Lisbon Favorite Tips by solopes Top 5 Page for this destination

Manueline Architecture, monuments, and structures Review

Favorite thing: The Portuguese are proud of "their" exclusive style - Manueline. It's a Gothic style, with nautical elements, celebrating the discoveries.

This style is present in many monuments, as their original concept or in later adding. Jeronimos in Lisbon is among the best examples but Batalha doesn't stay behind and a window in Tomar is considered the most precious detail of that s

Castle's village

Favorite thing: Most castles still keep inside it a small "village" generally carefully preserved.

Lisbon's castle is no exception, but preservation is something for a longtime forgotten. In recent years people started seriously to care, but ruin is a menace to many buildings, forbidden to change the external look and not suitable to modern life.

Direita

Favorite thing: Now it's about time to start learning some Portuguese:

"Direita" is a Portuguese word that means either right or straight. Each city uses to have its "Direita" street that, by coincidence is generally one of the least straight of them. Don't try to understand - that's Portuguese logic.

King José statue in Praça do Comércio is the subject to a traditional game that all the children visiting it must face:

- Which one is the "direita" leg of King José's horse?

Wrong! It's the other one.

If they answer "the right one" they will be correct - the straight one is the left. If they answer "the left"... well... the right is the other one.

With this innocent joke no child will ever forget that statue.

Jacaranda Views of Lisbon Review

Favorite thing: "Wow! What a lovely colour! What tree is that?"

I couldn't answer to my friend Jordan, marveled by the colours of Lisbon in June.
Now I know - it's Jacaranda. One of the beautiful trees that shine under Lisbon's sun.

Expo 98 benefit Views of Lisbon Review

Favorite thing: The eastern part of Lisbon was awful, a true shame for all. The needs to embellish the area to receive EXPO exhibition, gave a "face-lift" to a large area, and some old and degraded buildings were recovered.

Now, travelling in Marvila it's a true pleasure to those that once knew the area and confirmed that, when man wants everything has a solution. Even at a price...

Marriage to the River Views of Lisbon Review

Favorite thing: When I lived in Lisbon (I left in 1972) the city was divorced from the river. Ugly and dirty banks, abandoned buildings, dangerous territory!

With EXPO 98 Lisbon rediscovered the river, and now Tejo is not only the traditional theme for poems and fado, but also a well maintained resource, with lots of places where we can safely stroll, rest, or practice any kind of sport. I was not invited, but I do celebrate the second marriage of Lisbon to the river Tejo.

The Mosque Architecture, monuments, and structures Review

Favorite thing: Once upon a time, I lived in Lisbon, when the cultural references for most of our citizens were those maniac that seven or eight centuries ago went east and south to cut Muslim's throats. The dictatorship times were gone, and it's a pleasure to meet another Lisbon, where tolerance and multicultural coexistence is appreciated.

More than a worship building, this is a monument to the cultural progress of our country.