They’re about to throw a party here, and they’re calling it Expo ’98. Good one? Well, it has all the signs — including, of course, all the signs.
If there were ever an excuse needed to see Lisbon and the rest of undervisited, underappreciated Portugal, this summer’s elaborate paean to the world’s oceans might be it –even if right now the capital is kind of a mess. A November visit found sidewalks torn up, airport access a maze of confusion and main plazas (and their monuments) behind plywood barriers. Cranes were everywhere. So was scaffolding. So were apologies.
“Beautiful city,” I said to Pedro, who runs the front desk at Lisbon’s Hotel Britannia.
“Not now,” he said, with a gentle smile.
“Even now,” I assured him.
Because despite all the work in progress, Lisbon remains Lisbon, a town whose historic core bears a vague resemblance to Barcelona in one direction and Fez in the other. Differences from both emerge quickly, however, in language, cuisine, architecture and pace –the last a little slower and somehow sweeter than that of either of its cousins.
For visitors, Lisbon is the Castelo de Sao Jorge, on the hilltop where the city was settled by the Phoenicians long before Rome took over; the Alfama, the old quarter that softly projects the city’s Moorish period; the fabulous monastery and fortress-tower at Belem; and, perhaps closest to its heart, fado, whose songs possess a melancholy heightened by customers who know just when to join in the singing. To visit Lisbon or nearby Coimbra and not experience a fado club past midnight is like seeing Italy and skipping pasta.
But Americans don’t visit much. In 1996, nearly 9 million U.S. citizens came to Europe, a record; only 223,589 of them landed in Portugal, down slightly from 1995, which was down slightly from 1994. In 1995, according to the most recent International Trade Administration figures, among Western European countries only Norway and Finland attracted fewer Americans; neighboring Spain lured 610,000, nearly triple Portugal’s number.
“We’re trying to get more tourists to come to Portugal,” said Gorete Correia of the Portuguese National Tourist Office in New York. “Once people come to Portugal, they spread the word. It’s really a discovery for them.”
Those who do come quickly make this pleasant discovery: Portugal at this writing is one of a handful of European countries whose prices are kind to American travelers.
Three days in Lisbon followed by a seven-day meander about the countryside found good hotel rooms in the capital and hinterlands available for $100 or less, sometimes much less; entire suites in government-run pousadas, several of them former castles converted to luxury hotels, could be had for $175 (double, including breakfast) — half what comparable lodging would cost in, say, Scotland.
Complete dinners for two, with house wine, averaged about $25; even in the spiffier joints, it was almost impossible to spend more than $50 without serious upgrades on beverages.
In a Coimbra fado bar, the total bill for two hours of entertainment plus five well-spaced glasses of port: $11.
Bargains aside, what’s in Portugal?
– Portuguese, obviously. We found them to be a proud people, polite, tolerant and, in general, gracious hosts. In Lisbon and in places likely to attract tourists (hotels, restaurants, shops), English was widely spoken and understood; where it wasn’t, a mix of phrase-book Portuguese and patience got the job done painlessly.
– A cuisine remarkably varied for a country roughly the size of Oregon. Mostly, seafood rules, with preparations ranging from simple grilling over coals (fresh sardines, big ones, are a wonder) to complex stews with hints of North Africa. Baby clams in an olive oil and garlic-infused broth, or sauteed with chunks of pork, are addictive; octopus preparations challenge the squeamish but excite the adventurous; and little cakes fashioned from dried codfish prepare the palate for other fish with strange shapes and strange names that, somehow, are always delicious. Porto, internationally famous for the wine that carries its name, is renowned here for its gastronomic treatment of tripe. Inland, particularly in towns near the Spanish border, there’s lamb and kid (commonly in stews), wild boar, rabbit and roast suckling pig.
Always, there are enticing soups, satisfying wines and hearty breads. If you never liked olives outside a martini, you will after you eat a couple of hundred of these. And expect to see and sample something called acorda, a white glop made of bread, raw egg, cilantro and, classically, dried cod that’s invariably and inexplicably found at family feasts.
– Tiles and ceramics. Lots of them. Tiles on interior and exterior walls, ceramics in shops and markets. They are irresistible.
– Castles, some left by the Moors, some (as in Obidos) with lovely whitewashed villages within their ancient walls. Palaces built by kings and slept in by explorers. Roman ruins. Great cathedrals and monasteries that reflect the wealth of Portugal’s imperial heyday. Just enough museums for rainy days. Orchards of olive trees. Ancient forests. Rugged hills and dusty rangeland. Beaches and resort towns that cater to those of us who love them, fishing villages little changed throughout the centuries and stretches of coastline preserved for solitary contemplation.
– And, with some secondary exceptions, good roads to speed you or ease you (your option) to all of it.
For the majority of travelers from overseas, those roads begin in Lisbon, though most of the country’s special things — from cuisine to castles to cathedrals — are available in some form either right in the capital or within a day-trip by train or bus.
In other words, Lisbon and Portugal shouldn’t have needed Expo ’98 to give folks an incentive to come. But they’re building it anyway, calling it “The Last World’s Fair of the 20th Century.”
Set for May 22 through Sept. 30, the fair’s subtitle is “The Oceans, a Heritage for the Future.” It belongs here; until the time of Columbus and Portugal’s own Vasco da Gama, the Western edge of the world for Europeans (at least the non-Viking ones) was at Sagres, a Portuguese village on a thumb that poked into the Atlantic. Beyond was darkness and tales of sea monsters.
Sea monsters, therefore, will be a daily feature of Expo ’98. So will other exhibits, laser shows and all levels of entertainment. But the architectural centerpiece will be the Ocean Pavilion designed by the same folks (Cambridge Seven Associates, near Boston) who created the National Aquarium on Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. It will be Europe’s largest aquarium (only Osaka’s in Japan — same designer — is bigger); its central tank, representing the open sea, will hold live (at the beginning, anyway) specimens ranging from sardines to sharks.
The Portuguese expect 8 million people to tour the fair during its 4 1/2 months, half those from outside the country. So speaking nautically, the fair’s the hook. But the payoff for anyone who bites will be surprising Lisbon and marvelous Portugal.
“You eat here tonight,” promised a waiter in the doorway at Bota Alta, a little eatery in the capital’s Bairro Alta district, “and I promise you’ll come back again.”
We ate there that night. We came back again.
So it will be with Portugal.
MORE CHARMING COASTAL TOWNS
Portugal’s two largest cities — Lisbon and Porto — are enough reason to come here, but smaller towns along the coast and in the interior have their charms as well. Some to consider for your itinerary:
Sintra: A day-trip from the capital, easily reached by frequent trains, this is a photogenic town that boasts a Moorish castle, two palaces (the Palacio Nacional da Pena, up the hill, is a riot) and enough shops and restaurants to absorb its heavy tourist load.
Obidos: Another tourist magnet, and rightly so, its castle has been converted to a pousada whose dining room is exquisite; within the castle walls is a sparkling, wonderfully preserved whitewashed town worthy of a leisurely visit or overnight stay.
Alcobaca, Batalha: Minutes apart, each town is home to a monastery that will leave you searching for adjectives — and extra film.
Bucaco: Two attractions here: an ancient forest unlike any you’re likely to have seen, and the expensive Palace Hotel, once the favorite home of Portugal’s last queen and still a treasure. If you can’t book one of the hotel’s larger rooms (all run about $175/double, and the tiny rooms are, well, really tiny), save your money and settle for strolling the gardens.
Nazare: The guidebooks lament the loss of its old fishing-village quaintness. Not having seen what it was, we found it to be a neat resort town with lots of tempting outdoor seafood joints; in summer, when the beaches are loaded, it must be quite the scene. A mom-and-pop storefront restaurant behind the town square, Casa dos Becos, was one of our favorites.
Coimbra: Its hilltop university, founded in the 13th Century, is one of Europe’s most renowned; the library’s gilded interior must be seen. In all, this is a lively, atmospheric small city with nice little restaurants (we loved Ze Neto), fado (especially on weekends) and acres of tiles for sale. Roman ruins at Conimbriga are a worthwhile 30-minute drive.
Marvao: A pretty village topped by a fine old castle whose walls offer great views of Portugal on one side and Spain on the other. The view of Spain is also enjoyed from the restaurant in the very nice pousada below the castle.
Estremoz: Its pousada — another converted castle — is truly dazzling. The town may not have the manicured ambience of Sintra or Obidos, but it’s special: Some of its streets are paved in local marble (in fact, decorative marble is everywhere), and its ceramics are some of the most colorful around. We wanted to stay a week.
Lagos: The Algarve, on the southern coast, is supposed to be Portugal’s answer to Spain’s Costa del Sol. In the offseason its charms pretty much eluded us, and that also goes for Lagos — but we did find its morning fish market amazing: things we’d never seen, many of them still flapping.
Sagres: A historic location worth a stop just to say you’ve been there, though aside from some dramatic views of the sea from its cliffs, there’s not much to see.
Setubal: An industrial port city across the Tejo River from Lisbon, it has beaches nearby and, yes, another castle-pousada, this one with a magical view (day or night) of the city and harbor. (Some rooms, former dungeon cells, are viewless; though acceptable, request a view-room when reserving.)
DETAILS ON PORTUGAL
Getting there: British Airways has direct flights between Lisbon and Chicago with a stop in London for as little as $388 (plus airport taxes, about $70) through March 31 (there are restrictions, and all prices are subject to change). KLM will get you there through Feb. 28 for $428 plus tax. In both cases, that rises to about $1,100 after June 15. Buying separate tickets for Chicago-London and London-Lisbon (you can mix or match airlines), or using other European cities as hubs, may save some cash; check with your travel agent.
Getting around: Lisbon is compact and well-served by easy-to-use public transportation; its rickety old trams (about 85 cents a ride) are especially fun. Cabs are metered and inexpensive. Trains and buses connect the major cities, but driving will provide the best sense of the country. Distances are short, which is good, because gas prices are high; roads, for the most part, are excellent. Rental companies and rates are about the same as in the U.S.
Staying there: Even in Lisbon, hotel rates are reasonable, especially for Europe. Outside the city, government-operated pousadas — some of them converted castles and most of them wonderful — should be booked as far in advance as possible.
Dining there: An adventure and a joy, especially for lovers of fresh seafood, and a true bargain. Though tourist-oriented restaurants frequently will have multilingual menus and staff, do some pre-trip research and bring a phrase book or you may wind up being served something you thought was extinct.
Expo ’98: Tickets, sold through travel agents here or at the fairgrounds, start at 5,000 escudos (currently about $28) for one-day tickets, half that for seniors older than 65 and for kids 5-14 (younger children are free); discounted three-day, three-month and nighttime-only tickets also will be available.
Information: For general information on Portugal and Expo ’98, call the Portuguese National Tourist Office at 800-PORTUGAL; or visit its Web site at www.portugal.org. The Web site for the fair is www.expo98.pt.
———-
Alan Solomon’s e-mail address is alsolly@aol.com.
