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Citi Classique
A Lovely Lisbon
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By Rajeev K. Manocha
A chilled air greeted me at Portela Airport of Lisbon. I had heard the seaside country of Portugal is lesser cool than many others in Europe, but Portuguese capital was hardly to be blamed for my misjudgment as the winters were very much on in that third week of February. A nicely pleasant weather would welcome me if I visited Lisbon after two months. Anyway, all is well for a tour whose beginning and end is well.
Bairro Alto
Interestingly I began with what is generally the ending point of my journeys. Perhaps my arrival in the Lisbon at dusk owed much to the odd start of my trip with nightlife. I was in Bairro Alto- upper quarter, an entertainment and shopping district of Central Lisbon. The area has become the heart of Lisbon's youth and the nightlife of Lisbon. Lisbon's Punk, Gay, Metal, Goth, Hip Hop and Reggae scenes, all have the Bairro as their home, due to the number of clubs and bars dedicated to each of them. The Fado, Portugal's famous music, still survives in the new Lisbon's nightlife. The crowd is a mix of local and tourist, straight and gay, and almost anything else imagined. The area offers you tasty cakes and pastries made in exclusively Portuguese style.
Alfama
Like Bairro Alto, Lisbon has many districts each famous for its particularattractions. Alfama is the oldest among them. Spreading on the slope between the Castle of Lisbon and the Tejo River, its name comes from the Arabic Al-hamma, meaning fountains or baths. It contains many important historical attractions, with many Fado bars and restaurants. The great 1755 Lisbon Earthquake did not destroy the Alfama, which has remained a picturesque labyrinth of narrow streets and small squares. Lately the neighbourhood has been invigorated with the renovation of the old houses and new restaurants where Fado - Portuguese typical m elancholy music - can be enjoyed. I particularly liked the Castle of Sao Jorge and the Lisbon Cathedral here. The district also has Monastery of Sao Vicente, Church of Santo Antonio and Santa Luzia Belvedere.
Baixa
The heart of the Lisbon city is the Baixa - Downtown or city centre. The Pombaline Baixa is an elegant district, primarily constructed after the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. The Pombaline Baixa is one of the first examples of earthquake-resistant construction. Notable features of Pombaline structures include the 'Pombaline cage', a symmetrical wood-lattice framework aimed at distributing earthquake force and inter-terrace walls that are built higher than roof timbers to reduce fire contagion. One can see Commerce Square and Rossio Square, the oldest and historic squares in the city. Church of Sao Domingos, an elevator in gothic style and Restauradores are other attractions of the district.
Chiado
The Chiado is a traditional shopping area that mixes old and modern commercial establishments, concentrated specially in the Carmo's and Garrett's streets. Locals as well as tourists visit the Chiado to buy books, garments, pottery as well as to have a cup of coffee. The Chiado is also an important cultural area with several museums and theatres. Several buildings of the Chiado were destroyed in a fire in 1988, an event that deeply shocked the country. Thanks to a renovation project that lasted more than 10 years, the affected area is now recovered. You can have your choice of international brands from here. The area has some beautiful churches like Church of Corpo Santo, Church of Nossa Senhora do Lore to and Carmo Convent. The richly-decorated Church of Sao Roque is not far from the district. Brasileira Café of Chiado is also a point of attraction along with Museu do Chiado that houses most important works of Portuguese contemporary art.
Estrela
The Baroque-Neoclassical Estrela Basilica is the main attraction of this district. The huge church has a giant dome and is located in a hill in what was at the time the western part of Lisbon and can be viewed from far away. The style is similar to the Mafra National Palace, in late baroque and neoclassical. The front has two twin bell towers and includes statues of saints and some allegoric figures. The Parliament, housed in Sao Bento Palace, is in this district.
Alcantara
Although today it is quite central, it was once a mere suburb of Lisbon, comprising mostly farms and palaces. In the 16th century, there was a brook there which the nobles used to promenade in their boats. Around the early 1990s, Alcantara started to become a place for pubs and discotheques, mainly because its outer area is mostly commercial and the noise generated at night would not disturb its residents.
Belem
Santa Maria de Belem or just Belem. Its name is derived from the Portuguese for Bethlehem. Belem is famous as the place from which many of the great Portuguese  explorers set off on their voyages of discovery. In particular, it is the place from which Vasco da Gama departed for India in 1497. Perhaps Belem's most famous feature is its tower, Torre de Belem, whose image is much used by Lisbon's tourist board. The tower was built as a fortified lighthouse late in the reign of Dom Manuelto guard the entrance to the port at Belem. It stood on a little island in right side of the Tagus, surrounded by water. Belem's other major historical building is the Mosteiro dos Jeronimos- Jeronimos Monastery. The building of the monastery, an example of Manueline architecture took 50 years to complete. It was built as a monument to Vasco da Gama's successful voyage to India. The monastery contains the tomb of Vasco da Gama. The monument to Christ the King stands on the left side of the river in Almada. With open arms, overlooking the whole city, it resembles the Corcovado monument in Rio de Janeiro and was built after World War II, as thanks for Portugal's was being spared the horrors and destruction of the war.
Belem's most notable modern feature is the Padrao dos Descobrimentos, Monument to the Discoveries. It was
erected to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the
death of Henry the Navigator. The monument is carved into the shape of the prow of a ship in which stand statues of various explorers, as well as a statue of Henry himself. Adjacent to the monument is a square into whose surface
is set a map showing the routes of various Portuguese explorers. In the heart of Belem is the Praca do Imperio: gardens centred upon a large fountain, lay out during World War II. To the west of the gardens lies the Centro Cultural de Belem. This was built for Portugal's 1992 presidency of the EU. It is now an arts complex, containing Belem's Museu do Design- Design Museum. To the southeast of the gardens is the Belem Palace (1770), the official residence of the Portuguese President.
Entire Lisbon is very rich in architecture. You can find Romanesque, Gothic, Manueline, Baroque and Traditional Portuguese, Modern and Post-Modern constructions all over the city. The city is also crossed by great boulevards and monuments along these main thoroughfares, particularly in the upper districts; notable among these are the Avenida da Liberdade -Liberty Avenue, Avenida Fontes Pereira de Melo, Avenida Almirante Reis and Avenida da Republica -Republic Avenue.
In fact, Entire Lisbon is very rich in architecture. You can find Romanesque, Gothic, Manueline, Baroque and Traditional Portuguese, Modern and Post-Modern constructions all over the city. The city is also crossed by great boulevards and monuments along these main thoroughfares, particularly in the upper districts; notable among these are the Avenida da Liberdade -Liberty Avenue, Avenida Fontes Pereira de Melo, Avenida Almirante Reis and Avenida da Republica -Republic Avenue.
The city of Lisbon like most classical cities of Europe has plenty of museums, theatres and art galleries. Lisbon's opera house, the Teatro Nacional de Sao Carlos, hosts a relatively active cultural agenda, particularly in winter. Other important theatres and musical houses are the Centro Cultural de Belem, the Teatro Nacional D. Maria II and the Gulbenkian Foundation.
The city has two famous parks. Jardim Botanico, the botanical garden of Lisbon is situated near Principe real. This 19th century garden is remarkable for its diversity of international flora. It is perfect exotic escape shaded by beautiful old trees everywhere. Parque Eduardo, the other great attraction in this category is a huge park. Named after British King Edward seventh, the park has gorgeous greenhouses filled with magnificent exotic flowers. The park is accessible from its western side and has an outdoor area with a big pond.
Transport
Lisbon's public transport network has its metro as its main artery, connecting the city centre with the upper and eastern districts and now reaching the suburbs. A traditional form of public transport in Lisbon is the tram. Originally introduced in the 19th century, the trams were originally imported from the U.S. and called americanos. These distinctive yellow trams are one of the tourist ic ons of modern Lisbon and their size is well suited to the steep hills and narrow streets of the central city.
There are many commuter bus services from the various parts of the city. Lisbon is connected to its suburbs and the rest of Portugal by an extensive motorway network. There are three circular motorways around that join the city. A tourist can also have cars and motorbikes on rent in Lisbon. The nearest place to rent a motorbike is Cascais. The big-name car-hire companies are all on hand, though you can often save substantially by booking local agencies. Most agencies offer pick-up and delivery service to your hotel.
The city of Lisbon is located by the north banks of River Tagus and is connected to the far side of the River by two important bridges. The 25 de Abril Bridge, later renamed after the date of the Carnation Revolution, is the longest suspension bridge in Europe. Because of its similar colouring, it is often compared to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, USA. Another great in this list is The Vasco da Gama Bridge, with a length of 17.2 kms is the longest bridge in Europe. Another way of crossing the river is by taking the ferry. The ferries operate from different points in the city to Cacilhas, Seixal, Montijo, Porto Brandao and Trafaria under the brand Transtejo and to Barreiro under the brand Soflusa.
With the winding of magnificent yellow trams their way through curvy tree-lined streets, Lisboetas walk through the old quarters, much as they've done for centuries. Village-life gossip in old Alfama is exchanged at the public baths or over fresh bread and wine at tiny patio restaurants as fadistas -proponents of Fado, perform in the background. Meanwhile, in other parts of town, visitors and locals chase the ghosts of Pessoa in warmly lit 1930s-era cafes or stroll along the seaside that once saw the celebrated return of Vasco da Gama. Yet, while history is very much alive in centuries-old Lisbon, its spirit is undoubtedly youthful.
In the hilltop district of Bairro Alto, dozens of restaurants and bars line the narrow streets, with jazz, reggae, electronica and Fado filling the air and revelers partying until dawn. Nightclubs scattered all over town make fine use of old spaces, whether on riverside docks or tucked away in 18th-century mansions. The Lisbon experience encompasses so many things, from enjoying a fresh pastry and bica-espresso on a petite leafy plaza to window-shopping in elegant Chiado. It's mingling with Lisboetas at a neighbourhood festival or watching the sunset from the old Moorish castle.
Pervaded across steep hillsides that overlook the Rio Tejo, the classical city of Lisbon, offers all the pleasures a tourist may expect of Portugal's star attraction, yet with half the fuss of other European capitals. Gothic cathedrals, majestic monasteries and quaint museums are all part of the colourful  cityscape, but the real delights of discovery lie in promenading the narrow lanes of Lisbon's lovely backstreets. So far as I could see, the real beauty of Lisbon lies in the deep links to the past. Its renovated palaces, splendid churches and a magnificent castle reflect the city's rich cultural heritage. Its unique blend of culture, neighbourhoods and architecture distinguish this capital city from the other cities of the continent making it a truly enamoring and lovely place to visit. A city set on seven hills, as the legend tells, with its cobble-stoned pavements and narrow alleys full of art and cultural prints provided me with a great fun along with an all round fulfillment.
FAST FACTS
Lisbon is connected by air through Delhi and Mumbai.
The accommodation in the city is available in all budget and ranges. The general public is tourist friendly and the city has an effective transport system which is not very costly.
One may easily get continental and European food in Lisbon though, getting Indian food is little difficult yet the selective items are available in star hotels |
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