Great people, delicious food, amazing history unique attractions... YES Lisbon is a city you must have visited once. Here are the things you should know about this lovely city.
Lisbon is the capital of Portugal and located along the North Atlantic Ocean and the Tagus river. Lisbon is an unique city due its yellow trams, which drive through the narrow and hilly streets of the center. Also the view on the Tagus river, the typical Portuguese red roofs and the the delicious Portugese kitchen are of great value to the city. Because of these aspects everyone should have visited Lisbon at least once.
ACCOMMODATIONS
You can use all kinds of hotels, which are spread throughout the city. Therefore it shouldn't be difficult to find yourself a suitable hotel. You could also save a few euros without loosing on quality. In Lisbon, you don't have to spend a lot of money to have a decent place to sleep. The available hostels are of good quality and some even have an excellent quality.
Tip: Have a look at the following link, their are many offers for hostels in Lisbon. You will be pleasantly surprised.
TRANSPORT
A transfer from the airport to the city center is quite easy. You could use a taxi, which will cost you about 15 euros. Public transport is pretty well organized and they'll take you to the city centre fast and easy. A single trip to the center should be around 2 euros.
Across Lisbon there are different type of transports to use. The most commonly used types of transport are: the bus, the metro, the tram and the ferry. Getting across the city center should be easy by foot. However, a ride on the tram is recommended. The steep hills, the authentic trams and the narrow streets, are an attraction on itself.
WHAT TO DO
Castelo de São JorgeA trip to Lisbon is not complete, without a visit to the Castelo de São Jorge. This attraction is a castle from 11th century and is particularly well preserved over the years. The castle is situated on top of a hill in the centre and offers a great panoramic view over Lisbon. Castelo de São Jorge is one of the most popular attractions of Lisbon. Therefore the queues could be very long occassionaly.
The Lisbon CathedralThe Lisbon cathedral is located in the district Sé and is also known as Sé de Lisboa and Igreja de Santa Maria Maior. The cathedral was the first Church of the city. During the massive earthquake that took place in Lisbon in the year 1755, the building got seriously damaged. Luckily the construction got restored and therefore the building still looks very good.
Tip: You should check out the building at dusk. The bricks are then gold colored and really look impressive.
Praca do ComércioIn the center of Lisbon you can find the Praça do Comércio. This is a large square near the Tagus river. Praça do Comércio is also known as the Terreiro do Paço, which simply means Palace Square. This finds its origin due to the Royal Palace, which was standing on the square. However, this palace was destroyed in 1755 by the massive earthquake.
Mosteiro dos Jerónimos This building is located in the Belém district and really is worth a Kodak moment. It is built in the Manueline style, which is named after the King who was responsible for the construction of this building. Both the interior and the exterior of the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, have the most fantastic decorations. The beauty is very special for the city and is therefore listed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Elevador de Santa JustaThis is by far one of the most special elevators existing. It is located in the center of the city and has a height of 45 meters. This elevator is connecting the Santa Justa Street and the Carmoplein. Once at the top, there is a great view over the center of Lisbon. This might be the reason, that it is one of the most visited places of the city. Nice to mention ... The architect of the elevator was a student of Gustav Eiffel, who was the architect of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
