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Portugal : Lisbon - February 2008

Country Code: Dial 1 for Portugal

Getting around

Lisbon Airport

Bus: The Aerobus leaves every 20 minutes from 7.40am to 11pm and goes to the city centre, finishing at Cais do Sodré. Tickets cost €3 and can be bought onboard.
Taxi: It’s about a 20 minute taxi ride to the city centre. The fare costs approximately €15, with an extra charge for luggage in the boot. Prices increase by 20% at night and on weekends and bank holidays.
Tourist information: The Lisboa Welcome Centre is located at Praça do Comércio, on the corner of Rua do Arsenal (tel. , www.atl-turismolisboa.pt).

BELÉM

Whether a chunk of modern culture or a slice of history is your thing, this waterside area is packed with museums, a world-class modern art gallery, traditional restaurants and trendy bars.

Sleep soundly – Hotel Lisboa Tejo’s (2 Rua dos Condes de Monsanto, tel. , www.evidenciahoteis.com, rooms from €80) fantastic location and stylish design more than make up for the rather erratic service and noisy reception areas.

Culture vultures – The pepper tax on the spice trade helped finance the extravagant Jeronimos Monastery (Prac do Império). Once you’ve looked round the monastery, take one of the Transtejo Boat Trips from the Terreiro do Paco Terminal. These two-hour, multilingual cruises up the River Tejo are the best way to see the city’s stunning panoramic coastline.

Must eat – Check out the world-famous custard tarts and admire the early 19th-century blue-glazed tiles at Pasteis de Belem (84-92 Rua de Belém).

ROMA AND ALVALADE

Built in the 50s, Lisbon’s grandest urban planning project from the Salazar dictatorship is today one of the city’s finest shopping districts. Try Avenida de Roma and Guerra Junqueiro for leather goods and Iberian fashions.

Sleep soundly – Across from the station to Sintra is the Hotel Roma (33 Avenida de Roma, tel. , hotelroma.pt, rooms from €120), a comfortable family hotel.

Must eat – The charming Salsa & Coentros (12 Rua Coronel Marques Leitão, tel. ) serves up gastronomic delights from Portugal’s Alentejo region.

Must drink – Housed in the recently restored 19th-century bull-fighting arena, City Bar (Campo Pequeno Bull Ring) is a great cocktail joint that’s open until 3am at weekends.

Shop til you drop – Whiskey & Co (15B Acqua Roma, Avenida de Roma) has the finest selection of whiskeys anywhere in Portugal. Relax over a glass of malt or browse the 11,000 bottles.

CAMPO DE OURIQUE AND ESTRELA

Check out the Saturday fruit and vegetable market on a square that occupies an entire block. Drink in the scent of onions, coriander, apples and oranges.

Sleep soundly – Casa de São Mamede (159 Rua da Escola Politecnica, tel. , www.saomamede.web.pt, rooms from €140) is a small, family-run hotel set in a charming 18th-century mansion.

Must eat – Plenty of Portuguese and Brazilian celebrities dine at Tasquinha da Adelaide (70-74 Rua do Patrocinio, tel. ). The lamb and octopus specialities are especially good.

Must drink – With its art deco appeal, A Parodia (26b Rua do Patrocinio) is one of Lisbon’s most popular bars – check-out the velvet sofas and walls.

Shop til you drop – Explore the gloriously politically incorrect Wonder (78-80 Rua Silva Carvalho) stocked with risqué cushions, T-shirts and bags.

BAIRRO ALTO

The cradle of Fado music, this district’s narrow streets are packed with kooky designer shops and grocery stores by day and buzzing bars by night. Surprisingly, people actually live here yet aren’t bothered by the noise!

Must eat – Found You (34-40 Travessa dos Inglesinhos, tel. ) is an elegant fondue resturant also specialising in seafood, grilled meats and raclettes. Book early.

Must drink – Kitsch’n (91 Rua da Atalaia) is famous for its Brazilian lime and crushed ice caipirinha and caipiroshka cocktails.

Dance the night away – Catacumbas Jazz Bar (43 Travessa Água da Flor) regularly plays host to live jazz and blues bands. The crowd often spills out on to the pavement, so get there before 10pm.

Shop til you drop – Boutique Le Mec (14 Rua da Rosa) is a must for metrosexuals, with a colourful and outlandish array of underwear.

Compiled by Chris Graeme