants. Again, we weren’t there at the best of times as the weather was poor, but on summer evenings, this is an area full of visitors eating and drinking. Between the restaurants and the water there are several small parks – one with instruments for children to play, another a basin of water with statues of bathing ladies lying in the water.

The number one reason people go to the PdN is the Oceanario which is also rated as Lisbon’s top tourist attraction and which I reviewed when I visited it several years ago. The aquarium is housed in a large square building which appears - appropriately enough -to float on the water. Inside you’ll find one of the world’s best aquariums and certainly one of my favourites. My sister and her girlfriend were initially sceptical about my claims of greatness because they’d loved the Sydney Aquarium which we had visited together a few years before. By about half way round they’d changed their minds and agreed that the Oceanario is even better. There’s a central big tank with plenty of sharks, rays, sunfish, and others and four ‘zone’ tanks around the outside representing different climates.

Theres’s currently a temporary exhibition on turtles which is well worth a look and a ticket to see both the permanent and temporary exhibits costs €16. Knock off €3 if you want to skip the turtles. The stars of the aquarium are not the enormous sharks, the impressive manta rays or any of the big boys. Instead what keeps people captivated are the penguins (just little ones, very cute) and the sea otters. I fell in love with Eusebio, the now sadly deceased boy sea otter, many years ago. He was a squeaky fellow but the current trio of sea otters are quieter and I think they are all girls. I remain to be convinced that there is a sea creature cuter than a sea otter and it’s easy to waste 30 minutes just watching them grooming themselves as they lie on their backs in the water.

If you aren’t too gooey after visiting the aquarium and can deal with the irony of eating sushi, I highly recommend the lunchtime ‘all you can eat’ (and with Portuguese people that’s a LOT) sushi buffet at Arigato. My sister vetoed it on this occasion and we went for a sandwich in an Italian café on the riverside of the Oceanario. Whilst there having our lunch we noticed that lots of children were renting small go carts to travel around the PdN. Thankfully I was able to persuade my sister they weren’t for ‘grown ups’.

After lunch we took a trip on the cable car to the other end of the park and then headed back past the restaurants and the little parks as it started to rain. The PdN is a really lovely place to visit but you really do need a good sunny day to make the most of it. This is a place to sit with a glass of beer and watch the world go by, to look at the sun on the river and to take things easy.
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Before going to Lisbon for our recent holiday, I had a half plan to not bother too much with public transport. I go to the city often and have always found the local taxis to be great value so I had in mind that we…Read More

Before going to Lisbon for our recent holiday, I had a half plan to not bother too much with public transport. I go to the city often and have always found the local taxis to be great value so I had in mind that we might just jump in a cab every time we needed to get anywhere. After a couple of dodgy drivers on our first evening – one who drove like a lunatic, the other who invented the longest possible path between two points – I decided I'd had enough and we would try to use the Metro and trams as much as possible. Our hotel – Hotel DAH – was located between two Metro stations, Olaias and Alameda. Alameda is a junction station, one where the green and red lines cross, so it proved to be particularly useful.


On our first morning in the city we set off down the hill to Alameda station. I had thought before we went that I'd used the Lisbon Metro before but once I actually got into the station I realised that I had Lisbon muddled up with Madrid and if I had ever used it, it was a very long time ago. I hadn't done my homework about how the system worked so I asked the man in the ticket office for four tickets to Oriente station, the station closest to the city's Oceanario aquarium.


The ticket man waved a green card at me and asked if we had them. I replied we didn't and asked what they were. He didn't actually answer me but happily sold me four green cards each loaded with one journey's worth of cash. We were charged 50 c for the card and €1.40 for each journey. We took the cards, waved them over the contactless 'validators' (that's what the Metro website calls them) and the gates opened to allow us through. Whilst we were riding to the station, I got out my guide book and we worked out what was going on.


The green card is called the Viva Viagem card and is designed for occasional or tourist use. There are season tickets for locals which represent better value but they are unlikely to be of much use or interest to the average tourist.


We bought ours from the ticket seller but soon realised that we could have got them directly from the machine in the station. We also soon learned that we could add more credit onto the cards using these same machines. Not all of the Metro stations have ticket offices but the charging machines should be present in them all. However, we didn't see any ticket machines at the tram or bus stops which we used so I would recommend to load up more credit when you are getting low, just in case you find yourself out of credit when you want to take a tram and can't find a credit loading machine.


On arriving at our first destination, Oriente Station, we decided to go and investigate the machines and load some more credit. The machines offer all the information in English if you click the Union Flag symbol on the touch screen. Americans, Australians et al will just have to accept that England and Portugal have ancient treaties and alliances that date back to before the times when those young countries existed. Hence, we get the UK flag ahead of any others as a symbol of the English language.


Touch the screen and confirm whether you already have a card to load or whether you need to buy the card. We confirmed we had cards and entered the first one into the machine. Next the screen asks what you want to load onto the card – either just enough money for one journey, or 5 euros or 10 euros. If you add 5 euros the system gives you an extra 15c worth of credit or if you load 10 euros, it gives an extra 75c. Once you've chosen what to add, the screen asks if you want to pay by cash or card and if you're paying cash, there's a slot to feed in bank notes or a slot to feed in coins.


I believe it's also possible to load some special deals such as the one day travelcard for €6 which is worth doing if you'll take 5 or more journeys in one day. However, I couldn't work out how to do this so we stuck to the simple system of adding credits. Whilst you get a slightly better deal if you add more credit, I would not advise to get too carried away the first time you load credit, just in case you find that you really don't use the system as much as you expected.


If you buy your journeys from the machines, each trip will cost just €1.25. I suspect we were charged more when we bought our first tickets because we used the services of a real live human being. Differential pricing for buying from real people versus machines is not unusual in many European countries.


Once you have credit on your Viva Viagem cards, you can use them on the city's Metro, bus services, and trams. I don't think they work on the ferries but you may need to check that. Of particular use to tourists is the fact that they work on the city's historic old trams such as the famous number 28 which winds up through the steep streets in the centre of town, heading up to the Castle. Do not mistake the yellow trams which are included for one of the much more expensive red trams which are special tourist trams. When you get onto a bus or a tram, you just need to validate your ticket by holding the pass against the sensor. It's not necessary to do this again when you leave the vehicle.


We were in Lisbon for five nights and four days and spent one day outside the city with a driver and vehicle so we used our cards for three days. We took the Metro to and from the Parque dos Nacoes to see the aquarium on our first day, then went to the old part of the city and back again on our third day, before using a mix of Metro, trams and buses to visit Belem on our final day. In total we each spent €11.90 on our cards and my husband and I each had less than 50c left when we finished. My sister and her partner had maybe one and a half euros credit left at the end. This is why I suggest not to get too excited an overload your card as you may not finish all the credit.


The card is valid for up to one year and can be reloaded as often as you like. I was impressed that it cost so little – just 50c – as I also have a similar card for Amsterdam and the Dutch railways which costs €7.50 just for the card and demands a minimum credit of something like €20 whilst the Lisbon card won't allow you to put more than €20 credit onto it.    Close

I’ll be straight up honest and admit that Portugal doesn't offer one of my favourite world cuisines although it is perfectly possible to eat very well in the country if you follow a few basic guidelines.Breakfast: I must confess we usually simply buy a nice…Read More

I’ll be straight up honest and admit that Portugal doesn't offer one of my favourite world cuisines although it is perfectly possible to eat very well in the country if you follow a few basic guidelines.

Breakfast: I must confess we usually simply buy a nice fresh crusty loaf of bread and buy fresh tomatoes and one of the wonderful local cheeses (there is a particularly impressive range of goat's cheese on offer in Portugal) or fish pastes and have a DIY breakfast picnic. It helps if you book an apartment to stay in (and I can recommend rent4days.com), but you can usually get away with it in a hotel room as long as you have a knife of some kind with you.

Alternatively, you can go to one of the many Portugal Cafes and have a coffee, a tasty pastry (most are good although beware they are often deep fried and contain cheese and ham) or yummy custard tart (a Portugal institution) and a nice strong coffee. This can set you back around 2.50 Euros a head for a light breakfast in a no frills but clean and friendly cafe. The orange juice is good in Portugal too, but unlike Spain where every cafe sells freshly squeezed orange juice, you may find you are given a bottle or can of the preprepared stuff. Look out for the juicing machine for an indication that fresh orange is on the menu.

Lunch offers probably the best and most filling deal of the day, although evening menus are usually the same as lunch. We tend to "big up" on lunch and then finish off the day’s bread and cheese before nipping out on the city streets for a few beers or glasses of wine and port.

The real morale of the Portugal eating story is to keep it simple. Fresh fish by the coast is delicious and usually served plain; skin rubbed in sea salt and charcoal grilled and served with boiled potato, maybe fries and rice and maybe salad. Use the olive oil and white wine vinegar accompaniments to jazz up your dish a little. We usually ordered a side salad to be shared between us, as the Portuguese don't seem to be too keen on greens! (but note, these sometimes arrive as starters).

Meat too is fine if served plain; I liked the Meat cooked Portuguese style which was charcoal kebab style pork, cooked in a casserole with fries, small pieces of vegetable and sprinkled with lemon, garlic and olive oil. The meats in sauces tend to be gooey, heavy and salty affairs – fine if you have the taste for it.

Also note the habit of restaurants to serve you a tempting array of nibbles to start; bread, olives and maybe some kind of fish spread, and some of those deep fried cheesy things. They are usually cheap in price and negate the need for you to order a starter, but note they will be added to your bill if you accept them. The restaurant owners will not be offended if you turn away some or all of the nibbles as they are set down.

Portuguese wine (the red, the white and the rose) is generally good, so if you are on a budget don’t be afraid to simply order the Casa de Vinho. This can be for as little as 5 Euros for a bottle- sized amount (this can the price of a single large beer in another not dissimilar looking establishment!). There are two kinds of local beers on sale; Super Bock the southern beer, and Sagres (a lager with a bit more bite), more popular in the North. As northerners in the UK we allied ourselves to Sagres, but most restaurants sell one or the other and not both.

In many restaurants the price of food of a main course is nominally often quite similar
irrespective of whether you are dining on a paper covered plastic patio set or linen covered wicker dining set. The financially astute will cast an eye over the wine list before sitting down. The difference in price at a restaurant can often be seen in the price of the wine and the price of the nibbles (and believe you me the cheap jugs of wine from the local farmers barrel can taste just as good (or not so good) as a bespoke bottle of house plonk).

As in many countries, we always find the best meals are found in restaurants just off the main drag where they need to encourage a local client base of people who know where they are. Many of the restaurants on the main circuit will serve you good food, but it will often be a little smaller and a little more expensive than those that have to make a bit more effort. Likewise, the quality and style of the house wine will often be affected.
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The Oceanário is a aquarium in Lisbon. Their specialty: sharks! They look big and scary, but behind glass sharks are not dangerous to humans and therefore ideal companion for a slumber party! Children can spend an evening and night in Lisbon Oceanário, while their parents…Read More

The Oceanário is a aquarium in Lisbon. Their specialty: sharks! They look big and scary, but behind glass sharks are not dangerous to humans and therefore ideal companion for a slumber party! Children can spend an evening and night in Lisbon Oceanário, while their parents explore the town or enjoy a fish dinner.

Oceanário
It is Oceanário the aquarium in Lisbon, located on the former Expo site. Previously there were still dull warehouses and an oil refinery, but in the Parque das Nações 1998 rose for the world. Meanwhile it has become a modern and popular district of Lisbon, with apartment blocks in the shape of sails, colorful fountains, exhibition halls, restaurants, a casino and much more. This part of Lisbon is definitely worth a visit.

Sleeping with Sharks
The "Sleeping with the sharks" is an educational program of the Oceanário which children learn about the deep ocean and its inhabitants. Sharks, penguins, sea otters, seahorses, and jellyfish that glow in the dark: they are all in the aquarium of Oceanário. The children also get the chance to touch shark teeth and skin. Then the sleeping bags are rolled out beside the huge tanks and it's bedtime. ... Though, it's almost a shame to go to sleep. The children can watch the whole night to enjoy the unique marine life! Morning will conclude with a tour of the Oceanário and close at 10.00 hours the parents back their children in their arms. Prices are from 60 euros per person.

Lisbon
Lisbon and the surrounding region is a good city break destination for children. So you can have a splendid opportunity for boat trips and dolphin-watching, there are many interesting museums such as the Pavilion of Knowledge & Living Science and museum Lourinhã with a rare collection of fossil eggs and embryos of dinosaurs.

In half an hour away by tram, train or car are the beaches of Estoril and Cascais. The sweet pastry, the "Pasteis de Belém 'are a delicious treat, stay the night in a tent, caravan or camping and bungalows in Lisboa Lisbon and region are also very suitable for cycling. In Lisbon is a trendy information center with a focus on young tourists, as more young people (20-30 years) visiting Lisbon and increasingly families with children take a trip to Lisbon. Y (Youth) Lisboa center is open daily from 10:00 to 20:00 and can be found in Rua Jardim do Regedor, 50 Lisbon.
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Alfama is for visitors to Lisbon synonymous with the imposing castle, Castelo de Sao Jorge (Castle of St. George) and the Miradouro de Santa Luzia, one of the main viewpoints of Lisbon.Castelo de Sao JorgeThe Castle of Saint George (Portuguese name: Castelo de Sao Jorge)…Read More

Alfama is for visitors to Lisbon synonymous with the imposing castle, Castelo de Sao Jorge (Castle of St. George) and the Miradouro de Santa Luzia, one of the main viewpoints of Lisbon.

Castelo de Sao Jorge
The Castle of Saint George (Portuguese name: Castelo de Sao Jorge) is the most famous castle in Portugal and one of the most popular sights of Lisbon. The foundations for this building were already in the 6th century BC laid, but since then has undergone many changes and had different owners. In 1147 it was during the Siege Lisbon almost completely destroyed. According to legend, the knight Martim Moniz (who you find a statue inside the castle) during the battle have noticed that the gate of the castle was open and he would have ensured that the other Christian soldiers could easily invade.

When Lisbon in 1255 became the capital of the Kingdom, it underwent a complete renovation and was transformed into the Royal Palace (Alcáçova). A century later King Ferdinand replaced an old Moorish walls by a new city wall of 5400 meters that got the name of the Cerca Nova Fernandina and the castle was officially dedicated to Saint George. This Sao Jorge defeated according to legend, a dangerous dragon and has since been adopted as the patron saint of farmers, warriors and sword smiths. Today remains of the original wall is almost nothing left.

After the castle fell into disrepair. It survived the earthquake in 1755 but suffered significant damage. In the 20th century the castle - it was a prison during the civil war - initiated by Salazar thoroughly restored.

Today the castle is a sort of park that allows a walk along the fortress wall with its numerous battlements. The Castelo de São Jorge is especially popular because it is one of the most beautiful views over the city. The castle is indeed on the highest hill of Lisbon and towers above the Alfama out. Many people visit the castle, then on the first day of their visit to Lisbon to get a good picture of the city. The castle is also ideal for relaxing, or even a terrace to a posh restaurant to visit (Caso do Leão). During the summer there are concerts.

Mira Doura de Santa Luzia
Under the Castle of São Jorge is located on the square of the Santa Luzia Ingreja a wonderful vantage point, the Miradouro de Santa Luzia. It is built on old Moorish fortifications. From here you can overlook the harbor and Alfama. Particularly beautiful are the walls adorned with old tiles and benches (which includes the conquest of Lisbon in 1147 by Alfonso Henriques depicts), the pergola with slender columns and the fragrant flower.

Left of the Ingreja of Santa Luzia is located in the lawn a beautiful white statue of St. Vincent, the patron saint of the city. He wears on his left arm a little ship with the two ravens that escorted him to the coast of Portugal.
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Like Saint Tropez Cascais makes use of the image of the yachts, palm trees in the scarcely perceptible wind blowing and sports cars with roof tearing through the streets. Many wealthy English and French have their holiday here, but the town is also the perfect…Read More

Like Saint Tropez Cascais makes use of the image of the yachts, palm trees in the scarcely perceptible wind blowing and sports cars with roof tearing through the streets. Many wealthy English and French have their holiday here, but the town is also the perfect day trip if you stay in Lisbon.

From Lisbon to Cascais
From the train station Cais do Sodre in Lisbon you can take a direct train towards Cascais. This popular resort is just outside Lisbon and is a favorite retreat for the wealthy from countries like England and France. The train from Cais do Sodré follows the coastline and takes you past beach resorts like Estoril Oeiras before to arrive at Cascais.

beaches
Most tourists go down to Cascais to lie on the beach and enjoying the sunshine. Obviously you can go to the beach near the center and the station, but if you have a car available you better go to Guicnho and more specifically the Praia Abamo.

Casa da Guia
Whoever wants quality food with a pleasant atmosphere will combine a visit to Cascais with the Casa da Guia, a center with several bars and restaurants overlooking the sea. It's an absolute hit with both locals and tourists. Having a drink while watching the sunset.

A Carvoaria
A Carvoaria was recommended to us by people of Cascais. It's a local restaurant known for its excellent steaks and is visited mainly by English tourists. Although A Carvoaria a steak house with predominantly African specialties, it is one of the culinary attractions of Cascais. The Obama Steak, prepared with a sauce of blueberries, is highly recommended.

Sights
Cascais is normally not the city you must visit if you are interested in culture. Yet there are some cultural landmarks are all in the same part of Cascais located.

Museu Conde de Castro Guimarães

Museu Conde de Castro Guimarães is an extraordinary building that combines different materials and styles. At first it looks like a feudal castle, on the other you are confronted with Manueline, Moorish and Renaissance influences. It was built around 1900 by Jorge O'Neill, but due to financial difficulties, he sold it to Manuel de Castro Guimarães that it completely rebuilt. After his death, Manuel de Castro Guimarães left the castle to the municipality of Cascais. Since then it serves as a museum. You'll find furniture in all styles Louis, Chinese porcelain, beautiful tiles, the prehistoric finds from the Gruta Alapraia, Roman objects, etc. There is also an impressive library that includes the possession of the manuscript dating from 1505 to the Cronica D. Alfonso Henriques.

Farol de Santa Maria
The Farol de Santa Maria is located near the Museu de Castro Guimarães that both together can easily be visited. Inside the lighthouse are paintings from the 16th century.
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At the Estrada de Benfica lies Jardim Zoológico to the east of the Palacio de Fronteira. This zoo dates from the last century and is home to more than 2000 animals. There is much entertainment: shows featuring dolphins and sea lions, demonstrations with birds,…Read More

At the Estrada de Benfica lies Jardim Zoológico to the east of the Palacio de Fronteira. This zoo dates from the last century and is home to more than 2000 animals. There is much entertainment: shows featuring dolphins and sea lions, demonstrations with birds, pelicans and sea lions feeding sessions, playgrounds, and a train ride through the park.

Jardim Zoológico
A city trip to Lisbon is incomplete without a visit to the local zoo, the Jardim Zoológico. The zoo has had a bad reputation for a while, but the living conditions of animals in recent years have greatly improved. Meanwhile the Jardim Zoológico is known for their excellent work in the field of conservation, reproduction and reintroduction of endangered species and their scientific research. The zoo has over 2000 different animals (some 400 species), whose original lifestyle has almost been exactly replicated. Some of the species you can find are: lions, tigers, koalas, elephants, giraffes, axolotls, lemurs, etc.

Besides the usual visit to the zoo in Lisbon, you can also participate in various attractions and shows (who unfortunately are only Portuguese spoken). The most popular attractions are:

The sea lion and dolphin show: The sea lions and dolphins in the Jardim Zoológico carry out their famous tricks. The best time is when the sea lions are among the audience to give everyone a kiss. The sea lion and dolphin shows start at 11h, 15h and 17h.

Demonstrations with birds: During the ride bird shows macaws and cockatoos with jeeps and bicycles, they perform tricks on roller skates, make calculations from memory, etc. The shows will start at 5:30 p.m. and 24:30 respectively.

Feeding Sessions: At regular intervals, you can feed in the zoo of Lisbon sessions of certain animals (sea lions, pelicans) experience. The feeding sessions are daily, you can watch the sea lions at 10.30 and 14h, the feeding sessions of the pelicans at 6:15 p.m.

Reptiles Land: Daily 4:15 p.m. you can find a presentation of snakes and reptiles in the Jardim Zoológico place. Between 10am and 17h can admire all kinds of reptiles. It even pays attention to dinosaurs.

Cable Cars: The cable cars were first used in 1994, one of the biggest attractions in the Jardim Zoológico Lisbon. The carts for two people lead you through the twenty minutes long and so you let the lions and rhinos up close look. The cable cars depart at 11:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m..

Petting zoo (Quintinha): The farm was established in 1996 with the aim to let the children learn about rural life and the contact between children and farm animals.
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Less than 10 km west of downtown Lisbon, is the Tagus to the Belém district, rich in museums and sights and monuments from the period of exploration. Although Belem today has become a modern residential area, it remains part of Lisbon in particular historical and…Read More

Less than 10 km west of downtown Lisbon, is the Tagus to the Belém district, rich in museums and sights and monuments from the period of exploration. Although Belem today has become a modern residential area, it remains part of Lisbon in particular historical and cultural significance.

Ponte de 25 de Abril
We take the bus 714 from Praca da Figueira towards Belém. During the half hour ride along the banks of the Tagus is the Ponte 25 de Abril the only attraction, a massive bridge that is named after the day the revolution broke out in Portugal. If the sight of the Ponte 25 de Abril makes you think of the SF bridge , it is certainly no coincidence, it concerns the same maker.

Belém
Belém (Portuguese for Bethlehem) can not miss from your program when you're in Lisbon a few days. This section is located in the west of the city near the banks of the Tagus. Especially Torre de Belem and Padrão dos Descobrimentos are worth a visit. Possibly you can also actually add the Mosteiro dos Jeronimos.

The Padrão dos Descobrimentos is shaped like the prow of a caravel in which Henry the Navigator is shown followed by a row of heroes. An elevator can take you to the top of the sculpture 54 meters high from where you start and gives a great view of Belem and the rest of the environment (including the Cristo Rei statue). From the top of the Padrão dos Descobrimentos you also have a nice view of the compass through a drawing depicts the explorations of Portugal. A beautiful tile that is indeed a gift from Africa.

The Torre de Belem is a bit difficult to find, since the tower is small and is also right at the back of Belem that he is not so easily visible. Looking at the many stairs of the tower to climb to visit all the watchtowers, battlements, arrow slits and recesses of the building, he appears much less small! The tower was commissioned in 1515 by Dom Manuel I built in order to protect the harbor.

Many tourists add to the obligatory visits in Belém, the Mosteiro dos Jeronimos, a huge building built in Manueline style that more than 70 years took to complete. It is one of the few buildings in Lisbon, who were not destroyed by the great earthquake of 1515 and the great flood. The exterior of the building is certainly impressive, especially because of its size. A portion of the inside of the Mosteiro dos Jeronimos offers room for the Museu da Marinha and the Museu Nacional de Arqueologia.

Pasteis de Belem
Once you have visited Belém, just be sure to visit Pasteis de Belem at Rua de Belem. This store exists since 1837 and is best known for the traditional Pastel de natas Lisbon. The recipe was and still is a mystery, for the 150 employees of the store is only a handful of people known.

Amoreiras
If we believe the travel guides, Amoreiras one of the most imposing buildings of Lisbon. It is a huge complex with three towers of mirrored glass and concrete that houses elite apartments, offices, cafes, restaurants, cinemas, galleries and even a shopping complex. Fun couple of hours if you wish to shop, but not interesting enough if you're looking for culture.

Ginjinha
Rua das Portas in the Santo Antão, a nice street with several bars and restaurants, our first taste of the famous Portuguese cherry liqueur Ginjinha.

Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara
In Lisbon there are several known miradouro's. These are places known for their beautiful city views. The miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara is one of them. Alcântara is a port district (Alcantara is Arabic for stone bridge) whose name recalls a bridge over the Tagus by the great earthquake of 1755 was destroyed. Miroudaro of the Alcântara offers a beautiful view over the city, however similar to the view from the balcony of our terrace.   Close

The colorful streets of the Alfama and Mouraria, the imposing Elevador de Santa Justa, the Casa dos Bicos, the Elevador da Bica charming, the squares Praça de Comércio and Praça da Figueira of the Baixa and the famous shopping street Rua Augusta are among the…Read More

The colorful streets of the Alfama and Mouraria, the imposing Elevador de Santa Justa, the Casa dos Bicos, the Elevador da Bica charming, the squares Praça de Comércio and Praça da Figueira of the Baixa and the famous shopping street Rua Augusta are among the friendliest and most beautiful sights of Lisbon.

Sometimes you just can only be happy that an incompetent taxi driver leaves you 3 km away from your destination. In our case we had to traverse trough many narrow and winding streets and staircases before reaching our final destination Mouraria. Our first contact with Lisbon could not be better. Colorful, picturesque, local, charming, country, cozy ... it's only a handful of adjectives that can describe Alfama. Even the Casa dos Bicos, one of the most famous 15th century buildings in Lisbon, shows no match for the charm of the Petiet lit streets where locals live in Lisbon and enjoy life.

For our stay in Lisbon we had rented an apartment in Mouraria, a picturesque district in the south of the city mainly inhabited by migrants from outside Portugal, including Paskistani and Africans. They arrived in Lisbon when the government of Caetano was replaced by a democratic government that made Angola and Mozambique independent what caused many people to go to Portugal in the hope of a better future. They are small and colorful shops, cozy restaurants and pubs. Our apartment, located on the first floor of an old house in the street, Rua de São Cristóvão was, provided along the front overlooking the narrow street and along the back a viewpoint over the central part of Lisbon. The Elevador de Santa Justa, the Convento do Carmo and Praça da Figueira are just some of the sights from our balcony you could admire in the kitchen.

Praça de comércio
At two minutes walk from our apartment was Praça da Figueira, a square in which the various streets of Lisbon end. One is the Rua Augusta, a nice street with lots of drinking and dining. It is a typical tourist attraction, but one that exudes coziness.

On the south side of the Baixa, at the end of Rua Augusta, is the Praça de Comercio, a large square that stretches to the banks of the Tagus. It has long been used as a parking lot, but since 1997 has been completely re-paved and made car free. In the middle of the Praça de Comercio you will find the equestrian statue of Dom José I in memory of the same king who offered to help the victims of the earthquake of November 1, 1755 which destroyed much of Lisbon. Along the north of the square, just before the banks of the Tagus, is the imposing triumphal arch that one of the most beautiful sights of Lisbon belongs.

Elevador da Bica
The Elevador da Bica is not actually a real lift, but a tram that an interconnection between the Bairro Alto and a small district just before just before the quays of the Tagus is located and a maritime atmosphere. It is part of a series of five lifts (Elevador de Santa Justa Elevador da Gloria, Elevador da Lavra and Elevador da Bica) in Lisbon, which always aim to overcome the height between the hills.

Praca Luis de Camões
Praça Luis de Camões is ideal for a coffee break. It is a pleasant square named after the 16th century poet and located in the popular Chiado district. Chic shops (which is the most famous Rua Garret), department stores and pastel arias are just some examples of what can be found in Chiado.

Elevador de Santa Justa
The Elevador de Santa Justa is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful sights of the city. Especially at night, when the elevator is lit, the Elevador de Santa Justa fairytale beautiful. n theory, this lift was used to cross the 30 meters height difference between Baixa and Bairro Alto, but it's actually very easy to do on foot.   Close