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A trip to Sintra, about half an hour by train from Lisbon, would not be complete without a visit to the brightly hued Pena
in
LOVE LISBON with
Home to a rich maritime history, colourful streets, sunny weather and superb seafood, the City of the Seven Hills is on Mariola Jakutowicz Fouché’s radar for lots of good reasons
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estowed with all the graces and wonders of an ancient capital, somehow Lisbon – a magical combination of steep hills, pretty terracotta roofs and traditional tiled buildings – managed to evade the grasp of mass tourism for many years. But after a blow to Portugal’s economy following the >
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global crisis in 2008, the indomitable Lisboêtas channelled their energies into a number of construction projects and restorations whose results are now evident in gleaming public squares, new cultural spaces and creative design projects. ON THE TILES
Walking down the city streets without spotting something beautiful is impossible: a trademark of Portugal is its striking tilework, which adorns pavements, ceilings, halls and walls alike. If you’re interested in their history and design, the National Tile Museum (museudoazulejo.gov.pt) in the 16th-century convent of Madre de Deus houses an iconic collection that includes grand murals dating back to the 15th century. Metro stations are equally awash in tile art – particularly impressive at Restauradores, Oriente, and Cais do Sodré stations.
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CIRCLE THE SQUARES
To absorb the full essence of Lisbon, it’s worth spending time in each of its
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CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Buzzing Rossio square is lined with classical buildings and bistros; alfresco dining with a view of Castelo de São Jorge on one of the seven hilltops; Palácio Nacional in the hillside town of Sintra, not far from Lisbon; seek out the city’s many vantage points (miradouros) for spectacular vistas over the capital, pictured here the Tagus River and its famous 25 de Abril bridge.
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swathes of camera-toting visitors. Two more emblematic plazas in the area are Dos Restauradores and Figueira, each with its own ambience, historic features, classic facades and busy stores. Shoppers can get their fill at any of the upmarket boutiques lining the grand, leafy boulevard of Avenida da Liberdade, which ends at the manicured, sloping Parque Eduardo VII before segueing into the more modern urban areas. ALL ABOARD FOR ALFAMA
most popular districts: Baixa, Alfama, Chiado, Bairro Alto, and Belém. The most central of these is Baixa, a neoclassical-style area that had to be rebuilt after a devastating earthquake in 1755. Start with an alfresco breakfast at one of the sidewalk cafés in Lisbon’s ‘gateway’, the sprawling Praça do Comércio square (aka Terreiro do Paço) on the Tagus estuary, and visit Lisboa Story Centre for an insightful audio tour. Alongside shops and restaurants, there’s an information centre, and it’s a transport hub for trams, metros and buses, as well as ferries heading south across the river. On the northern side is the majestic archway Arco da Rua Augusta, built to mark the city’s post-disaster reconstruction, from which you can take in sweeping views of Lisbon. From here, take a leisurely walk up Rua Augusta avenue to Rossio Square where you can lunch outside to the antics of street entertainers and
Although Baixa is relatively flat, the ancient quarter of Alfama to its east is not. It’s worth the slog up Alfama’s winding, narrow streets to the 10thcentury Moorish Castelo de São Jorge that stands sentinel atop its highest hill. Turrets and ramparts, cobblestones and shady pine trees, sauntering peacocks and magnificent vistas over the suburbs cascading down to the Tagus River make it a key attraction that you shouldn’t miss. If burning kilojoules is not for you, hop on the yellow Tram 28, Lisbon’s answer to London’s red double-decker bus. The vintage carriage has been chugging up hills for 90 years and is a lovely way to tick off a few sights – it sets off at Praça Martim Moniz, trundling though Baixa and Chiado past churches and squares, up the >
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A trademark of Portugal is its striking tilework, which adorns pavements, ceilings and walls
L I V E T R AV E L
The eclectic, Romanticist castle of Pena stands atop a hill in Sintra surrounded by verdant gardens, and offers sweeping views of the countryside.
hills of Alfama and Graça. And to avoid the throngs queuing for the 28 (it’s that popular), you can also take a delightful short cut up the Escadinhas de São Cristóvão stairway through colourful, graffiti-strewn alleyways. Alfama is where Fado was born in the 1820s. An intense mixture of nostalgia and melancholy, Portugal’s traditional genre of folk music is showcased at Alfama’s Fado Museum. OUT ON THE TOWN
Ready for a dose of Lisbon’s nightlife? Soak up the trendy vibes of elegant Chiado and bohemian Bairro Alto, to the west. The easiest way to get there is to ride up the Santa Justa Lift, a wrought-iron neo-Gothic structure that’s more than 100 years old and connects lower Baixa to the quakestricken Carmo church in upper Bairro Alto, which has eluded restoration since 1755. Chiado is all about style and fashion by day – historic shops jostle with innovative concept stores (try Rua do Norte in Bairro Alto) – that give way to cool bars and eateries by night. A must-visit is A Vida Portuguesa in Rua Anchieta: replete with high ceilings and glass cabinets, at this store you’ll find a selection of brightly packaged traditional products such as soaps, olive oil, hand creams and retrowrapped sardines. Come evening, the somewhat gritty Bairra Alto scene transforms, as happy revellers spill out of its many gathering
GOOD TO KNOW • On the first Sunday of every month, entrance to many museums is free. • For a quick overview of main attractions, take a Yellow Bus sightseeing tour from Praça do Comércio. • Visit Lisbon in the milder months during spring (March–May) and autumn
(September–November), when crowds are not at their peak. •B aixa, Chiado, Bairro Alto or areas close to the southern end of Avenida da Liberdade all offer walking access to historical sites. •P ortuguese cuisine is a seafood lover’s dream – and excellent vegan and vegetarian eateries are popping up all the time. Traditional cantinhos restaurants serve great, simple food such as grilled sardines or bacalhau (salted cod). The Mercado
da Ribeira/Time Out Lisboa Market near Cais do Sodré station is a quintessential foodie stop for a variety of inexpensive dishes. • Skip the lengthy queues in Belém by simply appreciating their exteriors. • Do taste some Ginjinha or Ginja – Portugal’s popular morello cherry liqueur. • South Africans require a Schengen visa for Portugal.
spots onto the cobbled streets well into the wee hours. Along with Alfama, the best live Fado music clubs are here. MONUMENTAL MOMENTS
IMAGES: MARIOLA JAKUTOWICZ FOUCHÉ
About 5km away by train, bus or tram is the heritage-rich waterfront district of Belém, site of the landmark Torre de Belém and the splendid Monastery of Jerónimos, both fine examples of late Gothic ‘Manueline’ (after King Manuel I) architecture. The watchtower was built in 1515 to protect the port and is a symbol of the country’s proud seafaring past, while the monastery is the final resting place of renowned explorer Vasco da Gama and other great historical figures. Nearby is the prow-shaped Monument to the Discoveries, built in the ’60s to honour distinguished navigators, explorers and monarchs from the Portuguese Age of Discovery. Cap the afternoon off at Pastéis de Belém, where its famous pasteis de nata – cinnamon-dusted custard tartlets – have been served daily since 1837.
A FINE DAY OUT
Cool, verdant Sintra became the refuge of Portugal’s royalty in the hot summer months, and British poet Lord Byron defined it as a ‘glorious Eden’. A visit to Lisbon wouldn’t be complete without a day trip to this forested hill town, dotted with villas and plush palaces such as the Palácio da Pena, the Palácio Nacional de Sintra, Quinta da Regaleira and the Castle of the Moors. A 45-minute train ride from Rossio station, this UNESCO World Heritage site deserves at least a weekend visit; but if you only have a day, aim for two of its attractions: the 434 bus from the town centre will get you there. Sintra also boasts wine estates and wide, sandy Atlantic beaches nearby, but Lisbon’s neighbouring seaside town of Cascais is another option for a great day’s excursion. Couple it with a train trip from Cais do Sodré station via Belém, which is en route. The beauty of Portugal’s capital city lies just as much in its laundry-laden balconies and elderly ladies gazing out of their windows as it does in its preserved heritage, ageless traditions and modern culture. Step aside, Paris, Lisbon is blooming.
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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Traditional Portuguese azulejos tiles; a view of the Tagus River; narrow, cobbled streets in the old neighbourhood of Alfama; sardines are symbolic of the city and the tinned variety are widely available as souvenirs.
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