Travel to Lisbon, Portugal

Lisbon offers colorful old neighborhoods, wide avenues, and spectacular ocean views.

City by City is presented by Carlo F. Bucherer, the Fine Swiss Watchmaking. Manjit Devgun: Picture San Francisco with the blend of Paris, hills, avenues stunning views, old world charm and new world ambition. Can you guess our destination today? Hello I’m Manjit and you’re watching city by city. We’re on a search for the cool, the fashionable, the eclectic, the places to be all across Europe. Today we had to the far west coast of the Iberian Peninsula to visit a city that once ruled the world, Lisbon, Portugal. Once a great maritime power ending explorers throughout the globe, Lisbon retains its sites to the past, monuments, castles, lovely old neighborhoods and tents of the Century Trams, but at the same time the city is transforming itself with the surging economy and modern spirit. Start with the Tram ride through the historical city center on Tram 28. This is a must. You’ll travel through the hills of lovely colorful neighborhoods with narrow streets, parks and churches, and make sure to ride the famous elevator that takes you from the lowest city to the upper neighborhoods. You’ll be rewarded by incredible exhilarating views. Paulo Aires: So Fontana Park Hotel, it’s a quite new fragile thing. Lisbon, it’s the first designed hotel in the center of Lisbon. Manjit Devgun: In wild contrast to the historic architecture so prevalent in this city the Fontana Park Hotel, thus to be completely different. The interior all black and white. The ultra chic furniture handpicked by the architect and designer Nini Andrade Silva, the rooms, lobby, lounge, bath everything also stylizes and futuristic. Choose from a minimalist Japanese restaurant a light and aerie café serving grilled fish and other Portuguese delights or a garden area land all truly from another world. On the water front of the Tagus River, new developments are converting former warehouses into trendy shops, cafés, restaurants and clubs. Among these is Bica do Sopato, one of Lisbon’s new eat restaurant co-created by actor John Malkovich. Fausto Airoldi: The feelings we share, we try to share the good vibrations we can find in the great food we have in Portugal and share with the people. Manjit Devgun: In fair weather treat yourself to outdoor dining with river views or stay inside to enjoy the atmosphere in high style. Take your pick from the hips sushi bar, the café bistro or join the glamorous crowd and try their high eatery, serving cutting edge, contemporary cuisine and creative renditions of traditional Portuguese specialties. Enough of the new Lisbon for now let step back in time to Clube De Fado, one of the best of the mini Fado clubs found in town. Fado is a traditional music characterized by sweet melancholy yearning for lost love or opportunities. Some say its origin’s traced back to the Portuguese sailors longing for home while still at sea. Mario Pacheco: This is not only a business. This is my place where I play within all my hearts with my pieces, my songs. My music because this is a very so special music Fado. Manjit Devgun: The Fado club also offers traditional cooking and the warm regional atmosphere, but the main thing is the music so beautiful and emotional it almost makes you cry. Now our final stop, this time at the Cinco Lounge one of the coolest chill out spots in town. David Palethorpe: Find merrily on the cocktail side we look for the night strings the ambience. People could simply come in and feel at home and that’s what Cinco is about. Manjit Devgun: A ward relax sophisticated interior everything designed with the guest in mind. A surprising and impressive lists of original cocktail creations perfectly chose the music enhances the good vibrant it doesn’t inhibit conversation, and of course the lounge itself where after a long day you can simply relax, enjoy and wind down the night. You will love exploring this beautiful city, and be sure to take a day trip to Cascais, a nearby fishing village. These days not quite as sleepy as it few years ago. Lisbon is a town with lovely museums and tributes to the past, but you also see a city on the ups wing massive new bridges and chich new developments. It’s hard to beat the atmosphere of this coastal town. Lisbon might not rule the world these days, but it’s back definitely as a place to be. That’s it on city by city, I’m Manjit, see you next time.