In the 2009 World Travel Awards, one city stood head and shoulders above the rest of Europe. Not only was it elected Europe’s Leading Cruise Destination and Europe’s Leading City-Break Destination but also Europe’s overall Leading Destination.
The award broke Copenhagen’s incredible five-year stranglehold on the Leading Cruise Destination award, and the monopoly of Europe’s elite tourist cities (London, Paris, Barcelona etc) on the Leading Destination award.
So which city made this breakthrough?
I guessed it must be somewhere on the Iberian Peninsula. If you agreed with me, you’d be right. But if you thought, like me, that it must be Barcelona, you’d be wrong.
The answer, in fact, is Lisbon.
Lisbon
At first glance, the awards might seem a surprising choice, given Lisbon’s unwanted and ignominious reputation only a few years before as a tired has-been: a poverty-stricken remnant of its former medieval glories.
But in fact, its recognition as one of Europe’s premier tourist destinations capped a remarkable renaissance that began in 1994 with its selection as European Capital of Culture and continued with the hosting of the 1998 World Expo and the 2004 European Football Championships.
It was the sort of attention expected and demanded by a city which had attracted settlers as early as 900BC, which had launched countless explorations in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, and which had been at the heart of an empire stretching from Brazil to India.
Jeronimos Monastery
This historical pre-eminence can be seen in the magnificent medieval buildings that dot the Lisbon cityscape: there are cathedrals, museums and monasteries aplenty, such as the UNESCO-protected Jeronimos Monastery and Belem Tower.
Yet the spirit of the city is defined neither by these glorious historical monuments that pervade its narrow hillside backstreets, nor by the mournful songs of the fadistas that lament the maritime decline and the eighteenth century earthquake that destroyed so much of the city.
Lisbon’s spirit remains quintessentially youthful, with a vibrant pavement café culture that is suppressed only by the coldest and wettest days of winter, and a buzzing nightlife that keeps revellers going until dawn in the old town of Bairro Alto or Docas.
Lisbon tram
Bright yellow turn-of-the-century trams wind their way through leafy streets, past Lisboêtas and tourists enjoying an espresso and pastry, exploring art-nouveau shops or enjoying the exceptional local gastronomic specialities: grilled swordfish or sardines, caldo verde (green soup) or pastéis de bacalhau (salt cod fritters).
And when you’ve had your fill, there’s always more to see.
Outside the city, there is the fairytale town of Sintra, famous among romantics worldwide as a lush, verdant paradise replete with richly hued palaces and precipitous Moorish castles. Not to forget the stunning coastline and gorgeous beaches that make Lisbon a quite unique European capital.
As well as being unique, Lisbon is also Western Europe’s cheapest capital. Accommodation starts from just 40€ per night, with deals on longer stays.
Palacio de Pena, Sintra
