Their experience in Lisbon was better than they thought it would be for 28% of them, 40% said the city was just as they imagined it, while 32% claimed their expectations were more than met. Diversity of attractions, public transport system, climate, and value for money were seen as the city’s positives, which is why 92% said they’ll likely return and 99% said they’ll recommend the city to others, with the words “pretty”, “historic”, “friendly”, “calm” and “cultural” as the most used to describe Lisbon.

A surprising 75% of visitors had been to Lisbon before and decided to return. Of those, 20% had visited once before, 25% had been twice, and for 8% this was their fourth visit.

The average time spent in Lisbon was 6.3 nights, with 90% choosing to stay in a hotel. The most visited sights were those linked to the city’s “Golden Age of Discovery” in the Belem district, and the Castle of St. George, with 80% of them choosing walking as their preferred way to get around. 75% visited museums, 71% did some shopping, 70% went out for dinner, and 56% headed to the beach.

In fact, many chose to see Lisbon’s surroundings, with 99% of those surveyed saying that Sintra, Cascais, Estoril, and Obidos exceeded their expectations.

So the country’s royal palaces stand today as museums decorated with some fantastic furnishings and pieces of art, and there are also a number of noble residences standing just as their owners left them. They give visitors a picture of upper-class life through the centuries, and the one that does it best in Lisbon is that of Ricardo Espirito Santo, a Portuguese philanthropist.

His former residence is found by the Portas do Sol Viewpoint in Alfama and is now called the Decorative Arts Museum. It dates from the 17th century and displays his stunning collection of furniture, tapestries, and ceramics in a period setting.

While you’ll be able to see very similar objects in other Portuguese palaces and throughout Europe, this palace is different in one aspect — it’s also a center of restoration of antiques. If you’re curious about seeing the decorative arts collection, be sure to also call ahead to schedule a visit to the workshops where you’ll be able to watch people practice traditional skills like woodcarving and bookbinding.

Back inside the house pay attention to the original 17th century wooden floors and painted ceilings. Also interesting is noting the tiny size of the four-poster beds in the bedrooms, indicating that the palace’s former residents many have been big on money but not on height.

As the autumn and winter months approach so do the colder and rainy days, meaning that if you happen to be in Lisbon under that kind of weather, you’ll be spending fewer hours outside. Visits to museums sounds much more appealing at that time, and after visiting the city’s major art collections, be sure to also consider seeing the Decorative Arts Museum. For more information about it click here.

The Lisbon Oceanarium has a program where children are left sleeping with sharks as parents do whatever they want elsewhere. Kids are first introduced to the deep end of the ocean and its creatures, learning about underwater life and sharks. During this experience they even have the opportunity to touch samples of sharp teeth and shark skin, and understand why it’s important to preserve these animals and sea life.

After that it’s time for them to get inside their sleeping bags and sleep in the company of the creatures they just learned about, only to get up early in the morning for a tour of the entire Oceanarium.

In the meantime you’ll be checking out the restaurants in Bairro Alto, going to a concert at the Gulbenkian or CCB, perhaps to the opera in São Carlos Theater, or even go for a night of cocktails at Cinco Lounge. You may even choose not to sleep that night, but by 10AM you should be at the Oceanarium to pick up your child, who will have lots of stories to tell you about.

For details about the “Sleeping with the Sharks” workshop click here (then click on the British flag for the English version), and for information about the aquarium, see GoLisbon’s Oceanarium page.

The rich and the famous have taken notice, and this year saw familiar faces like Hollywood actor Tim Robbins and French actress Catherine Deneuve descending towards the southern Portuguese shores. Joining the crowds then came Olympic medalist Michael Phelps, who flew straight from Beijing to Algarve for a few days of rest by the beach after his record-breaking performance in this year’s Olympics. It was reported that he spent €5,000 in drinks in just one night, but you don’t have to spend that much or be a celebrity to enjoy the best of Algarve. There are many reasons why you should go there this month, and these are the top 10:

1. The August crowds are gone, prices have gone slightly down, and the weather is still great! Summer goes on in September in Algarve, and in fact, lasts through October. These are the most enjoyable weeks in the region.

2. I stayed at the Memmo Baleeira Hotel last year and will return again next time I’m in Sagres. The rooms look out over the pool standing on top of a cliff which also offers a view to the coast that was known as “the end of the world” to the ancient Europeans before Prince Henry the Navigators’ exploration of the oceans. Even cooler is the modern design all throughout the hotel, including in the wellness center and spa.

3. An alternative to Memmo Baleeira is Pousada de Sagres, just a few steps away. It does not have the all-modern design but offers the elegance and top-notch service that the Pousadas de Portugal chain is known for. Look from your window or stand by the pool and you’ll see Prince Henry the Navigator’s fortress in the distance, which you may visit later in the day. Even better news is that in September there are good deals you can’t get during the traditional summer months.

4. I have stayed in six Pousadas de Portugal so far and the Pousada de Tavira was one of my favorites (which I wrote about here). Being housed in a former 16th century convent, it has the historical feel of other pousadas, but the contemporary décor gives it a light and fresh atmosphere which is just what you want when you’re so close to the beach. And speaking of the beach, the little island of Tavira just outside the town of Tavira is perfect under the still-warm September sun, minus the summer overcrowding!

5. Another sign of Algarve moving towards satisfying the more refined tastes of the modern traveler is Monte D’Oiro Refugio Design Hotel. It’s located just outside Lagos, arguably Algarve’s most beautiful town and with the best beaches. Every detail from the breakfast room to the outdoor swimming pool combines characteristics of the Algarve with stylish modern furnishings. A hotel of this calibre would cost you about 5 times more anywhere else, so the time to book it is now.

6. You no longer have to go to Miami or St. Tropez to experience the ultra-cool Nikki Beach. Now open in Algarve’s Vilamoura, this beach club and lounge is the place to see and be seen. Surrounded by the famous marina, you can relax in luxury at the lakeside restaurant and then stay all night long for drinks. It’s only open until October, so if you don’t want to have to wait until next year, go now.

7. Once you’ve been-there-done-that at Nikki Beach, head to Amo-te Pine Cliffs. Located in the Sheraton Pine Cliffs Resort, this 2-year-old space is one of the new places to be at night. The ambience may feel slightly formal when you look at some of the people but overall it manages to maintain a casual attitude in service. Have a caipirinha or a sangria as you listen to house music, or move to the more chilled-out zone in the open air.

8. From Septemer 26 to the 28th, the Grand Prix of Portugal Powerboat P1 World Championship will take place in Praia da Rocha, the postcard beach by the city of Portimão. As if there weren’t enough reasons to come to this big and beautiful beach, now you can watch the powerful boats cutting through the waves at speeds of over 160 kph in an exciting and spectacular contest.

9. Also in Portimão, the Formula Windsurfing World Championships will take place from September 9th to 14th. It’s the world’s largest annual windsurfing event, for which only the finest international windsurfers quality. Watch the thrilling competition from the beach, and work on your late-summer tan while you’re at it.

10. What would Algarve be like without golf? The two words are almost synonymous, as this is one of the top golfing destinations not just in Europe, but of the entire world. Check out the deals for this month at the Dona Maria San Lorenzo Resort, where you can golf in the stunning 18-hole course, or if you’re not into that, simply stay in the hotel with its breathtaking views of the Atlantic and world-class facilities at incredibly affordable prices. You have no excuse for not taking advantage of it.

See GoLisbon’s complete Algarve guide for all the information you’ll need about visiting Portugal’s southernmost province where it’s summer almost all year long.

But that festival is not the only reason why this will be a gay September in Lisbon. It will be the city’s gayest month ever because there will be a number of major gay events happening almost back to back.

The first gay invasion will be on September 4th, when the Celebrity Constellation gay cruise stops in the city. It departed from London on August 30th and arrives at its final destination, Barcelona, on September 9th. The stop in Lisbon will take about 24 hours, during which the passengers descend (or ascend) the city’s streets and enjoy an evening out in the city’s restaurants, bars, and clubs. The cruise covers nine cities, but only makes an overnight stop in Lisbon and Ibiza.

Then on September 13th the first annual “Sparkling Party” will be held at Bela Vista Beach (next to the famous gay Beach 19) south of the city. DJ sounds mix with sand and the sea, for all-night partying before the Madonna concert on the 14th. The Queen of Pop will be in Lisbon for her “Sticky & Sweet” show, and as is always the case, a large percentage of the crowd will be her gay fans.

As for the Queer Lisboa Film Festival, its opening night is on the 19th and will screen the best of international gay cinema until the 27th. Dozens of films from several countries will be competing for “Best Feature,” “Best Documentary,” and “Best Short Film,” as well as for the “Best Actor” and “Best Actress” awards. This year the festival is held in São Jorge Cinema in Avenida da Liberdade, and in addition to the screenings there will be associated parties and debates about GLBT cinema.

If these events sound good to you, come to Lisbon in September. Other places to go are found in GoLisbon’s Gay and Lesbian page, which also lists the city’s gay and gay-friendly hotels.

They still do that today, although with the arrival of the subway system in the mid-20th century and the increased use of the automobile, many of the routes were discontinued leaving only four still operating at the moment.

In 2007 the city’s trams transported more than 16,4 million passengers. Of those the majority were locals, but tourists also made up a large number of riders.

These small machines are not the fastest way to get around in the city, but they don’t pollute, have a charming historical feel, and are not as noisy as the car. How fast they reach their final destination depends on whether or not they find their tracks free of obstacles, usually meaning no double-parked cars or a delivery truck blocking the way. When they do come across them, with no way of going around the tracks, passengers simply have to wait a minute or two, or five or more, until that is out of the way.

So why take the tram? Because in the steepest neighborhoods like in Alfama, with streets too narrow for buses, the tram is the only option. And on a bus you can’t stick your head out of the window and snap a picture of a tiled wall, of a colorful balcony and its potted plants, of a picturesque street down the hill, or of the eye-catching façade of a monument.

For all those reasons riding a tram in Lisbon is a must, especially tram 28 that goes through most of the city’s oldest quarters. To reach the city’s main sights in Belem, you have to take tram 15. Because of that, the 15 is the route with the biggest number of passengers, but that being a modern “super-tram” with closed windows, the tourist sightseeing needs are left to charming old 28.

The two other routes are numbers 12 and 25. Number 25 goes from Baixa, through Santos and Lapa, ending at Prazeres which is also the 28’s final stop. The 25 is your tram if you want to visit the Ancient Art Museum. As for number 12, it’s a circular journey that starts in Figueira Square, goes up the hill towards Portas do Sol Viewpoint, down to the cathedral, and back to Figueira Square.

In addition to these trams, the top of Lisbon’s hills can be reached with the help of four historic funiculars. Lavra is the oldest one (the world’s first and powered by water in 1884), then there’s Gloria that goes up from Restauradores Square to São Pedro de Alcantara Viewpoint in Bairro Alto, Bica by Chiado and Bairro Alto is the most photographed of all, and the Eiffel Tower-looking Santa Justa in the center of the city.

Ride one of these trams or funiculars and you’ll know why in Lisbon, getting there really is half the fun.

And if you’re in Lisbon until the end of October you’ll also notice some other colorful pieces of fabric that could very well be a painting in a museum. That is in fact not too far from the truth, as these originally were paintings and drawings by Dutch artist Guus Slauerhoff.

Those banners make up an installation called “Facets of Life,” consisting of 85 paintings reproduced on transparent cloth. Their images and display were inspired by Fado music and Alfama’s floating laundry.

The artist aims to connect the history of Fado in Alfama to the contemporary life in the neighborhood, where the music genre still has a huge presence in daily life. The banners measuring 240×150cm hang from many of the neighborhood’s oldest houses, transmitting the feeling of melancholy or nostalgia that both the music and Alfama often bring.

Slauerhoff fell in love with Fado in 2003 when he first heard a Cristina Branco CD. The songs of that Fado singer fascinated him enough to visit Lisbon in 2004, when he created an exhibition called “The Soul of Fado” for the Fado Museum.

This is his second project in Lisbon and looks like it won’t be his last.

It’s the second annual edition of the non-competitive film festival dedicated to the horror genre, presenting both big budget and small independent productions. In between there are also some experimental works, all with the intent to stimulate the production of these types of films and make creators and audiences interact.

The selected films may be psychological thrillers, slasher movies, ghost stories, or pure gore coming from the UK, USA, Spain, Norway, Germany, France, Brazil, and Afghanistan. There will also be short features made in Portugal, and documentaries will tell the stories behind the stories. For the complete schedule of screenings, consult the event’s website: www.motelx.org. Tickets cost €3 for those under 25 and €3.50 for everyone else.

This will be the first of a number of festivals coming up in the fall in Lisbon, of which GoLisbon will tell you about throughout the upcoming weeks.

It’s the third annual edition of the Lisboa Magica – Street Magic World Festival, which last year stopped 30,000 unsuspecting people in Camões Square, Rua Augusta, Figueira Square, Restauradores, Rossio, and Comercio Square.

Don’t expect to see a landmark disappear a la David Copperfield, but be prepared to be surprised by the tricks these magicians have up their sleeves. If you’re in town, be sure to be on the streets of Baixa and Chiado starting at noon on weekdays, and between 10AM and 10PM during the weekend and get ready for some “how they do that?” moments with the colors of Lisbon as the backdrop.

Of the world’s 10 best cities to live, 7 are in Europe, with the remaining 3 found in Canada, New Zealand, and Australia. Topping the list was Zurich, followed by Vienna, Geneva, Vancouver, Auckland, Dusseldorf, Munich, Frankfurt, Bern, and Sydney.

In Europe, other cities ranking better than Lisbon include Paris (at number 32), London (38), and Madrid just one spot above the Portuguese capital at number 43. Lisbon ranked higher than other cities such as Rome and Prague. It also did better than several American cities including New York and tied with Chicago which also ranked 44.
Unsurprisingly, at the very bottom of the list is Baghdad, and the remaining of the bottom 10 are all cities in Africa.

One factor that does not seem to have been part of the study is climate. Let’s not underestimate the fact that living without thermometers reaching the freezing point or not having to worry about snow storms, and with the Mediterranean summer heat cooled off by the breeze of the Atlantic, make Lisbon one of the world’s most valuable real estate. Live in Lisbon after living elsewhere and you’ll want to place the city somewhere in the top 5 in the world.