Lisbon-Portugal’s Pride and Europe’s westernmost capital

Story and Photos by Stephanie Levin.

Feature image: Rooftop view of Castelo de São Jorge.

There are moments when Portugal feels far from the rest of Europe’s action: it’s a small country with asymmetrical development yet boasts tightly woven communities and a geography that spans the Atlantic Coast on one side while contiguously bordering Spain on the backside.  Two Atlantic ports share half of the country’s population, Porto, and Lisbon.  Lisbon, the capital, stands aloof from the rest of the country.

The hilly coastal capital sits on the northern bank of the Tagus River, where it meets the Atlantic Ocean. Spanning seven hills, Lisbon’s stunning views of the water, pastel-colored rooftops, and its tiled streets charm. So, it’s no surprise that it has become a favorite for ex-pats to hang their hats. But even if relocating isn’t on your mind, Lisbon is abuzz with a whir of international travelers. With an enchanting cityscape and a slower quotidian pace, Lisbon draws individuals who prefer a less frenetic lifestyle or travel experience. The city feels peaceful, almost somnolent compared to other large capitals. Of course, cities are also defined by their inhabitants, and the Lisboetas, those born in Lisbon, tend toward provincial, steady, hardworking people with little inclination to complain. The Portuguese work to live, not live to work.

Compared to other European capitals, Lisbon feels like a bargain. Food and lodging remain reasonable, and the Lisboetas are politely patient with tourists who don’t speak a word of Portuguese and tend to crowd vistas and sidewalks.

Lisbon is a walking city, though, unlike Paris or Madrid, it’s not flat; it’s more akin to San Francisco. Those with an aversion to hills would be wise to tread cautiously. The narrow tiled streets require careful footwork on the calçadas–hand crafted square cobblestones unique to Portugal. Many calçadas have irregular shapes; others boast crafted designs, all beautifully admirable yet devilishly dicey when wet. The calçadas are not streets to strut down in high heels or flip flops. Nevertheless, the bonus of any street in Lisbon, rain or shine, is safety, all hours of the day and night.

One of the most popular areas in Lisbon is the architectural marvel, Arco da Rua Augusta, located in Praça do Commerce Square­, a promenade with a hub of shops and al fresco dining continually brimming with energy day and night. On Sundays, restaurants cater to Portuguese families who enjoy afternoon dining, along with tourists anxious to experience Portuguese cuisine.

Juxtaposing the chic Praça do Commerce Square neighborhood is the Alfama. The only way to reach Alfama is a serpentine incline of a hundred stairs to arrive at the heart of Europe’s oldest traditional neighborhood. The thimble-size streets and alleys wend the curious through a historic journey. Alfama is the only neighborhood in Lisbon to have survived the 1755 earthquake. What was once one of the poorest sections of Lisbon today feels the most authentic. Quarters are tight, and neighbors sit on stoops while sharing food and talking but should you move deeper into Alfama, you’ll discover lively bars, cafes, restaurants, fado houses, and an active nightlife packed with tourists. The Fado Museum also resides in Alfama (described in my earlier post entitled “Following Fado- Portugal’s Seductive Longing”)

Stairs and Strikes: Unfortunately, I hit the jackpot with stairs and transit strikes in Lisbon. Panting after descending the Alfama stairs to the water’s edge to catch a bus for the National Museum Azul, I learned there was a bus strike, which translates to not all busses run, but a few do. There’s no app to apprise waiting passengers which busses will show up. Thus, I stood next to an elderly couple, who I assumed always used public transit, and through hand signs and shrugs, we communicated the question: was our bus on strike?  Since the couple appeared unconcerned about time or perhaps accustomed to bus strikes, I decided I would not be concerned either. After an hour, our bus arrived, and the line of passengers, allowing the elderly first, stepped on the bus. Packed to sardine standards, one of my waiting companions intimated that she would point to my stop along the route. Fifteen minutes into the ride, we arrived at a stop, and the woman gesticulated for me to descend. I jumped off only to feel someone grab my hand and yank me back onto the bus. “próxima parada,” mimed a blonde woman, holding up one finger pointing ahead. The next stop was indeed the National Museum Azul, and when the door opened, the blonde took my hand and helped me out. “Obrigado,” I yelled to whomever was in earshot.

National Museum of Azulejo- National Tile Museum: Founded in 1509, the tile museum is set in Madre de Deus Convent. The astonishing collection of tiles traces a journey through the tile’s chronological history. Azul translates as blue in Portuguese, and the dominant blue and white patterns associated with Portuguese tiles derived their inspiration from the Dutch in the late 17^th century, long after the first tiles and artisans arrived through Islamic Spain. The azulejos are not only beautiful but allow Portugal’s history and stories to live on. Today, Lisbon’s subway stations are adorned with azulejos, many designed by contemporary craftsfolk.

Upon spotting a crowd pacing at my bus stop, I eagerly waved down a taxi approaching the museum.  Miradoura de Santa Luiza, one of Lisbon’s many lookouts, was my destination. The bougainvillea-framed lookout with views of the Tagus River is a tourist hot spot. The narrow street is always jammed with golf cart-size tuk tuks shuttling photo-snapping tourists. The taxi driver turned to me and nonchalantly stated with a slightly irritated pitch, “ladrones. Translation: robbers, crooks. And I had to admit: why would anyone pay 20 euros for a tuk-tuk when for 5 euros, one could enjoy a clean taxi with a seasoned driver?

I had the advantage of staying with my longtime friend, David, in the Santiago district, where his patio has a postcard view of Lisbon’s popular tourist attraction, Castelo de São Jorge. Founded in the 10^th and 11^th centuries, the oldest known fortification is perched on a hilltop with a heart-thumping uphill jaunt to the entrance. Most visitors wisely arrive by bus. The view from the fortress affords a perfect 360-degree panorama of Lisbon. It was in the castelo that King Dom Manuel received Vasco da Gama in 1499 after the explorer’s sea voyage to India, the first European to do so. Today, concerts and plays are performed in the outside theater, and visitors reserve tickets in advance to visit the museum and castle grounds.

The neighborhoods in Lisbon vary. A favorite is Chiado, an elegant bohemian neighborhood considered one of the city’s iconic quarters. It was a meeting place in the late 19^th century for poets, as well as a haunt for Lisbon’s high society, from middle class to aristocrats. I arrived by the 28- streetcar, a thrilling ride around hairpin turns and precipitous hills.  The 28- streetcar was redolent of a ride on a San Francisco cable car. The gears grind, the brakes squeak and the drivers are steady and competent as tourists hang out the open windows, gawking and snapping photos during the hair-raising descents.

In the middle of Chiado sits a bronze statue of a man seated on a bench, usually flanked by tourists eager to pose with him.  This is the revered Portuguese poet, literary critic, and philosopher of the 20^th century, Fernando Pessoa.  Pessoa was born and died in Lisbon. And this reverence for a poet makes this writer’s heart flutter joyfully.

I’ve never been able to pass up a bookstore anywhere in the world, and Lisbon has a plethora of bookstores tucked in nooks and ancient buildings. The world’s oldest operating bookstore, Livraria Bertrand, is in Chiado. Opened in 1732 by Pedro Faure, a French bookseller, the bookstore was destroyed in the 1775 earthquake, which decimated most of Lisbon. It reopened not long after in its current location and continues to host literary greats, writers, poets, and Nobel Prize nominees. Bertrand’s cathedral-style shop draws patrons through its seven arches, each leading to a different book nook. Naturally, most books are in Portuguese, but other rooms offer books in various languages. Through the last arch resides a charming little café where you can sip and read. Harry Potter would have been right at home in Bertrand’s bookstore.

 

 

Like all European capitals, coffee is part of the daily routine in Lisbon, so it’s best to understand the coffee lingo. Order a bica, and you will get a shot of strong espresso. If you don’t need a late afternoon jolt, order a curto, a short cup, or  regular or try a cheio, a full cup of coffee. If you are not a strong coffee drinker but want to engage in the coffee experience, ask for a carioca, a roasted coffee with a touch of milk. My favorite café is in Chiado, Café Brasileira, opened in 1905. The art-deco-style café was a favorite haunt for politicians, poets, and writers. Today, when sitting outside on the covered patio enjoying the street scene, there is always a line that moves quickly. Inside the cafe, the black and white checkerboard floor houses delightful little tables on one side and a marble comptoir on the other. The café evokes a bygone era when men, artists and politicians hunched around the little tables opining their convincing beliefs.  My friend and I took a table outside, and I experienced my first bica and pastel de Belém, a traditional custard tart baked in crust with an ecclesiastical history.

 

 

Apparently, around the 1800s, to survive, the monks from Jerónimos Monastery in Belem had the idea to sell their tiny egg tarts. Today, every café makes and sells pastel de Bélem, not unlike the donut industry in the US. The little egg tarts all have slightly different flavors, depending on which café or pastry shop one indulges his/her sweet tooth. I was told that each café thinks that their pastel de Belem is the best, and I can attest to the few times I had my little pastel de Belem with my afternoon café jolt that they all have a slightly different texture and taste.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Gulbenkian Collection: Museum enthusiasts may not equate Lisbon with other European art capitals, but one world-renowned museum resides there, the Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian Collection, housing one of the most important private art collections in the world.  Gulbenkian was an Armenian, nationalized British businessman and philanthropist who (1869-1955) traveled extensively throughout his life collecting art. The massive, modern-designed museum stands amidst 18 acres of green space and gardens on the northern edge of Lisbon. This extensive collection travels through centuries of Greco-Roman, Mesopotamian, and Eastern Islamic to the Far East with a rich collection of European paintings, Islamic textiles, glassware, manuscripts, coins, and jewelry.  In 1962, The Gulbenkian Orchestra was founded, and the 66-member ensemble performs concerts in the Grand Auditorium at the Gulbenkian Foundation, adjacent to the museum.

 

 

 

B-MAD Museum: A quaint and much smaller museum is the Berardo Museu Arte Deco, better known as the B-MAD.  The delightful museum is in the Alcântara district of Lisbon. The 6-euro fee covers the guided tour, which is the only way to access the museum. Once the former summer residence of the Marquis of Abrantes in Alcântara, the Berardo collection illustrates the Arts and Crafts, Art Nouveau, and Art Deco movements. As the guide glides through the clean shapes and stream-lined geometric designs of each room, there is a feeling of stepping back into a world of beauty, creativity, and craftsmanship created to last forever. After the tour, there is a tiny winery in the lobby.

Alas, it was time to bid Lisbon a sweet goodbye for a few days. I was headed north to Porto by train the next morning, but that’s another story and transit strike. Stay tuned for Porto.

IF YOU GO:

National Museum of Azulejo- National Tile Museum: Me. Deus 4: Busses 759, 706, 728. The stop for the museum is Igreja Madre Deus  – Or take a taxi or Bolt, which is like an Uber.

Calouste Gulbenkian Museum:  Av. de Berna 45A, 1067-001 Lisbon. The two metro stations to the museum are São Sebastião (blue and red lines) and Praça de Espanha (blue line).

The B-MAD is located at Rua 1 de Maio, 28. Tram 15 stops in front of the museum.