Lisbon Region

Holidays In Lisbon Region

To the east of the city is the district of Alfama, stretching from the Castelo de Sao Jorge in the north to  the River Tagus in the south. A maze of narrow cobbled streets lined with historic houses, the Alfama district has retained much of its authentic character. This is the place to hear ‘fado’, the hauntingly plaintive songs that express the soul of the city, and appreciate the wonderful panoramas over the city and across the river estuary.

The central district of Baixa is Lisbon’s traditional shopping area and the hub of the city. At the heart of the district are the bustling squares of Rossio and Restauradores, attracting Lisboners and tourists alike with their traditional cafes. From the squares, parallel shopping streets selling international brand names, lead to the Praca do Comercio and the River Tagus.

To the west of the city is the cultural area of Belem, from where ships set sail to discover the new worlds. Today, the Tower of Belem, declared Opposite page: Cascais an UNESCO World Heritage site, stands to commemorate these expeditions.

Thirty kilometres west of Lisbon are the beach resorts of Cascais and Estoril which, in turn, give easy access to the elegant town of Sintra, (once the holiday haunt of Europe’s nobility) and the magnificent beaches of remoter Guincho. Classified in the UNESCO World Heritage list, Sintra boasts several manor houses and palaces, including the Pena National Palace with its beautiful painted rooms. The surrounding area, ‘Serra de Sintra’, is ideal for keen walkers as there are ample forests to explore and breathtaking views over the Atlantic coast from many hilltops.

To the south of Lisbon, across the River Tagus, lie the green mountains of the natural park of Arrabida, five golf courses, the historical towns of Setubal and Palmela and the Sado river estuary, home to a family of 30 bottlenose dolphins. This is an area of unspoilt natural beauty, where flora and fauna flourish and tourism is in its infancy.