LISBON, CAPITAL OF LIGHT AND FADO

And there are plenty of reasons for all the fuss: besides over 20 centuries of history, it has a fantastic climate, majestic monuments, beautiful endless beaches and vistas, competitive golf courses, a gastronomy that delights the most demanding tastes, sui generis arts and crafts and people known for their traditional warm and cheerful welcome.

So, don’t miss the opportunity of visiting this picture postcard city set on seven hills, bathed in crystalline light, framed by the infinite blue of the Tagus and illustrated by its houses, some brightly coloured and others dotted with ancestral azulejo tiles that silently recount its history.

We can simply lose ourselves in the fascinating and expansive downtown Pombaline area (also called the Baixa) and in the narrow and sinuous typical neighbourhoods of the capital, which smell of Portuguese guitars playing the Fado that runs in our veins, in the tascas (tiny bars) and in the more noted restaurants, distinguished in 2011 by UNESCO with the seal of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

In its squares and plazas, streets and alleys, broad and narrow stairways, sidewalks and façades we can also discover its ancient Celtic, Roman and Muslim heritage, considered to be the direct forefathers of Portuguese culture, subsequently marked, above all, by the Discoveries and the reconstruction after the earthquake in 1755.

If you have the time, save one or more days to visit the mysterious and aristocratic town of Sintra, 30 km outside of Lisbon, which the British poet Lord Byron called a “glorious paradise”, thanks to its Romantic-Gothic atmosphere, present in the lingering mist, in the dense forest and in the poetic architecture of its palaces and chalets.

In the periods between treatments you can enjoy a caldo verde (kale and potato soup) with slices of chorizo, followed by grilled sardines with baked potatoes and grilled peppers. You can accompany your snack with an aromatic wine from the Douro or with an Alentejo white wine tempered by the sun. And the famous pastel de nata (sweet custard tart) rounds it all off in style.

Lisbon, described by a number of writers as a womanly city, no longer wears fishwife’s clogs or apron. Its fashion and life-style are modern. She has evolved with taste and refinement, but has also managed to retain the tradition that has always fascinated the foreigners who court her.

So, surrender to this generous hostess’ many charms and enjoy an experience that no travel guide could ever describe in words or in images.

(*) NOTE: Medidental can organize activities, outings and tourist itineraries beforehand, according to availability and its clients’ tastes.

(*) NOTE: Medidental is a dental clinic and not a travel agency. So, all the texts produced on Lisbon do not have any commercial purpose. The aim is to inform and possibly help its clients to see what they can do in the intervals between consultations or the respective treatments.