friends & family | LISBON
Ready for Discovery Lisbon lures visitors with unexpected treasures and modern-day pleasures. BY TERRI COLBY IN LISBON, UNLIKE IN OTHER European capitals, first-time visitors arrive without a lot of expectations. There’s no Eiffel Tower, Buckingham Palace or Sistine Chapel. That’s not to say Lisbon has no outstanding historical monuments. Of course it does. They’re just not as well-known as those iconic examples of European travel tours. And that just might be what gives this darling of the must-visit-now lists its special allure. An unexpected treat awaits around every corner. Start with the sidewalks. Who would think
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globaltravelerusa.com
MARCH 2019
the material below your feet could be interesting? But Lisbon’s stone-cobbled walkways with gray and white patterns are photo-worthy … and worth keeping your eye on, as they’re not always smooth. And then there are the tiles, the vibrant painted ceramics known as azulejos adorning walls everywhere across the city. Any storefront, office building or even a modest home becomes a colorful work of art. With a city center filled with every high-end store imaginable, the Avenida Liberdade still feels like a place apart, a grand boulevard with
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Multiple U.S. and international airlines fly non-stop to Humberto Delgado Airport, also known as Lisbon Airport, TAP Air Portugal’s home base. Because the airport is located just six miles from the city center, getting to your hotel can be a snap. Frequent and inexpensive Metro and shuttle services get you into the city in about 20–30 minutes. A taxi, from the stand outside Terminal 1, gets you to the city center in 15–20 minutes in light traffic.
