Overview

Lisbon is a town of quarters that include Belém, which has the majority of attractions; Alfama, the Muslim quarter; Barrio Alto on the hillside; and Baixa, downtown Lisbon. The Portuguese capital has a pretty good selection of sights that range from historic buildings in ancient areas of the city to futuristic, kiddie-friendly attractions.

St George's Castle (Castelo de São Jorge)

St George's Castle is one of the main landmarks in Lisbon and is well worth the effort of getting up there. It overlooks the city from its hillside setting and provides the best views of town. You can climb the tower as well as the revamped ramparts. The best way to get to the castle is by walking through Alfama neighbourhood from downtown Lisbon and bus number 37 also runs here.

Alfama

One of the most interesting areas of Lisbon, Alfama was its Muslim core. It is one of tight streets and close-knit buildings and has a wonderful atmosphere. One of the highlights of Alfama is the ancient cathedral, Sé. It is a Romanesque structure and the city's first church, which was started in 1150. It is worth seeing more for its cargo than appearance, being home to the tomb of St Anthony, Lisbon's patron saint.

Belém

Belém is another interesting part of Lisbon with loads of worthwhile attractions, including Belém Tower (Torre de Belém), Jerónimos Monastery, the elaborate Luminous Fountain (Fonte Luminosa), and the Belém Cultural Centre (CCB). The Gothic/Moorish Tower of Belém hails from the 16th century and was built during Portugal's Age of Discovery, while the permanent art exhibition at the CCB features some fascinating contemporary works in the Berardo Collection by the likes of Picasso, Dalí and Warhol.

Baixa and Bairro Alto

Baixa and Bairro Alto are the main parts of Lisbon. Baixa is the downtown area and the newer part, which was rebuilt after an earthquake in the 1700s flattened much of the original town. The layout is somewhat sterile and differs greatly from the rest of town although it does have many interesting attractions nonetheless. Bairro Alto sits on the hillside and has the best views and seafood restaurants.

Oceanarium

The Oceanarium is perfect for those with kids and can be seen on a family ticket. It is located on the 1998 Expo site and has quality exhibits. The main tank is the highlight with its sharks, rays and other creatures of the deep. Exhibits also represent the four major climatic zones and kids can get to sleep over on certain days.

Gulbenkian Museum

Located on Avenida de Berna in Baixa, and not to be confused with the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Lisbon's Gulbenkian Museum has the city's most interesting exhibits. It displays the collections of famed Armenian Calouste Gulbenkian, and features numerous Egyptian artefacts and paintings by Rembrandt, Renoir, and Monet as its highlights.

Overview

Lisbon is not overrun with sporting options, unfortunately, with nearby Estoril and Cascais having the better sporting choice. There are, however, loads of parks and gardens where you can have a walk or go for a swim, while golf courses and tennis courses are dotted about. Have a go at the martial art Jogo do Pau if you fancy doing something wholly Portuguese on the sporting front.

Walking and jogging

There are loads of areas where you can do some decent walking in Lisbon, including in the Bairro Alto, Alfama, and Belém parts of town, while numerous parks and gardens also offer good walking and jogging. Parque Eduardo VII is particularly good as it sits over the town and has the best views of any park. The sports facilities here are good and include a children's playground. Head to the National Stadium (Estádio Nacional) in the north of the city for jogging.

Swimming

Although Lisbon is on the coast there isn't much swimming unless you go right out of town. Within town, there are several public pools and Alvito Park (Parque do Alvito) is a popular place to go for a dip in the summer. It has outdoor swimming and is really popular with families with its play areas and open spaces.

Golf

You'll have to go out a fair way to find the best courses, but the Lisbon Sports Club on the nearby Estoril Coast is popular. Other courses can be found at Belas, Sintra, and Cascais. The best in the region is the Atlantic Golf Course, near Sintra to the northwest of town. It lies within the Penha Longa Hotel Spa & Golf Resort, is one of Europe's best and is expensive.

Jogo do Pau

This very Portuguese form of martial art is not known by many, but if you want to try out something inherently Portuguese and show off to the locals, it's worth giving it a go. It's a bit like stick fencing and stems from the Middle Ages, and you can often see it being practised in the city's main parks. For in-depth Jogo do Pau, there are National Federation of Jogo do Pau training centres around town.

Tennis

Although sporting facilities are a bit thin on the ground in Lisbon, with most Portuguese being into football, there are some good tennis facilities for the public. The Campo Grande Estádio at Alvalade has a variety of tennis courts, while nearby Cascais has the Quinta da Marinha, and Estoril, the Club de Tenis de Estoril; both of these have comprehensive tennis options.

Dining and shopping

The eating in Lisbon is pretty good and there are more restaurants here than ever. Everything from good Portuguese signature dishes to all types of foreign food in taverns, restaurants with panoramic views, and humble cafés is available. Prices in the Portuguese capital are reasonable, to boot. The shopping is also good and focuses on fashion and handicrafts.

The best eating option in Lisbon for the average tourist is to eat at a fixed-price menu place, where two or three courses, and often wine, are included. Another popular eating option in town is at a fado café of an evening, while seafood is the big eat. There are loads of fish-based dishes here, with the fish stew known as caldeirada being a firm local favourite. Those into cod should sample pastéis de bacalhau, while meat lovers might like to try the feijoada sausage. Desserts are also popular here, as are Port and Madeira wines.

Many restaurants in Lisbon open very late due to the custom of not eating until late, as with Spain. This stems from the sleeping in the afternoon (siesta) which has carried over from Spain. Bairro Alto (high neighbourhood) and the docks (Docas) have the best dining in town; the latter also comes with many trendy bars. Another place is the area just above Chiado.

There is good shopping all over Lisbon, yet Baixa - downtown Lisbon, lying between the River Tagus and Rossio - has the best of it, particularly along Rua Augusta. Rua Aurea (Gold Street) and Rua da Prata (Silver Street) are the streets to head for in Baixa for jewellery. The Chiado is the pace to head for upmarket shopping in Lisbon, including along Rua Garrett. Armazens do Chiado is a popular mall here, while lovers of antiques need to head to Rua Dom Pedro V in Bairro Alto.

While Armazens do Chiado in Chiado is a popular shopping mall, the Colombo Centre is the most tourist friendly, with its scores of outlets, kiddie attractions and cinema. The Portuguese are big into handicrafts and you will find quality merchandise from all over the region. Embroidered items and knitted garments such as shawls are particularly popular, along with pottery, tiles, wickerwork and leather goods.

The Lisbon Shopping Card offers tourists discounts at major participating stores in Lisbon over 24 hours, while tax-free shopping can be had for those coming from outside the EU. Be sure to fill out the necessary forms at participating stores and claim any VAT back at the airport on exit. Many shops close at lunchtime for siesta (between 13:00 and 15:00) in Lisbon, apart from the big shopping malls that is.

Lisbon has a fun collection of eateries and is especially big on cafés, patisseries and teahouses. From upmarket and trendy cafés and historic restaurants to the most casual of terrace cafés and pubs, you will find it all here, and the best thing is that prices are very reasonable for a European capital city.

Overview

Portela Airport is the main entry point for Lisbon, with flights coming in from all over. It is a major European hub and is served by flag carriers and budget airlines. Facilities and transfer options are good. Buses and trains also come in from all over Lisbon and from Spain, while getting about town by public transport is by metro, bus, tram, and ferries, as well as by taxi.

Airports

Lisbon Airport (Lisboa Portela Airport) is Portugal's main air hub, handling in excess of 10 million flyers through its single, large domestic and international terminal. The airport is just north of town and receives flights from all over European, Asian, and North American cities. Dozens of airlines serve Portela Airport, including the likes of TAP Portugal (the Portuguese flag carrier), British Airways, Air Lingus, easyJet and Continental.

Airport facilities are comprehensive and include ATMs, currency exchange booths, and a full-service bank. There is also a post office, medical services, left luggage, mother and baby facilities, and a slew of shops and eateries. Also onsite are comprehensive business facilities and executive class lounges.

If you don't have a courtesy shuttle in with your hotel, the easiest option for getting to town is by taxi, and they run 24 hours from Arrivals. Shuttle buses also run to town, as well as out to nearby Estoril and Cascais, while public buses run to town every 30 minutes or so and are the cheapest option. In addition, Metro-Oriente rail station lies just to the east of the airport, a 15-minute walk away.

If you plan on hiring a car, Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, National, and Sixt are all here and cars can be booked ahead online. The journey to town is well signposted and is just five or six miles. The parking and traffic within Lisbon is tough going, however.

Public transportation

Other than flying, Lisbon is well served by train from Madrid in Spain and from elsewhere in Portugal. There are a couple of train stations in Lisbon: Gare do Oriente and Santa Apolónia, although if coming from the south, such as the Algarve, it is better to alight at Entrecampos for the metro. Get off at Santa Apolonia station if coming in from the north. The main bus station in Lisbon is Sete Rios and services come in from all over the country with Rede Expresso inter-city bus company.

The best way to get around Lisbon at large is to use the refurbished metro, which runs on a zoned system and has single trip and multi tickets available. Most visitors only need a ticket to cover Zone 1. Daily, weekly and monthly passes (7 Colinas cards) are available and they can also be used on the city's trams and buses. The buses in Lisbon are also pretty useful for those travelling to destinations farther afield.

In addition, Lisbon has funiculars and elevators to lofty parts of Barrio Alto and the travel passes also cover them. Another way to travel to other parts of Lisbon is by boat and there are ferry stations at Barreiro, Montijo, Trafaria, and Cacilhas. Taxi transport is Lisbon is convenient, plentiful and relatively affordable. The licensed, metered taxis in Lisbon are beige and have 'taxi' signs which will be lit when a ride is available. Dedicated taxi ranks can be found in the city centre, the Rossio area, and the Sul e Sueste ferry dock.