Lisbon’s city centre, Baixa Pombalina, was rebuilt in a classical style following the devastating earthquake of 1755. However, many of the winding bairros remain, crammed with fascinating shops, restaurants and cafes. At night they come alive, offering everything from African to Latin American music - and of course the bitter-sweet blues of fado.
Beyond the capital, the Lisboa region is equally captivating, from the cosmopolitan glamour of the Estoril coast, to the palaces of Sintra, the summer retreat of the kings of Portugal, that so impressed Lord Byron two centuries ago: ‘To see the world and leave out Sintra is to go blind about', he enthused.
Visit Tomar, the former headquarters of the Knights of the Templar, and the charming town of Óbidos. The region is dotted with fishing villages, charming beaches, and golf resorts. To the east of Lisbon, Ribatejo is a fertile area of lagoons and mudflats, a pasture for black fighting bulls and horses that's rich in bird life.
South of the Tagus lie the mountains of the Parque Natural da Arrábida, home to polecats, wildcats and eagles, while those who take a boat-trip into the Sado Estuary can watch bottle-nosed dolphins at play.
Biblioteca Conveto de Mafra - Mafra, photo by António Sacchetti
Explore the Convento de Mafra, a baroque masterpiece. Stroll to Belém square in Lisbon and admire the contrast between the Centro Cultural Belém and the two jewells of Manueline art, Torre de Belém and Mosteiro dos Jerónimos.
Discover the Portuguese soul in the region's many museums. Visit the Museu do Coches, a unique collection of antique coaches, the Maritime Museum, which chronicles the Portuguese explorations around the world, the Tile Museum, which shows the evolution of the tile, and the Water Museum, which shows the history of the water supply to Lisbon. Finish by visiting Europe's largest Oceanarium.
For those visitors interested in churches and Cathedrals, visit the sanctuary at Fátima for a truly Portuguese religious experience!
ATOP members: Archipelago Azores Ltd, Castaways Unicorn Holidays, Destination Portugal, Keytel International, PTG Tours Ltd, Ramblers Worldwide Holidays, Sunvil Discovery
