I've not had a bad experience choosing "Leading Hotels of the World" venue, and Hotel Tivoli Avenida Liberdade lived up to expectations. I was offered a room upgrade on arrival, the size of this room, was especially impressive for a hotel in the centre of Lisbon.
Our first stop was to visit the Time Out indoor Market - a very short Uber ride from the hotel, but a little too far to walk. The atmosphere inside this specular food court is bustling. Food is cooked and served from vendors situated around the edges of the market that resembles an ornate hanger.. You then find somewhere to consume the food either inside, or take your food to a table outside. We couldn't resist tasting a flight of Port to go with our Tapas selection. The food court includes a traditional market of fruit, vegetables, cheese, wines, meat, fish and flowers.
We then got an Uber to Arco da Rua Augusta to use as a starting point to explore the old part of LIsbon. The colourful yellow facade set the theme for all the trams we would see during our walking tour. I can't think of Lisbon now without associating it to the colour Yellow.
Barrio Alto. A gentle stroll through this district gave us time to take in the cobbled streets, sleepy cats, tiny restaurants, and abundant citrus trees.
A steady climb towards the Fortress, and suddnely you find yourself above the rooftops looking back and out towards the ocean. A trip on the trolley tram would save the legs, but then we would have missed all the pretty little streets.
The ascent to the hilltop Castelo de S. Jorge - Moorish castle & royal residence
The whole area had such a relaxed feel about it, enhanced by musicians happy to play on balconies to the crowds below. it felt as if were witnessing their chilled out party, Unlike street performers or buskers with a collecting tin, these guys were doing it for the sheer joy it brought them and the spectators below.
Our last stop whilst spending a weekend in LIsbon was LxFactory - collection of Bohemian shops selling eclectic products, many restaurants, and notable for it's street art on every possible surface available.
