Lisbon city guide...

A city with a unique character.....Lisbon Lisbon is the largest and the capital city of Portugal. With its natural and historical beauties, vibrant cultural life, unique atmosphere and cosmopolitan structure the city has a charming character which entices the visitors of every age. Spread across seven hills Lisbon is a city full of energy. The warm atmosphere mingling with the friendly locals with smiling faces the city has something very unique which immediately distinguishes it from the other cities in Europe. Being a city through which once continents were conquered, Lisbon today is a very humble city keeping its doors open to its visitors welcoming them into the Mediterranean generosity. With its numerous entertainment facilities, cultural activities, tantalising traditional cuisine and lovely atmosphere Lisbon is a wonderful city which has something to offer for everyone making their stay a memorable one. Main attractions in Lisbon Castelo de São Jorge (Castle of Saint George) Dating back to 5th century, Castelo de São Jorge is one of the most significant landmarks of the city of Lisbon. Located on the top of the highest of the city’s seven hills, this majestic castle is not to be missed while in Lisbon. Entrance fee: € 5.00 Sé de Lisboa Sé de Lisboa is a historic cathedral which is one of the good examples of Romanesque and Gothic style architecture of the medieval Lisbon. Featuring a beautiful cloister built in 14th century, The Cathedral is one of the spots in Lisbon which is worth visiting. Entrance to the church is free, cloister € 2.50 Mosteiro dos Jerónimos (Hieronimite Monastery) This is a splendid 16th century monastery which is regarded as one of the most beautiful examples of medieval Manueline architecture. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, Mosteiro dos Jerónimos also serves as the resting place of the nation’s world famous sailor Vasco de Gama. Entrance fee: € 6.00 Torre de Belém (Belém Tower) One of the most significant landmarks of the city, Torre de Belém is a picturesque 16th century tower which was originally built for military purposes. Now housing a small museum this beautiful Manueline style tower is another spot which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Entrance fee: € 4.00 Tram 28 Tram 28 is a nostalgic tram which offers the visitors a nostalgic ride through the city while providing a great change to see and explore the city from a different vantage point. Centro Cultural de Belém (Belém Cultural Centre) Located in Praça do Império, Centro Cultural de Belém is a Comtemporary Art Museum which hosts various spectacular exhibitions as well as an extensive permanent collection of over 1.000 works of art. EUR 4.00 Fundaçao Ricardo do Espírito Santo Silva Nestled in a beautiful 17th century palace Fundaçao Ricardo do Espírito Santo Silva is a great museum which invites the visitors to see one of the most impressive and extensive collections on 18th-century Portuguese art. Entrance fee: € 4.00 Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga (National Museum of Ancient Art) The National Museum of Ancient Art boasts the most extensive painting collections in the county. Housing masterpieces from the world-famous Portuguese and European painters Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga is a corner stone in Lisbon’s cultural life. € 3.00 Museu Nacional dos Coches (National Coach Museum) National Coach Museum is one of the most visited spots in Lisbon offering an interesting collection on coached and carriages from 17th to the 19th centuries. Entrance fee: € 3.00 Museu da Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian Museu da Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian houses one of one of the world's finest private art collections featuring Egyptian, Greek, and Roman antiquities; a remarkable assemblage of Islamic art pieces such as ceramics and textiles as well as several other invaluable Chinese and Japanese items. Entrance fee: € 3.00 Getting to and around Lisbon Located within the city of Lisbon, Aeroporto de Lisboa (Lisbon Airport) provides very fast and effective transportation into the centre and to various hotels in the city. There are several ways to reach the city centre from the airport. Airport shuttle buses, being the cheapest way of transportation from the airport to the city.Operated by Aerobus and Aeroshuttle companies, the buses offer a convenient ride to the city in every 20-30 minutes.. A single ride costs EUR 3.00 and the ticket can be purchased from the driver on board. If you don’t have a large luggage then you can also use the public buses to get to the city. Run by Carris Bus Service, buses number 5, 8, 22, 44, and 83 links the airport to the city. A single ticket costs EUR 1.40 and it can be obtained from the driver on board. For information about the routes and timetables you can check the website: http://www.carris.pt/ If you have heavy luggage then taxi would be the best way of transportation. Taxis are available in front of the arrivals terminal. A single ride from the airport to the city centre costs around €10.00 – € 15.00. Once in the city, you will find Lisbon welcoming you with a very well working transportation system. The city is serviced by an effective metro and public bus network. Metro runs between 6.30 am and 1.00 am providing fast, clean and efficient transportation. If you are planning to take an extensive sightseeing tour in Lisbon then we highly recommend you buy a Lisbon Card which provides the holders free public transportation as well as free entrance and discounts to museums and other attractions in the city. The card is available at the Tourist Information Offices and costs €15.00 (24 hours), EUR 26.00 (48 hours), and € 31.00 (72 hours). Dining out in Lisbon Visitors to Lisbon are so lucky that the city has a rich culinary tradition offering a wide range of food to satisfy every taste. From delicious local specialties carved with traditional ingredients to tantalising examples from international cuisine in Lisbon you will never have difficulty in finding good food, but you will definitely have a hard time deciding what to pick up among this fascinating culinary diversity. Chapito Chapito is a nice restaurant where you can enjoy great value food in a warm, cheerful atmosphere. Offering fascinating views over the city Chapito is worth a visit while in Lisbon. Address: Rua Costa do Castelo 7 A Brasileira Cafe-Bar Rua Garrett right outside the Baixa-Chiado metro station, A Brasileira Cafe-Bar is one of the oldest and most popular places in Lisbon. In here you will enjoy delicious pastries, tarts, cookies and many other specialties in a cosy atmosphere enjoying traditional Portuguese hospitality. Address: Rua Garrett, 120 Sua Excelência Located at Rua do Conde 34 Sua Excelência, with it colourful décor and spacious dining area, is the ideal place to go if you wan to taste the delicious specialties from traditional Portuguese cuisine. Bachus Serving tantalising examples from Portuguese and international cuisine this stylish restaurant invites you to a memorable dining experience in Lisbon. Address: Largo da Trindade 8/9 Alcântara Café Highly popular among locals, Alcântara Café is a trendy café which offers a decent culinary experience with its fine drink list and extensive menu featuring delicious Italian food. Address: Rua Maria Luisa Holstein 15 Picanha This is a budget-friendly restaurant which will definitely satisfy the meat-lovers with its tasty beef dishes served in huge portions. Right place to fill your stomach up before a second round of sightseeing. Address: Rua das Janelas Verdes 96. Lively nights in Lisbon With numerous night clubs, bars and live music venues it hosts Lisbon boasts a very lively nightlife. Yet, if you are in Lisbon and want to spend your time as the locals do, we highly recommend you go one of the fado clubs located all around the city. Being the places where traditional fado music is played, fado Clubs offers an invaluable insight of the local life and history which are carved by sorrow and longing. Adega Machado A trip to Lisbon is never complete before checking one the city’s famous fado clubs out. One of the most famous and loved fado clubs in the city, Adega Machado hosts performances by the best fadistas (fado singers) in the country. Not to be missed. Address: Rua do Norte 91 A Severa Another popular live music venue, A Severa, hosts various live music performances throughout the year. Popular especially for the “fado” performances it hosts this club is worth a visit while in Lisbon. Address: Rua das Gaveas 51 Kapital Housing different kinds of music in its three different floors, Kapital is the meeting place for the young crowd of all ages and preferences. Address: Avenida 24 de Julho 68 Kremlin Kremlin is another popular night spot housing live DJ performances as well as various techno music nights. Rua Escadinhas da Praia 5 Cinco Lounge This is one of the most exclusive bars in Lisbon. With its wide drink list which includes the top quality local and international spirits, Cinco Lounge is the right place to stop by if you are planning to spend the rest of your day in a decent atmosphere enjoying the best service in the town. Address: 17A Ruben A. Leitão Celtas Iberos Irish Bar Celtas Iberos Irish Bar is a typical Irish bar with a relaxed setting a cheerful service. Right choice for those who want to spend the night chatting with friends in a laid-back atmosphere. Address: Doca de Santo Amaro Festivals and events in Lisbon Fado Festival (Annual, February) Fado Festival is a celebration of Lisbon’s traditional music “Fado” through various live performances taking place all around the city. Lisbon Carnival (Annual, February) Lisbon Carnival hosts a spectacular series of events including street parades, floats and parties which all celebrate the ending of winter season attracting thousands of visitors from around the world. Lisbon Half Marathon (Annual, March) Lisbon Half Marathon which is the largest of its kind in the world participated by thousands of runners each year. Estoril Open (Annual, April-May) One of the most important international tennis tournaments Portugal hosts, Estoril Open brings a great number of spectators in the city of Lisbon annually. Estoril Jazz Festival (Annual, June-July) This is one of the leading Jazz festivals in the country which hosts world-famous jazz bands and singers from around the world offering jazz lovers a musical festivity. Arte Lisboa (Annual, November) Held in Feira Internacional de Lisboa, Arte Lisboa is one of the most extensive contemporary art shows which brings hundreds local and international works of art together in more than 60 galleries.