Lisbon is Portugal’s hilly coastal capital city with lots of beautiful pastel-coloured buildings. It is mainland Europe’s westernmost capital city and the only one along the Atlantic coast.
Lisbon is one of the oldest cities in the world, and the second-oldest European capital city (after Athens), predating other modern European capitals by centuries. Lisbon's name may have been derived from Proto-Celtic or Celtic Olisippo, Lissoppo, or a similar name which other visiting peoples like the ancient Phoenicians, Greeks and Romans adapted accordingly, such as the pre-Roman appellation for the Tagus River.
Another claim repeated in non-academic literature is that the name of Lisbon could be traced back to Phoenician times, referring to a supposedly Phoenician term Alis-Ubo, meaning "safe harbour"
Portugal’s official language is of course Portuguese. Derived from Latin roots, Portuguese is the third most spoken European language in the world, with around 250 million speakers. Around 3 million people live in the Lisboa regian, with 600 thousand living in the Capital.
Discover Lisbon, a historical city full of stories to tell, where the sun shines 290 days a year and the temperature rarely drops below 15oC. In Lisboa winters are mild and summers hot, though moderated by its location near the sea. During spring and autumn there are usually sunny days with mild temperatures. A city where you feel safe wandering around day or night, where the cuisine is dedicated to creating over a thousand ways to cook the beloved bacalhau (salted cod), and where you’ll find hotels and restaurants to suit every taste, budget, and requirement. Lisbon is a city full of authenticity where old customs and ancient history intermix with cultural entertainment and hi-tech innovation. Lisbon is ageless.
So, what can you do in Lisbon?
Take a tour around the very best of the city, learning of the Portuguese history and culture, whilst walking the narrow picturesque district and enjoy the breath-taking views from the hilltop.
Tantalize your taste buds on a private guided wine and cheese tasting day trip to the Setubal region.
Discover Lisbon on a sailing tour. Relax with a glass of sparkling wine as you glide over the Tagus River’ smooth waters and watch the rugged Portuguese coast goes by.
Visit Christ the King, inspired by Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This monument overlooks the city of Lisbon with its arms stretched out, as if to embrace the city.
Take a trip through rippling mountains and exotic gardens to Portugal’s fairy tale city of Sintra. Discover this hidden gem that is a place like no other.
Discover the most Westerly point of Europe, Cabo da Roca. You can take a bus around the rugged cliff to witness the incredible views and a stunning sunset. Set on the edge of Sintra’s National Park and once considered the end of the world, where the land ends and the sea begin.
Indulge in delicious tapas and signature cocktails while enjoying the spectacular views from the most impressive panoramic terraces in Lisbon. Climb to the top floor of the Hotel Tivoli Avenida Liberdade Lisboa and enjoy the charms of the Sky Bar by SEEN.
Take a trip through history in Lisbon’s new cultural attraction, Pilar 7 Bridge Experience. Considered one of the prettiest in the world, you are taken through its history of construction and ends with an elevator ride up to a panoramic viewing point that provides an unrivalled view of the city and the river.
Ride the city’s Gondola. A few metres from the riverfront, a trip of 8-12 minutes hovers over the Tagus River at 30 metres high and take in the stunning views of the Nations Park.
Lisbon’s traditional cuisine
Bacalhau à brás
Bacalhau is Portugal’s favourite fish, so much so that it can be cooked every day of the year without repeating a recipe once. Despite the seemingly endless number of choices, most restaurants have Bacalhau à brás on their menu, which is shredded codfish with fried potato, onion, and scrambled eggs. Usually, the dish is topped with a sprinkle of black olives and chopped parsley. Walk through Alfama and it will be hard to find a restaurant that doesn’t list Bacalhau à brás as a special.
Carne de Porco Alentejana
Two things that the Portuguese adore are pork and clams, and Carne de Porco Alentejana is a savoury combination of both. Cubed pork is first marinated in an aromatic sauce of white wine, paprika, garlic, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Then the pork is fried and returned to the marinade where it is introduced to the clams and left to cook a little longer. Once the clams have cooked and opened, fried, cubed potatoes are introduced. Some restaurants add pickled vegetables to the dish, and most add freshly chopped cilantro. This recipe from the Alentejo region is a favourite in the capital.
Polvo à Lagareiro
Like cod and clams, Polvo is another national staple that is cooked a varied number of ways, Polvo à Lagareiro being one of the best-loved recipes. A simple dish, Polvo à Lagareiro is grilled octopus served with grilled potatoes, sprinkled with cooked garlic, and drizzled with olive oil. The word ‘lagareiro’ actually comes from the process of making olive oil, so Polvo à Lagareiro literally means ‘octopus and olive oil’.
Amêijoas à Bulhão Pato
Portuguese dinners are usually 3-4 course affairs, Amêijoas à Bulhão Pato being a top appetiser choice around the country and especially in Lisbon. The recipe was even named after a 19th-century Spanish poet, Bulhão Pato, who lived around Lisbon and loved these clams so much that he boasted about it to anyone who would listen. Walk into any seaside restaurant or fish-focused spot inland today, and there’s a very good chance of this dish being offered. Also perfect for bread-dipping, the sauce made with natural clam juice, white wine, and garlic, is what gives the clams so much extra flavour.
Frango no Churrasco
Franco no Churrasco is the Portuguese way of saying ‘grilled chicken’ or ‘barbecue chicken’. A central recipe to many restaurants in Portugal and beyond, it is often called Chicken Piri-Piri. Variations may stem from African countries that were once Portuguese colonies, specifically Mozambique. Frango no Churrasco is basically chicken cooked on a grill and seasoned with piri-piri hot sauce. Normally, it’s served with French fries, rice and a simple salad of lettuce, tomato, and onion. Frango no Churrasco is usually enjoyed alongside a small draft beer or a glass of white wine.
Caracois
Latin Europe loves their snails, and the Portuguese are no different. Signs exclaiming ‘Há caracóis’ or ‘temos caracóis’ (‘we have snails’) appear all over Lisbon from May to late September, meeting with much enthusiasm from the locals. Caracóis or caracoletas are cooked and served in a butter-garlic broth and either sucked out of their shell or fished out with a toothpick. This dish is usually part of a social scene, enjoyed while chatting with friends and/or watching a sporting event on television and nicely complimented by a cold beer.
Sardinhas
Another summer favourite are sardinhas , especially during the All Saints Week in June. During the capital’s St Anthony Festival, street traffic is replaced with music and parties, and plenty of grilled sardines eaten on bread. Lisboetas love sardines so much that cloth-stuffed sardine souvenirs can be purchased in many of the city’s traditional souvenir shops.
Bifanas
A super cheap, quick, and tasty meal to get is a bifana or pork sandwich. Different cooks have their own special twist on this dish, such as soaking the bread in the pork marinade or adding beer to the sauce instead of wine. The meat is cut thin, marinated for a few hours or even overnight in a spicy, garlic sauce and often served with red pepper.
Cozido à Portuguesa
If Portuguese food is about flavour, tradition, and comfort, then Portuguese cozido offers a medley of all three. Also known as ‘rich man’s stew’, it was popular among the rural villages where farms may have had limited financial resources and families cooked with whatever meat and vegetables they had on hand. A basic cozido is a mix of boiled potatoes, carrots, sausages, cabbage, leafy greens, beans, and beef. Visit a venue that takes a more traditional approach, and you may see pig ears and pig feet added.
Arroz de Marisco
The Portuguese have grown rice for centuries. Arroz de Marisco is a combination of rice and a variety of shellfish. Heavy with sauce, it usually contains crab, shrimp, clams, and mussels, flavoured with typical Portuguese spices like garlic, piri-piri, and parsley. Some people like to add chouriço to their Arroz de Marisco for a little paella twist, but typically it’s sans land-derived meats.
Caldo Verde
Caldo Verde, is Portugal’s favourite soup. In general, soups are very popular in Portugal and eaten on a weekly basis. Known in English as Kale Soup, kale is clearly the main ingredient, and the broth is thickened with pureed potatoes. Garlic and bits of chouriço add extra flavour. While in countries like the USA, party-hoppers head to fast-food restaurants or breakfast chains for their midnight snack, the Portuguese prefer small tascas restaurants that specialise in Caldo Verde and Pão com Chouriço.
Fun Facts
Lisbon wasn’t always the capital of Portugal. UNESCO World Heritage Site Guimarães was the first capital of Portugal, designated in the 12th century, and it is nicknamed the ‘birthplace of Portugal’
Lisbon locals have two nicknames: ‘Lisboetas’ and ‘Alfacinhas’. Alfacinha means ‘little lettuce’; the nickname is believed to stem from a time when residents had little else to eat than vegetables and preferred lettuce.
You’ll find one of the smallest bookstores in the world here. Located a few steps up the Escadinhas de São Cristóvão, on the border of Baixa and Alfama, this spot is worth a visit, but you may need to wait for space to clear since the cupboard-sized shop (crammed with approximately 4,000 books) only fits a couple of people inside at a time.
It’s home to one of the world’s most top-secret recipes. Pastéis da nata, loved by locals and tourists alike for their flaky crust and creamy, sweet egg filling, have put Lisbon on dessert-lovers’ maps. Even though they are made all over the country and found in nearly every pastry shop, only 3 people in the world know the original recipe: the same one that is sold in Belém at Pasteis de Belém.
Lisbon was one of the first (if not THE first) international cities to buy in Guinness.
Lisbon has one of the mildest climates in Europe. The city is sunny throughout the year, with an annual average of 2900-3300 hours of sunshine.
The raven is a symbol of Lisbon. For a long time, there was a cult for ravens in the city. The Municipality even had a large cage with ravens in the São Jorge Castle. But gradually the birds started to disappear in Lisbon and today they can only be found in the coat of arms of the municipality.
Lisbon has its own Cristo Rei (Christ the King statue) – a Catholic monument overlooking the city, standing on the left bank of the river. It was inspired by the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. The statue commemorates Portugal’s survival of the WWII.
One of the most amazing and unusual landmarks in Lisbon is Portuguese pavement, which should be in your Europe bucket list. Whimsy design creates magic atmosphere and makes your Lisbon holidays a lifetime experience.
The Largest Human National Flag was raised in 2006 at Lisbon’s national stadium by 18,788 people.
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