bmibaby - Destinations: Lisbon

best architecture:
The Park of Nations
If modern, cutting-edge architecture is your thing, then there’s nowhere better in Lisbon than the former Expo 98 site, now the Park of Nations. Located in the north-east of the city on the Metro’s Red Line, this landscaped riverside park is a great afternoon out for the kids with Europe’s largest Oceanarium and the science and technology Pavilion to Knowledge.
Where > The Park of Nations, Av. Dom João II, Lisbon, Tel: +351 218 919 333. view map
Website > www.parquedasnacoes.pt

best adventure:
paintball
For 20 euros you can play paintball for four hours at Campo Aberto in Negrais, 45 minutes from Lisbon, near Sintra. The price includes all necessary equipment, although a packed lunch is advisable.
Where > Campo Aberto, Rua das Tomadas 10, Negrais, Tel: +351 962 379 157. view map

best live music venue:
Xafarix
Xafarix is an intimate bar where locals go and tourists don’t know, serving up perhaps the best lime and Brazilian rum cocktails (caipirinhas) in Lisbon. There’s great music on weekends (book a table the day before) and English and American soft rock from local singer Berg on Thursdays.
Where > Xafarix, Avenida Dom Carlos I, 69, Lisbon, Tel: +351 213 969 487. view map

best outing on the water:
cruise on the River Tejo
No visit to Lisbon is complete without a relaxing trip on the River Tejo, from Park of Nations to Belém museum district. This two-and-a-half hour river cruise runs from April to October. Spend the afternoon visiting museums and Jeronimos Monastery in Belem, and be sure to sample the world-famous custard tarts at Pasteis de Belém.
Where > River cruise, Terminal Fluvial do Terreiro de Paço, Lisbon, Tel: +351 218 824 671; Jeronimos, Praça do Império, Belém, Tel: +351 213 620 034; Pasteis de Belem, Rua de Belém 84-92, Belém, Tel: +351 213 637 423. view map
Website > River cruise: www.transtejo.pt; Jeronimos Monastery: www.mosteirojeronimos.pt; Pasteis de Belem: www.pasteisdebelem.pt

best view:
from the Panoramic Bar at the Hotel Sheraton
There are countless belvederes from which to view Lisbon, but one of the most spectacular views over the city can be enjoyed – along with a coffee or a glass of wine – from the Panoramic Bar of the Hotel Sheraton. Alternatively, the newly restored open-air viewing point at Santa Luzia offers a breathtaking view of the river.
Where > Hotel Sheraton, Rua Latino Coelho 1, Lisbon, Tel: +351 213 120 000. view map
Website > www.sheraton.com

best cocktails:
at The Chinese Pavilion
Sip exotic fruit cocktails until 3am beneath subdued reddish lighting surrounded by one of the best collections of Napoleonic, World War I and Russian Revolution memorabilia in Europe. The Chinese Pavilion has got to be one of the most eccentric bars in town, with an old-world 19th century feel to it. Deliciously decadent.
Where > The Chinese Pavilion, Rua Dom Pedro V, 89-91, Lisbon, Tel: +351 213 424 729. view map

best café:
The Bull Ring
While Lisbon’s famous Café Brasileira – the haunt of artists, poets, writers and revolutionaries – is a must, no trip to Lisbon is complete without a visit to the newly-restored Bull Ring at Campo Pequeno, where there are shops, bars, restaurants and an interesting cinema-themed café which serves up great toasties before your film.
Where > The Bull Ring, Campo Pequeno 1000-082, Lisbon, Tel: +351 217 998 450 (Metro: Campo Pequeno); Café Brasileira, Rua Garrett 120, Lisbon, Tel: +351 213 469 541. view map

best night out:
Bairro Alto
Why stick to one place when you can stroll around the narrow, atmospheric alleys of Lisbon’s Bairro Alto and its myriad of trendy bars, including Paginas Tantas, Agito, Artis, and Catacumbus Jazz Bar? Dance the night away at the Lux Club, the place to be seen.
Where > Lux, Cais da Pedra, Avenida Infante Dom. Henrique, Armazem A, Lisbon, Tel. +351 218 820 890 (Metro: Sta. Apolonia). view map
Website > www.luxfragil.com