Lisbon - the city where Europe ends and the world begins

The Portuguese capital actually comprises a collection of villages standing on seven hills, resulting in a city that includes several smaller towns. Each city district has its own unique character and appearance, which makes Lisbon an extraordinarily diverse destination.

See everything from a tram
The best way to see the many faces of Lisbon is by boarding the trams that have squeezed through this city for more than a century. That is quite literally the only way to describe this form of transport, as in places the tram tracks pass along alleys so narrow that even pedestrians would find them confining.

The most popular tram route is number 28, which offers a splendid view of old churches, tile mosaic façades, fado restaurants and elegant shopping districts. Simply hop on board and enjoy the comings and goings of ordinary locals in a genuine milieu.

Genuine Portuguese cork and fish delights
Keen shoppers should get off the tram either at Baixa or in the trendy Chiado district, where Portugal’s most famous fashion designer Ana Salazar has a shop.

The art nouveau style A Brasileira café is a great place to take refreshments along the way. And if one of the customers here seems petrified, then there is no cause for alarm. It’s only the author-poet Fernando Pessoa, in whose honour a statue has been seated at one of the terrace tables.

Lisbon offers a seemingly endless variety of shops, with specialist outlets catering to every taste. Casa das Corticas in Bairra Alto is also an extraordinary place to visit. This remarkable shop specialises simply and solely in genuine Portuguese cork and cork products.

The very best thing about Lisbon may well be the food. The wines of this country are superb, and form a pleasant accompaniment to the region’s straightforward fish dishes. One can find a long line of excellent fish restaurants, for example, along the Rua das Portes de Santo Antão pedestrian street in Rossio.

Golf around the Lisbon region
It’s no surprise that Portugal is a firm favourite with golf travellers. The world’s leading designers have done their best to outshine one another, resulting in astonishingly fine playing conditions. The Lisbon region includes several full-sized courses with a par of anywhere between 69 and 73 in Belas, Sintra, Estoril and Cascais. Three of these were designed by the renowned golf course architect Robert Trent Jones.