Lisbon Shopper

Lisbon Shopper

Does Lisbon Still Have A Serious Image Problem?

Think of Portugal holidays and most people think of the Algarve, or even its neighbouring island Madeira. They think of dramatic rocky coastlines, fabulous soft sandy beaches and perhaps a round or two of golf would spring to mind for some of us. However Portugal has a stunning capital city that is definitely well worth visiting. Lisbon is a very interesting mixture of old and new.

Until the mid 90’s Lisbon had a serious image problem, it looked run down, tired and shambolic. In 1994 Lisbon was proclaimed the European City of Culture, then during the World Expo in 1998 Lisbon managed to persuade the central management and the European Union to invest money in the city and the city was somewhat reborn.

The cities infrastructure was resurrected and the area specifically developed for the Exhibition became known as the Parquet das Nacoes. This ultra-modern area is now home to Europe’s second largest Oceanarium, concert venues, huge shopping mall and beautiful river walkways. Lisbon played to host to some of the European Football Championships games in 2004, and the MTV Europe Music Awards in 2005, establishing itself as a serious contender for city breaks.

Getting around the city is fun and can easily be done on foot, but as the area is built on seven hills, using the bus or vintage tram system is the best way to take your journey, and the easiest way to appreciate the amazing views as you look down over the city to the sprawling River Tagus. Alfama is a Moorish section of the city sitting in the hillside just beneath the medieval St Georges Castle with cafes that spill their tables onto sunny terraces offering breathtaking views of the city below.

More cosmopolitan Chiado wil excite with its international shops, modern squares and traditional bars and cafes. Shopping is at a premium in Lisbon with the Baxia area boasting a wonderful shopping centre and the famous Commercial Square which in turn borders the River Tagus. Just nearby you can roam the narrow winding streets of the Biarro Alto, alive with shoppers by day and party goers by night.

Lisbon is famous for its lilting music known as ‘fado’, a haunting melody that reaches to the very depths of the soul depicting the passing of the maritime era and devastation caused by the great earthquake, fires and devastating tidal wave in 1755.

Whilst still bursting with tradition and history, Lisbon offers a lively modern twist and you can always visit the local beaches at nearby Cascais and Estoril to recharge your batteries and enjoy the old fashioned way of life here.

So next time you are thinking of Portugal holidays why not consider Lisbon, with its history and culture, parks and beaches, bars and restaurants it really does have something for everyone.

About the Author

Yvonne also writes travel news stories for the TravelNewz website

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