We should be flocking to Lisbon, as it's one of Europe's most alluring cities, writes Jim Carroll
IT'S HARD TO know why Lisbon is not on more Irish radars when it comes to a weekend away. A two-hour flight will deposit you slap bang in the centre of one of Europe's most alluring cities, yet many citybreakers are still resisting its charms.
When you fly south you'll find a vibrant, rejuvenated, laid-back city, confident in its own skin and architectural splendour, and keen to show all comers a good time.
The Portugueuse capital has had the builders in several times over the past decade. They first arrived for Expo 98 and came back to finish the job in the run-up to the European Football Championship in 2004. As a result the city's ramshackle haunts have been overhauled, its infrastructure has been vastly improved and the hotel-room inventory has mushroomed to cater for all budgets.
Although these changes have transformed the cityscape, they have not lessened the city's charms. You still have the tree-lined classical avenues and the magnificent cafe culture, the striking art-nouveau buildings and that picturesque sweep from the river to the hills. No amount of building work can take away from those attractions. You can still get lost in the maze of Alfama's cobblestoned lanes on your way to taking in the best views of the city, from the walls of São Jorge Castle.
When you've finished gawking over the bright-orange roofs stretching into the distance, take the rattling, jolting number 28 tram back towards town. Jump off near Praça do Comércio to admire this elegant square, which has long served as a gateway to the city, as it looks imperiously on to the Tagus. It's all the more impressive now that many of its buildings and monuments have been scrubbed clean.
Exploring the Baixa downtown area could take you a few hours, especially if you decide to stop for a coffee and pastry every so often, as seems to be the rule.
Many visitors will be struck by the dozens and dozens of small family-run shops and business still operating on streets that would be over-run with international retailers in other cities. You can thank rent controls for that.
You can reach the lively Chiado area, by the Santa Justa elevator, if the hoofing around is getting too much for you. It's the city quarter where citizens have traditionally come to chat, take coffee, people-watch and browse in the shops. A huge fire destroyed a lot of the area in 1988, but the rebuilding work has been sympathetic, and the area's many shops and galleries are now housed in splendid buildings.
In recent years Lisbon's night owls have rediscovered the waterfront. Of course, the western burb of Belem, with its grand parade of monuments and sculptures and the beautiful Jerónimos Monastery, has always been on the visitor's must-see schedule. Now, though, such areas as Santos also enjoy heavy footfall, especially after dark, as more and more of the large, atmospheric waterfront warehouses are converted into restaurants and nightclubs.
But the real night-time quarter remains the Bairro Alto. By day it's block after block of sleepy, laid-back streets and lanes with chichi stores peddling one-off trinkets, designer clothes or kooky furniture and art.
Once the sun goes down, though, the streets are thronged with both locals and visitors. All seem to be on a mission, whether it's looking for a bite to eat or simply hopping from one tiny bar to another in search of their friends. It remains the place to go to check out how Lisbon likes to have fun into the wee small hours.
The best places to sleep, eat, drink and visit during your stay
5 places to stay
Hotel Metrópole, Praça Dom Pedro IV (Rossio) 30, www.almediahotels.com. Rooms €120-€170 a night. Historic snazzy hotel with art-nouveau stylings and old-fashioned rooms with modern touches.
Residencial Borges, Rua Garrett 108, www.hotel borges.com. Rooms €65-€80 a night. Good budget option in the middle of the Chiado, but don't expect any frills with these prices.
Four Seasons Ritz, Rua Rodrigo da Fonseca 88, www.fourseasons.com/lisbon. Rooms €370-€920 a night. Best-located hotel in town, with a view to die for (try to get a room overlooking the park), a fantastic breakfast buffet, elegant rooms and a brilliant restaurant (Varnada). Keep an eye on the website for deals.
Bairrio Alto Hotel, Praça Luis de Camões 2, www.bairrio altohotel.com. Rooms €200- €560 a night. Newish boutique hotel that combines Portuguese classicism (the Grande Hotel Europa used to occupy this site) with laid-back global chic.
Olissippo Castelo, Rua Costa do Castelo 112-126, www.olissippohotels.com. Rooms €100-€200 a night. Sleep beneath the walls of the city's castle in this charming four-star bijou hotel - and hope you get a room with a balcony, to take in the views over the city.
5 places to eat
Stasha, Rua das Gaveas 33, 00-351-21-3431131. One of a gazillion Bairro Alto eating rooms, this tiny spot has charm galore and a menu with keenly priced fish and steak dishes to attract a largely local, hip clientele.
Mezzaluna, Rua Artilharia Um 16, www.mezzaluna lisboa.com. Neighbourhood joint with inventive and fresh Italian dishes from Long Island blow-in Michael Guerrieri served in a buzzy, vibey room full of chatty Lisboa movers and shakers. Booking essential at the weekend.
Via Graca, Rua Damasceno Monteiro 9B, Graca, 00-351-21-8870830. Excellent hearty Portuguese fare in a room where the view is more than worth the steep ascent to get to the front door.
Restaurante do Montado, Calcada Marques de Abrantes 40A, www.domontado.com. Worth the trip to Santos to check out this restaurant in a cool stone building. As befits a restaurant opened originally by farmers, all meats are locally sourced from native breeds.
Fidalgo, Rua da Barroca 27-31, 00-351-21-3422900. Traditional lip-smacking Portuguese cuisine from a well-regarded Bairro Alto budget hot spot. Expect lengthy queues as the night goes on.
5 places to go
Take a tram to Belem and check out its array of historic monuments (you can't miss the Padrao dos Descobrimentos, marking the work of celebrated Portuguese explorers), buildings (especially the Torre de Belem) and museums.
Make sure you visit São Jorge Castle for a fantastic panoramic take on the city.
Bridge fans shouldn't leave town with taking a few snaps of the Ponte Vasco da Gama.
Get an eyeful of the city's twisting cobbled streets by riding the no 28 tram across town and save on climbing by taking a funicular to the Bairrio Alto at least once.
Take the train along the coast to the beautiful fishing town of Cascais for a walk on the beach and some sun.
Check out . ..
Lux, Avenida Infante Dom Henrique, www.luxfragill.com. Others have jostled for Lux's clubland crown over its 10-year tenure on Lisbon's riverside, but it's still holding its own thanks to chic decor, fantastic music and an up-for-it crowd.
Hit the shops
Downtown, the Chiado and Baixa areas are the shopping hot spots, with the Amazes do Chiado the big-draw mall in the area. If you want more, take the metro to a vast shopping centre, such as Centro Vasco da Gama, for hundreds of Portuguese and foreign brand names.
A good night out
Do as the locals do and start by bar-hopping from one tiny room to the next in the Bairrio Alto. Then, well after midnight, head to the riverside to one of city's clubs.
Cool coffee break
Café a Brasiliera, Rua Garrett 120. A smashing cafe, bang in the middle of the action in Chiado, that has been serving bicas and cakes since 1905. It comes with a terrace ideal for people-watching.
To avoid
The fado houses in the Bairrio Alto are a bit of a tourist trap, so beware of those hustlers trying to entice you inside.
Before you go
Listen to some music from Mariza or Madredeus and read Paul Buck's Lisbon: A Cultural and Literary Companion (Signal Books, £12 in UK).
Go there
Aer Lingus (www.aerlingus. com) and TAP Portugal (www.flytap. com) fly direct from Dublin to Lisbon. TAP also flies from Belfast via London Heathrow. Aer Lingus fares start at €70 return, including taxes and charges, although prices quickly reach €250 for the most popular periods.