Pastéis de Belém, known for
the best pastries in Lisbon.
I walked this metropolis with no
plan because in Lisbon it’s best to
find what isn’t in the guidebooks
Porto’s Riberia district, which sits
on the banks of the Douro River.
Photo by Rachel Coffman.
a custard tart created by Catholic monks in the Belém district
in the 18th century, is the most famous. The best pastries can
be found at the original Pastéis de Belém, and the trick is to go
directly to a table where you will be served instead of waiting
in the long queue outside.
I walked this metropolis with no plan because in Lisbon
it’s best to find what isn’t in the guidebooks and discover it in
your own way. The city is experiencing a rebirth, thanks to the
expansive growth of overseas tourism that began in 2010.
The best vantage point of the city can be found at the Castle
São Jorge. The climb to the top is steep and is best followed
with a chilled bottle of vinho verde, a Portuguese wine. This
wine is incredibly crisp and light on the palate, and it was the
perfect accompaniment to the hot July day I spent exploring
this capital city.
As the day’s heat dissipated and more people ventured out
of hiding from the inferno of the Iberian summer, the city
and discover it in your own way.
changed from a vibrant, artistic expression to an illuminated
show of light. This was my first trip to Lisbon, and I spent
the first night enjoying the amazing views from the roof-
top of Hotel Mundial. The second night was dedicated to
discovering the musical wonders of fado.
The soulfulness and melancholy of Portuguese folk music
was one of my favorite discoveries on this trip. Translating to
mean fate, fado is the musical expression of longing charac-
terized by a central vocalist accompanied by two 12-string
guitars. In the dimly lit room in the Bairrio Alto district where
I listened to the show, the language barrier was not an issue.
I understood the meaning through the true artistry of feeling
the tones of the music. As I looked around the audience, the
performers had the sole attention of the room. There were
no distractions from the art. It was a rare moment in a world
where attention spans are decreasing to see an entire room
focused for a moment in time.
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