Riverside gem where history is hip
Lisbon is one of Lonely Planet’s Top 10 Cities Elaine Paige OBE
LISBON, PORTUGAL
It’s got sights, culture and cuisine, yet Lisbon is rarely mentioned alongside European heavyweights such as Barcelona or Rome.
If this lack of recognition is what helps the Portuguese capital remain a bargain, long may it continue. Consider the museums: from Egyptian artefacts at Museu Calouste Gulbenkian to pop art at Museu Colecção Berardo, the city groans with them but the appetite appears unsated: a museum devoted to the history of Judaism in Portugal is coming to the Alfama district this year.
TELL ME MORE…
When it comes to good looks few cities can hold a candle to this model draped over seven shapely hills on the banks of the Rio Tejo.
But it’s not just the angels in the baroque architecture, the clanking of the Remodelado trams or the post-industrial and bordello-chic mood of Lisbon’s many clubs – no, there’s something else.
Something about the way light gleams on the cobbles of Alfama or glints on Lapa’s azulejo fronted facades – something about those sun-washed or lamp-lit streets – makes you feel you’ll uncover an unforgettable travel experience.
From the futuristic Oceanário in Parque das Nações to the Age of Discovery-era Torre de Belém, Lisbon contains enough sights to satisfy the most demanding visitor.
But an aimless stroll through its streets can be as rewarding as ticking off these showstoppers.
UNMISSABLE EXPERIENCES
Admire Lisbon’s beauty from the Miradouro de Santa Catarina. Get there via the Elevador da Bica funicular, which has inched up steep Rua da Bica de Duarte Belo since the late 19th century.
Gaze out to Cacilhas, where the Cristo Rei statue stands in the company of loved-up locals and travellers who never want to leave.
THE KNOWLEDGE
Classic Collection Holidays (0800 294 9323/classic-collection. co.uk) offers three nights at the Altis Avenida Hotel from £559 (two sharing), B&B. Price includes return flights from Gatwick (other airports available) to Lisbon and transfers. Lisbon tourism: visitlisboa.com plus amazing wooden walkways in the trees. Stanley Park is beautiful and Vancouver Lookout has views of the city. Grouse Mountain has a wildlife refuge with bears. On Vancouver Island Butchart Gardens were out of this world.
AND YOUR WORST?
Years ago, I went with a girlfriend to Tunisia and found that two ladies on their own got a lot of unwanted attention. It put me off going back.
FAVOURITE SOUVENIR?
A large, brightly coloured ceramic dish I got for my parents in 1964 in Capri. It was my first holiday abroad with them and it was a big adventure. We’d never tasted Italian food or wine before. Sadly, both my parents have long since gone, but I still have the dish.
BEST HOLIDAY READ?
The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini. It was a magical read, beautifully written about a young man who betrayed his best friend when he was a lad. I love sitting on the terrace, reading with a vodka and tonic.
HOW DO YOU SPEND YOUR TIME ON HOLIDAY?
I used to like skiing but I haven’t been for years. The only type of activity holiday I do now is tennis. I go to a camp in Florida. I make my own itinerary and go to see all the local sights. Good food is important too.
WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO REVISIT?
Vancouver. And the Maldives – years ago I stopped there after an exhausting tour of Australia and New Zealand. It was gloriously relaxing in a stilted house over the sea. The perfect place to do very little.
WHERE NEXT?
In May I’ll be in Scandinavia and then New York in June to cover the Tony Awards.