Great Cities of Europe

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<F16>Lisbon</F> <L7><F14>Basic Information</F> Documents Required: United States and EC citizens require only a valid passport for visits not exceeding three months. American Consulate: Avenida das Forcas Armadas; 1/ 726-6600. Currency: The Portuguese escudo ($) is divided into 100 centavos. The escudo is written with the $ in the middle, thus 100$50 is 100 escudos and 50 centavos. Banks: . Banks are open Monday to Friday 8:30 A.M. - 3 P.M. Customs: There are no limits on the import of currency, but only 50,000 escudos per person may be exported. Climate: Lisbon is rainy and gray from November to February, but mild, with an average daytime temperature in December and January of 53 degrees. The hottest month, August, reaches an average daytime temperature of 72 degrees. Tipping: Hotels and restaurants usually include a service charge, but 10 percent additional is appreciated. Porters and maids expect a small tip, taxi drivers do not. Tourist Information: Palacio Foz on Praca dos Restauradores; 1/ 346-3314. Airports: The Lisbon International Airport (1/ 802-060), with direct and nonstop service from the United States, is 20 minutes by car from the city center. Take a taxi or the #90 express bus, which stops at several main destinations in the city. Getting Around: Most sites are within walking distance of each other, and traveling by foot is your best option in Lisbon. By metro: Central stations are at Praca dos Restauradores and Rossio. Tickets are sold at all stations. By tram: Trams (electricos) run throughout the city. Buy individual tickets on board, or purchase a one-day or three-day pass. By bus: Buses, which use the same tickets as trams, are useful for reaching out-of-town attractions. They also run through the city. By taxi: Phone for taxis, or hail them in the street. A green light means the cab is available. Postal and Telephone Service: Post offices (correios) are open Monday to Friday 9 A.M.-6 P.M. To call Lisbon from the United States, dial 011-351, then the city code (Lisbon is 1) and local number. To call the United States from Lisbon, dial 00-1, then the area code and local number. Public Holidays: New Year's Day, Good Friday, Liberation Day (April 25), May Day, Corpus Christi (late May or early June), National Day (June 10), Festas dos Santos Populares (June 12-13, 23-24, and 28-29), Assumption (August 15), Republic Day (October 5), All Saints' Day (November 1), Independence Day (December 1), Feast of the Immaculate Conception (December 8), and Christmas Day. Electric Current: Plugs are standard European, with two round pins. The current is 220V. <F14>Time Line</F> Beginnings of the City 60 B.C. Julius Caesar makes Olisipo, today's Lisbon, the western capital of the Roman empire. 1147 Afonso Henriques breeches the ramparts of the Sao Jorge castle in Lisbon, defeating the Moors who had ruled since 711. 1173 St. Vincent is proclaimed Lisbon's patron saint. 1249 Moors are pushed back by Alfonso III. Lisbon is named the capital of Portugal. 1348 Plague ravages Lisbon. Maritime Empire 1487 Bartolomeu Dias rounds the Cape of Good Hope. 1494 Portugal and Spain divide the world's newly discovered lands at the signing of the Treaty of Tordesillas. 1495 Manuel I's reign marks the apogee of Portuguese wealth and domination of world trade. 1531 Due to the Holy Inquisition and expulsion of Jews (in 1496), Portugal is left with an absence of commercial expertise and the economy plummets. 1580 Lisbon falls under Spanish rule when Philip II of Spain is crowned Felipe I of Portugal. Upheaval 1640 The House of Braganca, the most powerful in Portugal, ascends the throne. 1755 Earthquake devastates Lisbon. 1807 Napoleon's forces invade Lisbon; the royal family escapes to Brazil. 1811 The French are pushed back into Spain by the British. End of the Monarchy 1821 King Joao VI returns from Brazil as a constitutional monarch. 1908 King Carlos and the Crown Prince are assassinated in Lisbon. 1910 The monarchy is overthrown and King Manuel II is exiled. Forty-five changes of government and several military coups in a period of 16 years mark the Republic's beginnings. 1932 Dr. Antonio de Oliveira Salazar becomes prime minister and rules Portugal as a police state until 1968. Today 1974 A bloodless coup is led by Major Otelo Saraiva de Carvalho. The Armed Forces Movement governs until 1976, when a new constitution upholds socialism and democracy. 1986 Portugal and Spain join the European Community. 1994 Lisbon is named Europe's Cultural Capital by the EC. </L7> <L6><F14>Hotels </F> Lapa $$$ 4 Rua Pau de Bandeira 1/ 395-0005 A former palace surrounded by gardens. Ritz Inter-Continental $$$ 88 Rua Rodrigo da Fonseca 1/ 692-020 Balconies overlook the Parque Eduardo VII. Carlton $$ 56 Avenida Conde Valbom 1/ 795-1157 Charming and centrally located. Senhora Do Monte $$ 39 Calcada do Monte 1/ 886-6002 On a hill in the old Graca quarter. Small and comfortable. Borges $ 108 Rua Garrett 1/ 346-1951 Good location and simple rooms. Dom Carlos $ 121 Avenida Duque de Loule 1/ 353-9071 Pleasant, with helpful staff. Restaurants Sua Excelencia $$$ 42 Rua do Conde 1/ 603-614 One of Lisbon's best. Knock for entry. Casa Da Comida $$$ 1 Travessa das Amoreiras 1/ 388-5376 Sophisticated, traditional fare in a converted house and garden. A Paz $$ 22B Largo da Paz 1/ 363-1915 Seafood at reasonable prices. Varina Da Madragoa $$ 36 Rua das Madres 1/ 396-5533 An old tavern. Codfish is a specialty. Sol Dourado $ 19-25 Rua Jardim do Regador 1/ 347-2570 Unpretentious, fresh seafood. Bota Alta $ 35-37 Travessa da Queimada 1/ 342-7959 Small bistro with large portions of Portuguese cuisine. </L6> <L1><F14>Sites</F> Alfama Lisbon's poorest but most colorful quarter. Alfama is a cobbled labyrinth of small shops and stucco houses. Walk the area's steep streets after visiting Castelo De Seo Jorge. Castelo De Sao Jorge Rua Costa do Castelo A 12th-century castle incorporating remnants of a Moorish palace. Se Baixa Portugal's oldest Romanesque church. Torre de Belem Belem A tower built in 1515 on dry land, but which is now surrounded by the Tejo river. You can still explore the dungeon and climb to the top. Santa Engracia Campo de Santa Clara It took 300 years to build this church (completed in 1966), which now serves as the national pantheon. Mosteiro Dos Jeronimos (Hieronymite Monastery) The white-marble monastery was established in 1502 to celebrate Vasco da Gama's successful expeditions during the Age of Discovery. </L1> <L2><F14>Museums And Culture</F> Museu Nacional De Arte Antiga 95 Rua das Janelas Verdes 1/ 397-2725 15th- and 16th-century Portuguese art. Museu Da Cidade 245 Campo Grande 1/ 759-1617 Lisbon's history told through maps, engravings, and reconstruction plans following the 1755 earthquake. Calouste Gulbenkian Museum 45 Avenida de Berna 1/ 797-4167 The private collection of Armenian oil tycoon Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian, including European, Middle Eastern, and Chinese paintings, sculpture, and furniture. </L2> <L5><F14>Shopping</F> Lisbon's main shopping areas are the Baixa and the Chiado. For antiques, try Bairro Alto and Rua Dom Pedro V. Madeira House 135 Rua Augusta Embroidered linen. Ouriversaria Alianca 50 Rua Garrett Gold and silver jewelry. Vista Allegre 18 Largo do Chiado Local porcelain. Feira da Ladra (Thievesi Market) Campo de Santa Clara Flea market with gypsy vendors. </L5> <L3><F14>Night Spots</F> A Brasileira 122 Rua Garrett 1/ 346-9541 Traditional cafe for people watching and sipping port. Procopio 21 Rua Alto de Sao Francisco 1/ 65-28-51 Meeting place for the avant-garde. Senhor Vinho Rua do Meio a Lapa 1/ 397-2681 Portuguese ballad music, called fado. AlcΓntra Mar 11 Rua da Cozinha Econ-mica 1/ 362-1226 Popular disco. Clave Di Nos 100 Rua do Norte 1/ 346-8420 African music and cuisine. Hot Clube de Portugal Praha de Alegria Lisbon's only full-time jazz club. </L3> <L4>EXCURSIONS Sintra 17 miles northeast of Lisbon Portuguese royalty's summer resort for centuries. Sintra's royal palace towers above the town. Most of the building, which dates from the 14th century, was reconstructed over a Moorish palace. On the second and fourth Sunday of the month, the nearby parish of Sao Pedro holds a fair with music and handicrafts. Sesimbra 25 miles south of Lisbon A bustling fishing town, known for its swordfish. Be sure to sample the cheeses made in nearby Vila Nogueira de Azeitao. </L4> (c) 1995 Leisure and Travel