[ad_1]
You already know when an airline provides three new routes in a single yr from the USA to a metropolis, there’s something value going for. That is the case for Lisbon—in 2019, TAP Air Portugal, Europe’s fastest growing airlines, added San Francisco, Chicago, and Washington, DC to its non-stop Lisbon routes. (More cities are coming from the carrier that was recently half acquired by JetBlue founder David Neeleman.) So once you get there—ideally sitting in one of TAP’s fully flat business class seats, some of the most comfortable in the sky (which you can now bid on through the app SeatGuru)—here’s how to have a very T&C time in Lisbon.
Head for the open parks and green space of Belem
Just west of Lisbon in Belem, you’ll quickly get a good sense of the city’s seafaring history. Walk along the boardwalk, visit Belem Tower, pass Padrão dos Descobrimentos, a monument to the 15th-century Portuguese explorers and look at the inevitable line—or join it—at Pastel del Belem, which some say makes the best custard tart, a national treasure in Portugal. Belem is a particularly good place to visit on a Sunday when many other attractions are closed. In Belem you’ll find an open air flea market, selling a bit of everything. Look for handmade cork pouches, which can be used as a cosmetics case or a wallet, and make the perfect gift. Enjoy a glass of wine and bite to eat at Darwin’s Cafe, a modern and airy eatery on the water that has an expansive terrace, vino that starts under five euros, and inventive dishes like Tagliatelline with scallops, smoked tofu, radicchio and basil pesto.
Spend an afternoon in Cascais
It’s seaside town about half an hour from the city center, depending on traffic. Even in the off season, you’ll be able to experience the sheer raw beauty of the Portuguese coast. Go have lunch at the elegant, upscale Furnas do Guincho, just outside of Cascais. If the restaurant were closer to the water, you’d be eating in the ocean. Sip wine, eat cheese, and watch the waves wash up against the rocky coastline. In the summer, dine al fresco. Then take a walk along Guincho Beach and take the path all the way into town. Stop along the way at Boca do Inferno, otherwise known as Hell’s Mouth, a dramatic look out point known for its crashing seawater.
And if you want to spend the night in Cascais and explore nearby Sintra with its fairy-tale Pena Palace, Martinhal Chiado is a great base. A 68-room family friendly hotel with sleek design, 12 villas, three pools, and a Children’s Clubhouse with over 7,700 square feet of play space.
Listen to some Fado
This is, admittedly, something more visitors than locals attend, but the music, a longing, kind of lyrical ballad, is so moving, not to mention romantic, that it’s well-worth spending the evening listening to these emotional voices accompanied by the Portuguese guitar. At Club de Fado, located in the Alfama area of Lisbon, you’ll find memorable music and cuisine. Two standout dishes are the Vegetables Pataniscas, a type of Portuguese fritter made out of vegetable batter and their homemade chocolate cake is unparalleled.
Head to the Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon’s spa and take in the sights. Lisbon is known for its seven hills and steep, winding landscape. No doubt, you’ll feel it in your legs. The treatment focusses on just that area. And you know it’s good because the treatment is popular among locals.
Located in Bairro Alto, the restaurant hits the trifecta of what so many come to Lisbon for: well-priced seafood and wine, world-class bread, and authentic Portuguese food. Restaurant Sinal Vermelho is just that combination. Their grilled branzino in herbs and lemon is nearly perfect (and less than 20 euros) and the lamb stew special is tender and juicy.
Shop for Portuguese beauty products
Prepare to be addicted once you enter the Benamor store flagship store, located on Rua Augusta, Lisbon’s main shopping thoroughfare. These sumptuous lotions and creams leave the rest in the dust. Founded in 1925 in Lisbon, the creams and lotions are still handmade with all natural products—argan oil, shea butter, and coconut oil, to name a few-are all sourced from Portugal. The aromas, like zesty lemon and organic rose buds, are intoxicating. Do not leave Portugal without at least one container of the brand’s Alatoine Supreme Body Butter.
Take home some of the sea
It’s rare to find a food that stays good for five years–but Portuguese sardines fall into that category. Find a wide—and beautifully packaged selection of canned fish at Comur at one of their three colorful, vibrant stores in Lisbon. This is not only holy temple to sardines, but to all kinds of seafood, including salmon, seam bream, octopus, and mussels, all of which are preserved solely in olive oil.
This chic boutique hotel is located in the heart of Lisbon in a restored 16th century palace. Poised to become one of Lisbon’s must-stay properties, The One Palacio da Anuciada has a rooftop top pool, spa, a wine bar, and a buzzy gastronomic restaurant, Condes de Ericeira Restaurant, focussing on Portuguese market cuisine.
Getting there
Getting to Lisbon has never been easier. Starting in June 2020, TAP Air Portugal will have four daily non-stop flights to Portugal and there will be an extra weekly flight to Porto. Look into the airline’s popular Portugal Stopover Program, where the idea is stay up to five nights in either Lisbon or Porto and then go onto to one of 75 destinations throughout Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. The Stopover Program has a network of more than 150 partners who offer hotel discounts and exclusive and complimentary experiences.
[ad_2]
Source link
