In 1147 the city was re-conquered by the Christians under leadership from Alfonso Henriques, and was given the special position as the country’s capital in 1256. During the 15th century (known as the Portuguese Age of Discoveries) the city became an important centre for spice trade, a position reinforced by Portugal’s discovery of the route to India by the important explorer, Vasco da Gama.

The city, which developed in typical medieval style with narrow lanes, and wooden houses built very close together, experienced several earthquakes, the most destructive occurring in 1755. It destroyed virtually the entire city centre, giving an excellent opportunity to the Marquês de Pombal to rebuild the city in the grand, spacious manner we still see today. He also built the influential commercial area of Baixa Pombalina, giving the city an important trading area. This area still maintains much of its original character today, although many businesses have had to move away due to space restrictions. But traditional businesses can still be found here, such as the fish market on Cais de Sodre. There are several buildings of historical and architectural importance here, such as the Se (cathedral), and the church Conceição Velha. Linked to Baixa, by the excellent shopping area called Chiado, is Bairro Alto – the place to be for nightlife! Chiado has many fashionable shops, both high street and select boutiques, and is also where writers and artists like to meet up and hang out in the quaint local cafés.

Another interesting area of Lisbon is Belém. Located on the river Tejo, it’s from here that the great navigators of Portugal’s Golden Age set sail. Today Belém is a green and leafy suburb, dotted with parks and gardens. There are some interesting monuments here, such as the Monument to the Discoveries, the Mosteiro de Jeróminos (a monastery built in 1501 to celebrate the naval discovery of India), and the Belém Cultural Centre.

Lisbon offers an amazing variety of sea food, caught fresh the very same morning. The traditional Portuguese national dish of bacalhau, salted cod, is eaten everywhere all year round. And the strange thing is that this fish isn’t even found in the Portuguese coastal waters! But the Lisboetas also enjoy a lot of fresh seafood, such as grilled sardines, large prawns, and shellfish. Another favourite is a variety of little snacks, such as boiled snails, deepfried green beans, and pipis (small chunks of offal, flavoured with lemon juice, garlic, laurel, salt and pepper) – liberally washed down with excellent Portuguese wines - in particular vino verdhe, which is a popular north Portuguese wine. Many of these meals are eaten in so-called ‘tascas’ – these are typical Portuguese cafés. They serve traditional, honest food, favoured by many over posh restaurants. They can be found everywhere, so don’t miss an opportunity to sample some excellent food and wine!

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