Tips on Lisbon and Sevilla

Bingley

Bingley

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My wife and I are going to Lisbon and Sevilla in late May/early June. It's a first trip to both cities for us. Any tips on good places to eat and interesting things to see beyond the sights written up in most guidebooks? I love fado: any recommended places? We're spending four nights in Lisbon and three nights in Sevilla, w/ a stay on a beach on the Algarve in-between.

Oh yes, gear. I'm thinking of traveling light. A Leica IIIc w/ 50 CV Skopar and 28 Skopar lenses, and a Rollei 35. Black and white film in the Leica (mainly TMax 100) and color film in the Rollei (either Ektar or Portra). We like to walk a lot, so I want to keep the weight down, but I could replace the Rollei with a Canon IVSB2.

Any suggestions gratefully received!
 
Four RFF members showed me in Lisbon several great places there. It is a wonderful and colorful city with lots of history and charm.
 
We were just in Lisbon for 5 days at Christmas and really enjoyed it. We stayed at the Hotel Avenida Palace, a great hotel in a central location for sights and shopping. Easy to get to from the airport by bus, the bus stops 100 meters from the hotel.
 
Thanks! Great pix funkydog and Valdas! i can see why one could spend more time in Lisbon, but we're a little time-limited on this trip and wanted to include a slice of Spain. Thanks for the recommendations on places to eat.

Anyone else have suggestions?
 
Im from Sintra, its a Unesco World Heritage place, its by train 35km west of Lisbon, and of course i also recommend it, specially "Quinta da Regaleira" and "Pena palace"

For Fado, go to places in Mouraria or Alfama(name of the neigbourhoods), there are a few very good.
For a great lunch(only lunch), go to "Zé da Mouraria" restaurant and have dinner at "Casa do Alentejo" and try the great authentically Portuguese food!
There are more expensive options, but this 2 restaurants are amazing and "cheap"

for sightseeing Lisboa, i recommend the Hop in/Hop off bus and stop at:
Mosteiro dos Geronimos
Torre de Belem
Castelo de São Jorge
Sé de Lisboa
For walking: Alfama, Mouraria, Praça do Comercio, Rossio, Praça Luis de Camoes, Baixa-Chiado

Lisbon tourists are sometimes targeted by skillful pick pockets, its not a violent city, but dont be too "turist" ok? Dont go into dodgy places specially in the evenings.

Any questions, feel free to ask :)
Enjoy Lisbon and its unique light

One great Lisbon photographer: Rui Palha
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ruipalha/
http://www.ruipalha.com/

cheers,
Paulo
 
I'm from Ronda, (Málaga, Andalucía), close to Sevilla, they are two special cities, but I will stay more in Lisboa, definetely.

Also I recomended a visit to my town, is small and very beatufiul, for me, the prettiest in Spain, of course: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMRnGRSmjdI
Is just one hour by car from Seville, and if You come, I'll be your guide and show You Ronda, and You can eat the best food You ever have eaten.

Please, Don't waste a single roll in black and white there, the best weather in the world, Península Ibérica in Spring ;)
 
A few suggestions for Lisbon:

- For local transportiation, get a "7 Colinas" card. The card itself costs 1.25 and for 5 euros a day you can ride the trams, buses, and subways all day. If you pay on board the trams they charge you 2.85 for one ride. You can buy the cards at tobaco shows which display the "Carris" sign.

- For a quick overview of the old city, ride the #28 tram from Martim Moniz to Estrela. Along the way, get off at Graca to enjoy a view of the City. This tram also passes near to the Castle which is worth a side trip. You can either walk up to it from the tram stop or take a bus (I forget which number).

- Take the # 15 tram out to Belem.

- We always stay at the Albergaria Senora do Monte which is near Graca. It is a simple hotel with a fabulous view of the city.

- Restaurants:
Martiho do Arcada, located off of the Praca Commercio.
Tasca de Se - located on the #28 tram line near the old cathedral
O Cavalhero - on the # 28 between the Baixia and Graca.
The Portuguese do wonderful things with fish.

- As far a personal safety is concerned the major concerned is pick-pockets especially on th #28 tram. The best idea is to leave your passport in the hotel safe and carry only a small amount of cash. A camera bag is going to make you a target. If you can, carry a camera which fits in an inside coat pocket.

Lisbon is a great city. You will want to go back.
 
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Thanks everyone! I will follow the dining and sightseeing recommendations. And I will also try to link up with some Lisbon Leicalistas (see Raid's photo above). The tips are much appreciated.

So, you think I should shoot color rather than bw film?
 
my 2cents. Lisbon and Algarve are places of colour.Particually the villgaes/towns on the Algarve, so colour film might be the way to go.
Have a great time
 
+1 on much of the above. We were there 12 years ago and stayed in Hotel Avenida Palace, which was nice. Castelo de São Jorge is great for its views over the city. Sintra is well worth a day trip out and back on the train from Lisbon. It is so colorful, and the view from the Palácio da Pena is ridiculous -- you feel like you can see to America. But I realize you might have trouble fitting that in if you have only three days.

In Lisbon we succumbed to a few tourist traps such as eating at Tavares Rico (I think that's the name?). Yes it's touristy, but the idea of a 225-year-old restaurant is just mind-blowing to me as an American (where everything is so new and so ephemeral) so we just had to do it. There are few restaurants even 22.5 years old here.

We did Oporto and Madeira with the rest of our two weeks, but enjoy Spain!

--Dave
 
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