The capital of Portugal is known as the white city for its incredulous luminosity. In all seasons, the benign sun of Lisbon makes the buildings seem soft, stone pavements feel like feathers and beautiful winding streets shimmer in milky haze.
The city basked in glory when Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama discovered the famous ocean route to India in the 15th century. Other trade routes with colonies in Atlantic islands, the shores of Africa, the Americas and Asia made Lisbon ride the commercial wave until one fatal day in 1755.
The earthquake destroyed the entire city marking the end of its medieval opulence.
The city you walk through today has been rebuilt in the spirit of the 18th century. Start your tour at the square of Marquis Pombal – the man behind the renovations – and stroll along Liberty Avenue where nobility liked to show off their horses and new dresses. Now it’s a busy tourist joint with many elite boutiques and restaurants. Proceed towards the Baixa area, a commercial district also fathered by the marquis.
Remember to go up Bairro Alto, or the High Area, one of Lisbon’s nightlife districts, using the Santa Justa elevator designed by the apprentice of famous Jean Eiffel. It would cost you a bit more than a euro but the ride is well worth it.
Wandering through grand squares, steep descents and soft climbs, keep your eyes on the ground as much as on the surroundings: The city boasts artistic pavements with etchings of seascapes, animals, flowers and even Picasso’s paintings.
After a tiresome journey on foot, take a retro yellow tram 28 and explore downtown. The tram recklessly climbs up any heights and with frightening tinkling rushes down the twisting narrow streets. Sometime during the ride you can easily touch walls of houses nearby.
Get off the tram at one of the stops that offers breathtaking views over the city: Santa Luzia Belvedere or the Largo das Portas da Sol. In Lisbon such vista terraces are called miradouro. Here you can enjoy another historical area, Alfama. Clinging onto a sharp slope, it’s a challenge to explore so make sure to wear comfortable shoes. Reaching St. George’s Castle, pay five euros to get in and enjoy a townscape from the remnants of the 11th-century old fortifications.
To change the scene, take one of the two-day Hop-On Hop-Off tours for 19 euros. Shining skyscrapers, shopping malls and wide avenues offer a modern break. People come here primarily for the Oceanarium, a gigantic aquarium with 450 species of flora and fauna from all over the world.
The Vasco da Gama Bridge is another must in this part of the city. Seventeen kilometers long, it’s considered the longest in Europe. You won’t even see the other end of the bridge: It sinks in the smooth, silver-gray waters of the Tagus River.
Hop back on the bus and head for Belem. As you cross The 25th of April Bridge, you’ll notice its striking similarity with the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Another likeness you may spot in a large statue of Christ overlooking the bridge from one of the river banks. It beckons the famous Christ the Redeemer in Brazil and a recently erected one in Swiebodzin, Poland.
Jeronimos Monastery from the 15th century is a pearl of Belem. Built over 70 years, it’s an example of Gothic and Renaissance architecture. It is believed that legendary Vasco da Gama said his prayers here on the eve of departure to India. Lisbonites kneel in prayer in these holy rooms paying little attention to tourists.
If you have enough time, go to the suburbs for a couple of days. It takes only 40 minutes by train from the Cais do Sodre station to see the small towns on the Portuguese Riviera – Oeiras, Estoril and Cascais. Bathing along a sandy coast, these resorts are popular with wealthy citizens in summer. Estoril has the largest casino in Portugal, while Cascais boasts good beaches, posh yachts and a nice harbor. To get some privacy and escape tourists, head to Ginshu village. Its strong winds are popular with windsurfers.
The bus 403 will take you to Sintra – a small mountain town, infested by tourists. In the Middle Ages, Sintra was a summer residence of Portuguese kings who loved it for the special, mild microclimate. Its palaces and castles are worth a full day trip.
Finish your Lisbon tour with a visit to one of its small ethnic restaurants where you can listen to the “fado,” or street songs found only in Portugal. Emotional and sad, these songs trace their origin back to 19th century and great stories about the sea and loss.
TRIP BUDGET:
Flight Kyiv – Lisbon (Ukraine International Airlines) – $550
Bus trip Airport – Lisbon city – €3.5
Double room in Lisbon city center – €45
Dinner in Lisbon, per person – €8-10
Dinner in Cascais (with Atlantic Ocean view), per person – €16-18
Cup of coffee in Lisbon city center – €2-3.5
Return train ticket to Cascais or Sintra – €3.5
Bus ticket from Cascais to Roca Cape – €2.8
Bus ticket from Roca Cape to Sintra – €3.60
Kyiv Post marketing and communications manager Iuliia Panchuk can be reached at [email protected]
