Lisboa, Portugul A salior's impressions
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
History, culture, great wine! All are to be had in fabulous Lisboa. Sadly I only had three days shore leave to explore this great city (hey there are some advantages to crusing on a training ship!) However I found The city to be great fun. I would suggest just wandering the streets, The high hills make easy visual refrences, so it is easy to find your way back. Make surfe that your wanderings take you by the castle of St. George. While I am unclear on what he did to becaome a St. The castle offers a remarkable view of: the harbor, The world famous bridge (A mirror of the golden gate bridhge in San Fransico), and the famous statue of Jesus. Also worth a visit is the Alfalma, or old norse section of the city. It is wonderfully picturisque. I found the portugese people to be very friendly and reltivly easy to communicate with. However DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE IN THE CITY! I am not joking. Narrow, winding streets in combination with local driving habbits (see Driving Etiquette) While visiting I witnessed a bus get driven into those posts that protect pedestrians on the sidewalk! But aside from the roads and drivers the city is wonderfull and well worth the 21 day trek across the north Atlantic.
Places to eat
There are several expensive restraunts around that serve faboulous food but for a unique and cultural taste, try one of many restraunts in the Alfalma district, where fresh seafood is cooked right out in front of the restraunt, and max seating is no more than two dozen.
Places to avoid
Any locals please feel free to correct me but at least compared to most US cities I have visited there was nowhere in Lisboa that I felt unsafe. Feel free to wander the width and breadth of the city.
Local brews to try
Two wines you must try if you are in town are:
The Vino Verde: an abfab light wine for those of us with simple tastes and limite budgets.
and of course The Port: If you have not heard of port wine you must live in a cave (Probly near england on prehistoric earth) it is a world famous after-dnner type wine that you can obtain quite cheaply in the city. I highly recomend purchase of a few vintage bottles.
Clubs and bars
Rather than bars Lisboa has inumerable small cafes that, While not a good place to get drunk, offer a remrkably relaxed atmosphere, good drinks and pastries. Night life however is lacking compared to outher places I have travled to. In fact me and my buddies had trouble finding food past about 22:45 and anded up eating in the train station.
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