Lisbon is a cultural city with a unique flair.
Beautiful palaces and artistic parks, wide boulevards and winding alleys, historic shops and extravagant shopping malls, charming squares and an incredible number of viewpoints. In Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, innovation and cultural heritage come together in harmony.
- Travel period: 4 days
- Best time to travel: May to September
- Main dish: 10 €
Arrival
The Lisbon Airport is the most important airport in Portugal and is served by many airlines including budget airlines. The city centre is seven kilometres away and can be reached easily by metro.
Hotel
Lisbon has many luxury and middle class hotels. A night in a double room at the Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon* is available from 600 euros. We recommend the Residencial Florescente* in the historic centre. The accommodation is located in a pedestrian zone only a few minutes' walk from the Metro station Restauradores and the Rossio train station.
Places of interest
The Praça do Comércio on the banks of the Tagus is a good starting point for your city tour in Lisbon. The magnificent Arc de Triomphe forms the entrance to the Baixapromenade with its noble shops and restaurants. The highlight is the artistic elevator Elevador de Santa Justa, which has been connecting the "lower city" with the hip district Chiado for over 100 years and offers a beautiful view over the red roofs. Tip: free travel with the Metro day ticket. At the National Theater you can try Ginjinha in the bar of the same name. The cherry liqueur is the favourite drink of the people in Lisbon.
In the artists' and cultural quarter Chiado you will find a harmonious mix of historic buildings, trendy cafes, charming restaurants and elegant shopping malls. The Livraria Bertrand on Rua Garrett was opened in 1732 and is the oldest bookstore in the world. The nostalgic Café A Brasileira from the Belle Époque is also definitely worth a visit.
Since 1885, the funicular railway has been running from a small side street of the magnificent Avenida da Liberdade boulevard to the São Pedro de Alcântaracity garden. From here you have a wonderful view over the Baixa to the river Tagus and the impressive Castelo São Jorge. The Moorish castle can be reached via a steep footpath with several panoramic views or by taking the legendary Tram 28, which winds its way through the labyrinth of alleys of Alfama . High above the roofs of Lisbon, the Castelo has the top viewing platform. Alfama is one of the oldest quarters and also houses Lisbon's oldest church, the Sé Cathedral.
The district Belém is easily reached by tram. At the Monument of Discoveries , Henry the Navigator welcomes the ships that pass the famous suspension bridge Ponte 25 de Abril . It resembles the Golden Gate Bridge and was actually built by the same company. Under the bridge, the LX Factoryis located on a converted factory site. This hip cultural centre has studios, shops, cafes, bars, restaurants and lots of street art. In the evening and on weekends there is a lot going on here.
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The magnificent Hieronymus Monastery of Belém is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The world-famous puff pastry tartlets filled with pudding (Pastéis de Nata) are baked according to the monks' recipes. It's worth queuing up at the pastry shop Pastéis de Belém . A footbridge leads to the richly decorated Torre de Belém. The former lighthouse is one of Lisbon's landmarks and is also a World Heritage Site.
After an hour's drive from Lisbon you will reach Sintra. Here you will find a charming historic city centre, pastel-coloured houses, beautiful parks and the National Palace of Sintra with its conical chimneys rising up into the sky from the palace kitchens. On the outskirts of the city stands the Quinta da Regaleira, a mystical palace surrounded by a mysterious garden with fountains, grottos and caves. The highlight is the colourful Palácio Nacional de Pena, which is enthroned on the mountain of the same name and looks like a romantic fairytale castle. We recommend to visit the palace in the early morning and not at the weekend.
