Lisbon: Trams, Tiles, Fado, and the Most Beautiful Light in Europe

Alfama is Lisbon's oldest and most atmospheric neighborhood — the only part of the city to survive the catastrophic 1755 earthquake and subsequent tsunami that destroyed most of Lisbon. A labyrinth of narrow lanes and stairways built by the Moors in the 8th century, climbing the hill above the Tagus, Alfama is where Lisbon's fado tradition was born and where the city's most authentic character is preserved. The Castelo de São Jorge at the summit (a Moorish castle later modified by the Portuguese, offering the most panoramic views in the city) and the Miradouro da Graça and Miradouro da Senhora do Monte (the finest sunset viewpoints) anchor the neighborhood. Get lost deliberately — the dead ends are where the best views are.

Tram 28 is Lisbon's most iconic transport experience — a vintage yellow tram that threads through Alfama, Graça, Estrela, and the historic center, rattling and grinding up slopes so steep it seems implausible. Ride it at least once, preferably early morning before the tourist rush, from Martim Moniz to Campo de Ourique. Keep your phone in a front pocket — the tram is popular with pickpockets due to the crowds in tourist sections.

Belém, 6 kilometers west of the city center along the Tagus, is Lisbon's Age of Discovery heritage district. The Jerónimos Monastery (begun in 1502, UNESCO World Heritage Site, the finest example of Manueline architecture in Portugal — carved stone ropes, armillary spheres, and nautical motifs covering every surface of a building that took 100 years to complete) and the Belém Tower (standing in the Tagus since 1519, the last thing Vasco da Gama saw as he departed for India) are the two most historically resonant monuments in Lisbon. Adjacent to the monastery is Pastéis de Belém — the original home of the pastel de nata since 1837.

Portuguese cuisine is the original Mediterranean diet — olive oil, grilled fish (bacalhau/salt cod in 365 preparations, one for every day of the year, according to Portuguese culinary tradition), fresh shellfish, custard pastries, and wine from the oldest wine-producing country in Europe. Lisbon is the finest city in Portugal to experience the full range of this cooking, from a €12 plate of grilled sardines at a taberna in Alfama to a €150 tasting menu at Belcanto (José Avillez's two-Michelin-star flagship in Chiado — the most decorated restaurant in Portugal).

The essential Lisbon food experiences: pastel de nata at Pastéis de Belém (original recipe since 1837 — flaky pastry, silky burnt custard, served warm with cinnamon, at AED and around €1.50 each, queue always moves); fresh barnacles (percebes) and seafood at any Mercado da Ribeira restaurateur; bifanas (pork cutlet sandwiches, the most beloved Lisbon street food, at any tascas); and a full Time Out Market experience (the finest chefs of Lisbon in a single hall — Henrique Sá Pessoa, Alexandre Silva, Marlene Vieira all have stalls). Ginjinha (a sour cherry liqueur, €1.50 a shot from tiny street-front bars on Largo de São Domingos) is the most specifically Lisbon drink in existence.

Portuguese wine is extraordinary and extraordinarily affordable. Vinho Verde (young, slightly sparkling white from the Minho region, green-citrus, refreshing, often under €15 a bottle in restaurants), Alentejo reds (full-bodied, warm, international award-winning), and Madeira (the most underrated fortified wine in the world) are the most important categories for visitors.