Lisbon Archives - Europe Up Close

9 of Europe’s Best Funicular Railways

Published/Revised October 5, 2016 By Cam Hassard This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

They go up, they go down, and they show a side of things you can’t get anywhere else. Sure, funicular railways might have their roots in yesteryear, but they’re still one of the most sought after attractions on the tourist trail. From heritage cars to sleek, modern cabs, Europe sports some of the most visually spectacular funicular rides on the planet. Here’s a bucket list of ten of the best ... Read Full Article

Why is Cascais Lisbons Popular Beach Getaway?

Published/Revised June 23, 2017 By Cam Hassard This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

The beauty of Lisbon had captured our hearts and souls on more than one occasion, but the not so distant gems to its immediate west – the inviting, though as yet unexplored Estoril coast – remained all but a relative unknown. On a return jaunt to the stunning Portuguese capital last month, we ventured out to finally explore the ‘other side’ of Lisbon – a stunning coastline dotted with charming ... Read Full Article

Where are the Most Innovative Lisbon Restaurants?

Published/Revised June 3, 2016 By Cam Hassard This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Fair to say, when it comes to top-end food scenes in Europe, Portugal often flies under the radar in favour of traditional big guns like France, Italy, and it’s immediate eastern neighbour, Spain. Home to a seemingly endless abundance of fresh, top-quality (and very affordable) Atlantic seafood, and an exciting, revitalized foodie scene, the Michelin stars are starting to leap out of the ocean ... Read Full Article

The Magic of Lisbon

Published/Revised July 6, 2015 By Cam Hassard This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

There’s no city on earth like Lisbon. To feel the vista of sunset drizzling over terracotta tenements and the Pombaline rococo of the old town; to husk over cold cerveza in the dulcet twilight of the banks of the Tejo as the Ponte 25 de Abril bridge blends into nightfall; to see the number 28 tram rattle and clank through cloistered, cobbled amber-lit laneways of Alfama – all of this is to ... Read Full Article

Where to Stay in Lisbon, Portugal: Editor’s Picks

Published/Revised June 11, 2014 By Mattie Bamman This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Lisbon doesn’t have just one downtown, so we’ve compiled a list of ‘where to stay’ options that represent the city’s most popular areas. These include the Bairro Alto neighborhood, the Belém neighborhood, and the Costa da Caparica beach area. We’ve also given special attention to hotels that offer free wireless internet. When deciding where to stay, it helps to know that hotels tend to be cheaper ... Read Full Article

Top Things to do in Lisbon, Portugal

Published/Revised July 1, 2016 By Terri Fogarty This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Finding things to do in Lisbon, Portugal is an easy task; Lisbon has led a very adventurous life. From its very beginnings, Lisbon has been molded by a variety of cultures and influences. Likely founded by the Phonicians in 1200 BC, Lisbon also has a strong Roman history and influence and was ruled by the Moors for over 450 years while adopting and adapting to the rich Moorish architecture and ... Read Full Article

Up Close Guide to the Azores Islands

Published/Revised July 1, 2016 By Anne-Sophie Redisch This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Situated in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, the Azores Islands are the very top of one of the earth's tallest mountain ranges, the Atlantic ridge. With a temperate climate year-round, this rugged and verdant volcanic archipelago comprises nine islands, ranging in size from 270 square miles (Sao Miguel) to just 7 square miles (Corvo). The islands form an autonomous part of ... Read Full Article

The Bairros of Lisbon, Portugal: Belém

Published/Revised June 11, 2014 By Joseph Riley Pisari This post may contain promotional and affiliate links. EuropeUpClose may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Please read our disclosure for more info.

Hundreds of years of history and culture have built up around the Portuguese waterfront that launched some of the world’s greatest explorers. Today, cornice to capstone, the elaborate architecture of Belém’s palaces and towers blends with contemporary museums and monuments; piers and marinas swept by the iconic yellow trams bustle no less than in the Age of Discovery; and in the same ... Read Full Article

Exploring Lisbon, Portugal: Nature in the City

Whether at the Jardim Zoológico, the Jardim Botânico da Universidade de Lisboa , or the Parque das Nações and its nearby Oceanário de Lisboa , a wide variety of plants and animals can be found thriving in Lisbon’s warm Mediterranean climate made mild by the Gulf Stream. Anyone looking for respite from the busier parts of the city should seek these sites. Jardim Zoológico This renowned ... Read Full Article

Exploring the Old Quarter of Portugal’s Sintra

The perfect weekend or day-trip destination for backpackers, café romantics, and families alike, Portugal’s Sintra offers its palaces, ruins, gardens, and squares to the explorer’s imagination. This historic UNESCO World Heritage Site is accessible from downtown Lisbon by a quick 10-mi/31-km drive or a more leisurely one- hour train ride. The Sintra National Palace (Palácio Nacional de ... Read Full Article