City Guide Lisbon -The Magical Capital of Portugal
City Guide Lisbon - an overview of a unique Location. A Romantic Cultural City on a beautiful estuary close to Fantastic Beaches City Guide Lisbon looks at the magical aspects of the city that make it so delightful and inspirational to visit. The White CityLisbon is a city with wonderful light. Photographers and film makers love to capture it. Alain Tanner called his famous film “In the White City”. It’s a gentle calming light, which makes buildings seem soft, to melt away in a warm milky haze. White stone pavements, pastel shade houses, fountains and gardens all shimmer in the benign sun of Lisbon. In all seasons the light brings everything alive, revealing the beautiful nooks and crannies of this labyrinthine city. Painters love the city because of this visual quality. Paula Rego talks of how the Lisbon horizon seems endless. Often the sun rises through a soft veil of mist giving the city a creamy white gentleness and when it sets, the whole river becomes a golden carpet. So much of the delight of being here is the sheer beauty of the light, changing the face of the river, the Lisbon Monuments and the different Barrios of the city.
Lisbon Districts
Lisbon Monuments
White Lisbon
City of Vistas
City Guide Lisbon - Looking to the Cathedral from the Chiado February 2009
Lisbon loves looking at itself. Built upon hills, many of the central districts have "miradors" where you can look over at another city village basking in the sun.Lisboetas rarely miss the chance of marveling at the loveliness of the city. All over the central area there are gardens and terraces with great views. Some are a main focus of every Lisbon trip others are hidden down narrow streets. It is a wonderful city for photographers and painters. Lisbon Sights River City, Atlantic City
Lisbon is a city at the mouth of the beautiful river Tagus, just before it reaches the sea. It has one of the most beautiful settings in the world. Wherever you go, you catch glimpses of the water often with boats entering or leaving the harbour. From the many “miradors”, (gardens with views,) the city stretches before you and the sea seems endless beyond. Lisbon and the sea are forever linked. It is part of the poetry of the city and essential to Fado the music of the city. The river is clean and the beaches are sandy and wide. There are so many places to lie in the sun and relax after a day's sightseeing. There are great beaches in the Lisbon surroundings, Oeiras, Cascais and Costa da Caparica. A trip further South takes you to the beautiful Arrabida area. In the Northern direction are the beaches of Sintra and Ericeira. 
Lisbon Beaches
Oeiras Beaches Lisbon
Lisbon Photos
Lisbon Weather
Lisbon Districts Lisbon Streetwise Lisbon Experience City of FoodThe Portuguese are crazy about food. The world stops at midday and not just for a sandwich. Office workers have their favourite place and eat in pairs or in large groups, often a three course meal with wine or mineral water.At night the locals regularly go to a more sophisticated restaurant or to a lively area like the Barrio Alto which abounds in reasonably priced restaurants.Food is at the heart of Portuguese culture and when the food is good the conversation flows. The atmosphere in many restaurants at night is particularly convivial because the food is fantastic and people are so obviously having fun. Trying new restaurants is another great bonus in our City Guide Lisbon research trips !
Restaurants
Budget Lisbon
City of RelaxationThere is a way of living in Lisbon. It is a relaxed style of going about things - enjoying the simple pleasures. The gardens, the views, talking with people, watching children play, eating. At night the pace quickens but not too much. Lisbon Nightlife is becoming one of the best in Europe. There are revitalized areas for having fun and in the older parts a small cafe surprises with exquisite fado or jazz.People take time to enjoy life and people. You can’t rush into a shop and grab something and pay. The shopkeeper will want to know exactly what you want and possibly why. The simplest souvenir will be lovingly wrapped and presented to you with pride. Lisbon is not a fast city, it's one of its charms.
City Guide Lisbon The lovely Gardens of Praca Flores City of CultureLisbon is a Cultural city. The focus point for all the culture of Portugal. There are Theatres, Galleries, Cinemas, throughout the city. There are museums for everything. There are dance schools and art schools and many children learn guitar.Lisbon is a city of literature, of storytellers and poets.There are many local authors and foreign writers who have used Lisbon as inspiration.
Lisboetas love music. Fado the most famous music in Portugal, has a special Lisbon style, a beautiful melancholy with a seductive charm. Lisboetas also love Brazilian music, African, Jazz and Rock. Nowadays, big names come to Lisbon. There are great venues indoors and out, if you are lucky you may catch a big fado singer in a small local venue.The Cinemateca is one of the best cinemas I have encountered. Not just a cinema, a museum of film. If you love cinema it is a must. There are often free concerts in Lisbon, in city squares or sometimes churches, check out the venues in the Tourist Office. There are also plenty of cultural activities for children. We make discoveries all the time in our travels for City Guide Lisbon Lisbon with Kids City Guide Lisbon Top City of Cafes
City Guide Lisbon Coffee in the Chiado
Lisbon Cafes
Everyone in Lisbon loves coffee, it is very good here, due to the connection with Brazil. People also drink tea - very good with Portuguese toast. There are many ways to take your coffee from the darkest “bica” (espresso) to the milkiest Galao. The cakes are also fantastic, delicate and sweet. Going to a cafe is something almost everybody does every day. You can chat, read the newspaper, get lost in a book, and stay a long time if you want to. It makes Lisbon a very civilized place. On Sunday morning Lisboetas go to the beautiful Belem area and the Antiga Confeitaria where the coffee and cakes are the best in town.
City of Shops, Trades and CraftsEverywhere you go in Lisbon there are people making things and providing services that have died out in many parts of the world. Beautiful linen and delicate pottery, wonderful ornate tiles, gold and silver jewelery etc.From medal makers to knife sharpeners, skilled practitioners of ancient crafts go about their trades in this most old fashioned of modern cities.The city is full of small independent shops. You can buy everything from exquisite gold jewelery to second hand maps, and also find sophisticated designer labels near by. Lisbon ShoppingCity of FootballFootball is a religion for the Portuguese a key point of any Lisbon City Guide. Three teams are worshiped, Benfica, Sporting, and Belenseses. Sunday is a time of tension as the results sink in. The only thing that unites Lisbon fans is resentment of Porto, who often lead the Portuguese soccer league. The city also goes crazy when the Portuguese soccer team are playing in international competitions.The passing of the Portuguese football team coach through the town is a national event watched by millions on the streets and on TV. The Portuguese also follow closely the fortunes of their celebrated players and managers abroad, in particular Ronaldo and Marinho. For more informastion on the national team see
Portugal Football
for information about Sporting and Benfica see
Lisbon Football
City of Traditional CustomsTradition is everywhere in Lisbon.Every area has it's Saint and its Festival with their special Portuguese Customs.The San Antonio festival in the Alfama in June is particularly special. The Heroes and Heroines of the past are revered at Jeronimus Monastery and the National Pantheon.The events of History when Portugal explored the world and defeated the Spanish are remembered on Festive holidays.In Lisbon traditional music, evoking a nostalgia of past times can be heard at any time of day. This past is an ever present companion in Lisbon. The evocative street names recall historical conflicts and the heroes of other times. The decorative features of the buildings sometimes recall other civilizations encountered on sea voyages. An abundance of Monuments and Statues commemorate the major Figures and Events and of the history of this city. The Portuguese look back to the days of their former glory with nostalgia and longing. They call it Saudades and it is the main emotion in fado music. Saudades is a complicated emotion but you may capture something of it in the strange atmosphere of Lisbon in the old streets at night. City Guide Lisbon 2009.
Lisbon Culture
Portuguese Traditions
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