Perhaps the most nostalgic city in Europe. Built at the mouth of Iberia’s largest river, the Tagus, it has twenty centuries of history and a modern soul, combining the cosmopolitan vibrancy of a modern metropolis with an old-fashioned aura.
To experience it as it deserves, you must be in the mood to walk the ups and downs of the picturesque districts of Alfama and Mouraria, which “gave birth” to the melancholic fandos, and Bairro Alto, the heart of Lisbon, which is bustling with life.
Known for its shopping and nightlife, Bairro Alto is full of trendy restaurants and bars that alternate on the same street as the traditional taverns, the tascas, where you’ll hear origional fandos. In Belem, again, you’ll take photos of the historic tower and see the spot where the Tagos joins the Atlantic – where caravels once set off to conquer the previously unknown world.
Since there are many nearby attractions (St. Jerome’s Monastery, Archaeological Museum, etc.) and you will spend some time in the area, this is an opportunity to try the pasteis de nata pastries of the Pasteis de Belem (www.pasteisdebelem.pt), for which it is famous.
The cosmopolitan and youthful Ciado, Carmo with its dozens of monuments and the Baixa with its famous Da Liberdade avenue, along which you will find shops with brand shops and characteristic buildings of 19th century Portuguese architecture, complete the must-see neighbourhoods of the city.
The mosaic-coloured streets, where the black and white pavement artworks, also known as calcada portuguesa, combine with the azulejos tiles that line the facades of many buildings, bar hopping and night walks in Bairro Alto and all those highlights that have marked world history make Lisbon one of a kind.
When to go
The high tourist season stretches during the summer months, when you’ll enjoy the top beaches located close to the city. Spring is, of course, a good time: the Catholic Easter Holy Week is undoubtedly an interesting experience, as is the International Chocolate Festival in nearby Obidos (March) and the Lisbon Fish and Flavours Festival (April).
Lisbon Airport
Lisbon airport is located 7 kilometres north of the capital Lisbon. This strategic location makes it easy to access. The airport serves over 13 million passengers a year. The strategic location of Lisbon Airport gives it an advantage over other airports, not only in Portugal, but in Europe in general.
The airport is well equipped for proper passenger service, within the airport there are: restaurants, duty free shops, luggage storage and baby care facilities, and meeting rooms.
Lisbon Airport also contains facilities for use by people with disabilities.
To get to lisbon airport from the city centre (and vice versa) it is possible to use metro, bus ro by lisbon airport taxi.
Lisbon airport has recently undergone several changes due to the increase in passenger traffic. In order to cope with the constant increase in passenger traffic a second terminal was built in 2007.
New boarding gates, and parking spaces were put in place to achieve this goal.