ILisbon, Portugal
Lisbon, Portugal's capital, is a laid back place with music-filled squares, steep cobbled streets and rusty ships plying their trade in its port. It has more of a town than a city feel with buskers from Brazil dancing and performing in the streets, locals making animal sculptures out of sand and stone, and students and tourists from all over the world eating seafood and custard tarts (Lisbon's speciality) and drinking wine in the many cafes and restaurants.
What Lisbon lacks in the way of traditional sights it makes up for in quirky things to do and see. Where else could you visit the world's sexiest toilet or hang out in a sardine shop with a fairground theme?
There are also some wonderful day trips just a short journeyfrom Lisbon.
Watch the video of Lisbon
Things to do and see
Do Lisbon quirk
Just losing yourself in Lisbon's streets is fun. There are so many quirky shop and café signs, and odd things to see in the most touristy places. Down by the ocean are sand sculptures of animals and other sculptures made of rocks.
You can also visit:
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the preserved head of one of Portugal's most famed serial killers (not featured on this video)
Visit a real medieval castle
St Georges Castle, or the Castelo de Sao Jorge, is an easy walk for the moderately fit up Lisbon's steep streets past cool street graffiti, fabulous lookouts, innovative street musicians and great custard tart and coffee shops.
The castle has an amazing history, and is a REAL castle with turrets, a moat and a drawbridge, plus the usual slits for arrows and boiling oil. There's a café where you can enjoy soft drinks, wine or coffee and snacks afterwards.
Note that it takes about 2 hours to walk around the site if you want to explore the whole route. There are lots of steps and unshaded areas, and in summer the most experienced hiker can become fatigued. Take water in all seasons; bottled water can be bought anywhere but Is expensive. Relax, take it easy, and leave at least a half-day for the trip.
Try a custard tart with coffee or seafood with wine
Portugal is famous for seafood - we were there in sardine season - and custard tarts. Portugal also has great port (surprise!) and some sterling wines. Explore sidestreets off the beaten track for an assortment of off-beat bars and restaurants where you can order seafood stews and fresh sardines - delicious - washed down with a tasty wine.
Stroll the streets or go late night clubbing
Anywhere you go in Lisbon. you can listen to live music by day or night, and it won't be boring. There are buskers on the street and live bands in bars. Lisbon also has cool late-night hangouts and nightclubs - Google the trendiest venues
Day trips from Lisbon
Visit sensational Sintra or Cascais
Sintra is a gorgeous town with palaces perched on mist-strewn hills surrounded by trees and parks and a Moorish fort. It's just a half-hour ride from Lisbon's east station, with frequent trains running everyday.
Cascais has lovely sandy beaches, the Citadel Palace, a gallery dedicated to the surrealist artist Paula Rego and the dunes, cliffs and caves of Sintra-Cascais National Park. You can get a tram to Cascais which is a popular resort town for Lisbonites.
Both Sintra and Cascais have enough to see and do to spend two or three days there.
These towns are not in this video, but there will be a video coming on Sintra.
Getting around
If you are moderately fit, Lisbon is a great place to walk around. Its steep cobbled streets have wonderful coastal and city views and plenty of bars and cafes for rest stops. The flat area at the bottom holds the main shopping area, the East station where trains to Sintra leave from, lots of squares with fountains, cafes and live music and the river with its ferry terminal.
Trams are a popular way of getting round too, and you can get to most of Lisbon's sites on them. These classic vehicles can get very crowded with commuters and tourists so the earlier you get on them, the better.
Ferry rides are great ways to see Lisbon and outlying areas though the destinations offer little for tourists. The rides themselves are very pleasant though (and cheap).
Why go?
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Lisbon has something for everyone. Want to ramble in nature? Visit Sintra-Cascais National Park. Want medieval castles and forts and beautiful palaces? These are in and around Lisbon in droves. Maybe you just want to eat and drink and relax. No problem. Sit in a laid back bar or square, listen to live music and dine on fresh seafood washed down with wine.
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Lisbonites have great senses of humour. There are quirky shop signs, posters and sights everywhere, including a fairground-themed sardine shop and a sexy toilet.
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The busking scene is fantastic. Acrobats, kettledrum players, singers and mime artists can hold you spellbound for hours.
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Get fit by walking up Lisbon's steep streets to some fantastic lookouts.
Do you have questions or comments about this article? Email maddestinations@gmail.com or leave a comment under the video
