Explore: Lisbon

The capital of Portugal, Lisbon glows like a jewel at night. Image: Andreas Bruecker

Lisbon is Portugal’s hilly, coastal capital city. On my first visit, arriving from California’s San Francisco Bay Area, I felt immediately at home. The hills were just as dramatic, if not more, as San Francisco, and when looking out over the Tagus River, and the Ponte 25 de Abril suspension bridge, I had to ask, “Why does that look so much like San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge?” While that’s a story for another day, anyone visiting from San Francisco would immediately feel at home in Lisbon.

Our top four favorite Lisbon neighborhoods include the Alfama district and its imposing São Jorge Castle, where views encompassing the old city’s pastel-colored buildings, to the Tagus Estuary and the Ponte 25 de Abril suspension bridge, display a city that is stunningly beautiful. Among the places to see in Alfama are the National Azulejo Museum, which displays 5 centuries of decorative ceramic tiles, for which Portugal is famous for and the Feira da Ladra (Thieves Market) on Tuesday and Saturday mornings (starting at 8 am, closes at 5 pm). Principe Real, a posh and trendy neighborhood with Michelin starred restaurants. Chiado, always Lisbon’s main shopping district, has a full mix of independent boutiques and upscale chains, and now a vibrant café culture, with some of the best restaurants and rooftop bars in town. For the Bohemian and alternative culturati, Bairro Alto, with it’s 500 year old history, maintains an alluring atmosphere, where night owls roam the streets looking for the perfect bar or restaurant.