John and I were in Portugal in 1997 but we didn’t visit Lisbon. At that time we rented a car and drove up the coast to Fatima and didn’t want the hassle of driving in the city. This time we stayed in Lisbon for a week – no rental car. We used our frequent flyer miles for our air tickets and our IHG points to stay at the Holiday Inn Lisbon Continental. It was centrally located across from the large Parque Eduardo VII. The breakfast was extensive and well worth it.
The must-do first stop is “Lisboa Story Centre,” a wonderful interactive presentation detailing the history of the city. It is a self-guided tour through the various periods in the city’s history. The climax is the film that brings reality to the catastrophic 1755 earthquake. Next we took the city tour and got off in Belem. I love the Tower of Belem with its wedding cake look. It is where Vasco da Gama set sail on his historic voyage to
India. The iconic white, heavily ornamented Tower of Belem is a prime example of Maueline Architecture. Nearby are the historic Jeronimos Monastery, one of the most ornate churches in Portugal; the National Coach Museum with fairytale royal coaches; and the Monument to Discoveries celebrating Portugal’s leadership during the European Age of Discovery.
Of special interest was the airplane statue near the Tower of Belem. The statue commemorates the first transatlantic flight by Sacadura Cabral from Portugal to Brazil – 5,209 miles - which inspired Charles Lindbergh five years later. Lindburgh’s 3,500-mile flight was non-stop from NY to Paris Near the marina there was an unimposing kiosk where we
booked a one-hour sail on the Tagus River in a traditionally made wooden sailboat for $10 pp. There was one other couple and John got to sail. We spent so much time in the Belem area that we missed the last tour bus ride to the center of town so took a taxi. There are several museums in the area including a Museum of Electricity and the Coach Museum with fairytale-like carriages.
To get a feel for the “old’ Lisbon we went to the Alfama and toured the Lisbon Castle. The castle/fort dates from the 11th century at the time Christianity was brought to Portugal. Before 1147 Lisbon was an important Moorish trading post with stronger ties to Africa then
Europe. I was glad we took a cab because otherwise it would have been a long walk up the hill to the castle. The views of the city were great. Portugal is justly proud of its wine and there are wine-vending carts at the major tourist sites. There were seats in the embattlements so we could enjoy the view with a glass of wine. How civilized.
First-time visitors should to go a Fado Restaurant. Fado is uniquely Portuguese. Typically it is a sad song with accompaniment and a dance that is performed at restaurants that serve Portuguese food. The food is wonderful and it seems Olive Oil is on everything . It is even on the breakfast table. They use it like butter and I have to admit it was very tasty.
For those who want to travel to Europe and are hesitant because they fear terrorism Portugal is a good option as it has escaped terroristic attacks. The country was neutral in WW II so it was not bombed. Neutrality can be a good thing.
