Few consider Lisbon as a destination for a short break, dismissing it as Spain’s poor relation. But with its far eastern charm, soft pastel-coloured buildings and architectural diversity, it’s a vibrant city, full of life and aesthetic appeal. Those who have visited Lisbon can’t help adoring it and so with a long weekend ahead of me, I endeavoured to discover Lisbon’s allure!

Perched on the mouth of the river Tagus, Lisbon is one of the oldest cities in the world and its historic importance is without question. Having grown up as a sea-trading city, it has always been the preferred ocean doorway for the more adventurous Mediterranean people. In the era of the Portuguese discoveries (the 15th to 16th-centuries), the city became the cosmopolitan centre of a huge overseas empire. During this time, pioneering explorers,
like Vasco da Gama, used Lisbon as a base from which they discovered and gained territories in India, Africa, Brazil and Maçao. Consequently Portugal’s capital prospered as a thriving port and centre of trade. But disaster struck on the November 1, 1755, when an earthquake devastated much of the city. Under the reforming auspices of the Marquis of Pombal, the new plans for the layout of the city featured solid, geometric patterns, broad boulevards and large plazas.

Belém is the place to rub shoulders with Lisbon’s seafaring history. Here the huge tiled pavement-compass charts the routes of the discoverers, while behind it the Monument to the Discoveries rises over the water’s edge as if it were a ship at sea. Marking the mouth of the Tagus is the flamboyant white Tower of Belém, one of two towers constructed in the 16th-century as a fortress to defend the city. Its late- gothic-style elegance is echoed in the nearby Monastery of Jerónimos and adjacent church, which houses the ornate tomb of Vasco da Gama. In contrast to this lavish architecture, the nearby Cultural Centre of Belém (home to the Design Museum) is sleek and modern in its design.

Moving away from the water’s edge, Alfama – a quarter that was largely spared from the destruction caused by the earthquake – clings to the slopes of St George’s Hill, which is crowned by St George’s Castle. Within the castle little remains, other than several olive trees that have sprouted up within its boundaries, but you can still walk around the walls of this mediaeval fortress and enjoy panoramic views over the city. The Alfama is a labyrinth of twisting, narrow streets with barely enough room for a car to pass. Women chatter and exchange gossip as they hang their washing from windows overhead and gather in doorways. Private courtyards are partly concealed by gates, while yellow-and-blue-tiled facades decorate the exterior of houses. Small cafés welcome you inside their low- ceiling interiors to sip on tall glasses of milky white coffee, while carts of fish are displayed outside grocery shops that appear to be hollowed out of the stone walls. Stop at the pretty bougainvillea-covered Santa Luzia Belvedere with its tile covered panels and savour the views over the Tagus and the 25 de Abril Bridge which stretches across to the banks of Almada, marked by the statue of Christ the King.

The buildings that fill the streets of nearby Bairro Alto have also maintained many of their original 16th-century features. This bohemian quarter is the city’s cultural hub and designer haven and its cobblestoned streets are often clogged with the chic, the young and the artistic. It is best reached by taking the Elevador de Santa Justa, designed and built by a pupil of the French architect Eiffel. This huge iron elevator rises up the hillside with its rooftop café illuminating the skyline. Hidden among the corner pharmacies and wood- panelled port wine bars of this quarter, quirky little art galleries showcase contemporary designs and boutiques sell designer furnishings, cutting-edge fashions and an array of objet d’art for the home. It’s pleasing to notice, however, that even with all the trappings of modern life, Bairro Alto has preserved its traditional aura. When evening falls, fado (folk music) songs fill the night air as local taverns open their doors and dramatic divas burst into song, hitting the notes of passionate nostalgia accompanied by the guitarra (fado guitar).

Below Alfama and Bairro Alto, Baixa is crouched between two hills close to the water’s edge. Its wide, graceful avenues, triumphal arches and pedestrianised plazas are classic examples of Pombal’s progressive infrastructure. Soak up the atmosphere of this quarter in the 200- year-old Martinho d’Arcada café on Praça do Comércio. This huge bustling square is surrounded by the bright ochre walls of the main Ministeries of the Portuguese government and the rumbling flow of electric trams. From Praça do Comercio head through the monumental arch and up Rua Augusta, one of the traditional shopping thoroughfares of the city and home to all the familiar high-street brands. Every few hundred yards shoppers huddle around stalls selling hot roasted chestnuts, while others gather at closet- like shop counters to sip sweet cherry wine (a traditional Lisboan apéritif).

To the east of the city you’ll find Parque das Nações, the site for Expo 98, with its modern architecture as bold and exciting in its design as that of the past. Lisbon’s relationship with the ocean is strongly represented here from the massive Vasco da Gama shopping mall with its constant flow of water
cascading over the glass ceiling to Europe’s largest aquarium, the Oceanário. The waterfront is occupied by wide avenues which are lined with cafés, bars and oriental themed gardens. Tinged with romance, young lovers often meet here to recline on benches wrapped in each other’s caresses. But leave them to their daydreams and take the cable car, which passes overhead and along the water’s edge to the imposing Vasco da Gama Tower. This impressive structure, resembling a billowing sail, reaches 145m in height and (not for the faint- hearted) a glass elevator whisks you to a panoramic viewing deck and restaurant almost at the top. Down below, the mesmerising Vasco da Gama suspension bridge stretches for 17km across the river. And from this dramatic vantage point you’ll finally be able to grasp the sheer size of the city, as it tumbles towards you over a series of seven hills.

Having spent the weekend discovering the city, I realise that Lisbon’s attraction lies in enjoying its simple pleasures; from sauntering through the streets admiring the architecture and tracing the city’s history, to lingering in port wine bars listening to fado music, or savouring the sweeping views over rooftops towards the harbour while feasting on delicious custard tarts. And its these simple pleasures that make it such an ideal destination for a weekend break!