Lisbon – The Westernmost Capital of Europe

July 9, 2023 by admin

My introduction to the Portuguese nation began, where it begins for most, in the Nation’s capital. One of the great cities of the colonial empire, Lisbon doubles as one of the best capital cities in Europe. This colourful cultural monolith is one of the most popular summer destinations in Europe and it is easy to see why.

Geography and Transportation

The largest city in Portugal, Lisbon is built on Seven Hills overlooking the Tagus River. From its strategic vantage point near the mouth of the Tagus the city has a window on the Atlantic, a fact that would turn the city into an imperial powerhouse. Like Rome it is built on seven hills.

Intercity Transportation

If you are planning on getting around the city, be prepared for some heavy walking up and down the steep inclines of the city. To help you, Lisbon offers a variety of transportation options ranging from a network of heritage trams serving much of the inner city and Belem, a vast Metro Network linking the airport with several downtown as well as suburban neighbourhoods and water taxis linking the south shore with many of the coastal area’s of the city.

Intracity Transportation

Intracity transportation in Lisbon can be confusing at times. This is because there are four main stations, each serving various destinations.

Rossio Station: This railway station is a popular one with tourists. This is due to the fact that it serves the royal town of Sintra one of the most popular places in the country. As part of this transportation hub you will find a metro connection (Blue line), a hotel and a hostel. The station is renowned for its Manueline architecture (to be discussed later), its well light facade is most impressive at night. As part of the complex you will also find fine dining, a beer garden and a cafe. Opposite to the station you will find a great bakery, Pastelario Beira Gare, and a rooftop terrace at the Rossio Gastobar offering view of the trains station as well as Pedro IV/Restaudores squares.
Santa Apolonia: The oldest train station in the city, like Estacado Apollonia offers access to many international and international destinations. Popular domestic routes from here include Porto, Coimbra, Evora as well as many others.
Estacado do Oriente: This massive suburban train station offers rail access to many international and domestic destinations such as Porto. It may be far from the city center but can be accessed via the Red Metro line.
Cais do Sodre: Offering a scenic ride down the Tagus river to the Atlantic, this rail station allows holiday goers access to the beach and historic seaside town of Cascais.

Hostels

Unlike many of my previous posts I wont be recommending a specific place to stay in Lisbon. I had a bad experience at the hostel I stayed at, as the staff was rude and it was very dirty (one of the worst I have ever stayed at and I’ve been to many party hostels!), with multi day old condoms strewn about the shower room and sticky beer on the floors. There are so many places to choose from, but I would strongly recommend getting a place at the bottom of Lisbon’s many hills. After a few days of going out, exploring and partying at night, you will be sick of scaling up and down. Instead try to stay in a place on a public transportation line such as the Rossio Hostel. Trust me after walking back to your hostel up a hill from Belem nightlife early the morning , you will be wishing that you had booked at a low point.

View of Lisbon from a lookout over Rossio Station.

A Brief History

Due to its strategic position, Lisbon has long been prized by the likes of would be conquerors. Although the city has a long history (it is one of the oldest in Western Europe along with Cadiz), it only came into its own during the Age of Exploration, when the wealth of the world flocked to its busy Atlantic port.

Antiquity

Occupied since the Neolithic period, the area surrounding the city was invaded by the Celts during the 1st century BC. In 1200BC the Phoenicians, a seafaring people from present day Lebanon, established a trading port where the city center now stands. They were attracted by the large sheltered harbor provided by the mouth of the Tagus river and so with these new people begins the Mercantile history of Portugal. Legend has it that the settlement was named after Ulysses, when he founded the city as he sailed to the edge of the world.

After the defeat of Carthage in 202BC, the largest of the Punic Colonies, the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) passed to the Roman Empire. Under Roman Empire the city was called Olissipo and was made a municipum by Julius Caesar. The new citizens would come under frequent attack from the Lusitanian, a Celtic influenced tribe. This necessitated the construction of a city wall.

The city benefited greatly from its association with the empire, developing a network stretching as far as Britanium (specifically Cornwall). Many grand public buildings were constructed and the city became known for its famous fish oil, a specialty sold to Rome’s elite. Christianity was introduced over the course of the fourth century A.D.

Medieval Lisbon

The Roman empire would fall to the barbarian hordes and Lisbon would be ravaged by several tribes, including the Vandals. Eventually, Lisbon was incorporated into the Visigoth kingdom of Toledo and called Ulishbona.

In 711, Lisbon was taken over by the Moors, Muslim Arabs originating from North Africa. They rebuilt the Roman wall and built the Alfama, the oldest surviving district found in the city. During this time the city was very multi-ethnic with a large Christian, Jewish and Muslim presence. The city was occupied for three years by the king of Norway, Sigurd I and his merry band of crusaders. It was retaken by the Moorish Almoravid kingdom in 1111.

The Medieval Cathedral of Lisbon as seen in the background this streetscape.

The city was retaken by Alfonso and his christian crusaders during the Reconquista, the city falling in 1147. The christian victory collapsed Moorish rule and Arabic culture in Portugal long before it had been beaten back in Spain. A university was installed although it was later moved to Coimbra. The city was besieged by the neighboring Kingdom of Castile during a conflict of Succession, the culmination of this event was the raising of the Portuguese National Consciousness.

The city continued to be in important trading post for the Mediterranean and North Africa during this time.

Imperial Portugal

Lisbon would come into it’s own during the Age of Discovery. Vasco De Game would open the road to India, thus unlocking the Portuguese treasury onto Lisbon with wealth from the Indes. Lagos was the main port of trade for good from Africa but as New World and India opened up to the old Lisbon overtook it becoming a hub for for spice slaves textiles and sugar. The romantic Manueline architectural style was developed during this time, this ornamentation heavy style is often referred to as “Late Gothic” is sublimely beautiful. When gold from Brazil begun arriving the city was redeveloped in Baroque style.

Lisbon lost its status during a sixty year occupation by Spain starting in 1580, this was a result of a personal union with the Iberian neighbor and ended with a rebellion of the Portuguese nobility. During this event Lisbon was raided by notable English Pirate Sir Francis Drake, who was on his way to raid the Spanish Armada in the Spanish Atlantic port of Cadiz.

Earthquakes were common in Lisbon during these centuries, with two damaging the city in the 16th century, three in 17th, including the massive 1755 event. During this event the city was celebrating All Saints’ Day and candles were lit in every home. A massive tsunami followed the earthquake and those candles were knocked over setting the city alight. People galloped up with their horses to higher ground as the city was engulfed in a sea of fire and water. Left in taters, Lisbon was up rebuilt by a mythical figure in Portuguese history, the First Marquis of Pombal. This man was a Prime Minister of Portugal and decided to scrap the old city and rebuilt a town based on the principles of the enlightenment. The result of this is the Baixa district, a perfect example of rational city planning. The uniform blocks define modern Lisbon.

Padrão dos Descobrimentos, a monument celebrating Henry the Navigator.

Modern Era

During the Napoleonic Wars the French occupied Portugal and the royal family was forced to flee to colonial Brazil. During their time they pillaged and plundered any treasure they could find leaving much of the city in a sad state.

In 1908 regicide was committed in Lisbon and the corrupt First Republic was declared in 1910. During this time the University of Lisbon was re-established. The Second Republic, a authoritarian regime called the Estrado Novo was established in 1926. It was led by António de Oliveira Salazar, a controversial, yet gifted, economist and politician. The merits of this regime are still being discussed in Portuguese society. In 1940 the Portuguese national expedition took place celebrating the 300th year since the independence from Spain. The nationalist exhibit features Brazil and the rest of the Portuguese speaking colonies.

Portugal largely stayed out of WW1 (Germany and Portugal did engage in the occasional skirmishes instigated by the former) and was neutral as such Lisbon escaped much of the destruction that befell much of the continent. During this time Lisbon served as a nest of intrigue with spies off all factions present in the city. It also served as a port for refugees fleeing the Nazi regime.

The Estrada Novo regime ended 1974 and since then democratic Lisbon has been on the comeback trail with renovations of the old town and infrastructure investments.

A Guide to Lisbon?

Lisbon is a massive city and one of the most important in Europe. As such I have decided to split the city up by district so that you may better grasped the scope and locations of the mentioned attractions.

Baixa (Pombal’s Rational Town)

The planned old town of Lisbon, Baixa, is a the perfect example of the rational priceless of the enlightenment. Sometimes referred to as the Pombaline Downtown, it is a clean and elegant area. The main street, Augusta, is covered in intricate tiling. At its southern terminus lies the Praça do Comércio, accessed via a triumphal archway.

Augusta Street, leading to the Praça do Comércio.

The “U” shaped plaza, was built after the destruction of its predecessor during the great earthquake of 1755. The was a commercial dock for most of its history and much of the earth of the New World was channeled though this plaza to the Ribeira Palace at its side. This was the residence of the kings of Portugal for 250 years. At its center stands a statue of King José I, the king at the time of the destruction. The southern end is open to the sea and you will find the Cais das Colunas, an old colonnaded pier looking out at the river. This is a major events ground for national celebrations and the Lisbon Story Museum, the one detailing the history of the city, can be found here. Jose and the Marquis de Pombal were liberal king and Prime Minister respectively of Portugal and worked in tandem to reform the country and rebuild the capital. Pombal, in particular, is a very important to the commercial development of Portugal. Inspired by the British commercial activities, he demarked the Douro Valley and launched the trade of Port Wine leading to the rise of Porto as a rival commercial center. I would encourage you to read more about Pombal before visiting the nation and he is truly one of the titans of the Age of Enlightenment.

Back in residential Baixa you will find several attractions such a a fashion museum and a money Museum, interestingly housed in a former church. Connecting the district to the elevated Chiado district, on its west flank, is its elevator, the Santa Justa Lift.

This ornate steel structure was completed in 1902 and offers a great view of Baixa. At its top you will find Carmo square along with its famous convent. You can read more about it in the Chiado section.

at the northern terminus of the square you will find two squares; Praça Dom Pedro IV and Praça dos Restauradores. At the former you will find the neoclassical styled Teatro Nacional D. Maria II. At the latter you will find the Manueline Rossio train station, the pink painted 18th century Foz Palace and the Restauradores avenue corridor.

Teatro Nacional D. Maria II in the Dom Pedro IV Square

From Dom Pedro Square you can look up at Chiado to see Carmo above, with its famous ruined church.

Bairro Alto/Chiado/Principe Real (Trendy Lisbon, AKA “The Drunken District”)

Starting at the elevator mentioned above, you will find Chiado’s most important cultural attraction – Carmo square.

The square is built around the Carmo Convent, a medieval structure ruined by the 1955 earthquake and turned into a . The open air of the structure now houses an archeological museum and allows for some magnificent nights exploring under the stars.

The gothic structure is very evocative and is my favortite part of Lisbon!

Nearby you will find the Church of Sao Roque, this 16th century Jesuit structure is one of the oldest of the order. The ornate and well decorated interior is home to a religious art museum. This is an underrated and under the radar attraction.

Bairro Alto, neighboring Chiado, is renowned for its proliferation of dive bars and drunken Brits. The hilly district leads down to Cais do Sodre and as the night carries on the bars mostly close and the crowd disperses south.

I have explored this district in depth in very unfortunate conditions. In my stupor I never bothered to take many pictures, but I can remember much of it by memory.

Cais do Sodre (Club Central)

Once the toughest district in Lisbon Pink, this seaside district was known for its hard partying ways, with the main avenue, Pink Street filled with sailors and prostitutes. Now a premier nightlife destination, Lisbon’s old Red Light District is clad in pink asphalt. Officially called Rua Nova do Carvalho, you can read more about it in the nightlife section. The whole area around the waterfront includes a slew of nightclubs in old warehouses, many of them open all night.

In the the Cais do Sodré train station you will find a tourism office. Not far outside of this you will find the Time Out Market Lisbon and Elevador da Bica, a cable care leading up to Bairro Alto. The Time Out Market is a fairly recent addition to the city (2014) and features many food ventures.

Intendente (Gentrification Central-Hipsters)

One of Lisbon oldest neighborhoods, Intendente has experience a remarkable transformation in recent years. The old brothel and drugs area is now host to trendy cafe’s, a thriving art scene and boutique hotels. Much of the character of the neighborhood has been pushed out but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Today the area is very safe. The narrow hilltop streets are not light at night and pockets of poverty still exist.

This is an excellent neighborhoods for view of the city and many lookouts exist for the tourist too pear out at Lisbon below.

Liberdade Ave Corridor (The Shopping District)

North of Baixa, starting at Praca dos Restaurades, this tree line boulevard leading to a massive statue of the Marquis of Pombal. This is a massive shopping area but alternatively, you can walk to Parque Eduardo VII, just north of the Pombal statue for a great view of the city and the Tagus River.

Alfama (The Moorish Old Town)

The old Moorish district built on a hill east of Baixa. It is renowned for its narrow alleys and stunning architecture. Having survived the earthquake of 1755, it is considered to be the oldest district in Lisbon. The mane Alfama come from the arabic Al-hamma, or Baths. It is in this district of the city that you will find many of the Fado bars, the traditional music of Portugal. At its peak stands the Castelo de S. Jorge. This district can best be viewed from far from the southern part of Intendente, at the heights near Martin Moritz square. I recommend the view for Jardim da Cerca da Graça. Here you will find the 13th century Igreja da Graça and the Augusto Gil Garden. These are some of my favorite public spaces in the city. The Gil garden revolves around a pretty circular fountain, surrounded by pretty buildings and looking at an interesting street interchange.

In this district you will also find a few of the tiled buildings that Portugal is known for. These white and blue ceramics make for beautiful motifs along walls.

The Jardim da Cerca da Graça with the Igreja da Graça as viewed from the Alfama.

The castle itself can be accessed via a roundway up the narrow streets of the district, thought the Arco do Castelo. Although the view is nice from here it is not the best from Lisbon in my humble opinion it is not even the best viewpoint in the district. At the top you will find the ramparts and the excavated archeological remains of the previous generations of inhabitants along with the ruins of a palace.

The district is best seen from the narrow lanes of the Alfama where a new church seems to lunge out at you from every corner.

One of the most important of these is the Lisbon Cathedral. Often just referred to as Sé, it is one of the oldest surviving structures in the city. Dating from 1147 and built in plain stone, it feels distinct from any other building in Lisbon.

It has had several additions and there are many architectural styles on display on the interior.

The best viewpoints in Lisbon to me are the Miradouro de Santa Luzia and the Miradouro das Portas do Sol near the Igreja de Santa Luzia. This will give you a panorama of many of the prettiest structures in east Lisbon, looking down at the waterfront. The two most prominant structures in this picture will be discussed furtherdown. They are the National Pantheon and the Church of São Vicente of Fora. Furthermore you will find the Igreja de Santo Estêvão in the foreground. These lookouts connect to the Elevador de Santa Luzia, a lift in a buildings that i accidentally wandered into. I initially thought that I wandered into someones apartment building, the transition is so subtle as it is not as attention grabbing as some of the other lifts.

These viewpoints sandwich the 17th century church mentioned above Igreja de Santa Luzia. This 17th century church is another one of my favorites due to its prolific viewpoints.

Miradouro das Portas do Sol with the Igreja de Santa Luzia.

Its gardens Praça Júlio de Castilho, are host to a beautiful gardens. On the back walls is a stunning blue and white tiled mosaic of the maritime city itself. The walls of the lookout are also covered in this tiled pattern. This is definitely worth a look!

If you have time head north to the Igreja do Menino Deus, where you can get a great view of the alfama from the narrow bell-tower!

Just east of the Alfama you will find two monuments of national significance; National Pantheon and the Church of São Vicente of Fora. Down by the water, near Apolonnia Station you will find the pretty Lisbon Army Museum as well as a museum dedicated to Fado. Before you head to any of these make sure to pass though my favorite hidden street gem, a graffiti clad alley under the castello St. George near Miradouro do Recolhimento.

This alley is extremely hard to find and I only happened on it by accident. I have included some instructions on how to find it. Start at the Palácio Belmonte, a 15th century palace, at Pátio de Dom Fradique Street, off Chao de Feira street. Look for a red door, it should be open to access the alley (Patio de Dom Fradique). Walk though a long white painted corridor until you reach the other side. You will emerge in a courtyard with many ruined buildings, it can be identified by the moniker Grafitti Ruine in google. Follow the slideshow for a visual explanation (The first picture was lifted from google as I never thought taking a picture of a red door would be useful).

When you do make it east, check out the Church of São Vicente of Fora. Built in Manerist style, the art filled building is the resting place of the Braganza monarchs of Portugal.

Just behind it you will find the National Pantheon. This former 17th century church has been turned into a shrine for the celebrities of Portugal’s past

Campos de Ourique

This pretty neighborhood is nothing exceptional but you can find the Igreja de Santo condestavel church here, although simple, it is one of the prettiest in the city.

Monsanto/Campolide (The Green Lung)

This massive green space is located on a hill overlooking the city below. It is the much needed green lung of the city. At its peak you will find an old fort, but it cannot be visited as it has been turned into a prison. The main reason to come up here is to visit the Panorama Monsanto, an abandoned restaurant offering great views of Lisbon. Exploring this ruin is a free and extremely underrated and I highly recommend it. The graffiti filled interior makes it one of the most hip spots in the city!

From the top of this old restaurant you will see the Aguas Livres Aqueduct zigzag it’s way across the Alcantara valley sandwiched between the hills of Lisbon. This massive work of 18th century engineering survived. This stunning Gothic structure is composed of 35 arches, 65m at its highest, and 941m in length. The system stretches for over 18km’s with additional water canals to be added to this total totaling 58km. A cool view of the arches come from a the train line coming into the city, passing under the archways around Sete Rios station.

Belém/Alto da Ajuda (The Museum District)

Belém is considered to the Museum district of Lisbon, the cultural center of the city. At one point this was an important port installation, where the Order of Christ launched seafaring expeditions. It is from Belem that Vasco da Gama launched his fateful journey around the Horn of Africa to India. To get to Belem, one can take the tram from Cais Do Sodre.

At the district’s heart lies the Jeronimos Monastery, the most important religious structure in the city. It is also one of the best example of Manueline style found in Portugal. The structure was commissioned in 1501 by emperor Manuel I and was not inaugurated for 100 years, being payed for with a 5% tax on goods from Africa and the Indes. Originally under the Order of Christ (to be discussed later), the church was transferred to the Hieronymite monks. More recently the Treaty of Lisbon was signed at the monastery, a landmark treaty pertaining to the European Union. One of the premier buildings in Lisbon, control passed from the monks after the dissolution of the monasteries in 1833.

The UNESCO registered building pays nod to its heritage through some interesting maritime features. This is convenient as the massive complex has been repurposed into several museum including the Museu de Marinha, a maritime exibit paying homage to the seafaring tradition of Belem. You will also find Museu Nacional de Arqueologia and will be able to tour the monastery itself, make sure to visit the courtyard as it is simply stunning.

In front of the monastery you will find a set of gardens (and a Thaistyled park) leading to the waterfront where you will find the Padrão dos Descobrimentos. This UNESCO monument commemorated the Age of Discovery, constructed for the Portuguese World exposition of 1940. The history of Belem dates back to Prince Henry the Navigator, the first royal patron por Portuguese exploration, when he established a chapel and small village here. This chapel would eventually be rebuilt as the Jeronimos Monastery and was where Vasco De Gama Prayed before leaving on his 1497 voyage. This monastery was under the control of the Order of Christ, a crusading order born from the Knights Templar based out of the town of Tomar, in Portugal.

Padrão dos Descobrimentos, with the Almada on the opposite side of the Tagus. Notice the Vasco de Gama Bridge and the Christ statue in the distance.

To the west of the monument you will find the Tower of St.Vincent, more commonly known as the Belém Tower. This is the UNESCO site where most Portuguese explorers sailed away on their voyages of exploration. The limestone tower itself dates from the 16th century, when further defenses were needed on the Tagus river and it was agreed that those at Cascais were not enough to defend the estuary. The Manueline styled building withstood french fire during the Battle of the Tagus in 1831, a loss for the absolutist Monarch of Portugal during a conflict called the Liberal Wars.

The tower is located on an island connected to the mainland by bridge. Inside the tower you will find a beautiful cloister and an arched interior hall.

Off to the side of the tower you will find the Forte do Bom Sucesso, part of the Belem defenses. In front of it you will find a triangular monument, a testament to the Portuguese soldiers lost overseas. Don’t miss the Belem lighthouse on your way here.

On the east side of the monument you will find the world famous Coach museum (Yes! I know, I did not know this was a thing). This museum is the largest and most important of its kind, even for a non-coach affinigando I was impressed. The only thing I didn’t like is that the exterior of the massive building is pretty bland and nondescript, looking more like a parking structure than an institution of national importance. On the other side of the street you will find the original museum building, the Picadeiro Real, a pretty neoclassical structure that still host the prettiest of the exhibition halls.

Nearby you will find the Palácio Nacional de Belém and the Garden of Alfonso de Albuquerque. The museum is dedicated to a man whom the whole destiny of Portuguese India rested upon. A skilled military commander he took Goa and propelled the Empire to new heights. A monument to him stands in the middle of the square. The pink building you will find to the north of it is the National Palace. Here you will find a museum to the Portuguese presidency and the tropical Botanical Garden, a vintage garden with roaming peacocks!

Palácio Nacional de Belém and the Albuquerque Square.

While walking along the waterfront you will come across a wealth of attractions including Tejo Power Station, hosting the MAAT electricity museum as well as many marinas filled with warehouse and boats. There are several art museums but I recommend the Power Station above any of those.

Overlooking Belem is Alto da Ajuda where you will find Palácio Nacional da Ajuda. This impressive 19th century neoclassical palace was once the home of the royal family.

Belem has a wealth of pretty coloured homes near the tram line. More importantly for those craving sweets, a taste the famous pastries of the same name are well worth a stop. Originally baked at Jeronimos, make sure to see the food section.

Almada (The Copycat District)

Located on the south shore of the Tagus River, Almada is renowned for its landmarks that are quite frankly copied directly from other nations. The two most recognizable monuments are the Vasco De Gama Bridge, an almost exact replica of the Golden Gate in San Francisco and the Sanctuary of Christ the King, a riff of the Christ the Redeemer Statue Rio so blatant that they hardly even changed the name.

You can reach this district by watertaxi and from there a light rail train can take you around the south shore from the harbor. Nearest to the garden you will find both a submarine and a frigate in dry dock. The inside of these can be visited for a small fee. This arrangement is similar to that of Liverpool where their naval installations (including a submarine can be accessed opposite side of the river from the main city). Further in you will find the castle and its gardens. The castle remains are not very impressive but the view of Lisbon from a nearby terrace is nice!

Food and Drink

You are in luck, Portugal has an active culinary scene and the port of Lisbon is a popular place to indulge in traditional Portuguese food

Pastel de Nata is a special custard filled pastry sold throughout the Portuguese speaking world, the original pastry, the Pastel de Belém was conceived at the Jerónimos Monastery in Belem and the recipe is still a secret. These sweet delicacies are often topped with cinnamon or icing sugar. You can purchase them at the Fábrica Pastéis de Belém in Belem and the regular Pastel de Nata anywhere throughout the country.

Other popular foods include Frango, the world famous Portuguese chicken, Canned Sardine (the best canned in the world I am assured), a kale and sausage soup called Caldo Verde, Prego a beef & garlic sandwich, Bifana a spiced pork sandwich as well as seafood such as fresh fish and shellfish.

As for the drink, the two most popular beers are Sagres and the Superblock, both are thoroughly drinkable bur for my money I prefer the latter. Sagres is the oldest beer company in Portugal and was established in 1927. The real treat is green wine, Vinho Verde, from Minho in the north of Portugal. The acidic drink comes from grapes that were picked prematurely giving it a slightly sour and carbonated taste. This wine is usually a lower alcohol percentage ranging around 8%. This is a personal favorite of mine. I often dubbed my meals Green wine and chicken (a play on Green eggs and ham)

Nightlife

There are three main nightlife districts in the city, although bars and clubs are scattered throughout the city. They are Bairro Alto, Pink Street and Cais do Sodré (waterfront).

In the narrow and hilly streets of Bairro Alto, just south of Dom Pedro V, is where the majority of bars are located. This is where most pub crawls will start the night before emptying out and ending up at the clubs on Pink Street.

Pink Street is a traditional seedy area of the city, frequented by sailors, petty criminals and prostitute. The former red light district now transformed into a premier nightlife destination. Located downhill from Bairro Alto, near the waterfront in Cais do Sodré, this pink paved pedestrian street now hosts rowdy bars and hip nightclubs.

Cais do Sodré is also home to massive warehouse clubs by water that go all night for after hour party goers. There are sporadic clubs expanding west towards Belem. These are not to be missed.

*Just a reminder that many of the Fado music bars can be found in the Alfama District. *

Crime (Stay Safe)

Lisbon has largely cleaned up its seedy reputation and the city is considered to be very safe. The area around Intendente is mostly no longer a heaven for prostitution and drugs. Nerveless there are a few things you should be aware of, drugs have been decriminalized is small amounts and modern scammers will try to take advantage of the unsuspecting tourists. If anyone approaches you on the street (and trust me they will!) to sell you some cocaine, walk away these are all scam! Otherwise your biggest issue will be pickpockets pickpocket, so stay vigilant.

Conclusion

Lisbon is a necessary point of entry to the newcomer to Portugal. Despite the fact that it is overrun with tourists, the place has managed to retain much of its charm. This is mostly due to the friendly Portuguese people and infinite gentle hills of Lisbon that offer something new around every corner weather it be a view or a stunning building that you hadn’t seen the first time around. One cannot understand the breath of the Portuguese colonial ambition without a visit to Pombal’s planned rational city. The palaces are exquisite and the wine is fine, so then you must dine… in Lisbon!

Share on Facebook

Post on X