Lisbon 2010, part I, by Ferny Forner and Rita Risoli

Trip: 5 October 2010, departure from Malpensa with EasyJet 133 euro for two return, from the airport to Lisbon a scheduled coach no. 44 at 1.40 euro each. Hotel: pensao Residencial Roma, in a very central position a few metres from Praça Restauradores and the elevador de Gloria, two metro lines and many city buses. Large room on the first floor, windowless bathroom but large, no bidet, daily change of used towels, TV with no Italian channels, no wifi in the room, paid access point (4 euro an hour), breakfast is average, no lift, we paid 50 euro, a bargain, I would gladly go back.

Restaurants: Casa do Alentejo: inside a 16th-century palace, it feels like entering an Arab patio, then large rooms with walls decorated with big azulejos showing hunting scenes and city life, an elegant bar to one side, generous dishes and acceptable cooking, 28 euro for two with wine and coffee, the atmosphere is young and friendly. Sinhal Vermelho, in Chiado, a rather elegant restaurant, we queue a little, dine for 48 euro for two, with dishes of grilled cod with savoy cabbage and whole roast potatoes, baked prawns with a side, dessert, coffee and wine and beer. Cost about 46 euro for two. Locanda Italiana: Italian menu, mid-level, Italian cooking, a bit expensive. Cervejaria Lusitana inside the Vasco de Gama shopping centre: cheap, I would not go back. Restaurant O'bachaleiro, run-of-the-mill, I would not go back, even though it is near the Casa dos Bicos.

Restaurant Pasta Caffè, inside the Vasco de Gama, convenient Italian menu, we were happy with it. Antigua Confeitaria de Belem, famous for the pasteis, large and decorated with azulejos, not to be missed. Restaurant inside the DOS Azulejos Museum, naturally with azulejos on the walls depicting kitchen products, game etc., truly convenient prices, they also serve hot dishes, highly recommended. cafeteria inside the Mosteiro Sao Vicente de Fora, they also serve hot dishes at very reasonable prices, I would go back. Transport: 24-hour pass (3.75 euro) valid on all public transport (metro, bus, tram, elevador, airport), very efficient even at night, clean and comfortable vehicles, the suburban railway services are cheap too (Sintra, Cascais etc.), almost a metro.

Climate: changeable, on sunny days we reached 27°, we arrived with rain, we were amazed to see more people than in London walking around with umbrellas, then we understood. Wednesday 6: the wonders of Belem We begin our visit of the city, we cross the piazza Dos Restauradores, a square paved with mosaic in geometric patterns that give a sense of relief, in the centre an obelisk and fountains, to one side the Manueline-style facade (19th century) of the estaçao do Rossio, then we go to the Praça Dom Pedro, a lovely square, mosaic paving with spiral designs, like the previous one, on one side the Dona Maria theatre, with classical-style columns and an elegantly decorated facade, the large fountains are pleasant too, both squares are very lively thanks to the shops, bars and pastry shops.

We take the elegant Rua Augusta, fully pedestrianised, the street ends with the Arch of Augustus (19th century), we reach the Praça do Commercio, very large, facing the Tagus, surrounded by arcades, under the arcades there is little, practically only public offices, the river Tagus, to look at it seems like the sea, both for the width of the estuary and for the slight swell. From the square, tram 15 to Belem, the departure port of the ships of the great Portuguese navigators, chosen to celebrate with wonderful monuments the pomp and riches of the 14th-16th centuries, due to the discoveries..

We start with the Mosteiro dos Jeronimos, a splendid building in white stone, about 350 metres long, the building has an imposing appearance, it is in Manueline style, a decorative style of facades and windows, very elaborate with allegorical sculptures, figures of animals and plants to be seen with their symbolism, also of Portuguese kings, which recall not only the Gothic of French cathedrals but also the plateresque style. Arab and Indian art, not to be missed are the magnificent portals of the church of Santa Maria. We enter the church, we pass in front of the sarcophagi, in finely carved marble, of Vasco de Gama and the poet Luis de Camoes, the church, in Baroque style, three naves with vaults around 25 metres high, supported by carved columns that look like trees, they vaguely remind me of those of Park Guell in Barcelona.

We head towards the cloister, a masterpiece of the Manueline style, square in shape with a side of about 50 m, with splendid carved and decorated stone arches, structured on two levels, from the cloister you enter the great Refectory with azulejos with scenes of the testaments, all not to be missed.

Then a visit to the Torre de Belem, symbol of Lisbon, surrounded by the Tagus, reached via a walkway, from the outside it looks like a crenellated tower, not very tall, we climb five floors via a stone spiral staircase, steep and very narrow, on each floor terraces and loggias open up with highly decorated windows, here the typical Manueline sculptures can be admired up close, you also enjoy a magnificent panorama of the Tagus and the city (not to be missed, climb included.) After the visit we go to the original Padrao dos Descobrimientos, a commemorative monument, shaped like the prow of a caravel facing the river, with large sculptures of the navigators and writers of the discoveries, at the head Henry the Navigator, it is located in a square with mosaic paving decorated with a compass rose and a globe, with nice drawings too.

Thursday 7: Alfama, Chiado, Museo do Azulejos, Barrio Alto we go to the Igreja do Carmo with the elevador de Santa Justa (an iron structure, wooden interior, a bit retro) the church is located in a small tree-lined square, of the church only the side walls remain, in late-Gothic style, the portal recalls it, inside you can still see what remains of the very high decorated arches, few are original, as the church over time has been subject to restoration work, along the perimeter walls sculptures are displayed, inside an archaeological museum. Then with tram 28 we go to the Alfama, the district of Arab origin, although little Arab remains, we get off near the Sé.

We stroll among the narrow streets, often uphill, sometimes stepped, the buildings are not very tall, few balconies, the paving is often in stone, we reach the Miradouro Santa Luzia, a belvedere with a very well-kept garden, pergola and benches. a small church (closed) with large azulejos on the sides showing scenes of the city before the 1755 earthquake. We then go to the Cathedral of the Se Patriarcal, austere facade with two towers, it seems to me Romanesque in style, origin 12th century, it suffered damage from the many earthquakes that struck the city, over time there have been numerous reconstruction works, inside a very beautiful cloister where archaeological excavations are being carried out.

Then we take the tram again and stop at the largo do Chiado, a lovely very lively square, we will see it like this in the evening too, on one side two churches side by side like Piazza del Popolo in Rome and Piazza San Carlo in Turin We then go to visit, in another area, the Museo do Azulejos located inside the convent Madre de Deus (16th century), it contains practically the history of this decoration from the 15th century onwards, you can also see an azulejo more than 20 metres long with the panorama of Lisbon before the earthquake, not to be missed either the cloister, the chapter house and the magnificent Baroque church, not to be missed We end the day with a tour of the Barrio Alto.