Travelling Lisbon - A budget Gem in the Pricey Eurozone

Travelled By

Peter Smith

Born in England, travel was in my blood from the beginning.My family was on the road working in agricultural shows and from the start I was travelling all over England and Wales even when in a pushchair! Although I am sure I was kicking and screaming at least some of the time. ...Find out more!

Travelling Lisbon - A Budget Gem in the Pricey Eurozone

Lounging in Lisbon

Getting around Lisbon is affordable, easy and reliable

European cities don’t come cheap; however one city that breaks that mould and comes in at a great price point for the budget traveller is Lisbon.

A modern city with a great transportation system, cheap hostels, castles and cathedrals, a host of bars and a hopping nightlife Lisbon is rapidly being discovered as a budget gem in the pricey Eurozone.

Many low cost airlines fly into Lisbon from all over Europe, www.skyscanner.net is a great aggregator for finding cheap flights on the Internet. Trains also make it here direct from San Sebastian in northern Spain but from the south you will have to come through Seville to Faro and up from there.

The Castel of Sao Jorge, Photo thanks to Gushnu http://www.flickr.com/photos/gushnu

Two choice areas to stay are either the Baixa, in the more modern quarter at the foot of the castle, or in the old section of the Bairro Alto. As long as you are not in high summer it shouldn’t be too difficult to find a place in either area. If you are after a hostel try hostelbookers.com or hostelworld.com but if you are looking for a pensão it may be better to call ahead and let them hold a booking as, for a couple, it could work out at a much better price.

The city itself has plenty of things to attract and distract the visitor and you can easily find yourself leaving your digs early in the morning and coming back well into the night.

First off the block should be the impressive Castle of São Jorge which offers not only an insight to the history of Lisbon but has terrific views all across the city. If you are there in mid summer I suggest taking a bus to the top and walking down through the ancient Alfama district, stopping for a beer or two in the multitude of small bars that hide in the side streets.

Pena Palace in Sintra is worth the day trip

Next up, after a bit of window shopping in the Baixa, should be a ride up the Elevador de Santa Justa where, at the very top, you can find a great little café to take a pause and get some great pictures of the castle on the other side of the city. From the top of the elevador it is an easy stroll through the café culture and alleyways of the Bairro Alto after which you can take a ride back in time on the Elevador Ascensor da Bica back down to the waterfront.

A great day trip out of Lisbon is the magnificent town of Sintra with its magical castles, the famous Pena Palace and acres of wooded hillsides. You can get a train direct to Sintra from the Restauradores train station and pick up a bus to the top of the hill and the castles. Try to get there either earlier or later than the coach parties that line up.. they can be problematic. If you are walking down don’t miss the Castelo dos Mouros which has some dramatic views and is well worth the visit.

Torre de Belem once guarded the entrance to Lisbon

If you have left Lisbon early enough and have had your fill by early afternoon you can take a bus directly from Sintra to Estoril on the coast that winds through some pretty villages on the way. Here you can choose to take a train west to the pretty seaside resort of Cascais or, if you are running short of time, head back towards Lisbon with a stop at Belem for the cathedral and the wonderful old Torre de Belem that at one time guarded the entrance to Lisbon.

Finally, if you can cram another morsel into your stomach don’t for get to stop at the Antiga Confeitaria de Belem for a pasteis de nata (Portuguese custard tarts), dating back to 1837 this café can sometimes have a line but is well worth the wait.

Evening in Bairro Alto looking back over the Costello. Photo thanks to Gushnu http://www.flickr.com/photos/gushnu

The old Expo area boasts some great waterfront scenery but for my money the best bet is the stunning Aquarium with some fantastic exhibits and which is easily reached by metro from downtown.

For nightlife take your pick from the hustle and bustle of the Bairro Alto with tons of great bars, some cheap dives others trendy cocktail bars, or head out to the old docks where renovated warehouses host modern restaurants and a thriving bar and club scene.

Lisbon is available to all, from those travellers on a budget to romantic spurge getaways, so next time you are looking for a warm destination with culture and sophistication why not give it a try!