How do you decide on the best place to stay in Lisbon if you’re visiting for the first time? Each of the most central Lisbon neighbourhoods has something different to offer so use my insider guide to help you choose the best area to stay in Lisbon for sightseeing according to yourRead More →
I firmly believe that Sintra deserves more than a day trip. Once the majority of the tourists have disappeared back to their Lisbon hotels, the historical town takes on a more relaxed atmosphere. Strolling around the cobbled streets is more pleasurable without the hoards so when choosing your Sintra accommodation, ideallyRead More →
If you haven’t had the pleasure of tasting Portuguese wines yet, you’re in for a treat and some surprises. There are several wineries near Lisbon so you don’t have to travel far to do a wine tour and tasting session in a special setting. Showing true dedication to you, dear reader, I’veRead More →
I’ve been hinting at a Lisbon walking tour for a while and it’s finally ready! My first (but not last) GPS-activated audio walking tour of Lisbon is now available via the VoiceMap app. Thanks to VoiceMap’s innovative GPS-triggered technology, I can guide you virtually around some of Lisbon’s most beautiful squares and viewing spots and share talesRead More →
If you’re wondering what to do in Lisbon when the weather’s not so great, get yourself a metro ticket and check out the city’s extensive network of metro art. Lisbon metro art Artist Maria Keil began decorating the city’s underground train stations in 1957 and over the following 25 years, sheRead More →
It may be less than an hour away from Lisbon but when you visit Sintra, you’ll see that it’s a world apart. Nestled in woodland with fanciful palaces and centuries-old castles and convents, it’s no wonder that both Portuguese and British elites flocked here in the 18th and 19th centuries. Magnificent villasRead More →
A doll hospital may not be on your top 10 things to see and do in Lisbon but if you have 30 minutes to spare, this unique place is worth visiting. Some tour groups pause outside the door but you really need to go in to appreciate how special the Hospital de Bonecas (Doll Hospital)Read More →
“Hippo! Hippo!” Whenever Ana, the HippoTrip ‘animator’, yelled this, our job was to raise our hands and whoop with excitement. We were on board Alegria, one of HippoTrip’s brightly painted amphibious vehicles, about to tour the city of Lisbon. The HippoTrip experience I was curious about this novel Lisbon tour, which combines a commentated driveRead More →
Windmills line the hilltops in certain parts of Portugal, especially the Oeste (West) region near Lisbon. Sadly, most have been abandoned and are gradually decaying. Some, however, have been painstakingly restored and not only produce flour using traditional methods, they also host bread workshops and even wine tasting sessions. Moinho de Aviz (AvizRead More →
When Célia Pedroso, co-author of Eat Portugal, invited me to join one of her Culinary Backstreets Lisbon food tours, I jumped at the chance. As well as being a well-established foodie, she knows the city intimately so who better to lead the way to Lisbon’s gastronomic highlights? Over the course of sixRead More →
