Lisbon is reminiscent of a past when European capitals had their own distinctive character. Lisbon appears to be out of the mainstream, and international marketing has had little effect.
If you want to visit Lisbon, we particularly recommend staying out of the heat of the city in one of our spacious properties in the Ribatejo or the Silver Coast.

The broad pavements of Rossio, the square which is the hub of daily life, is in the historic centre of Lisbon. The streets are lined with cosy cafes with an assortment of local pastries. Cafes open at daybreak and continue past midnight. The Rua das Portas de Santo Antão, on the north-east corner of Rossio, is famous for it's restaurants. Lunchtime lasts from 12.30 to 3pm. At which time many museums and tourist attractions are shut.
Many Portuguese do not eat until late but restaurants open for dinner around 8pm. You might prefer a restaurant in the Bairro Alto, set on one of Lisbon's seven hills. At the base of the Elevador de Santa Justa, a cast-iron 1890s Gothic tower which houses a public lift, you can buy tickets and tourist passes for the whole transport system. There are several other funicular railways to handle the hills of Lisbon.

You may prefer to tackle the Seven Hills of Lisbon by tram, which can take you up into the old district of Alfama. The streets are a labyrinth built by the Moors when they held the city. From the Castelo de São Jorge you have a breathtaking view of the whole of Lisbon and out across the estuary of the Tagus. One tram ride will take you along the quaysides to Belem and the Jeronimous monastery, built from the wealth brought home to Portugal by the explorers and traders who circumnavigated the world.
The monastery's spectacular two storey cloister is in the Manueline style, decorated with coral and festoons of twisted rope, all cut out of stone by skilled 16th century craftsmen.

In similar style, beside the banks of the Tagus, is the Tower of Belem. It is here that the kings of Portugal awaited the return of the treasure laden ships. And from here at the narrows of the Tagus river, Vasco da Gama set sail for India in 1497. The treasure he brought back helped found the Portuguese Empire, the wealth and culture of which is still richly evident today.

Silver Coast Accommodation - Ribatejo Accommodation