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176 wanderlust.co.uk March 2020POCKET GUIDES FIRST 24 HOURS
Lisbonisajoytotravelaroundwith
buses, suburban trains and its famous
vintage (as well as modern) trams.
Ferries criss-cross the river and there
are historic funiculars too. In line with
its growing green credentials, the
capital also operates a bike sharing
scheme to tackle the city’s hills.There are an impressive number of
electric car charging points too.
Hop aboard the rambling Tram
28 up towards Lisbon Castle
(pictured), whose ramparts open up
vistas of the sprawling metropole as
it spreads its historic tentacles
across the River Tagus. Spend yourirst morning on the north bank
where most of the sights are.
From the castle you can amble
back down through the Alfama
district to the central Baixa where
Praça Commércio, Lisbon’s main
plaza, evokes the city’s glory days.
Breathe in all that history and
wander the lat grid of streets. This
is Lisbon’s shopping central area too
and large tracts are pedestrianised,
with plenty of cafés to pop into for
a fortifying Bica coee.
Then hop on a train or tram east
to Belém. Here the Belém Tower
stands proudly as one of the last
things sailors would have seen as
they left Lisbon during Portugal’s
Great Age of Discoveries in the 15th
and 16th centuries. The vaulting
Monument of the Discoveries
nearby demonstrates the pride
many locals still feel for those days.
The third of the three essential Belém
heritage sites is the Monasterio
de los Jerónimos de Belém.
Reward yourself with a custard
tart (known as pastel de Belém),
from the Pasteleria de Belém. In the
evening, enjoy a drink at one of the
lively venues in Cais de Sodré or
board a ferry to Cacilhas to take in
the city’s aquatic setting.Hotelsaredottedalloverthemaze
of city districts. Business hotels
tend to jostle for position around
Avenida da Liberdade.
Top end: You’ll feel like royalty at the
Pestana Palace (pestanacollection.
com) which has been designated
a National Monument. Large
suites, lush gardens (pictured)
and two swimming pools await.
Doubles from £157.
Mid range: The Pousada de Lisboa
(pousadas.pt) is run by the samepeople and is a superb value
option right in the heart of historic
Lisbon overlooking the Praça do
Comércio. The indoor swimming
pool is handy on rainy days.
Doubles from £158.
Budget: Romantic boutique hotel
As Janelas Verdes (asjanelasverdes.
com) is tucked away on a quiet
street. It oers a sense of class
without blowing your budget,
harking back to a more stately
time. Doubles from £101.Youcouldavoidburningcarbon
and stay wandering around this
sprawling city for weeks – and
you’d still not see everything. But if
you’re tempted by a day trip, head
out to the beachfront suburbs of
Cascais (pictured) and Estoril. The
former boasts the better beaches,
while Estoril sports a historic casino.
Both are serviced by local trains, as
is Sintra, deep in the hinterland hills.
Its palaces and castles hark back as
far as Moorish times and they oer
respite from the summer heat.If you want to travel further
aield, catch the fast train down
from Lisbon Oriente station to the
Algarve, where starched white
beaches and seafood abound in
one of Europe’s most popular
sunshine playgrounds. Break west
of the city of Faro for famous
resorts like Albufeira, Quinta do
Lago and Lagos, or travel east
towards the Spanish border to
enjoy a quieter world of endless
sand dunes protected as part of
the Ria Formosa National Park.Stay or go?
Where to stay?
First day’s tour
Previous page:AWL.This page:Dreamstime; Shutterstock; Pestana Palace3528211470
JFMAMJJASOND150120906030Rainfall (average) Q Temperature (average high)̊C MMPopulation: 2.9 million
Language: Portuguese
Time zone: GMT+0
International dialling
code: +351
Visas: UK passport holders
and citizens of the EU don’t
currently require a visa.
Currency: Euro (EUR),
approximately €1.19 to the
UK£, although it luctuates.
Health issues: There are
no major health issues to
be aware of, although many
visitors avoid the tap water,
mainly on taste grounds.
Sunburn and sunstroke are
real hazards – Lisbon may
be a city, but a whole day
sightseeing with the sun
glaring back o the river
oers similar exposure to
a day on the beach.
Guidebook: Lonely Planet’s
Pocket Lisbon is a handily
sized guide that’s broken
up into easy-to-navigate
chapters themed around
the city’s dierent districts.
It’s an invaluable companion
when used alongside a
smartphone and map app.
Useful websites: Visit the
city tourist o ̈ice website,
visitlisboa.com. The national
tourist o ̈ice website,
visitportugal.com, is also
worth checking out. Lisboa
Cool (lisboacool.com) oers
more info and has an easy
to use, free and fun app.
Climate: Lisbon is mild and
rainy in the winter and warm
and sunny in the summer.Need to know