By Guilhem Fauquier in Lisbon— The Portuguese often refer to Lisbon as the cidade das sete colinas, or “city of the seven hills.” They’re not kidding. Although walking the hilly terrain will be a workout, the seven hills do offer outstanding views that the locals enjoy every day. Most of these vistas offer dramatic, sweeping » Read more

By Tom Meyers— I had a bad feeling when I checked into my second hotel in Lisbon earlier this month. I was in town for the week to review about 50 hotels for our Lisbon guide, and I’d be spending three nights at this hotel. I had just spent three nights at another hotel, the » Read more

When the weather is hot, there’s nothing as satisfying as a day spent by the water. While many European capitals offer proximity to beaches, rivers or lakes, few of them boast convenient access to both a river and several beaches. Situated on the Tagus River, Lisbon has a waterfront of its own—plus many beaches an » Read more

It was only by a stroke of luck that the Eiffel Tower ended up in Paris. Gustave Eiffel designed the landmark tower for Barcelona. But the civic authorities had doubts about the appropriateness of such a tower for the Catalan city. Undaunted by the setback, Eiffel had better luck with Paris and, despite some opposition » Read more

Some arrivals are just too good to miss. Dropping down out of the skies to land at some of Europe’s trickier airports can be challenging for even the most experienced pilots. And, even from the passenger cabin, the steep glide down into the airstrips at Innsbruck (Austria) or Lugano (Switzerland) can be very impressive. Funchal » Read more

Lisbon cockerels having a face-off. These two are for sale. Throughout Portugal, the cockerel is a symbol of faith, justice and good luck. As far as we’re concerned, our fine-feathered friend is also a symbol of a bargain. In Lisbon, where folk art featuring the cockerel is available in every gift shop, the little guy is a » Read more

The Scilly Isles. Photo © hidden europe Okay Cheapos! Indulge us for two minutes. We’ve just been taking a break on an island full of surprises, a place so beguilingly beautiful that we think it’s worth a mention. There must be a thousand candidates for the accolade of “Europe’s most beautiful island.” One of our » Read more

Lisbon is a city full of fabulous museums and botanical gardens… with entrance fees. However, Parque Eduardo VII, in central Lisbon, is a happy, freebie exception. The Parque Eduardo Named after King Edward VII of Britain (following his 1903 visit to Portugal), the park boasts two greenhouses (“estufas”) filled with tropical plants. These beauties sit atop » Read more

If you’ll be in Lisbon anytime soon, plan to lay low during the week (or head to the beach) and hit the major sights and museums on Sunday. Why tour on the day of rest? Because many of Lisbon’s attractions are free, for at least a few hours, every Sunday of the year. Some museums—like the Museum of » Read more