Travel Reports
Lisbon
It’s fun talking to the Portuguese about football. Wringing their hands in despair, they still recall with horror their home defeat at the hands of Greece in the Euro2004 championships last summer. As Portugal progressed to the final, it seemed for a moment that Lisbon had become the carnival city of the world as, one by one, Spain, Russia, England and the Netherlands were all knocked to smithereens by the magic deftness of Christiano Ronaldo’s golden boots. In the end, however, it was Athens that became Europe’s summer party capital and Lisbon, left licking its wounds, quietly retreated back into its former reflective, wistful self. It is this melancholic quality, combined with the sheer beauty of the city and its magnificent hillside setting by the Tagus Estuary that makes it such an alluring and relaxing city to visit.
Humbly following in Madonna and Cher’s hallowed footsteps, I checked in for a weekend break at the most sumptuous hotel in the city. The Lapa Palace is a beautiful pink and white neo-classical villa perched high upon one of Lisbon’s breezy seven hills. Set amidst its own lush tropical gardens, crammed with palms, banana trees and bougainvillea, the hotel sits in a complete city oasis and once you’ve checked in, it’s tempting never to leave again. Each room is individually designed in styles ranging from Louis XV through to Biedemayer and Art Deco. Mine was a quaint Portuguese rustic style featuring a cool herringbone-patterned, terracotta-tiled floor with blue and white ceramics artfully dotted throughout. More importantly I was greeted with a complimentary tray of delicious mini pasteis de nata (custard tarts) that, after a liberal sprinkling of cinnamon and vanilla sugar, were swiftly gone.
After a refreshing dip in the garden pool and half an hour basking in the warm scent of the spring sunshine, I dragged myself away from the hotel’s luxuries to explore the city centre itself.
One of the most delightful introductions to Lisbon is to catch the old, if still gleaming, rickety yellow and white number 28 tram which, for just 65 cents, takes you on a hair raising circular tour up and down the steep cobbled hills of the old town. Inside these vehicles, made in Manchester almost a century ago, lie tiny wood panelled carriage and comfy, worn, brown leather seats that cushion the constant jolting, while the usually grumpy and stout, moustachioed drivers push and pull at a bewildering array of shiny knobs, brakes. Somehow, these prevent the trams plunging downhill at breakneck speed and crashing headlong into the river.
It’s worth jumping off the tram at the Miradouro da Santa Lucia. where a steep winding lane takes you up to the Castelo de Sao Jorge. This fortress dates from Lisbon’s Moorish occupation and is now a peaceful shady park full of pine trees and fountains. From the ancient cannons that poke menacingly through the battlements, you can enjoy spectacular, uninterrupted views across the city. Looking west, over the rooftops of the elegant baroque Baixa district, the Tagus sweeps majestically out into the Atlantic under the huge red span of the April 25th Bridge, guarded by a colossal hilltop statue of Christ modelled on the Christo Redentor in Rio. Down the eastern slopes of the hill lies the claustrophobic whitewashed labyrinth of streets that make up Lisbon’s ancient Arab quarter, the Alfama. It’s a neighbourhood oozing with atmosphere. Old men in cloth caps while away the hours smoking and gambling in the Gallegos (men’s clubs), while tiny soccer mad boys try to emulate Ronaldo in the sunny church squares. Old ladies dressed in black, gossip to each other from balconies fluttering with washing while the air is filled with the delicious waft of frying fish.
A welcome spin-off from the Euro2004 championships (and Expo98 before it) is that Lisbon has made a concerted effort to clean up its waterfront and docklands area. The emphasis has been put firmly on recreational activities and it’s a pleasure to walk along the river at any time of day or night and enjoy the broad landscaped walks or pop in to any of the excellent restaurants, bars and nightclubs.
The Alcantara Docks is one of the best places to come for a lingering lunch and sitting in the sunshine by the marina in Doca 6 restaurant, I had an excellent value meal of tender stewed octopus in olive oil and butter sauce, monkfish, tomato and paprika crepe and the famous queijada de Sintra (sweet cheese tart) washed down with a refreshing vinho verde.
From Alcantara, it’s a short ride to Belem, Lisbon’s most historic suburb. It was from here that, in the late 15th Century, early Portuguese navigators set sail to found the first modern European colonial empire. As money poured in from Brazilian gold and Indian spices, Lisbon became one of the richest cities in the world. Today this can best be seen in the fabulously ornate Mosteiroe dos Jeronimos. Known as the ‘pepper monastery’ (it was reputedly built off taxes levied on pepper), it’s a soaring architectural extravaganza inside, replete with palm shaped columns and twisted nautical and naturalistic motifs. Just offshore on a tiny island, battered by huge Atlantic breakers, lies the fanciful crenellated Torre de Belem. Built in the same ornate Manueline style the Tower once guarded the city from marauding pirates. The seafront promenade is a popular lunchtime jogging spot and sitting by the wind-swept palms I soon came to the conclusion that Portuguese men have the sexiest legs on earth!
Back in the Lapa Palace, after an exhausting day’s sightseeing I went downstairs to relax in the elegant lounge style Rio Tejo bar. While Oscar, the smiling pianist rolled off jazzy versions of Beatles songs, the handsome barmen took me through an excellent port and cheese sampling session - though it was hard to concentrate on the fineries of Alentejo sheep’s cheese in the face of such a dazzling smile!
Naturally no visit to Lisbon is complete without a visit to a Fado club, so, after my aperitif, I strolled down the road to the nearby Sr. Vinho, one of Lisbon’s premier venues. To the accompaniment of trembling classical guitars, fado singers mournfully bewail their lost youth, loves and traditions. It’s all very tragic, but somehow makes for an immensely satisfying dinner over which to linger. The food at these venues is usually traditional Portuguese, but unlike some of the more touristy venues in the Alfama, the food at Sr Vinho is of a very high standard.
Well fed, if slightly mournful after the depressing nature of the fado I set off for the buzzing heart of the city’s nightlife, in the Bairro Alto, where steeply cobbled streets and tile covered 18th century town houses play host to a heady mixture of salsa and samba bars, ethnic restaurants and incense filled boutiques. Portas Largas is a popular early evening watering hole for Lisbon’s gay community and is a lovely old mellow bar covered in chipped chequerboard tiling, theatre flyers and 1930’s wireless sets on wonky wooden shelving. Behind a huge silver till, which still shows prices in escudos, gorgeous Brazilian muscle hunks serve sangrias and cai piranhas while singing and dancing to nostalgic ‘70s samba classics. From here, it’s a short walk to the main clubs; Bric-a-bar, Finalmente, Frágil and Trumps where you can enjoy Eurotrash, Transvestite shows and sleaze in equal measure. A word of caution though, the Bairro Alto is rife with pick pockets so leave your credit cards and phone safely locked up in the hotel.
The next morning I just had time to take a ferry ride over the Tagus from Cais do Sodre to the working class suburb of Cacilhas. Old orange, broad bottomed ferries ply back and forth affording stunning views of Lisbon through the screeching seagulls and sea spray. Cacilhas is a world away from smart downtown Lisbon. The scruffy streets are lined with tiny cervajerias, which serve up cheap, and delicious fried fish lunches from little barbeques placed out on the street. The whole area has the feel of what Lisbon used to be like before Expo98 and Euro2004 brought in the smart money. Along the waterfront, lined with derelict, graffiti daubed warehouses, rows of fisherman stand on the rusting quays listening to football matches from their car radios. You can imagine their glum faces after Portugal’s defeat last summer, but with a view over Lisbon like this I’m sure they didn’t stay glum for long, And of course there’s always the World Cup to look forward to in 2006!
TAP Air Portugal flies to Lisbon daily from Gatwick and Heathrow. www.tap-airportugal.co.uk
Lapa Palace: +351 21 394 94 94 / www.lapa-palace.com
Lisbon Tourist Board www.visitlisboa.com
Travel Advice: www.fco.gov.uk
Neil Gregory
