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Living it up in Lisbon

LISBON — Portugal has been touted as one of the hottest travel destinations of 2017. And it is not hard to see why — the capital Lisbon, for instance, is easily one of the most beautiful and romantic cities in Europe, if not the world, with its cobbled slopes lined with pastel-hued houses.

LISBON — Portugal has been touted as one of the hottest travel destinations of 2017. And it is not hard to see why — the capital Lisbon, for instance, is easily one of the most beautiful and romantic cities in Europe, if not the world, with its cobbled slopes lined with pastel-hued houses.

In the last two years or so, Lisbon and other Portuguese destinations have enjoyed a tourism boom. And for good reason, as Lisbon is a city with a distinct personality, a colourful history, and something beautiful to look at every way you turn.

The better news is that you can still get the most of everything Lisbon has to offer without becoming one with the tourist hordes. Some ways to get around them include choosing the right place to stay at, getting clued in by the locals, and, yes, even embracing the unbearable touristy-ness.

 

1 STAY IN A HISTORIC HOUSE

Thanks to online vacation rental sites, you can choose to stay in an apartment instead of a hotel, especially when you are in a city as established and storied as Lisbon. Of course, you will want to choose an area with as much character as possible.

For a week, my travel companion and I set up shop in a cosily restored flat with an attic loft in the historic area of Alfama, Lisbon’s oldest district.

Alfama is a maze of narrow residential streets, old churches and medieval architecture spreading out on a hill from the Targus river (or Rio Tejo) to the St George Castle (or Castillo Sao Jorge). It was originally inhabited by the Visigoths and Romans, prospered under the Moors, survived the 1755 earthquake, and then degenerated into a fishermen’s slum.

Now, it has become hip again thanks to its old-world charm, and is a popular attraction. But its residents, who have called the area home for generations, still live there, holding the fort against gentrification and tourism.

Here, we had friendly neighbours walking dogs and hanging out their laundry, local cats came to rub themselves against our ankles, and it was just a few flights of steps up to one of the best viewpoints in the city, the Portas do Sol. We could stroll up to the castle for more panoramic views, and the main city centre was only 10 minutes away on foot.

At night, the strains of melancholy fado music, traditional Portugese singing accompanied by a guitar, drifted in through our French windows and tiny wrought-iron balcony. One evening, a popular football team won a league game and the neighbourhood resounded with cheering. It was as close as you can get to Lisbon living.

Here is a tip: Look for a place with air-conditioning because it can get very hot in the summer months, and old buildings do not have the best insulation for winter months. Lisbon is also known for its great hostels, an excellent option for those on a budget.

 

2 TALK TO YOUR DRIVER

It goes without saying that you should always try to have conversations with the locals — but what if the locals are less proactive about striking up conversations with you? Well, if you take a taxi or an Uber ride, you will be conveniently stuck in an enclosed space for just the right amount of time to make small talk — and pick your driver’s brain for insider tips on what to see and where to go.

Lisbon’s city centre is eminently walkable — as long as you have sensible footwear, because it is famously built on seven hills — but if you want to go to, say, the Belem area, where you can visit the gorgeous Jeronimos Monastery, the Tower Of Belem and, most importantly, the Pasteis De Belem confectionery where Portuguese egg tarts originated, Uber is a good option if you do not have time to spare on the bus or tram.

It was during our ride that we got into an intense discussion with our driver, Claudio, about where you can get the best Portugese egg tarts, or pasteis de nata. Having done our due diligence by sampling all the different brands, we took the stand that Pasteis De Belem had the best filling-to-pastry ratio and was less sweet than the others, which we liked. But Claudio let us in on a game-changing secret: If we went back to one of Manteigaria’s outlets, waited for the girl to come out and ring the bell, then rush in for a pasteis de nata fresh out of the oven, we would change our minds.

And following a recommendation on where taxi drivers like to eat — we are Singaporean, so we understand that this is an important criterion for a place’s legitimacy — we found what turned out to be our best meal in Portugal at Ze da Mouraria, an old-timey little eatery that does not even have a signboard and will not show up on most tourists’ lists.

 

3 TOURISTY THINGS CAN YIELD SURPRISES TOO

It is good to approach all activities with an open mind, even blatantly touristy ones, as we learned when we decided, after much doubt and pontification, to ride the historic, still-functioning Tram 28 — a tourist attraction that breeds long wait lines. We got a glimpse into Portuguese life when the driver abruptly stopped the tram and rushed into a little shop in which a football game was airing on a TV screen, stayed just long enough to watch the goal being scored, and dashed back out onto the tram within seconds, clutching a pasteis de nata in his hand.

Another gimmicky-sounding attraction worth a visit is the Time Out Market, a collection of more than 20 food stalls and bars curated by Time Out Portugal housed in the same building as the historic Mercado da Ribeira market. Established in 2014, it is the world’s first Time Out Market and it is a hip and happening venue even for the locals. You can sample offerings from brand-name chefs and establishments ranging from traditional bacalhau (salt cod) dishes to adventurous — and Instagram-worthy — octopus hot dogs.

So while you might want to avoid the touts and souvenir shops near the waterfront, or the sightseeing tuk tuks that have proliferated of late, there are plenty of famous things you can rely on to show you a good time, such as any of celebrity chef Jose Avillez’s establishments; the soulful writings of Lisbon’s most famous son, Fernando Pessoa; or even just the beautiful purple jacaranda trees in Rossio Square in springtime.

 

 

ORDER COFFEE LIKE A LISBONITE

Portugal’s coffee culture is strong and satisfying, thanks to the country having counted Brazil among its former colonies.

You can get excellent artisanal coffee at new, foreign-run cafes such as Fabrica and Kaffeehaus, but most restaurants and coffee shops tend to favour traditional, intense brews that run on the side of over-extraction, much like Singapore’s kopitiam coffee. Portuguese espressos are also slightly larger in volume than Italian ones.

Because their poisons of choice go by different names in different parts of the world, caffeine addicts know it is important to be understood when they are attempting to get their fix.

Here is how to order your coffee in Lisbon — bearing in mind, of course, that a coffee by any other name would smell as sweet.

Espresso: “Um bica” or “Um cafe, por favor.”

Double espresso: “Um cafe duplo”

Espresso with a little milk: “Um pingado”

Long black or Americano: “Um abatanado”

Latte: “Um galao”

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