SEE CONTEMPORARY ART IN A ROYAL PALACE
The most visited exhibition of the Palace of Versailles comes to Lisbon. The Ajuda Palace will show the works by Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos that were seen in France (including the famous shoes made of pans) and will add a few new pieces. You can see them from March 23rd to August 25th.

SUNBATHE ON THE NEW WATERFRONT
After several delays, Lisbon’s renovated waterfront next to Comercio Square is promised to be ready by the summer. Known as “Ribeira das Naus” (“Ships Riverfront”), this was where Lisbon’s explorers had their ships made. It will now be a public space to relax, to sit in the sun and enjoy the scenery.

JOIN A STREET PARTY
The main event is on the night of June 12 and on June 13th, but the “Festas de Lisboa” (“Lisbon Feasts”) really happen throughout the summer. You’ll find several outdoor events throughout the city from June to September, from free jazz concerts to street performances, especially downtown and in the squares of Chiado.

ROCK AND ROLL ON THE BEACH
Lisbon’s summers are always big on music festivals and 2013 will be no exception. While this year there is no Rock in Rio-Lisboa, there will be the Optimus Alive festival with names like Green Day, Depeche Mode, Kings of Leon, and Editors, and the Super Bock Super Rock festival with Arctic Monkeys, The Killers, Queens of the Stone Age, among others. Best of all is that these festivals take place by the coast, allowing you to get some beach days in between. Among other concerts happening in the city this summer are those of Bon Jovi and Alicia Keys.

DISCOVER NEW ART
One of Lisbon’s best-but-overlooked museums is the Chiado Museum, the national museum of contemporary art. It’s a great place to discover the art of Portugal’s best contemporary artists and it just unveiled its new permanent collection. You’ll see works from between 1850 to 1975 and the names to look for are Amadeo de Souza-Cardoso, Almada Negreiros and Paula Rego.

BE ONE OF THE FIRST GUESTS
2013 has so far been huge on new hotel openings. This is the result of Lisbon being one of the rising stars of European travel and because it’s no longer just a seasonal low-cost destination, there are increasingly more upscale (yet still affordable) hotels. Recently-opened or about to be (and all centrally-located), there are new boutique and design hotels you’ll want to be among the first to experience. Check out the new Lisboa Carmo Hotel, Mercy Hotel, Myriad Hotel, Teatro Hotel, Beautique Hotel Figueira, Epic Sana Hotel and Memmo Alfama. Alternatively, you may choose one of the many new or renovated centrally-located apartments.

SAMPLE THE LATEST RESTAURANTS
Lisbon is currently going through a gastronomic revolution that will keep on growing. The New York Times called it the city’s “Culinary Golden Age,” with creative young chefs investing in new restaurant projects since 2010. This year is no different, with new star-chef restaurants opening in the center of the city. The new Honra by Olivier serves traditional Portuguese cuisine with a personal twist on Figueira Square, Michelin-star chef Jose Avillez is adding a pizzeria to Chiado which gives him a trio of restaurants in the neighborhood, and other spots are reinventing themselves with new menus like the beautiful Tacho à Mesa by Faz Gostos.

SEE A RENEWED ROYAL SQUARE
Comercio Square is one of Europe’s largest public squares, and the second biggest royal square after St. Petersburg’s Palace Square. The statue of king José I placed at the center in 1779 is currently being restored and will be unveiled like new in August. Also being cleaned up is the same square is the triumphal arch which should be completed by then as well.
In the meantime you may always enjoy the terraces of the new cafes and restaurants placed under the arches of the eastern and western wings.

SPLURGE ON NEW LUXURY SHOPS
Lisbon’s Avenida da Liberdade has become a true luxury shopping destination, reinforced by new shops of international brands like Miu Miu and Officine Panerai, and a renewed Emporio Armani. Joining them this summer is a major new Cartier store and the less-luxurious-but-very-popular Guess.

GO BACK 1300 YEARS
Also given a new life is the 1300-year-old Moorish Castle in Sintra. Thanks to ticket sales from a growing number of tourists to the region, this ancient landmark has now added new facilities to accommodate visitors and restored parts of the monument in the process. While the fairytale Pena Palace nearby gets all the attention, the Moorish Castle should also be part of your itinerary in 2013 and beyond.

Lisbon is known as a sunny city and one of the things that most make it unique is not just being the European capital with the most sunshine hours per year but also the fact that’s it’s the only one where the sun sets in the ocean.
So more than a place where you can get a tan in an urban or cultural capital environment, Lisbon is also a place for romantic moments watching the sun rise and set.

The best spot to see the first glimpse of the Earth’s closest star in Lisbon is the Portas do Sol (“Gateway of the Sun”) terrace. Depending on the time of the year, you’ll either see it rise from behind the dome of the National Pantheon or further to the right reflecting on the water. You’ll obviously have to wake up early for that and although this part of the city only has a couple of hotels, there are plenty of apartments. This terrace is right outside the castle, so you may also consider staying at Solar do Castelo which is within its walls.

For the sunset you have more options. You may either choose the ramparts of the castle for the sight of the last rays flooding the city, or you may sit at the wharf Cais das Colunas which is the river side of Comercio Square. There you’ll see the sun set behind the 25 de Abril Bridge, but to see it plunge onto the horizon you have to head to the district of Belem. The perfect sunset spot is the river’s edge behind the Tower of Belem, which is seen in silhouette (pictured below) on the eastern side, and with a golden hue on the other side during the last minutes of sunlight. Although you won’t get city views on this spot, this is as close as you get to seeing the sun hide on the Atlantic.
Those who want to see it from their bedroom should consider a stay at the Altis Belem Hotel just a few feet from the tower.
A spot for a drink as the sun goes down in this part of town is the “À Margem” café, found between the tower and the Discoveries Monument.

THE LUMINOUS FOUNTAIN
Everyone passes underneath it on the metro (it’s where two lines meet, one of them connecting the city center to the airport), but no one imagines what’s above ground. This is Alameda, one of the main open spaces of the Avenidas Novas district and its main attraction is this monumental fountain. Built in 1940 during WWII when Lisbon was a neutral safe haven, it was named “fonte luminosa” (luminous fountain) because of its light displays at night. Recently the water disappeared for some time as the monument was cleaned up, but the beloved waterfall was back and running by late 2012. The water shows take place in early-afternoon at lunchtime and again after the sun goes down. In daylight or lit up in the darkness of the night, the effect is quite impressive.

SANTANA WINDMILLS
Ask most people in Lisbon where you can see these charming windmills, and they won’t be able to tell you. If locals don’t know about them, it’s only natural that tourists never see them either. They’re found in a neighborhood park in the Ajuda district above Belém, and date from the 18th century. At that time this was farmland and while others were destroyed in order to build the apartment buildings that now surround them, these two survived at the top of the park. The entrance is through Rua Tristão Vaz and you can enter until 6PM in winter and 8PM in spring and summer.

MÃE D’ÁGUA RESERVOIR
Lisbon’s huge 18th-century aqueduct had several reservoirs around the city and this is one of them. Found by the Rato metro station, it’s part of the Water Museum and includes a beautiful underground waterfall, but the best part is perhaps going up on the terrace for city views that very few get to see.

ST. JEROME CHAPEL
It was completed in 1514 by the same architect as the Jeronimos Monastery found down the hill, but this is one of the most overlooked monuments in the city. The reason is that the interior can only be visited by appointment, but the main attraction is not really what’s inside. The real reason to head up here from Belém (directly up the avenue across from Belém Tower) is the view of the river and of the city’s most monumental district.

MONSANTO FOREST PARK
It’s the largest urban forest in Europe but you won’t find any tourists there. It’s mostly frequented by picnicking families on weekends but you’ll also see groups playing soccer, basketball, skating or jogging in the several special sports areas. Best of all is the natural amphitheater overlooking the 25 de Abril Bridge. There is no metro station nearby but you may reach it on bus 711 from downtown.

PENA CHURCH
Lisbon’s least-known funicular (the “Elevador do Lavra”) leads to the small garden viewpoint of Torel up the hill which locals head to for a relaxing break at the kiosk café. What few know about it that a small church nearby hides one of the first golden baroque interiors in Portugal. Dating from 1705, this was the first monument in Lisbon covered in gilt which came to be one of the city’s main architectural features.

BEMPOSTA PALACE CHAPEL
When the former queen of England (Portuguese princess Catherine of Braganza) returned to Portugal in 1693, she needed a new home fit for the queen that she was. She had a palace built at the top of one of Lisbon’s hills (on a street now called “Paço da Rainha” or “Queen’s Palace”) which is now occupied by the Military Academy and therefore not open to visitors, but the chapel at the center of the building is open to all for church services. You may see it on Sunday mornings, past marble statues at the entrance, with a baroque interior that includes a beautifully-painted ceiling and portraits of members of the royal family by Irish artist Thomas Hickey.

MONTE AGUDO VIEWPOINT
Lisbon is known for its beautifully scenic hilltop terrace viewpoints and there are so many of them that the less central ones are completely forgotten. This one is found close to but outside the tourist center (Rua Heliodoro Salgado) and was renovated in 2009, now attracting many locals, especially for its more recent café terrace. Here you can overlook the rooftops of Lisbon’s older and more modern districts all the way to the river, always with the scent of the pine trees behind you.

ST. SEBASTIAN CHURCH
A short walk from the Spanish El Corte Ingles department store uptown (on Largo de São Sebastião da Pedreira) is this small church that’s completely unremarkable outside, but quite impressive inside. Mixing gold leaf and blue ceramic tiles, it creates an unexpected show of Baroque architecture from floor to ceiling. It’s one of the rare survivors of the 1755 earthquake and is dedicated to St. Sebastian whose life is illustrated on the ceiling.

MOURARIA’S MEDIEVAL HOUSE
Known as Lisbon’s most rundown neighborhood, Mouraria has been renovated over the last couple of years and locals are discovering the charm of one of the city’s oldest districts that’s now its most multiethnic. It’s a curious mix of Chinese and Indian businesses with authentic Lisbon soul, as this is the recognized birthplace of the city’s Fado music. There are many picturesque alleys, little squares, and architectural details, with the most noteworthy being a gothic home behind the church of São Cristovão, one of the oldest buildings still standing in Lisbon and such a rare survivor in a European capital.

If you’re looking to catch some sun in Lisbon but prefer to stay in the center of the city instead of heading to the coast, here are a few spots to get your Lisbon tan:

CAIS DAS COLUNAS
The wharf that the monumental Comercio Square opens into once welcomed travelers to the city when they arrived by boat. Now it’s a magnet for everyone to rest as they go around the city admiring its scenic beauty. Some tourists even get their feet wet, others take photos with 25 de Abril Bridge as the backdrop, and others end up spending a couple of hours just sitting enjoying the serenity of Lisbon’s refreshing Atlantic location.

DOCAS
These tourist-friendly docks offer more than postcard views and several places to eat. They’re also the place to relax on the waterfront, watching the cruise ships go by, admiring the boats and doing some sun worshipping.

BELÉM GARDENS
Lisbon’s most visited neighborhood is known for its monuments, but Belém is also a place to relax between sightseeing on the lawns between all the landmarks. Whether closer to Belem Tower or already by the shadow of 25 de Abril Bridge, you’ll see tourists and locals laying in the sun and being cooled off by the ocean breeze.

PORTAS DO SOL
Not only is it one of Lisbon’s most beautiful viewpoints with one of its most inviting terrace cafes, it’s also a great spot to stand in the sun. Instead of the Atlantic you have the river Tagus in front of you, but with the loungy music of the café playing in the background you can imagine yourself relaxing at a summer resort.

NECESSIDADES PARK
Once the private picnic park of Portugal’s kings, this green oasis is now hidden in the center of the city and largely deserted despite being open to all. It’s found behind a gate next to a palace that is now the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and when the sun is shining you’ll often see couples or small groups of people in their beachwear working on their tans. There are many other parks in the city where you can do that but this is where you’ll feel like you’re in your own private garden.

If you’ll be in Lisbon this summer (that means until October) and are looking to cool off and relax, here is what you should do:

DIVE INTO A ROOFTOP POOL
Find yourself walking in the heat in the middle of the city and wish to dive into the ocean or pool? Head to the NH Liberdade Hotel right on Avenida da Liberdade and you’ll have a rooftop pool available to cool off. It charges 20 euros and in addition to the pleasure of the refreshing waters you have a wonderful city view. You may also order a salad or sandwich for a light poolside meal.

HAVE A CUSTARD TART AT A NEW BACKYARD CAFÉ
Although the originals still made using a secret recipe are found in Belém, Lisbon’s famous custard tarts can be sampled at any café or pastry shop in the city. And there’s a brand new one specializing in just that — the custard tarts. It’s found on a wonderful backyard of a gallery and bookshop in the Principe Real district, it’s called “Nata Lisboa” and in addition to the tarts it serves refreshing drinks as you sit in the sun or shade on the grass.

HAVE A PICNIC AT A RESTAURANT
You can have a picnic at any of the city’s parks and gardens, but you’ll have to pack the food yourself. So if you want to lay on the grass for a full worry-free meal, head to Cantina da Estrela, a restaurant not far from Estrela Basilica (on Rua Saraiva de Carvalho, 35). Every day (except Sundays and Mondays) it’s offering picnic lunches for 17.50 per person, which includes a basket filled with foods that are easy to eat with your hands but not exactly the typical finger food. Only the drinks are not included in the price.

HAVE A “LUXINI”
Although Lux is Lisbon’s coolest club at any time of the year, it’s even better in the summer because of its terrace. This year it’s offering something new and special, the “Luxini” cocktail. It uses ice cream of the beloved local Santini brand and makes interesting blends of flavors with Grey Goose vodka. Choose your favorites at 10 euros each and enjoy them on the moonlit terrace as others crowd the dancefloor below.

JOIN THE SEA TURTLES
The big sea creatures have been living in Lisbon’s Oceanarium since 1998, but only recently have the fascinating sea turtles arrived, in a new annexed building. Not only is this a memorable learning experience it’s also cooling and relaxing as you escape into the underwater world.

STAND ON TOP OF THE CITY
Silk is Lisbon’s most exclusive club and you’ll understand why if you can actually make it inside. It has one of the most fantastic city views, and this summer it’s opening at 6PM and offering light meals in addition to the usual drinks. But if you can’t it make there, you’ll make it elsewhere, at the more recent Rooftop Bar of the Mundial Hotel. Relax as you watch the afternoon glow turn into night over Lisbon.

GET SOME “LIQUID”
Lisbon’s favorite lemonade is found at the tiny hole-in-the-wall “Liquid” but you’ll want to go for something extra special this summer. Grab a refreshing all-natural drink of exotic fruits and other healthy ingredients and take it with you as you walk up through the trendy shops of Chiado.

STEP INTO THE GREENHOUSE
One of Lisbon’s most underrated, often-forgotten attractions is Edward VII Park right in the center of the city. You’ll be surprised by how peaceful and uncrowded it is, even in the summer, and will be captivated by the wonderful greenhouse which will invite you to stay longer than you anticipated, cooling off in this little-known oasis.

VISIT BUTTERFLIES IN THE BOTANICAL GARDEN
If the greenhouse is a little-known oasis, the botanical garden is a secret forest. You’ll never guess from the entrance gate how big it is, and this summer it’s presenting new pavements and cleaned-up tracks, although it retains its charmingly wild somewhat-neglected feel. Best of all is its small butterfly greenhouse, the only one in Europe open to the public where you can step into a habitat of the colorful insects growing and spreading their wings around.

TRAVEL THE WORLD THROUGH ICE CREAM
The Fragoleto ice cream shop downtown (on number 61 of Rua da Prata) is offering special flavors this summer, using traditions and ingredients from around the world. There’s a dozen of them, ranging from Morroccan tea to American lemon cheesecake to Italian cappuccino. But since you’re in Portugal, why not go for the Portuguese rice pudding (“Arroz Doce”) flavor? But hurry because they’re only available in July.

The world’s largest open-air dinosaur park is about to be created north of Lisbon in the town of Lourinhã. This is one of the richest areas on the planet when it comes to dinosaur fossils (including the biggest collection of dino eggs), so in addition to a leisure destination it will also be something of a museum scientifically recreating the Jurassic habitat. It will have over 200 life-size models of the creatures that once ruled the Earth, spread over 2.5km of woodland. A central building will be an actual museum presenting the important collection of fossils and will include a restaurant and an auditorium.
The project costs 10 million euros, and if that comes as a surprise at a time when Portugal is being one of the victims of the euro crisis, it should be noted that this comes from private investment, in part from a German company. Studies show the park will be profitable with just over 135,000 visitors per year, something quite achievable when considering that the village of Obidos nearby attracts 2 million people every year.
If everything goes as planned, the “dinopark” can be ready by late 2013.

The latest issue of the weekly Time magazine (on sale worldwide) dedicates two full pages to Lisbon with a four-hour itinerary. It says “it’s surprising how much of Lisbon can be covered in a few hours, from eccentric bookstores to colorful flea markets and magnificent monuments,” then goes on to present a step-by-step guide to the center of the city, stopping mostly in off-the-beaten-path attractions.
Describing the Portuguese capital as “a stately white city, a scholars’ lair, a seafaring hub,” it starts in the Cais do Sodré station, going up the hill towards Chiado, stopping for a glass of Port Wine at Solar do Vinho do Porto. The author then suggests a “must-do” ride on tram 28 to the “magnificent vista of Lisbon’s splendor” from the Graça viewpoint.
Another curious stop recommended is the Fado Museum dedicated to Lisbon’s music “through highly imaginative and loving interactive displays.” That should be followed by another museum on the riverfront, the Orient Museum, “a glitzy showcase of Lisbon’s other heritage: the Portuguese colonies,” adding that “it’s the next best thing to a trip to Goa or Macau.”
The itinerary ends with a ferry ride across the river for views of “Lisbon’s gleaming urban topography and the 25th of April Bridge.”

VISIT MONUMENTS ON SUNDAY MORNINGS
Most of Lisbon’s national monuments and museums are free on Sunday mornings until 2PM. That means that if you’re in the city on a weekend, be sure to wake up early on Sunday and head to the Jeronimos Monastery. After a visit to the church and cloisters, head next door for the Archaeology Museum (currently with an exhibition of Portugal’s Celtic and Roman past and with the “sick mummy”), then next door again for the Maritime Museum (telling the story of Portugal’s history at sea).
Then cross the road using the underpass across from Jeronimos’ gardens and walk towards Belem Tower. It’s also free until 2PM. Then walk back again, past the Discoveries Monument and enter the Berardo Museum for its surprising collection of international modern art. This museum is always free, every day of the week.

GET THE LISBOA CARD
Even if you take advantage of the free Sunday mornings for monuments and museums, you’ll still have to pay for transportation. So to avoid having to look for change and taking time buying tickets, acquire the Lisboa Card. It’s the city’s tourist card which provides free unlimited rides on all of the city’s buses, trams and metro except for the special airport bus. It saves you lots of money and time on getting around, but it also offers free admission to all the major attractions, even when it’s not Sunday. The few attractions that are not free with the card still have reduced admission with it. It’s really the best investment you can make in Lisbon.

EAT AT CAFÉS
You’ll find that eating out in Lisbon is much cheaper than in most other European capitals. However, prices have gone up and it’s probably a good idea if one of your meals is not at a restaurant. The best lunch options are often at cafés, especially in Chiado. Many offer great-value meals often with restaurant-sized portions. Those may includes pastas, salads or sandwiches. The same type of light meals are found at fast food restaurants in the shopping malls. Next to McDonald’s and other well-known names you’ll find local options such as “Go Natural,” “Vitaminas” and “H3” offering healthier choices. The Armazéns do Chiado mall in Chiado has a good food court with city views, with several of those fast-but-good restaurants.

STAY AT AN APARTMENT
Although Lisbon’s hotels are officially the best-value in Western Europe (especially 5-star accommodation according to annual surveys), you can really save by staying at an apartment. Many renovated houses in charming residential neighborhoods like medieval Alfama or in the heart of the city in Baixa are now used for tourist stays. GoLisbon has the most Lisbon apartment choices online, for as little as 20 euros per person per night. That means your own Lisbon home, with more privacy and even more space than a hotel room. It’s perfect for families or for those looking for the “living in Lisbon” experience.

DON’T OVERLOOK THE FREE ATTRACTIONS
The Berardo Museum mentioned above is not the only major attraction that’s always free. The Design and Fashion Museum is also free, and so are the most impressive churches: São Roque Church, Estrela Basilica and Santa Catarina Church. Also don’t forget that perhaps Lisbon’s main attraction is the city itself, its setting and scenery, so sitting at the terrace viewpoints will perhaps be your most memorable experiences, where you take the most beautiful photos, and it’s always free!

There are close to a million trees in Lisbon, and around 65 of them have been classified and protected. Many of those are naturaly in the city’s parks and gardens, others are isolated on the streets. Here are the ones that most catch the eye of the tourist:

Close to the Santa Luzia viewpoint, up the hill from the cathedral, is this strange tree which probably came from Brazil. It was placed here just over a century ago, substituting a lemon tree that grew on the site. Its roots, branches and trunks are growing wildly in every direction on the sidewalk, causing many to stop and take a look. Children sit and hide inside it while parents take photos. Many give their own interpretation of what each shape looks like, with some more perverse minds seeing phallic symbols.

This 130-year-old tree with a 23-meter (75 feet) diameter is a gigantic umbrella in the garden of Principe Real. The official scientific name is Cupressus lusitanica, and while “lusitanica” recalls the name of Portugal during Roman times, this tree does not have origins in Portugal or even in the Iberian Peninsula. It’s from Mexico and probably ended up in Portugal in the early 1600s when it was planted in the Buçaco forest. Sadly, the iconic tree in Lisbon is slowly dying and probably won’t last for many more decades.

The strangest trees in the city are found in the enchanted forest that is the botanical garden. Among the countless species from all over the world is this strange subtropical dragon tree. It’s native to the Canary Islands, although it’s also found in Portugal’s Azores, the probable origin of this one growing here for decades. And we do mean grow, as it’s rapidly expanding more to the sides than up.

This majestic tree welcomes you to the botanical garden and has strangely developed several trunks over the years. It’s originally from Australia and it’s been here for over a century. It’s usually planted to provide shade, as it can grow up to 60 meters (around 200 feet) tall.

Visitors looking to get a greater insight into Lisbon’s culture and history will want to consider one of these recently-launched walking tours. Meant for small groups, both take you through the city’s oldest neighborhoods, pointing out the buildings, the views and the easily-overlooked details. The “Old Town Walking Tour” concentrates in Alfama and the castle hill, taking you places even many locals don’t know about. You go through the maze of twisting streets in a trip that lasts just over three hours and takes place in the morning.
The other tour, the “Lisbon Guided Walking Tour” starts downtown in the heart of the city, Rossio Square. From there it goes up the hill to Chiado, one of the most elegant and pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods, followed by a short ride on a tram to the Alfama district to visit the medieval cathedral. In that neighborhood you’ll also learn about the city’s Fado music before ending up on the riverfront in Comercio Square.
Both these tours are perfect for first-time visitors, allowing you to explore places you’d otherwise miss, and introducing neighborhoods you may then explore on your own, focusing on your more specific interests.
If walking is not for you, you may always consider other types of tours, including those that take you on daytrips to Sintra, Cascais or all the way to Fatima: Lisbon Tours