by Avril Maia

Created on: December 29, 2006   Last Updated: April 17, 2007

If you are looking for authentic European charm, Lisbon is hard to beat as a holiday destination. It has everything you would want. Because Lisbon is on the mouth of the River Tagus as it meets the sea, you can have a seaside holiday within reach of the city with its exclusive designer boutiques, and exciting night life.

Not even 30 miles away, there is fairy tale Sintra with its incredible palace perched on top of a hill. On cool evenings, the clouds often come in from the ocean and the palace with its pink lights looks like it is floating on the clouds. It is a mystical place, with its winding cobbled streets and grand old houses from the stately days of old.

Lisbon itself has a fabulous castle and also boasts the marbled pavements it is so famous for. Public transport is surprisingly good, and you can catch regular trains, trams and buses or catch a taxi cab if you are less adventurous. Visit the old elevator, which takes you up to the old area of Lisbon where you can catch a traditional meal in a local, probably smoky dark restaurant and watch the fadistas (soprano lady singers) sing their haunting songs of lost loves, their adoration for Portugal and laments for those lost at sea. You can get a fantastic 3 course meal with wine for a fraction of what you would pay in the UK. Be sure to try the fish dish of the day, more often than not the wonderful bacalhau (savoury baked cod fish - habit forming, I warn you.)

The beaches are beautiful, from the calm waters of Carcavelos (very suitable for families) to the dramatic beating surfer waves of Guincho. Then there are the world class golf courses of Penha Longa, and the casino at Estoril. I could go on!

A visit to Lisbon will not leave you out of pocket, and you will probably find it as unforgettable as I have, as long as you are sure to wander off the well-beaten tourist path to find the old world magic that still surrounds the city.

Learn more about this author, Avril Maia .
Click here to send this author comments or questions.