Liking Portugal, loving Lisbon.

The White City

Like last year we have opted to stay on the south bank of the Tagus at Costa da Caparica. Reaching the city centre involves a short bus ride to the estacion fluviale at Trafaria, then a ferry to Bélem. As we crossed the river Lisbon spread out before us gleaming white beneath the clear blue sky. To the right, the tall red towers of The Ponte 25 de Abril suspension bridge framed the view. 

Because of its colour and design the bridge is often likened to the Golden Gate. It's a fair comparison and even the seemingly mundane name acquires a certain romantic appeal when you realise the 25th of April commemorates a key moment in Portugal's 'Carnation Revolution' when activists tore off the brass plaque on what was then called the Salazar Suspension Bridge and scrawled the day's date 'April 25th 1974' to mark the demise of Portugal's reviled fascist regime.

As we neared the pier at Bélem I remarked that the gleaming white city reminded me of Athens, which it did momentarily, but that is not quite right. Athens gleams white because of the low-rise concrete apartments which sprawl out from the centre. For all it's ancient monuments, architecturally Athens is predominantly a modern city. Lisbon is old. It and Cadiz squabble over which is Europe's oldest continuously inhabited city, both can trace their roots to Phoenician trading outposts founded about 3000 years ago.

Old Lisbon

There are are many old Lisbons. The fortifications of the Castello de São Jorge combine Visigothic, Moorish and Medieval features; monuments from the Age of Discovery cluster around the waterside at Bélem; the steep streets and narrow alleys of Bairro Alto reflect Lisbon's prosperity as an imperial power in the 17th century, whereas the grid like Baixa is a product of the Age of Enlightenment, when the Chief Minister, Pombal, rebuilt the areas of the city destroyed in the earthquake of 1755. 

Add to this stylish nineteenth century boulevards, shady squares lined with cafés and you have a place that is delightful to be in - old fashioned in the way each neighbourhood has a unique atmosphere of its own with shops, restaurants and bars used mainly by locals. Lisbon is simultaneously old and new, an ancient city which has embraced waves of incomers, including the latest Lisboastes, creatively minded millennials who are flocking to the city from other parts of Europe.

New Lisbon

Tower cranes dot the city's skyline as old buildings are renovated into stylish apartments or entirely new blocks are constructed behind old facades. 

The city also boasts impressive Art Decor buildings, the result of a continuity in urban development not seen in other parts of Europe where WW2 damage resulted in hasty post-war urban renewal. Factories and warehouses from the thirties and forties in the 'Doca' district have been converted into clubs and studio spaces. Generally, unlike elsewhere such as  Coimbra, most of Lisbon's buildings from the fascist era avoid the usual ghastly monumentalism. An exception is the enormous Padrão dos Descobrimentos built in 1960 to mark the 500th anniversary of the death of Henry the Navigator. I do not think I have ever seen such an overtly imperialist edifice, it still operates as a tourist attraction. It should be dynamited in my opinion.

On the waterfront  there are a number of contemporary landmark buildings. In general they maintain a modernist purity in their use of plain concrete and avoid the temptation to jazz-up the city's pallid tones with garish post-modern cladding or startling Darth Vader black carbuncles. I hope it stays that way.

Street life

New Lisbon however is not about architecture, it's more about street life and style. Sarah and Rob, Lisbon residents for less than two months were on hand to show us the highlights and manage the required Uber rides. It was great to experience the city with two stylish and savvy twentysomethings as our guides. Compared to the pressures of a London lifestyle I think Lisbon's laid-back vibe will be liberating for them both; it was a brave, but inspired move - they both seem more relaxed and happier.

One of our abiding memories will be the great music on the streets. Jazz with a Brazilian rhythm, fado, reggae. We might even forgive the two guys  playing acoustic guitar and congas whose style sounded like a cross between Marc Bolan and Desmond Dekker. They unexpectedly delivered a heartfelt rendition of Oasis's 'Don't look back in anger' timed perfectly so the sun sank beneath the waters of the Tagus as the final chord faded away. Cheesy, but curiously affecting.

Lisbon light

We have been lucky. We experienced Lisbon in a beautiful autumnal light, golden and crystal clear under a deep blue sky. It was stunning.

Lisbon dark

After dark Lisbon becomes somewhere else altogether. By British standards it is dimly lit. Add to the shadowy ambiance street lights of the yellowish lantern variety, narrow cobbled streets that gleam beneath each lamp, old trams that rattle past on shiny rails - it is all a bit noirish. Intriguing, alluring even, but not sinister. If you are a fan of Graham Greene, Eric Ambler or John le Carre, you will love Lisbon at night. It is tempting to edit yourself in as a minor character, an irascible taxi driver, a sad waitress, the innocent bystander. All the best destinations are partly imaginary.