Lisbon City Breaks, Lisbon Flights and Lisbon Hotels:

If you are planning a Lisbon city break and are looking for a Lisbon hotel and/or flight, the following information may help by giving you an overview on the city of Lisbon.

On the Atlantic coast where the River Tagus flows into the ocean, lays Portugal’s capital city Lisbon (Lisboa), nestled between seven hills. Lisbon is a beautiful, relaxed city full of contrasts, from modern high rises to Art Nouveau buildings, wonderful mosaic pavements, brightly tiled buildings and medieval Moorish architecture.

Its port has been in constant use for the last three thousand years by a number of different rulers, but it was most prominent and powerful between the fifteenth and seventeenth centuries when Portugal was a wealthy nation. Much of this wealth was due to the explorer Vasco da Gama, who discovered the sea route to India in 1498. This led to a lively trade in spices and gemstones, bringing great wealth to Lisbon. In the seventeenth century gold was discovered in Brazil, bringing more and more money. However in 1755 the city was severely damaged by an earthquake and the tsunami that followed. It was never to regain its former prominence.

Close to the harbour is the Praca do Comercio, one of the most elegant city squares in Europe. The surrounding buildings have attractive arcades along their facades. The city centre of Lisbon, Baixa, is organized in a grid pattern and was largely built after the earthquake. The oldest district is in Alfama close to Tagus, which survived almost intact and retains many medieval buildings. For a view over the city visit the Castello de Sao Jorge, a medieval castle built on a hill in the fortified citadel. The castle was the last stronghold of resistance if attackers managed to enter the citadel. It is a handsome rectangular building with ten towers.

Don’t miss the facade of the church of Nossa Senhora da Conceicao Velha. The church was rebuilt after the earthquake using rescued elements of the old building, mainly decorative pieces of the facade, which date back to the sixteenth century. This facade is a great example of the Manueline style or Portuguese Late Gothic, a sumptuous architectural style incorporating maritime elements and inspired by the discoveries of Vasco da Gama. This style marks the transition from Late Gothic to Renaissance.

Probably the most prominent monument of Lisbon and certainly the most successful achievement of the Manueline style is the magnificent Jeronimos Monastery, with its delightful cloister. Close by is the Belem Tower, built in the early sixteenth century to commemorate Vasco da Gama. This defensive yet elegant construction is one of the symbols of the city, a memorial to Portugal’s power during the Age of the Great Discoveries.

Location of Lisbon:
About a third of the way up Portugal's west [Altantic] coast. 195 miles south of Oporto, 180 miles northwest of Faro and the Algarve, 135 miles west of Badajoz and the Spanish border. 3 miles south of Lisbon International Airport.

Serving Airports:
Lisbon [LIS]
Flight time from the UK: approximately 2 hours 30 minutes.

Lisbon Temperature Chart :

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Temp °C	12	13	14	15	18	21	22	23	22	19	15	12

Average daily temperature °C

Beaches in Lisbon:
The nearest beaches are along Costa do Estoril - notably the resort of Estoril and Cascais, which are easily accessible by train from the centre. Across the River Tagus, the beaches and dunes of Caparica are aslo popular

Shopping in Lisbon:
Colourful, varied and good value. The Baixa district is the traditional shopping area with many specialist retailers; look out for traditional items like hand-embroidered tablecloths, tapestries and ceramics. The Chiado area for designer stores. Bairro Alto is a good bet for antiques. Amorerias is a large, popular shopping complex close to the centre. Good buys generally are leather goods, cork products and bottles of port. Plenty of markets, notably Feira da Ladra [Tuesdays and Saturdays]

Eating Out in Lisbon:
An interesting variety of mostly reasonably priced restaurants, ranging from simple snack bars and cafes to traditional tavernas and some fine-dining options. The Baixa and Bairro Alto districts have plenty of affordable eateries; the docks area can be a little more pricey. Portugal's colonial links are evident in the many African, Goan and Brazilian restaurants dotted around the city. Traditional favourites are seafood (especially salted cod, fish stews and sardines) and mouth-watering desserts and cakes – particularly the very sweet, almond-flavoured toucinho do ceu and pasteis de Belem, a kind of custard tart. Local wines and port are also well worth sampling.

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Disclaimer:
By its very nature much of the information in our destination guides is subject to change at short notice and travellers are urged to verify information on which they are relying with the relevant authorities. Corona Holidays [UK] Limited cannot accept any responsibility for any loss or inconvenience to any person as a result of information contained above.

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