Lisbon is a vibrant city with tons of history and a fabulous nightlife – perfect for a short, weekend getaway! I, once again, went with my girlfriends for a weekend. Lisbon is Portugal’s very hilly, coastal capital city, filled with tiled, pastel-colored buildings and a welcoming and fun-loving vibe.  With sunny, warm weather it was a welcomed break from rainy London in September!

For the historian readers, Lisbon is one of the oldest cities in the world, and the second-oldest European capital city (after Athens), predating other modern European capitals. Although the first fortifications on Lisbon’s Castelo hill are known to be no older than the 2nd century BC, recent archaeological finds have shown that Iron Age people occupied the site from the 8th to 6th centuries BC. Phoenician people have used Lisbon as a harbor city since 1200 BC, and following that Julius Caesar made it a municipality of the Roman Empire in 205BC. From there it was ruled by a series of Germanic tribes from the 5th century and was captured by the Moors in the 8th century. In 1147, the Crusaders conquered the city and it has since then been the political, economic and cultural center of Portugal.

Today, the city remains filled with culture and history. One of my favorite parts was seeing the building covered in the famous Azulejos ceramic tiles! Deeply embedded in Portugal’s history and culture, there are countless wonderful examples of these beautiful tiles covering the building across Lisbon. Azulejos date as far back as the 13th century, when the Moors invaded the land that now belongs to Spain and Portugal, but became a prominent feature of Portuguese culture between the 16th and 17th centuries. The word azulejo stems from Arabic roots, meaning ‘small polished stone’. Originally they were fairly simple structures cut into geometric shapes in neutral tones. Today, it is common to see them decorating churches, monasteries, restaurants, bars, railway and subway stations, palaces, and regular homes. Most feature blues, whites, greens and yellows in color.

As you walk through the city center and old town of Lisbon, not only do you see the lovely Azulejos, but a number of other lovely squares and tiles monuments. A few highlights include:

• Lisbon Cathedral -The Lisbon Cathedral, often called simply the Sé, is the seat of the Archdiocese of Lisbon (Built in 1147)
• Restauradores Square at one of the main shopping streets Avenida da Liberdade
• The Monumento aos Mortos da Grande Guerra, located on Avenida da Liberdade in Lisbon, honors Portuguese military heroes who died in World War I
• Praca Dom Pedro IV

These are just to name a few! Perhaps my favorite highlight was the Castelo de Sao Jorge, the Moorish Castle overlooking the entire city. The earliest pieces of the Castle date back to the Roman occupation and has since served both a purpose for the military and as the Royal seat of power through Lisbon’s history. Today, its one of the most popular tourist attractions. As you might have picked up on, the Castelo de São Jorge is dedicated to Saint George, the patron Saint of England. This seems a bit strange but it is due to the fact that King Afonso Henriques presented the castle to his English wife, Philippa of Lancaster, as a wedding gift in 1387. The castle provides the very best views of the entire city!

Not only are there beautiful sites all around the city, but also fantastically fresh food and drinks. The cobbled streets are filled with people each night, dining and drinking and enjoying the live music that is seemingly in every pub. Particularly in the Barrio Alto district. My recommendations are below including one of the top 100 best restaurants in the world, Belcanto, and the iconic TimeOut Market. The favorite local dishes is grilled Portuguese sardines.

Lisbon is a fabulous weekend getaway from London and well-worth a trip if you are looking for vibrant culture, nightlife, and history….but bring your walking shoes to go up and down all of the hills!

-MAL

Hotel: Sheraton Lisboa

Restaurants:

• Belcanto
• TimeOut Market
• Park Bar or Rooftop Bars in the Barrio Alto
• Manteigaria (for The best pasteis de nata)
• Prado
• Beco
• Decadente
• Taberna da Rua das Flores

Sites/Things to do:

• Castelo Sao Jorge
• Belcanto Restaurant
• Old Town/Historic District
• Lisbon Cathedral
• Restaurants/Bars/Nightlife in Barrio Alto – Park Bar, Memmo Alfama Hotel Bar, Mundial Hotel Bar, BA Wine Bar
• Shopping and looking at monuments on Avenida Liberdade
• LX Factory
• Santa Justa Lift