Exploring Lisbon

The Edward VII Park, behind the statue of the Marques de Pombal at the top of Av. da Liberdade offers sweeping views down to the water.

A couple of the main squares - Rossio and Praca de Figueira are currently undergoing major construction. They are dusty and noisy with some sections cordoned off but still have some interesting places to see. Rossio's Cafe Nicola at Praca de Dom Pedro IV 24 has been serving food since 1777 and has a beautiful entrance and equally impressive interior.

Praca do Commercio, a large open area at the riverfront, makes for a great place to picnic and people watch. It features a beautifully decorated arch that leads to a pedestrian only shopping and restaurant district.

Very much a city of fashion, Lisbon has great buys on extremely stylish shoes and clothes. The selection is extensive and prices are at least 1/3 less than similar goods in Vancouver.

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Lisbon has two hostels and this one, near the Expo site is the newest, built in 1998. If you want to spend time at the Expo site or do some shopping at the large and modern Vasco da Gama shopping mall, you might want to check out this hostel.

The 4 person rooms are large, with two bunk beds, individual closets and a desk and chair. Unfortunately, the beds have no separate reading light and the only overhead light is near the entrance so the room is rather dull at night. Bathrooms are across the hall and have individual shower stalls. Remember to bring your own towel because bathroom linens are not provided.

Breakast includes rolls, ham, cheese, jams and coffee or tea and is served in the main floor cafeteria where you can also purchase other meals or snacks. There is a kitchen if you want to cook your own meals and an outdoor patio where you can soak up the sun or sit and relax.

The hostel is 3 stories and has an elevator so you don''t have to cart luggage up and down stairs. If you want to read, you can use a well-lit area by reception that also has an overhead TV. There are internet facilities and the price is pretty reasonable (less than $1.50 US per hour). There is also a theatre room and free movies are shown on certain nights - reception has the schedule. Rooms are not available for check in until after 5 p.m. due to cleaning but they''ll store your luggage if you get there earlier.

The hostel is located about 15 minutes from the Oriente train or metro station, just off busy Dom Joao II Blvd. If you plan on spending most of your time in downtown Lisbon, keep in mind that it will take you at least 35 minutes to get from the hostel to the main areas like Rossio or Praca do Commercio and involves changing metro lines at least once, depending on your destination. You can''t beat the price - 2100$ esc. (less than $9. US) per person, per night, including breakfast. The staff are very friendly and helpful but after staying one night, I decided it was just too far from most of the things I wanted to see and do, so I found accommodation in downtown Lisbon.

This hostel isn''t usually full and seems to get the overflow from the main one in Lisbon. If you are into hostelling and want to stay downtown, try to book ahead and make sure to specify that you want the downtown hostel at R. Andrade Corvo.

My single room contained one twin bed and was in the back so was very quiet. It looked out onto a small parking lot that was framed by flowering bushes - very pretty! I''m not sure that the front rooms would be as quiet since Av. de Liberdade is a very busy street. Many of the double rooms have two twin beds - more common in Europe than in North America. The rooms aren''t large but are beautifully decorated with green, gold and cream bed spreads and drapes. Each room has a mini bar and private safe. Although small, the bathroom includes a hairdryer and large, plush towels. There was no tub, just a shower but I was delighted with the shell-shaped sink. The hallways are lit with crystal chandelier wall lamps. The elevator was old and small (4 person maximum) but worked well and was quiet.

A substantial breakfast was included in the price. It was available from 7:30 to 10:00 a.m. in the restaurant beside the reception area. The cold buffet included juice, yogurt, 4 types of cereal, 4 types of cold sliced meat, cheese and a wide assortment of pastries and rolls.

Service was first class - from the front desk to the housekeeping department - everyone was very pleasant and helpful. Room service was available but I didn''t use it.

The hotel has a bar/lounge area and a private parking lot. Prices start at 21,000$ esc. (approx. $100. US). The hotel is about equi distant from the metro stops of Avenida or Marques de Pombal. The Aerobus, providing direct service to the airport, stops across the street and runs every 30 minutes until 9 pm.

The hotel web site is here.

The price didn''t include breakfast but there are a number of restaurants, cafes, pastelarias (and even a McDonalds if you have to have it) within a block or two. The pension is about 3 blocks from the long distance bus terminal. My only major complaint was that it was noisey at night. The door is locked at night and guests need to ring the (very loud) doorbell to get in. Two out of the three nights of my stay, I was constantly woken up by other guests ringing the buzzer, sometimes as late as 3 a.m. Also, any conversations in the hall are easily heard by people in the room.

Although the location was handy due to the bus terminal, the noise factor made me decide not to rebook when I returned to Lisbon.

If you''re looking for budget accommodation and can sleep like a log, you might want to check this place out.

Glass display cases at the entrance feature a number of daily selections including chicken, stew and a few fish entrees, all accompanied by vegetables and potatoes or rice. When you know what you want, the person behind the counter will dish it up for you.

If you don't want a big meal, there are salads, soups and desserts to choose from. I had creamy vegetable soup with risotto pasta and it was very filling. My fruit salad had sweet chunks of fresh strawberries, banana, kiwi, apple, peach and pineapple and was a good accompaniment to a Belem tart. These little custard tarts were invented in the Belem district of Lisbon and are a mainstay in Portugese bakeries. My bill, including a bottle of water, came to less than $5.00 U.S.

The restaurant has a large selection of beer, wines and some liquers, including ginga, Portugal's cherry brandy liquer.

This is not a place with elegance but a good place for a light meal with prices that won't leave a dent in your wallet.

The very modern looking Monument to the Discoveries was built in 1960 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the death of Prince Henry the Navigator. Shaped like the bow of a ship, it features images of Prince Henry and other Portugese explorers. An elevator takes you to the top where you get expansive views of Lisbon, the Tagus River and the 25th of April bridge. When it was first built in 1966, it was called the Salazar bridge after the reigning dictator but was renamed for the date of the 1974 revolution that won Portugal its freedom.

Further along the waterfront is the Torre de Belem, a 16th century Manueline style tower that was designated a World Heritage building by UNESCO. It used to be the first thing returning sailors saw on their trips back from discovering new worlds. The front of the tower was built to resemble a galleon and entrance to the Tower is reached by crossing a small draw bridge. You can visit the inside for 600$ esc. where you climb to the top for more great views. Both towers are open Tuesday through Sunday. Monument to the Discoveries is open from 9:30 to 6:30 and Belem Torre is open from 10 to 5 pm.

Outside each attraction, sidewalk vendors offer lots of souvenirs for sale but I found the prices more expensive than in central Lisbon.

There is no charge to enter the site, although a multimedia exhibition on the history of Lisbon costs 600$. During my visit, the exhibition was temporarily closed due to technical difficulties but it didn't detract at all from my enjoyment of roaming the site and climbing the castle walls for magnificent views of Lisbon. An enterprising busker sat in the shaded courtyard and entertained tourists with acoustic guitar melodies which added to the ambiance. I'd recommend walking downhill from the castle because there are so many places to explore.

The area below the castle, called the Alfama, is a maze of narrow streets filled with houses, shops and restaurants. Getting lost is almost a given but people are so friendly that help and directions are always nearby.

As you walk downhill from the castle, a great place to stop and admire the view is Largo Santo Luzia. The half walls of this square are covered in blue and white tiles and there is a large purple bougainvillaea that is a favourite for picture taking.

Near the entrance to the Monastery, a side room leads to a couple of memorial tombs, including one for Portugal's most famous poet, Camoes.

The Monastery is free but if you want to enter the two storey cloisters, admission is 600$ esc. (approx. $3. US). The cloisters are very peaceful and worth a visit to admire the Manueline decoration throughout. On the main floor, off the cloister, is the Ancient Refectary Room with fabulous "pictures" done in tile that represent scenes from the Bible. This room is very long and cool because of the thick walls. It seems to get missed by many people so is very quiet and peaceful.

There is an extensive gift shop on the 2nd floor. Across the street is a little park with benches, fountains and lots of shade trees.
The Monastery is open from 10 am to 5 pm, Tuesday to Sunday.

Some of the Expo attractions are still in operation. The Oceanarium is the largest one in Europe and has displays of many marine animals. The Torre Vasco da Gama offers elevator rides to the viewing platforms at the top. Open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, the tower is a great spot to be after sunset when yu can see all the lights of Lisbon (500$). The cable cars, like Disney's People Movers, run from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and provide a bird's eye view of the whole Expo site (500$). There are a number of restaurants on the site as well. The Vasco da Gama Mall across the street is a modern, multi-story shopping complex with a glass roof and a continual supply of water that flows along the roof. The womens' bathroom has interesting decor - the countertops are clear resin with different types of make up containers embedded in them. The toilet seats are also clear resin and have safety pins embedded along the rim (don't worry, they're inside the seat).

The site is on the outskirts of town but is easy to get to. The best way is via the Oriente metro line. This was a new line constructed for Expo and each of the approximately half dozen stations is beautifully decorated with colourful tiles.

Just getting here is fun. The best way is to take the Gloria funicular that leaves from its station near the Tourist Information Centre on Av. de Liberdade. The old tram car creaks and groans as it makes its vertical ascent to the Bairro Alto area. The Church is about 3 blocks to the left after leaving the tram.

The outside is quite plain but inside is a whole different story. Each of the nine chapels as well as the various altars is a work of art. My favourite was the Chapel of St. John the Baptist which was built in the mid 18th century. It features many different types of marble - lapis lazuli, agate, alabaster, amethyst and jade, among others. The chapel floor and side panels are made up of mosaics. This chapel was actually built in Rome then taken apart and shipped to Lisbon where it was reassembled.

Another beautiful chapel is the Chapel of Our Lady of the Doctrine with its intricate gilt woodwork and marble altar which was built in the 17th century. The Church is open daily from 8:30a.m. to 5:00 p.m. There is no charge to enter and there is a very handy pamphlet in English that gives lots of detail about the Church.

The adjacent museum has displays on the history of the Jesuits in Portugal as well as religious items. It was closed during my visit but is usually open from 10:00 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday to Sunday.

Cascais was a small fishing village in the 14th century but became a cosmopolitan seaside resort late in the 19th century and has remained popular ever since.

Cascais and its "sister", Estoril are the closest resort areas to Lisbon. Estoril has a casino whereas Cascais is known more for its large hotels and packaged tour accommodations. You'll have no trouble finding restaurants that serve fresh seafood.

Palm trees line the main road and look out over the small boats bobbing in the harbour. You can walk along the sandy beach or on the higher mosaic, tiled promenade at street level. Further up the hill, there is an old Fort with remnants of walls that used to encircle and protect the town in earlier times.
Although Cascais is a tourist town, you can still walk a few blocks from the main section and be in an area of narrow lanes lined with older homes, clotheslines and cautiously friendly dogs who are hoping you'll have a treat for them. Tucked among the homes are small grocery stores that offer canned goods, fresh produce, some butcher items and freshly baked Portugese buns. English might still be spoken but not as frequently as the tourist areas near the beach.

Not far from the train station, I came upon an accommodation gem - Pergola House B&B. I wasn't the only one who stopped to admire the colourful garden and stunning architecture. I already had accommodation in Lisbon but would definitely consider this place for my next visit. It is located at 13 Av. de Valbom, phone 01 484 0040.

Cascais has a Sea Museum with models of boats, nautical archaeology, exhibits on fish, etc. but is was closed when I was there.

Just west of Cascais, Boca do Inferno or Hell's Mouth is an area where the sea pounds the craggy rocks along the coast. If you're into surfing or windsurfing, beaches in the Guincho area, just a bit further west are supposed to be excellent.

Cascais makes a great day trip or even a pleasant few hour break from heavy duty sightseeing in Lisbon. The train from Lisbon costs 210$ esc. (approx. $1.00) each way, takes about 25 minutes and runs several times each hour.
Cascais also has direct bus transportation to Sintra so you could do a Lisbon-Sintra-Cascais-Lisbon day trip if you are pressed for time.