Lisbon is not a monochrone city, there are so many themes you can explore. And the more of them you include in one travel one, the more diverse your adventures will be. Here are the three main themes you can combine in one tour for Lisbon.
Fado
Music is what makes your surroundings come alive. A few songs, songs that really appeal to you, are capable of giving a whole new meaning to your time in the new city. But don’t bring your own music along, moreover, don’t even start listening to it before Lisbon. It’s much better to see the music once, than hear it a thousand times.
There are hundred bars in Lisbon that offer spectacular Fado concerts. Even if there isn’t a special concert night, the music in Lisbon is always Fado. Live performances are more impressive, so make sure to attend at least one live concert. You can look for them in Alfama in the evenings and on weekends. Take a few CDs back home if you like the genre, you can give a few of them as souvenirs.
Transport
I know it sounds weird, but transport has become a major travel theme. There are museums dedicated to public transport and royal carriages. Both are very interesting, definitely worth a visit. If you are a fan of luxury, the museum of royal carriages will be a good finding.
Ironically, you can see the same transport art in the streets of modern Lisbon. Take a tram and you’ll go through a kind of time travel. There are not so many European cities you can have such retro experience.
Of course, you can take the metro, because it’s easier and quicker, but you’ll lose a valuable travel flavor. Public transport, more specifically trams and buses are somewhat attractions here.
Arts
Art is always popular. It’s one of the main components of travel. However, different cities offer different art. An enormous share of world classic art is located in Paris, dozens of museums and galleries, that’s what the city offers.
While Lisbon also has a lot of galleries, Portuguese art has special flavors. Just the way transport is not a popular museum display, tiles are not art in most of the cities. Not in Lisbon though.
There is even a Tile Museum, which features the tile mosaics found all over the city. Again, the best part of the story is that you can still find tile art in the streets of Lisbon. Wander through more or less historic districts, where footsteps of traditional Portuguese art are still preserved in their best and original form.
These were the main themes you shouldn’t miss. You can naturally focus on any one of them, add new themes, and so on. Whatever you do, make sure to visit the key attractions first and then look off the path.
