Watching Rick Stein’s Long Weekends (we love him, Padstow is on the wishlist), he raved about the seafood in Lisbon. ‘Why haven’t we been there?’ we wondered. In fact, I’d never been to mainland Portugal, horror!Better book something quick.
Lisbon is definitely a bit underrated. Nowhere near the top 10 of European capitals despite the stunning location and great food. But sometimes it’s fabulous to go somewhere with few expectations and be blown away. And under the radar means fewer pesky tourists, hurrah!
Lisbon city centre, or Baixa, is nestled between some pretty steep hills, so if you really want to get to know the city, be prepared for some lung-busting walks. Or you could cheat and jump on a tram. Another option for reaching the suburb of Chiado up on the cliffs is Lisbon’s famous street elevator, built by Eiffel’s apprentice. Come early or be prepared to queue.
You can spend many happy hours exploring the pedestrianised streets, arcades and laneways of Baixa, from Rossio square down to Praça do Comércio overlooking the river. This is shopping heaven. But you are putting off the inevitable – you will have to tackle those hills at some point!
To the west of the city centre is Chiado with bustling shopping streets and the ruins of the Convento de Carmo, which collapsed in the 1755 earthquake that devastated the city. Up to one third of Lisbon’s population was killed and whole neighbourhoods were flattened.
Adjoining Bairro Alto and Santa Caterina are the places to come for amazing views during the day, and Lisbon’s best bars at night. Apparently things really get going around midnight, by which time we were tucked up in bed, but luckily things were pretty lively even early doors. We were a bit taken aback to find some bars still allowed smoking inside, which is pretty much unheard of now. It took me right back to the 80s and the joys of your hair and clothes smelling like an ashtray after a night out. Seems like another lifetime!
Next, head east of the centre to the Alfama, the city’s oldest neighbourhood, past the Sé (cathedral) and up the winding streets towards Castelo and Graça. These areas are perfect for strolling, full of staircases and alleyways. Let yourself get lost – difficult if you’re a map addict like me. The gradients can be quite challenging, so stop every now and then to enjoy the views and have a breather.
The Castelo de São Jorge dates from the middle of 11th century when it was built as a Moorish stronghold. Only the walls survive, inside are mainly gardens with resident cats and peacocks, but the views from up here are lovely, and the atmospheric streets outside the walls beg to be explored.
If you’re in Graça at the weekend, take a walk along Campo de Santa Clara, where every man and his dog come out to buy and sell their trinkets, treasures and sometimes trash at a huge flea market. It goes on and on, some with stalls piled high and others with just a few items lined up neatly at the side of the road. We didn’t find anything we’d want to buy, but it was certainly interesting…
After all that walking, you deserve a drink, and where better than Largo das Portas do Sol, with a view across the red rooftops of Lisbon? Lisbon specialises in lovely squares where you can gaze out over the city, glass in hand, and this is one of the nicest.
Most visitors head out to Belém, famous for delicious custard tarts, but they tend to take the tram west along the Rio Téjo. We decided to walk along the riverside path. It’s not for the faint hearted, at 8.5km, but at least it’s flat. There are some lovely marinas along the route, and the old warehouses are being converted into shops and cafes. You pass underneath the huge Ponte 25 de Abril, looking across to the impressive statue of Christ the King on the southern bank of the river.
You know when you’re getting close to Belém as the Discoveries Monument comes into view. It’s 52 metres high and commemorates the Portuguese Age of Discovery in the 15th and 16th centuries, depicting Henry the Navigator, Vasco de Gama and other famous Portuguese mariners.
When you finally reach Belém there’s lots to see, from the iconic Torre de Belém guarding the mouth of the river to the massive Jerónimos monastery which was built to celebrate Vasco de Gama’s discovery of India – the spices he brought back were so valuable they more than paid for the building work. There are also lots of places to eat, mostly clustered along the main street – always a good thing in my book. Obviously, finish off with one of those famous custard tarts, ‘pastel de nata’, you’ve earned it if you walked this far. I recommend taking the tram back to the city!
Our final walk took us north of the city centre. Uphill again I’m afraid along the regal Avenida de Liberdade which was modelled on the Champs Elysées, to the Parque Eduardo VII which has great views back through the city to the river. It was named after the British king, who visited in 1903. Then heading west through the suburb of Rato, where Mãe d’Água (Mother of Water) marks the end of the aqueduct that supplies the city with water.
Our last stop, the Príncipe Real district, is known as being a bit arty, beloved of artists and designers and home of the gay scene. It’s full of interesting galleries and boutiques and cute little restaurants. On a glorious April day it was busy with locals out and about, browsing the shops and meeting for drinks. The atmosphere here is great. We were sitting outside a bar watching the world go by when Tony noticed the waiter struggling with a barrel. He got up to help, being an obliging kind of guy (sometimes). A few minutes later, the waiter came out with two glasses of wine on the house. That wouldn’t happen in Paris or London!
A big food tip – book a table for dinner at BA Wine Bar in the Bairro Alto. The concept is ‘keep it simple’, just local wines, cheeses, meats, tinned fish. Yes, tins of fish or ‘conservos’ are a gourmet treat here. We’re not talking John West, this is high quality. Take your time and enjoy – the owners love to talk about food and wine so they will recommend combinations. It a tiny place with about 5 tables, so if you don’t book you’ll be turned away. While we were there, a steady stream of people peered hopefully around the door and then went away disappointed. Meanwhile, we happily coiffed our wine and munched our fish. Smug is definitely the word.
Bar tip, well if you’re a lover of port like I am, you’re in for a treat at Tábuas Porto Wine Tavern in Baixa. The lovely waitress was actually from Porto and encouraged us to get a boat along the Douro River to do some tastings – it’s on the list along with Rick’s place.
We stayed at the Hotel Avenida Palace, built in 1892, and absolutely loved the Belle Epoque atmosphere. The location, at the bottom end of the Avenida de Liberdade, is brilliant – slap bang in the middle of everything. Our room was huge, with a separate sitting area and an amazing sculpture sitting on the window ledge outside.
Every day, we’d come back from our wonderings to find gifts left in our room, from chocolates and strawberries to rain hats and shopping bags. I still keep my rain hat in my handbag much to Tony’s amusement. Well, I was a Brownie long ago and I still like to be prepared!
So, have I persuaded you to go? I’ve certainly whetted my own appetite for more Portuguese adventures, when we’re allowed to travel again…
Steph's Travels 