We suggest! Quit the city for the day and head to Sintra, 16 miles north west of Lisbon this enchanting town once described by Lord Byron as 'a glorious Eden' is a wonderful haven of old summer palaces and stately homes. Don't leave Sintra without buying a packet of queijadas, delightful miniature cheesecakes which taste delicious!

Lisbon is a bustling city of hills offering beautiful vistas over the rows of whitewashed buildings, terracotta roofs and impressive harbour. Perhaps the best views are to be found by taking the bizarre Elevador de Santa Justa, an iron passenger lift built by an apprentice of Eiffel, to Bairra Alto and enjoy a coffee in the café at the top. From the Santa Cruz quarter of cobbled streets and compact houses inside the old Moorish castle walls, to the imposing Jéronimos Monastery in the Belém district, the visitor is reminded of the rich heritage of this seafaring nation and the essential part Portugal played in the Age of Discovery.