If you’re looking for a shirt with the words “My brother went to Lisbon and all I got was this lousy t-shirt” to take as a gift from Lisbon, forget it. If you want to buy the same-old Lisbon souvenir such as a colorful ceramic tile or the famous Barcelos rooster for good luck, you’ll find plenty of those in every single tourist shop in the city. But for the right Lisbon souvenir, you have to look in the wrong shop – literally. The Wrong Shop, found on an uphill street connecting Chiado’s main street Rua Garrett with the charming Carmo Square and the ruined Carmo Convent, has all the Portuguese symbols and the typical tourist favorites, but with a twist.

You’d expect to see t-shirts in Paris to display the Eiffel Tower, or you’d look for a t-shirt in London showing Big Ben, so of course in Lisbon you’d perhaps expect to find one with the Belem Tower, or the Discoveries Monument. Those do exist in several shops, but how about a t-shirt with the Eiffel Tower and the words “This is not Lisbon” below it instead?

Portugal’s iconic Barcelos cockerel is also given a makeover, trading its usual red and black colors for the British flag, the American, the Spanish, or the rainbow flag.

The more cultured tourist may want to check out the national authors, so in Lisbon they may look for the genius Fernando Pessoa or the Nobel-winning Saramago. At The Wrong Shop, you’ll find the books they never wrote.

You’ll see more of these funny Lisbon gifts at the The Wrong Shop website.

 

All cities have their number of oddities and weirdness, so of course Lisbon is no exception. Here are just some examples of strange things in the Portuguese capital:

The Garden of Limp Dicks
A small terrace halfway down an Alfama street has for decades been a meeting place for old men to spend their entire days watching life go by or play some cards. This simple place didn’t have a name until young kids started referring to it as “The Garden of Limp Dicks”… The name obviously caught on, and unbelievably, it’s been made official with a street sign that even uses the more vulgar word for the male anatomy. The picture on the right shows it in all its splendor. The old men standing below it every day see the humor in it and don’t seem to mind.

The Man with no Face
Is it a mask? Is that really a face? People stare to make sure it’s real – A man with huge tumors all over his face sits in a corner of Rossio Square looking like something out of “Ripley’s Believe it or Not.” The poor man has become known as “the man with no face” and there is no treatment for his rare condition. He’s become something of a celebrity, having even been featured in The Discovery Channel’s “My Shocking Story” series.

Use your hands only!
If you want to take photos of Lisbon, be sure to hold your camera with your hands only! That’s because a recent (ridiculous) law has prohibited the use of tripods to take pictures in the city’s public spaces, unless you get a permit first. If caught taking a photo using a tripod without a permit, be prepared to pay a fine.

The Cemetery of Pleasures
There is a neighborhood in Lisbon called Prazeres which means Pleasures in English. The city’s largest cemetery was built there, so naturally it became known as “Cemiterio dos Prazeres” or “The Cemetery of Pleasures”. It’s the last stop of the famous tram 28, which displays “Prazeres” in the front, so if you ride it until the end of its journey, don’t be fooled that you’ll end up in some fun theme park or in a naughty red light district…

The Little Lettuces
If New York is called “The Big Apple,” Lisbon could be called “The Big Lettuce.” That’s because at one time there was a significant migration from rural areas into the big capital city and those new residents brought their country habits with them. They were known to plant crops in their backyards, especially large spaces of lettuce. Lisboans then became known as “alfacinhas” which translates to “little lettuces,” today an endearing term used to refer to anyone born in the Portuguese capital.

Lisbon went through one of the most radical makeovers in the world’s recorded history following the 1755 earthquake that left it almost completely in ruins. That led to the rebirth of the Baixa district, and in more recent times in 1988, most of the Chiado quarter went down in flames in a major fire, only to be revived into an even more cosmopolitan and vibrant center in the city today. Also, in the late 1990s, all of the eastern section of the city was reconverted from an ugly industrial area into an ultra-modern residential and leisure district to host the World Fair Expo 98, which then became what is now known as Parque das Nações.

Therefore, being no stranger to major makeovers, and with its riverfront and entire historical center in desperate need of an extensive intervention, Lisbon is now ready for another major cosmetic surgery. In recent years there have been controversial discussions on how to renovate the Baixa district for an upcoming evaluation by UNESCO to declare it a World Heritage Site, and just this week an ambitious plan was unveiled to convert the entire riverfront from Parque das Nações all the way to Belem into a mostly leisure zone.

Two major projects will serve as catalysts for their surroundings. One is the upcoming Design and Fashion Museum which will be located in a building taking up an entire block in the Baixa district, and the other is a new building in Belem by Pritzker-winning architect Paulo Mendes da Rocha for the new and expanded Coaches Museum.

For the Baixa, plans include pedestrianizing two of Comercio Square’s sides and opening shops, galleries, and cafes under its arcades, while for Belem pedestrians will also be given more space, with the plan to sink the train tracks underground so that it is possible to walk from Jeronimos Monastery to the riverfront without being blocked by the rail service to Cascais.

Many of these projects have a deadline of two years, so a rejuvenated Lisbon will already be seen by late 2010, with other plans being long-term and completed over the next two decades. That includes a third new bridge across the Tagus that will connect the city to its new international airport that will be located across the river.

Simpler but no less important works in the city includes covering up all graffiti that has infested the entire Bairro Alto neighborhood in recent years, as well as renovating the pretty Santa Luzia viewpoint that currently stands in a moribund state with most of its attractive tiles now broken or missing, as well as creating a new viewpoint next to the ruins of Carmo Convent.

Maintaining, renovating, and making an ancient city evolve is not an uncomplicated task, but despite all the hardships and controversies, Lisbon eventually overcomes its obstacles. And nowhere else in the world will you find a city so melancholically linked to its past and traditions, while at the same time looking to adapt to the challenges of modern and future life. There are plenty of reasons to go to Lisbon today, and there will certainly be many more to return in the future.

Lisbon is ready to rock this summer.  This weekend is the first part of the 5-day festival Rock in Rio-Lisboa.  The notorious singer Amy Winehouse was the first international star to reach the stage (although one hour late), and after that was Lenny Kravitz’s turn to get the Lisbon crowd rocking.  On the electronic side of the festival, the highlight of the day was Paul Van Dyk.
The following days will bring Alanis Morissette and Bon Jovi, and the famous DJ Carl Cox, along with Tokio Hotel, Joss Stone, Rod Stewart, and DJs David Morales and Dimitri from Paris.
On June 5^th it’s Metallica’s turn, which will be on stage after Machine Head.  The following day will bring Muse, The Offspring, and Linkin Park, which will offer their harder sounds while Sasha & Digweed entertain dance music fans.
If you can’t make it to this festival, there is an opportunity to go to another one in July.  The annual Super Bock Super Rock takes place on July 9^th and 10^th, this year welcoming Iron Maiden, Slayer, Beck, Mika, Duran Duran, and DJ Tiesto.
On the same day will be the first of three days of the Optimus Alive festival, presenting Rage Against the Machine, The Hives, Bob Dylan, Within Temptation, Neil Young, Ben Harper, among others.
But before that on July 4^th, James Blunt’s concert takes place in the Campo Pequeno arena, also the stage for Lou Reed on July 19^th.
Finally, at the end of the season, Madonna returns to Lisbon after her 2-night concert four years ago and her world-premiere performance of “Hung Up” in 2006’s MTV Music Awards that took place in the Portuguese capital.  This time her concert will be open-air, in Parque da Bela Vista on September 14.  

 

The UK Post Office recently issued their first annual Cost of Culture survey, which analises 10 culture capitals, 9 of which are located in Europe. The survey looked at a typical short cultural city break to each of the cities and the price of entry to three top museums or art galleries, three heritage sites, tickets to an orchestral performance, opera and ballet, and a free attraction.

Lisbon was judged to be the 3rd-cheapest culture capital of those surveyed and “best value overall” in the eurozone, together with Amsterdam.

The cultural sights in Lisbon included in this survey were the world-class Gulbenkian Museum, the Museum of Ancient Art and the Coach Museum. Tickets were bought to performances of “Bernstein & Friends” at the São Carlos National Theatre, “Tosca” at the São Carlos National Opera House and the National Ballet Company’s performance of ”Carmina Burana” at the Coliseu dos Recreios.

The three heritage sites chosen are really a must for any visit to Lisbon: Lisbon’s icon, the Belem Tower, the majestic St. Georges Castle and Sintra’s Pena Palace (a short journey from Lisbon). Together with these unmissable sights, the free attraction was the emblematic Jeronimo’s Monastery.

Coming on top of Mario’s recommendations on how to enjoy Lisbon for free, this highlights once again the fact that Lisbon is one of Europe’s cheapest capitals, and if you need persuading any further that Lisbon is the place to go, also one of its safest.

The first few months of 2008 have seen Lisbon in a number of surveys, all favourable. In January the New York Times places Lisbon second on its list of top 53 places to visit in 2008, a Mercer Consulting survey showed Lisbon to be the cheapest European capital in 2007, and Yahoo & Sherman’s travel voted Lisbon 3rd in their list of top 10 places to visit for 2008.

You surely don’t need any further encouragement to Go Lisbon!

Post Office Survey

Lisbon’s cheaper prices (as mentioned in the previous post) enable visitors to experience the pleasures of luxury that most could not afford to do in other capital cities such as Paris or London. Checking the prices for Palacio Belmonte or Pestana Palace (two of the most luxurious hotels in Lisbon), you will see that they cost as little as one-third of their equivalents in those other European capitals. Other top-end hotels include Avenida Palace, Sheraton Lisboa and Spa, Le Meridien Park Atlantic, Tivoli Lisboa, Corinthia Lisboa, and Dom Pedro. See Go Lisbon’s hotels section for more.

The money you save in accommodation may then be spent dining in refined and acclaimed restaurants such as Eleven and Bica do Sapato. The prices there are closer to what you’d find throughout Europe, but still tend to be slightly lower. Other high-end restaurants to consider include Tavares Rico, Terreiro do Paço, Casa da Comida, Alcantara Café, and Pragma. You may read more about them in Go Lisbon’s restaurants section.

Why not combine that with an extra splurge at a spa that matches the quality found anywhere else, but at more reasonable prices? Go Lisbon has a newly-created page listing Lisbon’s best spas, as well as recommendations on where to do yoga or pilates.

If you prefer a day on the golf course, Lisbon offers world-class golf in high-quality courses, many of which designed by Robert Trent Jones. Penha Longa in Sintra is the best option, but there are plenty more, as you will find in Go Lisbon’s golf page.

End your day with a world-class concert at the Gulbenkian Foundation, at the CCB, or at the opera in São Carlos Theater.

If you still have money to burn, walk down Avenida da Liberdade and up Rua Garrett for some exclusive shopping. You will see the Louis Vuitton, Hermés, Cartier, Mont Blanc, and most of the other luxury names you have back home, but with a few bargains here and there.

Lisbon is therefore the capital of bargains for both the budget traveller as well as the more hedonistic visitor looking for a luxurious experience.

If you’re considering a trip to Lisbon, you probably already know that it is one of the cheapest capitals in Europe. You’ll find that while prices in restaurants and supermarkets are at the level of the rest of Western Europe, Lisbon’s accommodation, transport, and sightseeing can be as much as 50% lower than elsewhere in the continent. And to top all of that, you can actually enjoy most of the city for free!:

Most monuments and museums (including Belem Tower, Jeronimos, Ancient Art Museum, and the Gulbenkian) offer free admission every Sunday until 2PM. Other privately-owned collections opt for other days such as the Medeiros e Almeida Museum, which has its free entrance day on Saturdays until 1PM.
An exception to this rule is the Berardo Museum, which is free everyday until the end of the year as a way of promoting its fantastic collection of modern art.Best of all, this being one of the most scenic European cities, one of Lisbon’s major attractions are its viewpoints, and those are always free. Add the free entrance to the churches (with the exceptions of their cloisters in some cases such as the cathedral and Saint Vincent’s Monastery), and you can save your budget surplus for a slightly more expensive restaurant or hotel – which all combined make a visit to Lisbon even more rewarding.

While a more tabloid-style news media is implemented in Portugal, there has been a recent tendency to dramatize every sensationalist story and crime that occurs in the country. For that reason, there seems to be a general feeling among the Portuguese that their country is no longer the crime-free heaven that it used to be, especially in its two largest cities. However, a report from Eurostat (the European Union statistics agency) released last week showed that the Portuguese capital has the second-lowest murder rate in Europe.

The only capital with a better rate is Valetta, the capital of Malta. Also, the murders in Portugal tend to always result from either domestic disputes, crimes of passion, drug-related or so-called “revenge-killings.” And violent crime in general has been down in Portugal in the past two years.

So what does that mean to you, the visitor? It means that you should not worry about becoming a victim of random crime during your Lisbon stay, and should simply be as alert as you’d be anywhere else. It means that you’re more likely to be a victim of a violent crime in London, Paris, Madrid, or pretty much anywhere else. And while certain parts of Lisbon may give you a false sense of insecurity (in deserted streets at night, with rundown buildings, beggars or seedier characters walking around), you can relax because chances are, nothing will happen to you.

Having said that, you should definitely be extra alert during your rides on tram 28 and 15. They’re notorious for pickpocketing, where someone distracts you while another takes your wallet. Use a money belt, keep your hand in your wallet’s pocket if standing, and look alert and aware of your surroundings –- if you look them in the eye, they most likely won’t target you.

So in addition to the rich cultural heritage, mild climate, and moderate prices, you can certainly add safety as yet another of Lisbon’s inviting attractions.

Spring is here, daylight saving time brings even more hours under the sunny skies, and an outdoor café becomes even more inviting. While Lisbon has plenty of those to choose from, the young Flor de Sal (it will have its first birthday in July) is already among the best in the city. Located in the charming Praça das Flores (a garden-square in the Principe Real neighborhood), it is also a restaurant serving Mediterranean-inspired dishes. The salads score the most points, and they come very nicely presented (and in decent portions) on the plate.

While this may sound like a better option for the daytime, it is actually just as pleasant in the evening. Once again, the outdoor tables in spring and summer will be the first ones to be filled, but there is also space inside. While that interior dining space has no views to the green Praça das Flores, there is a wall with a photo reproducing what you have just seen outside.
The clientele is mostly young locals with a few tourists happy to have stumbled across this peaceful little square slightly off the tourist path and such a pleasant café/restaurant.
The prices, while not the cheapest you’ll find in Lisbon, are quite reasonable when considering the service and the privileged location.
So mark Praça das Flores on your map for Flor de Sal and to also admire some quite charming tiled houses that surround the square. And just down the street, São Bento Palace…
Discover other outdoor cafes in GoLisbon’s cafes page, and also consider our suggestions for restaurants.

The ever-increasing number of visitors to Lisbon now have yet another outstanding option to consider when looking for accommodation. VIP Grand Lisboa, a new 5-star hotel, has just opened uptown within walking distance of the Gulbenkian Museum and just minutes from downtown by metro.

If you think a 5-star hotel means prices out of your budget and stuffy treatment, think again. By booking online you pay what you would normally pay for a 4 or even 3-star hotel. This is also a young and modern hotel, meaning that staff knows that today’s traveller simply expects efficient and professional service, with none of the extra pompous attitudes.

Located in a 20th century building that once served as the headquarters of the national broadcaster RTP, it has been fully renovated and includes a spa.

Although the uptown location in the middle of the business district may indicate you’ll be surrounded by business travellers, this hotel’s amenities were placed with all types of guests in mind. Everyone will feel welcome and Go Lisbon recommends it to anyone wishing to stay a little away from the downtown bustle, but close enough to it for sightseeing.

Click here to check availability and further hotel details. For other hotel options and recommendations, see our Lisbon Hotels page.