SPAIN & PORTUGAL LISBON DESTINATIONS W


ith its custard-yellow trams, steep hills and a


suspension bridge resembling the Golden Gate, Lisbon has echoes of San Francisco, while Its tiny tapas spots and bars in centuries-old walls are reminiscent of Madrid’s old town. But just as its famous pastéis


LISBON


The Portuguese capital is ideal for a laid-back


city break, finds Ella Buchan


de nata aren’t quite the same as English egg custards, Lisbon has its own unique taste. The Portuguese capital is chilled out and charming, with soaring towers, castle ramparts and chequered squares, all meandering up from the broad Tagus River. It’s also refreshingly cheap: a beer is about £1.20, while a bottle of decent wine in a restaurant will set you back around £7.


With TAP recently adding


New York to the US cities served by its Lisbon hub, the city is becoming even more popular as an extended stopover for those hopping across the Atlantic. It also opens up destinations in South America, including Rio, served by the airline, which flies to Lisbon from Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester up to nine times each day. This spring also saw the opening of one of the city’s chicest hotels. AlmaLusa occupies a prime spot where Lisbon’s royal palace once stood, occupying an 18th-century building that stored weapons and cannons. Most of the city’s highlights can be reached on foot, so recommend clients pack comfy shoes – and a big appetite.


◗ DAY ONE 10.00: Pick up wheels from bikeiberia on Largo Corpo Santo, right by the Tagus (£8.50 for a four-hour rental). Pedal west along five miles of waterfront bike paths to pale grey Belem Tower (entry £5), built as a fortress to guard Lisbon’s harbour in 1515. En route you’ll pass a pretty marina and the 25 de Abril bridge, a dead ringer for San Francisco’s Golden Gate. bikeiberia.com


11.30: Retrace your tracks to Discoveries Monument for views over Belem (£3.35). Use the underpass to reach Rua de Belem, where Pastéis de Belem has been making pastéis de nata to a secret ancient recipe since 1837. The flaky tarts (85p), are filled with gooey custard. pasteisdebelem.pt


12.30: Pedal two minutes west to Jerónimos Monastery,


1 September 2016 travelweekly.co.uk 77


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