To the American tourist who has been used to the pomp and pompous cities of Europe, Paris and London, Lisbon is a more down-to-earth counterpitch. As the epicentre of Portugal, set at the continental edge with the ocean as a backdrop, the capital city is a hallucinating palace of gaudiness and nocturnal grandeur. It is a country where the past ceased to be closed in the museums but inscribed into the gloomy, colorful tiles of its architecture and the wistful notes of its folk songs. Rattling yellow trams which seem like cousins of san Francisco cable cars here roll their way up the seven steep hills into breathtaking outlooks that look over a sea of red-tiled pitch roofs. Lisbon is that kind of city that stages at its own leisurely tempo, where you might savour its world-famous pastries and where you are free to lose yourself in its cobblestone labyrinth of streets. Lisbon is a place where you can live the rich and very European experience but at a whole new price that is as refreshing as the air itself. One can never get enough of this enigmatic city in just three days but a visit has to end somewhere, leaving a person yearning to go back and see it again.
A smooth logistics is one of the first pleasant surprises an American can have planning this trip. The US passport holders also do not need a visa to stay in Portugal as a tourist up to ninety days since Portugal is a part of the Schengen Area. This eliminates a tremendous obstacle and opens the possibility to make trips less planned. It is one of the most accessible European capitals due to its availability of direct flights on such East Coast hubs as New York (JFK), Newark (EWR), and Boston (BOS) on airlines TAP Air Portugal and United. The one thing you need in the packing regime is a pair of good walking shoes that are well worn in; Lisbon is a beautiful city with extremely steep hills that will give your shoes a real workout. Lisbon is an amazing bargain as far as monetary value is concerned. The daily spending of approximately 90-110$ or 85- 100Euro per person will be sufficient to accommodate in a lovely guesthouse, eat well, use local transport, and visit the sites. Before departing, it is pertinent to inform your bank on the travel dates and when it comes to saving, you have to pack a credit card that offers no foreign transaction fee to save some cash on every spending.
The starting point of your Lisbon experience is the magnificent front room of the city Praza do Comercio. This is a great square, bright with sunshine, with its yellow arcaded walls, and opening on Tagus River, which was the gateway of the sea to the city. Enjoy the sea breeze and stroll under the victorious Rua Augusta Arch, and enter the Baixa district, the downtown of the city, that was splendidly rebuilt in a grid layout, after a devastating earthquake in 1755. You can marvel at the elaborate ironwork of the Santa Justa Lift, the 19 th century elevator, here. The line to ride it is always long but it is worth getting some good pics underneath and even better views are available free later in the day. The main idea of your afternoon is to climb up to the surrounding of Alfama the old and most beautiful district of the city. The most legendary of doing so is to take one on the best known Tram 28. It is an old-fashioned yellow tramcar with the groaning and extremely squeaking wheels that slowly takes its way up the steep hills, making impossible turns and poking along debugging little streets, providing the experience of an exhilarating and scenic trip rather far back in time.
After you depart in Alfama, you should store your map. The beauty of this neighborhood is the capability to yield to its twisting structure. Let yourself become lost in the labyrinth of the steep alleys built of cobblestone and find out mysterious courtyards, tiny chapels, and beautiful views to the river between old weathered facades. Sterne your way gently up-hill to the Castelo dea?? thought it is called. This medieval Moorish castle stands guard over the city whose entrance fee is worth it all just to see the amazing, panoramic 360 view of the ramparts. In the afternoons, when the light is growing soft, find a famous miradouro (viewpoint) of Alfama. The Miradouro das Portas do Sol is the best option as it has a terraced outlook that gives a magnificent view of the rooftops tumbling down the neighborhood. The first evening should be spent with listening to Fado, a soulful and melancholic traditional music of Portugal which may be often compared to American blues in its emotionality. Though most places serve expensive dinner shows it could be more enjoyable to have to dinner in a traditional tavern, or tasca, and experience the haunting tunes that are so much a part of the Fado houses, across the street.
Having spent a day getting to know the medieval heart of the city, your second day will mean a trip to the waterfront quarter of Belm, the magnificent epicenter of the Brazilian country during its Age of Discovery in the 15 th and 16 th centuries. The train or tram ride to this historical quarter is short and picturesque and it begins at the Cais do Sodre Station. The first place you have to visit is the impressive Jeronimus Monastery as a UNESCO World Heritage. It is one of most shocking demonstrations of Manueline architecture, which is a very Portuguese style, notable in its use of decorative, complex carvings reflecting the nationwide exploration of the seas, with tropes of rope, anchors, and foreign plants. The quietness and the size of the cloisters of the monastery are memorable ones. It is only a short walk around the corner where a requisite visit of any food lover must be made: the original cafe of the pastel de nata, Pasties de Belem. Sideman has this commodity in a blue-and-white tiled cafe which has been applying a monastic secret recipe since 1837. And the chance to enjoy one of these mythical custard tarts while it is freshly made out of the oven, with its flaky, crumbly pastry, thick egg custard and its tanned, caramelised crust, which can be sprinkled with cinnamon, is an experience in Lisbon as classic as it is worth all its publicity.
Satiate inside and out, glide some afternoon through the cool windy walk along the wide river. The Padrão dos Descobrimentos, the soaring Discoveries Monument will be also found, with a throng of Portuguese explorers, with Henry the Navigator at the forefront, looking out to sea. The next thing is the image of the city, the Belem Tower. This beautiful sixteenth-century castle, which Renaissance defenders once covered the mouth of the harbor, and which is still another Manueline masterpiece, is here seen floating majestically on the water. Finish a day in Belm and get back to the city center in the evening. It is a great chance to see the trendy district of Chiado with the oldest running bookstore of the world, Livraria Bertrand, refined theaters and international stores.
On your last day you need a break into a fairytale fantasy. The magic, misty, cool hills of Sintra are an 40-minutes train ride away to the central train station of Rossio in the city of Lisbon. This scenic UNESCO World Heritage area, the favorite playground of the Portuguese nobility, has is scattered with fantastic palaces and enigmatic estates. Three days are not adequate in experiencing everything, a specific plan is a necessity. The most memorable and not-to-be-missed is the bright lively Pena Palace, the colourful with multi-turreted castle standing on one of the top peaks of Sintra. It is a piece of 19th-century Romanticism, striking red and yellow terraces, and it gives a breathtaking view over the region. As a second pit stop, you have the very mysterious Quinta da Regaleira. The royal lifestyle is almost a secondary concern of this estate as it is occupied with mystic symbolism with the existence of secret grottos, covered corridors, and marvellous well of the initiation – an upside down tower with a curving stairway that goes deep under the earth. The 434 tourist bus offers a handy circle route between the station and the sites that are well dispersed along the hills.
Once you have had your magical day trip back in Lisbon, get ready to have a big farewell party night out in the Bairro Alto area. This residential area of small and silent streets attracts a total transformation in the night. So many small, hole-in-the-wall bars open their shutters, and the celebrating people pour into the cobblestones making the party jocular, friendly and mammoth. It is the best place to get a small restaurant to have a last delicious Portuguese meal, maybe a fresh grilled fish with a cold glass of vinho verde.
Prior to flying back to the states, you are probably going to experience the same kind of feeling that the Portuguese refer to as saudade: the wistful, bittersweet feeling of longing over the experience that you are leaving behind. Lisbon is the city that wins the heart. It does not have the monumental sense of self-satisfaction which is so characteristic of other European capitals and instead presents the refreshing and completely appealing living sense of the place. To the American tourist, it is an accessible, cheap and very rewarding destination and one that is just right in terms of providing not only a rich history but also a laid back and very lively modern culture and you are best sure that you will find your first visit not likely to be your last.
Although the three-day plan offers a flawless outline of how to spend time in the most typical places in Lisbon, the real spirit of the city will be divulged when you start doing it not based on the checklist and start living according to an exclusive rhythm. This entails exploring more into its food culture, realizing the nature of transport within this city and the use of the liberty to explore the personality of the different neighborhoods that make up this city. These are the elements that can make a holiday an outstanding travel experience and making you feel able to explore the city not as the blind tourist but as a prepared and grateful visitor.
The first thing we should start with the most mouth-watering thing about the Portuguese culture: the food. The name of the game is keeping things simple as the locals do in terms of starting off the day of cooking in Lisbon. A Portuguese breakfast or pequeno-almooco is normally a light meal. Enter any neighborhood pastelaria (pastry shop), and ask for um cafe (which will be a strong, short espresso), or um galo (about like a latte, in a glass) and a piece of pastry. Although it is the pastel de nata, be keen not to miss out on other alternatives such as a flaky croissant and a savory pao com chourizo. At lunchtime consider trying out the small family-run inns called tascas and order the prato do dia – prato do dia (plate of the day) is always a good option. This is among the greatest budget traveling tips in the whole of Europe. At a fixed and low price which will probably be about ten to twelve dollars, you will have a substantial main course which is more likely a pick of a grilled meat or fish dish, served with rice, potatoes, and a simple salad the drink will also be included in some cases along with a coffee. It is tasty, genuine and very cheap to consume.
Dinner, or jantar, is a more laid back affair, usually kicking off later in the evening; 8 PM or later is the usual hour. Here is the moment to find out more about the deep relations Portugal has with the sea. Seafood can not be beaten, and you will be able to discover amazing seafood dishes with fresh fish, octopus, clams, and shrimp. The national obsession and alleged to be cooked in hundreds of manners is bacalhau or salt cod. The workhorse of the cuisine is bacalhau a a b r a s, or a fantastic scramble of chopped up sea cod, onions, straw potatoes, and eggs. No food tour of Lisbon will be complete without a taste of its beverage culture. To get something refreshing to drink, you should have vinho verde, the green wine. The name is not to be understood by its color, but by its age, that is to say, It is a young wine. It is normally a fresh, bubbly and a bit sparkly white wine that goes with any sea food in a sunny afternoon. To get a pure Portuguese experience, seek out one of the little standing-room-only bars around Rossio Square which serve Ginjinha, a traditional sweet cherry liqueur which usually comes in a little, edible chocolate cup and costs about a euro.
Whereas the traditional itinerary is amazing, even though you pick a different day when you visit Sintra, or you get a free day on your hand, there are many other neighborhoods and experiences to see in the city of Lisbon. The LXFactory is west of the magnificent 25 de Abril Bridge which reminds me of the Golden Gate Bridge, and when your car has alighted you, then you are right. This massive and redeveloped production site has been turned into one of the coolest places of the city which can be compared to the atmosphere of the new DUMBO of Brooklyn. It is full of independent boutiques, artist studios, odd restaurants and one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world, Lovraria Ler Devagar, which occupies a former printing press. In case your visit falls either on a Tuesday or Saturday, a visit to the Feira da Ladra, or Thieves Market in Alfama is mandatory. This bird market is gigantic flea market where you can find treasures of antique, second hand clothes, vinyl records, and self made crafts. It is a wonderful people-watching spot and a place to come up with a real special souvenir. To unwind, it is easy to pop off to a short train journey just across the Cais do Sodre to the beautiful seaside town of Cascais, an old sleepy fishing village turned into a posh seaside resort, location of a lovely sunset promenade along the Atlantic coast.
In order to gain a better sense of what Lisbon is all about, spend some time strolling around the other neighborhoods iconic of the city. Adjacent to Alfama district, is the rougher, multicultural and thoroughly authentic neighbourhood of Mouraria. It is the historic Moorish district and the known cradle of Fado music. It does not have as polished streets as Alfama, but it is a lively place, with a mixed community and a thrilling, international food culture. To find a more luxurious atmosphere consider Pr ncipe Real. It is a fashionable green area characterized by luxury concept stores, antique shops, lovely gardens, and exclusive cocktail bars. It gives you glimpse of more modern, cosmopolitan Lisbon life.
The art of utilizing the use of the public transport inside the entire vicinity makes all these neighborhoods to be easy to navigate. The key is the Viva Viagem card which can be bought and reloaded in any metro station. The pay as you go or the zap or system is the most economical way of most visitors. The card is pre-loaded with a stipulated cash amount and each metro ride, bus ride, tram or ferry ride, takes away a little amount off the balance in the form of a nominal fee. This would be much, or nearly, as cheap as purchasing single tickets or even a 24-hour pass, except when you intend to put in an exceptional number of journeys within one day. The card is also valid at the historic funiculars of the city namely Elevador da Bica, Elevador da Gloria and Elevador do Lavra. U-shaped, charming, tram-like, the vehicles pull passengers up some of the steepest hills of the city, and are a fun experience in itself, and riding them on your Viva Viagem card is much less expensive than purchasing a special tourist ticket when on-board.
View is one of the reasons this city on seven hills is known, and doing the miradouro crawl is an ideal activity to spend your late afternoon hours. Other than the famous Portas do Sol visit the Miradouro de San Pedro de Alcantara which has an excellent panoramic view of the city across the castle. To be more local, visit the Miradouro da Graa, which is also a favourite hang out as there is a small kiosk cafe bar where you can sit and have a cheap beer or coffee and watch the lights of the city come on. The ultimate, the most breathtaking, the sweeping view is that one found at the mirror of the lady the Monte, the Miradouro da Senhora do Monte. These perspectives are the social centers of the Portuguese capital where individuals of any social background can engage in the process of having a rest, talking to one another, and admiring the beauty of their homeland.
As far as authentic souvenirs to bring back to the States are concerned, shop around the usual tourist items. Rather, invest in products that are characteristic of the Portuguese culture and the art of craft. Think of tenderly designed tins of conservas (canned fish) that are national delicacy and have beautiful vintage-looking packaging. Cork products are also at an infinite range and are of good quality so do watch out for wallets, bags, shoes made of cork, Portugal is also the largest cork manufacturer in the world. Its beautiful Hand-painted ceramic tiles, well known as azulejos is another craft with great value in Portugal. Purchasing these things you get not only a souvenir, but a little bit of Portuguese life with you. This conscientious attitude towards your trips, food you eat, your way of getting through the streets, is what will bring your 3 days in Lisbon to be really memorable and turn a common trip into an open fullness and personal experience.
