Fontecruz Lisboa Marriott : This central hotel is located right on the grand Avenida de Liberdade an

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TPG contributor airline discount tickets discount airfare Adee Braun is a native New Yorker with expatriate airline discount tickets discount airfare tendencies. She s lived in London, airline discount tickets discount airfare Paris and Budapest and traveled to over 30 countries around the world. Her recent travels have taken her to Rome, New Mexico, California and Japan. In addition to The Points Guy, she writes for Flavorwire and Untapped Cities. Today she takes us on a tour of one of Europe s most underrated capitals: Lisbon .
In the 17th century, Portugal was at its height as a major maritime power whose empire spanned the globe, and its capital, Lisbon (Lisboa), was at the center of it all. But after two centuries of colonization in Africa and the Americas, wars fought at home and abroad, and a series of massive earthquakes, the Portuguese monarchy found itself nearly in ruins. When the historic, devastating earthquake of 1755 struck airline discount tickets discount airfare the city, followed by a tsunami, Lisbon was literally ruined. However, the forward-looking monarchy took the opportunity to rebuild the city in a new Enlightenment style with grand avenues, elegant open squares and beautiful, colorful buildings dotting airline discount tickets discount airfare its famous hills. And so, at the sunset of Portuguese dominance, Lisbon reemerged a glittering city by the sea. Although tough economic times have never really abated, and have hit Lisbon hard once again during the current European financial airline discount tickets discount airfare crisis, it remains an elegant, wistful and vibrant city that is well worth visiting.
Like San Francisco and Rio de Janeiro, Lisbon’s geography is perhaps its most defining feature. The city is perched on a series of hills that slope into the wide mouth of Rio Tejo where it flows into the Atlantic. The city center’s three unique neighborhoods are each at a different elevation, providing many breathtaking vantage points (seriously, those hills are steep). Bairro Alto is where Lisbon’s nightlife goes on until sunup, orderly Baixa s 18 th -century streets flow into the grand Praça do Comércio on the water, and in Alfama, medieval streets snake around the forbidding Castello de Sao Jorge.
Lisbon’s nightlife in centered around the Bairro Alto which is perched above Baixa. The colorful buildings and narrow airline discount tickets discount airfare cobblestone streets are crowded with restaurants, bars, and clubs where you’ll find everything from Europop to fado music. Fado is Portugal’s signature musical form a soulful airline discount tickets discount airfare mix of song and poetry whose doleful melodies and lyrics often lament love and life with deep yearning. Though often touristy, seeing good live fado is still an evocative, albeit cheerless experience. Check out Clube de Fado in the Alfama, for a less touristy fado experience than the clubs in the Bairro Alto. Make sure to book ahead on weekends.
Baixa is Lisbon’s elegant old business district where the grand Avenida da Liberdade airline discount tickets discount airfare ends and the neatly laid out 18 th -century grid begins. The neighborhood is bookended by the Praça dos Restauradores with its giant obelisk and the aptly named Praça do Comércio. You’ll find lots of restaurants and cafes in Baixa, many geared towards tourists. But look for Portuguese-only menus and you’ll find delicious seafood and pastries at uninflated prices.
The Alfama is the only neighborhood left of medieval Lisbon. Its winding streets airline discount tickets discount airfare leading up to the Castelo de São Jorge are most atmospheric at sunset. From the height of the castle you can look out onto the glowing city and the Tejo (Tagus) River. The only remaining building of the castle houses a museum airline discount tickets discount airfare of Lisbon’s history. But a stroll around the shady gardens with its roaming peacocks is pretty magical. airline discount tickets discount airfare Also in Alfama you can get the iconic experience of riding on a classic yellow Lisbon tram. Lines 28 and 12 are the most scenic, jostling up hills and along the narrow streets.
Lisbon may not have the array of museums of Madrid, airline discount tickets discount airfare London or Paris, but it does have the Gulbenkian Museum . The museum started as the private airline discount tickets discount airfare collection of one Calouste Gulbenkian, airline discount tickets discount airfare a billionaire Armenian Iberiophile. Today it holds a dazzling collection of ancient, Islamic, Oriental airline discount tickets discount airfare and European masterpieces that should not be missed.
Take the tram out to Belem to see the monument to the explorers, the iconic white tower watching airline discount tickets discount airfare over the harbor, and stop for one of the famous egg-filled pastries at Pasteis de Belem . The nearby airline discount tickets discount airfare Jeronimos Monastery , a wonder of late Gothic architecture, is where sailors used to say a final prayer before setting off across the Atlantic and its bucolic cloister and ornate chapel airline discount tickets discount airfare are well worth a visit.
Portuguese airline discount tickets discount airfare food is fresh and simple, and eating and drinking in Lisbon is a relaxed and delicious experience. Lisbon cuisine is often a mix of local seafood with Mediterranean flavors. Baby octopus are slapped on a grill with olive oil, lemon and garlic, buttery custard pastries are served with a cup of bica (a shot of black coffee), and glasses of port are poured to be sipped on and savored. There are many classic cafés in Lisbon. Cafe a Brasileira is one of the oldest and most famous.
For great views and outdoor lingering check out the café around Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara, airline discount tickets discount airfare at the top of the leafy Principe Real neighborhood. Good, local, low-key eateries are not hard to find. At O Cantinho do Bem Estar (Rua do Norte 46) you’ll find Portuguese and Spanish seafood dishes like delicious grilled sardines and garlicky squid, so good you won’t even notice the hue of the fluorescent lighting. Upscale nouveau Portuguese cuisine is gaining ground in Lisbon, like at Largo where modern dishes with an international twist are served in a dining room flanked by jellyfish-filled tanks.
For a chic night out with Lisbon s fashionable set, make a reservation at 100 Maneiras , where the chef is Bosnian, but the cuisine is an inspired, seasonal take on classic Portuguese seafood and cuisine, with some creative cocktails thrown in.
The Lisbon airport (Lisbon Portela Airport) is relatively close to the city center (just over four miles). This past July, a new Metro station was built connecting the airport to the city in 25 minutes for 1.90 EUR ($2.54 USD) A taxi ride will only take about 15 minutes and run you roughly 10 EUR ($13.38 airline discount tickets discount airfare USD). To avoid over-paying, pre-book a taxi, decide on a price before getting in the cab, or at the very least take a metered one. Carris buses have several lines that run into the city costing 1.35 EUR ($1.81 USD). Or you can get an all-day ticket for 3.35 EUR ($4.48 USD) that is valid on all city buses and trams. AeroBus also runs frequent service to the city; every 20 minutes from 7am 9pm.
A new, higher-capacity airport, is slated to be built by 2017. Until then, there have been some renovations, such as to Terminal 2, which got a facelift a couple years ago. There are two terminals: Terminal 1 (the main building) that serves arrivals and departures and all international flights, Terminal 2 only serves departures airline discount tickets discount airfare to Portugal and Europe.
Star Alliance: TAP is Portugal’s national airline and serves Lisbon directly from New York. On United, roundtrip flights from New York require 60,000 United miles and $124.60 in taxes and fees on Economy, and 100,000 miles and $141.50 in taxes and fees on Business/First.
Oneworld: Using American AAdvantage miles automatically gets you on partner airline, British Airways and annoyingly routes you through London for 40,000 Avios points for Economy, or 100,000 for Business/First plus over $500 in taxes and fees. But here’s how you can avoid those nasty fees . You could also use your AAdvantage miles to fly on Iberia through airline discount tickets discount airfare Madrid.
Skyteam: Delta flies from New York with stops usually in Amsterdam, Paris or Frankfurt. airline discount tickets discount airfare An Economy ticket will run you 60,000 Skymiles plus $79 in taxes and fees, or 100,00 Skymiles plus $88 in taxes and fees in Business if you can find low-level availability.
As one of the smaller and less-frequented destinations airline discount tickets discount airfare in Europe, points hotel options are a little more limited than in, say Paris or London, but there are still choices out there as well as plenty of great independent hotels.
Club Carlson Radisson Blu Hotel Lisbon : This property caters to business clients due to its proximity to the airport (5 minutes by taxi). But a 5-minute walk to the nearest metro stop at Campo Grande will get you into the city center in 15 minutes. The hotel’s modern design is functional and simple with warm wood touches in many rooms. Amenities include airline discount tickets discount airfare complimentary WiFi, fitness center access, and shuttle bus service to the airport. Rates in February airline discount tickets discount airfare start at 60 EUR ($80.28 USD) or 38,000 Gold Points.
Fontecruz Lisboa Marriott : This central hotel is located right on the grand Avenida de Liberdade and has an eclectic, boutique airline discount tickets discount airfare feel (large black and white photos of historic Lisbon landmarks are used as headboards). airline discount tickets discount airfare All rooms have free WiFi, flatscreen TV’s, and some have balconies. There’s no on-site fitness center. The hotel restaurant features Spanish and Portuguese cuisine and there’s a Moët Chandon Bar. This is a Category 6 hotel. airline discount tickets discount airfare Rates in February start at 104 EUR ($142 USD) or 30,000 Marriott Rewards points.
Penha Longa Hotel, Spa Golf Resort : This Ritz-Carlton (also one of the American Express Platinum Fine Hotels Resorts) is located in Sintra, a lush spot in the hills about 30 minutes from Lisbon where royals and aristocrats built their vacation palaces airline discount tickets discount airfare to flee the city heat. Nestled amongst the greenery is this sprawling pink and white Penha Longa resort with 194 guest rooms, no less than five restaurants, two golf courses, and a massive spa, not to mention a fitness center, two pools, and amazing grounds. All rooms come with iPod docks and you can even rent an iPod should airline discount tickets discount airfare your heart desire some tunes while lounging on your private balcony (all rooms have one). Rooms are airy and unfussy airline discount tickets discount airfare with great views being the main attraction. airline discount tickets discount airfare Rates in February start at 185 EUR ($250 US