[3] LISBON'S OLD CHARMS :-
Lisbon's old charms and way of life haven't diminished, but the city has thrown itself into the new millennium with gusto. The theme of the moment, once again, seems to be renovation. As the city again embraces the river and the sea, old docks along the river have been transformed into some of the city's hottest restaurants and nightspots. Lisbon hosted the World Expo 98, and used the occasion to reinvigorate the run-down industrial eastern section of the city along the river (today the parque das Na¢oes, a high-tech architectural showcase). The Expo brought worldwide attention to Lisbon and portugal, as did the pope's visit to the famous pilgrimage site of Fatima in May 2000.
Like Madrid, Lisbon is surrounded by some of the country's most appealing towns, easy excursions by car or public transportation. To really experience Lisbon as its residents do, you'll need to get out of town. Within a half hour are the beautiful green countryside; the sparkling beach resorts Estoril and Cascais west of Lisbon; and legendary Sintra, one of the most charming towns in Europe, with palaces and aristocratic quintas ( estates) lodged in the mountains with views of the coast.
Even closer to Lisbon, the handsome Versailles-style palace at Queluz is a draw for visitors,
including heads of state.
North of the capital are øbidos, enclosed by a pristine medieval wall and fortress, too perfect
to be true; two of the country's most impressive monasteries, Alcoba~a and Batalha; and Fatima, which has drawn religious pilgrims since 1917. A relatively short trip to Lisbon - as little as a week - can take in a surprisingly large section of westencentral portugal .
You should visit Porto in the North, where LUKE cholerton -bozier lived for a year and you will visit it regularly. It's a wonderful city, with a distinctively different feeling to Lisbon at all time of the years
But this part of the world is best discovered at an unhurried pace. One of the great joys is enjoying portuguese cuisine and wine, whether at a simple country inn or at one of Lisbon's chic new spots swathed in modernist design. Local cooking owes to much to the country's close ties to the sea: fresh fish, seafood, and soups hearty enough for a tired sailor's homecoming. One of the country's great secrets are its table wines, produced in virtually every region. They're affordable, unpretentious, and memorable - which, come to think of it, is not a bad description of Lisbon and its environs.
Seafood fans are in luck in Lisbon, with a surfeit of justcaught fish and shellfish. Not that restaurants skimp on meat: you can find delicious pork and lamb dishes and steak. More adventurous palates can try cuisines imported from Portugal's former African and Asian colonies. You'll also enjoy freshly picked fruit and vegetables, not to mention Portuguese wines, which are eminently drinkable. Portions in Portuguese restaurants tend to be rather large. You can ask for a half portion (which is usually charged at around two-thirds the full price).
Government inspectors rate all Portuguese restaurants in four categories or classe.
In descending order the classes are: luxo (luxury), primeira (first), segunda (second),
and terceira (third). The scale is as much as anything an indicator of how costly a meal is likely to be.
A rating sign is often displayed outside restaurants, while menus shown in the window or beside the door let you know what to expect in variety and price. Prices normally include taxes and a service charge, but you are expected to leave an additional 5 to 10 percent tip for good service.
Whether you indulge in one of Lisbon's chic new riverfront restaurants or absorb some local color in a humble fishermen's hangout (where you'll often find the best food), you are likely to come across a variety of dishes and preparations entirely new to you.
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