Hi there
Hoping to spend five nights in Lisbon and wondering which is the best district to stay in. Travelling with two young kids so not somewhere thats noisy at night or tricky in terms of personal safety.
Would like to be in an old, traditional or historic area as its these sorts of attractions we will want to visit during the day rather than shopping/restaurant areas.
I've had a look through on the internet and wonder if Alfama is any good? Or if it sounds out of the way.
Advice please
Demi
I highly recommend staying around Baixa/Chiado which is "down town" and is relatively clean and well presented - this area is historic and was built after the 1755 earth quake, though it's looks a little more modern than other areas around Lisbon which have a little more rustic charm.
Baixa/Chiado is very accessible and only 20 min from the airport by taxi (~€12-14). The area is well serviced by trams and in particular tram 28 which will take you to all the major tourist sights and is kind of the must do tram experience. The area is well serviced by restaurants (albeit touristy ones), a large supermarket and shopping is also very nearby (easy walking distance). There is also access to Hop-on, Hop-off tour bus services which run from the square nearby. The area is busy at night but not so much that it will keep you awake until all hours.
I would recommend renting an apartment if you're looking for good, cheap accommodation. On both occasions we've used this private company which is run by some Portuguese and German families. We stayed in the Santa Justa property and more recently another similar one in Santa Catarina. The one in Santa Catarina was huge, well appointed and easily accessible by Tram 28 but there was construction going on in the area which was a minor annoyance in the early morning.
Lisbon throughout is quite safe during the day and night though it has a slightly intimidating facade with quite a lot of derelict buildings about and lots of graffiti - but I personally like that about Lisbon. You can wander around most central districts pretty safely without worry and we've never had any trouble. Lisbon does appear to have a obvious drug problem - every day we were offered drugs in broad daylight and at night around night spots (bars/clubs). Having said this, they never bothered us past a slight mumble of "hash" (or whatever they're selling) and if you just ignore them or shoo them with a brief wave of your hand they wont bother you any further.
A few places I would recommend for lunch/dinner:
Restô do Chapitô (near castle) - has fantastic views over Lisbon and the bay. It is a functioning circus/talent school and if it is in they will have circus performances and performers around the tables, would be great for kids.
Senhora Mãe (near castle) - fantastic food, great service, nice ambiance.
A Travessa - difficult to find but the food is amazing and the setting is quite unique (in an old monastery) Maybe not appropriate child friendly place but still worth noting.
Portas do Sol (near castle) - Great for a drink and a snack, great views over the bay.
A great day trip with children would be to go to the beach out at Cascias. Take the train from Sao Paulo (a short walk from Baixa/Chiado) it takes about 30 min. Sintra is also worth a day trip, though I've unfortunately not been myself.
The Alfama is well worth a visit but very hilly, little public transportation or taxis, and a jumble of narrow streets whidh make it easy to get lost. While in Lisbon last September my wife and I stayed at a reasonably priced hotel near the Rossio train station, centrally located with excellint subway (Metro) facilities and many available taxis. For details and photos see the "Portugal" section of Our Travel Journals: http://www.evcal.org .
Thanks so much, that was really helpful, especially the accomodation link as we might be hooking up with some friends, so they will have plenty for all of us!
I am forced to disagree. With kids I would never stay in Baixa area, too much touristic, too hilly, too noisy, too unsafe by night. I would choose a not so central area but easly accessible by metro (tube, subway). Take a look at www.portugalisbon.com for some useful tips. You'll find there a nice large apartment for all at a nice residential area at 12 minutes by metro to Baixa-Chiado.
I wouldn't stay in Baixa either, Lisbon is a beautiful city and it would be a shame to think that Baixa was typical. Good (or bad) thing about Lisbon is that most places are fairly quiet. Alfama would be a cool place to live but i wouldn't fancy it for a holiday.
This place is nice and great value http://www.hotelprincipelisboa.com/hotel-overview.html it is near the top of Parque Eduardo VII in a really cool little residential area. a few blocks walk to Av da Republica, Av da Liberdade and Marquis de Pombal.