Overall

I first visited Lisbon in 1975 and it retains old-fashioned charm, despite an increase in tourism and its effects. Some of the taxi drivers are very grumpy and unpleasant, even dangerous drivers. Public transport is good. Eating out in the city centre no longer guarantees a good meal at reasonable prices but there are great local places once you move away from downtown. You can avoid taking a tourist tram by just jumping on the regular no. 28 tram in the Baixa and taking it past St George's Caste to the terminus and back for a couple of escudos. A church worth visiting is St Vincent's in The Alfama, not for the church itself but for the attached monastery where there are dozens of marvellous blue-and-white tiled illustrations of the fables of La Fontaine (with English explanations too). Oh yes, and then there are the pastries, so many and so good (and all low-fat with zero cholesterol as I was assured, by myself). Fado is generally a tourist trap, with venues upping prices and sticking you with extras when they see you coming. A trip to the top of the monument of the navigators at Belem is worth making for the views.

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Value

Great for: History/Culture, Budget Travel, Family Holidays

Last Visit: July 2007

9 July 2007 | A Yahoo! User

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