Lisbon Trip | You Will Fall In Love With Lisbon
Its part of what makes them famous – all cities have a particular ¬mood and character that is theirs in a special way that cannot be replicated or stolen by others. London has a hip, gritty class. Paris has this timelessness. New York is a culture pot.
Its part of what makes them famous – all cities have a particular mood and character that is theirs in a special way that cannot be replicated or stolen by others. London has a hip, gritty class. Paris has this timelessness. New York is a culture pot.
And Lisbon, Portugal… Lisbon, well, Lisbon is just universally charming. Its tourist attractions are spread across boroughs and neighbourhood encompass and preserve every conceivable ambience – Parque de Nacoes is wide and spacey steel opulence; Chiado's squares and little streets are romantic enough for any Parisian; Alfama hilly neighbourhoods are medievally rich; Bairro Alto's young and artsy vibe is bohemian enough to rank with Miami or San Francisco; Belem's grand architecture is regal enough to hold its own against Europe's best – and this precious box of goodies is tied together by an incredibly efficient tram network.
But that just the neighborhoods. What about the food? If your list of things to doing Lisbon only consisted of places to eat, it would not be a wasted vacation. Well, the last thing you want to do is ask a local tourist guide or taxi-driver where to eat – they've all got commissions to earn from the big, fancy, touristy restaurants who've told them to deliver you to them. No, what you want to look for are the adorable family run outfits, the ones with finely trained Mediterranean-siesta timed dining habits. Look for these in the streets of Chiado and Bairro Alto – they are cheap, fresh, and as traditionally Portuguese as you can get. Go for the salted cod (the country's national dish), the grilled fish, and the endless shellfish; have the cozido à portuguesa, a pork and vegetable stew to die for; sweeten your mouth with delectable's such as ce pudding, flan, and caramel custard; and don't even forget the Pastelarias, perfectly formed pastries so cute you'll want to bite them. Lunch in Lisbon is a two hour celebration – so find somewhere with traditional Fado music to help with the digestion.
Now for the more touristy side of things – let's start off by saying that Lisbon's public transportation is on another level, and very travel guide friendly. You'll never have to wait long (about five minutes) for one Lisbon's very timely buses or trams to show up. The network covers the entire city and some of the surrounding area. If you've the energy, prefer getting a cycle to getting a car – Lisbon is immensely bike-able for the most part. The drivers are very cyclist-conscious, and you really don't need much excuse cruising along the Poetry Bike Lane. Near the city centre, you get around to most of the best sights just by walking.
People-wise, Lisbon practically invented racial tolerance. During the time of the Inquisition, people from three major religions – Christianity, Islam and Judaism – got along just fine. This trend is reflected solidly even today. It's a prime LGBT destination too, as one Portugal was one of the first countries to make same sex marriage legal. Crime-wise, it's said Lisbon is the continent's safest capital. The worst you might have to watch out for are pick pockets.
Lisbon greatly values freedom of speech and expression, and this show in the city's art. Already architecturally sublime (that would take a whole another article to cover), the whole city is like this one giant canvas across which it's cultural pulse is drawn in graffiti, murals, art nouveau store signs, colourful wall tile panels, and other street art. And that's even before you step into the museums, which are an entirely different ballgame. The CalousteGulbenkian Museum is a fantastic private art collection, the Coach Museum shows how the Portuguese elite used to get around in style. The Maritime Museum's historical insights are one of Europe's most important. And there are so many more art galleries besides. This beautiful mix of culture and people especially stands out during the annual June Festival of Lisbon, a city wide street festival that sees neighbours competing for the best song-and-costume-march.
If you really need more excuses to go there, let's conclude by saying that Lisbon's tea and coffee is one of a kind. These were the guys that introduced coffee to Brazil. Keep exploring with Lisbon travel guide
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