Episode 2 Getaways

-Welcome to the travel show where we go where you want.

-This week, we're in Lisbon

and as well as visiting the city, we'll find what else the region has to offer.

On our website, we asked for your tips

on what to do and what to avoid.

We've taken them and we're going to rate and review them

for ourselves and for you at home.

It takes two hours and 40 minutes to fly directly from Dublin

to Portugal's capital, Lisbon.

It's a city famous for its culture, architecture, maritime history,

natural harbour and its nearby beaches.

The main question we're asking now, is, should people

forget about the Algarve and come to Lisbon as a city break?

I know Portugal is famous for the golf holidays,

but is it going to be nice 'cos it is so close to the coast

and I want to get to the beach.

You're never more than half an hour away from a beach,

so you can combine a sand and a city holiday.

Lisbon is one of the oldest cities in the world that predates

Rome, Paris and London by hundreds of years and was

founded by the Romans

and has had the Moors and the Spanish as lodgers.

A massive earthquake and tsunami hit Lisbon in 1755,

destroying nearly all of the city.

But despite this, there are still beautiful examples of architecture

from lots of eras, to see.

Here, you'll find everything from medieval quarters

with narrow streets and traditionally tiled houses,

to wide open parks with bold, futuristic architecture.

Lisbon is built on seven hills, so there are loads of places to go

and get great views of the city.

Don't worry, lazy people, there are plenty of buses, trams

and funiculars to get you there.

Based on what you've told us on our website,

we've come up with our top five things to do in Lisbon.

At number five, you recommended a great way to get to know Lisbon...

Take the tram.

You told us to take the Tram 28.

It is one of Lisbon's city trams

but it's also a popular tourist attraction

because it goes through all of the well-known places in the city.

I'm travelling from Camoes Square to Portas do Sol near the castle.

The tickets for the tram are only three euro

and you can hop on and hop off anywhere.

It's a rickety experience but I think it's lovely and old-fashioned

and definitely a thing to do in Lisbon.

A popular stopping off point is Alfama,

or Lisbon's Old Town district,

which is where you'll find the Castle of St George.

The castle is built on the highest of Lisbon's seven hills,

overlooking the city and it's the city's most well-known landmark

because of the history associated with it and the beautiful views.

It's well worth a visit.

For the history buffs out there, the oldest part of the castle

dates from the 6th century.

The castle served as a Moorish royal residence

until the time of the Crusades.

This is the first king of Portugal, Dom Afonso Henriques

and he conquered Lisbon in 1147.

After that, the Castle St George began its golden age

as the home to royalty.

English crusaders helped the first king conquer the Moors to take

the city and the castle was subsequently named

after St George, the patron saint of England.

This friendship led to the Anglo-Portuguese Pact of 1373,

a trade alliance that's still in force today

and means that Portugal is England's oldest ally.

But it's not just the history that draws tourists and locals alike,

it's the setting.

At the castle, as well as 360 degree views of the city,

you'll find an Interpretation Centre,

restaurant, gallery, church and gardens.

The castle is open from 9 to 9 daily.

Outside the castle walls

the old town is still a residential area

and you'll also find souvenir shops, cafes and restaurants.

Whilst Aoibhinn explores the Old Town,

I wanted to visit a unique collection,

the only type of its kind in the world and a Lisbon speciality.

As you walk around Lisbon,

you can't help but notice the amount of buildings and houses

decorated with very beautiful, ornate tiles.

They're a very big deal over here.

So much so, they have their own museum dedicated to them.

I know what you're thinking, I'm probably not the sort of man

you'd expect to be interested in tiles.

But, seeing as it's housed in an old monastery

and some of the tiles go back as long as five centuries ago,

this isn't like an average visit to a DIY shop.

Now, undoubtedly, there are miles of tiles in piles of styles,

but this is the most popular attraction.

Made in 1705, it's 23 metres long

and depicts the city of Lisbon before the great earthquake.

We asked you for your recommendations for places to see in Lisbon

and the number four choice from these suggestions,

is the historic port area of Belem.

For centuries, it was a hugely important commercial

and strategic centre for the Portuguese.

I asked ex-pat, Barry Ryan, about the attraction of Belem.

It's kind of a place which sums up the history of Portugal.

The beautiful monuments celebrating the age of discoveries

from the time when they used to go out into India and Africa.

The guy at the front is called Henry The Navigator.

It's pretty amazing. He was this very eccentric guy.

He spent his whole life investing and building ships

and believed the world was round.

He never saw the fruit of his labour

because he died in the 1460s.

Belem is located four miles from the city centre

and another landmark in this district is the Jeronimos Monastery.

Vasco da Gama, who discovered the sea route to India, is buried here.

We also visited the nearby Belem Tower.

This was built as a symbol of Portugal's important role

in the Golden Age of Discovery.

One famous visitor was Christopher Columbus, who stopped

here on his way home after discovering the new world.

Over the years, the Belem Tower has been a fortress,

a custom's house, a prison, a lighthouse and a telegraph tower.

It's now one of Lisbon's most popular tourist attractions.

Once you've ticked off the monuments on the must-see list,

then you'll be glad to try something else that Belem's famous for.

When you've seen all the sites in Belem,

you have to finish it off with the Pastel de Belem, the custard tart.

They say it's the finest custard tart in Portugal.

Nice, gooey centre, crispy topping.

Oh, my God, that's gorgeous. Very sweet.

That is good after a long day's walking.

It's a city for explorers

and whilst Aoibhinn's filling her face with tarts,

I've discovered something that combines history,

architecture and transport.

This, is without a doubt, my favourite landmark in all of Lisbon.

This Santa Justa Elevator.

Many will tell you it was designed by Eiffel,

he of Parisian tower fame.

It actually wasn't.

It was designed by a Portuguese pupil of his called Du Ponsard.

This neo-Gothic structure will give you astonishing views of the city.

The Santo Justa Elevator must be one of the few lifts in the world

that's been classified as a National Monument.

Once you've taken the internal lift then you climb a spiral staircase

o reach the viewing deck and cafe.

It's open from 7am until 11pm.

In high season, we'd recommend visiting early, or late,

to avoid the queues.

Lisbon is Europe's most westerly capital,

meaning it's a great place to watch the sunset.

Once night falls, you told us we need to sample the best of the

city's nightlife which brings us to the next of the top five.

In one of Lisbon's oldest quarters

you'll fine the city's cultural and bohemian heart.

When it comes to music and nightlife,

Lisbon punches well above its weight, pretty much

every international DJ has come through the city to play here.

It has music festivals throughout the summer.

If you're not here for those and you still want to get your dance on,

come here to Barrio Alto.

One of the hottest tickets in town is for Lux,

a nightclub owned by super cool Hollywood actor, John Malkovich.

The one thing you've got to remember, is,

chucking out time back home is going out time over here.

A night on the tiles seems appropriate for Lisbon,

but I was looking for something a bit more authentic

and you suggested we catch a bit of Fado,

Portugal's traditional music.

Now I like almost any type of traditional music

and Fado is very popular here.

It might not be everyone's cup of tea,

but if you want to know more, there is a museum in Lisbon

dedicated to the music.

We've identified our top five from your recommendations

for things to do on holiday in Lisbon.

It's time for number two

and it's an excursion to the nearby town of Sintra.

Sintra is a 30 minute drive from Lisbon.

It's surrounded by lush, green hills

and has a lovely fairytale charm to it.

It's famous for its romantic architecture

and was once the summer residence of the Portuguese royal family.

Lots of you said we should come here to see the palaces,

churches and museums.

You also told us to take the journey up the hill to the Moorish castle

which was renovated in the 19th century.

It's a bit of a hike up here

but the castle gives great views over the countryside.

The thing to do here, is to walk around the castle walls.

But just be sure you're ready for a workout.

This is a gorgeous little town and what sets off the atmosphere

even more, is the street lamps actually play music.

I've never seen that before.

And who knows what else what you might come across?

Men in uniform, what else does a girl need on holiday?

I thought it was lovely, but a bit of a tourist trap.

It's hectic with visitors.

My top tip is to visit during the week to avoid

the crowds at the weekend.

Here are some more of your suggestions for a visit to Lisbon.

Like most capital cities, Lisbon has a good selection of parks, museums

and galleries that you should take time to check out.

The Park of Nations is where you'll find some of the best

modern architecture in Lisbon

and is also home to the Oceanarium, another of your must-sees.

The Oceanarium is one of the largest in Europe

and over a million people visit every year.

If marine life's your thing, then you'll love these giant tanks,

including the star turn, rare sunfish.

This state-of-the-art Oceanarium

recreates different ocean eco-systems,

including, a North Atlantic tank, a Tropical Indian tank,

an Antarctic tank, and a Temperate Pacific tank

with, oh, so cute, sea otters.

A great way to see the Park of Nations

is to take a ride on the cable car.

But the one place I really wanted to see,

is a monument to the beautiful game.

Welcome to Benfica Stadium.

Now, like most nations, in Portugal, football is a religion,

but more so here.

The Portuguese refer to this place as the Cathedral.

The Benfica Stadium, also known as the Stadium of Light,

is the biggest in Portugal and was built for the 2004

European Championship.

There are daily tours which take you behind the scenes.

So far, so typical for a stadium tour.

But what separates Benfica from your Man Uniteds, Chelseas

and Barcelonas is the team's star attraction,

pest control and team mascot all in one.

-Hey, Francisco.

-Hey, how are you?

-You well?

-Fine, always fine.

So, you have two eagles, I see.

Yes, this one, his name is Victoria and she does fly before the match.

-Around the stadium?

-Around the stadium, exactly, amazing.

-That is a good pre-match show, right there.

-It's amazing.

To be honest, it is hugely impressive to be here,

-even in an empty stadium. This holds 65,000 people?

-65,000.

At this moment, it is the biggest stadium of Portugal

and when we have 60,000, 65,000 here watching a match, it's amazing.

I work here all days but when I'm here for a game,

-it's totally different.

-Francisco, thank you very much.

-Nice to meet you, hope you enjoyed it.

-Birds, stay cool, see you later.

-Victoria and Little Friend.

-That's Little Friend?

30,000 people visit this stadium every year

and everyone gets one of these, a certificate saying you've done

the tour with emotion and pride at every step.

This means I get a game next Saturday, right?

I will bring my own ball and everything. Yeah, cool, brilliant.

But you don't have to go abroad to go on holiday.

Joe is checking out a short-break that is closer to home.

It could be said that it is every parent's duty to

take their kids camping at least once.

But what if you are not exactly the outdoors type?

Well, you can go glamping.

Your kids will go that taste of nature

and you don't have to give up any of your luxuries.

Teapot Lane Glamping Site is located in north Leitrim, near Bundoran,

on the border of Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal.

Only a 2½ hour drive from Belfast and just over three hours

from Dublin it has four yurts and two holiday cottages

set in four acres of woodland.

With a number of beaches nearby,

it's a great location for a quiet weekend away.

I'm familiar with glamping from music festivals

but a lot of people wouldn't be. Sell glamping to me.

Well, it is as it says, glamorous camping.

You get the experience of camping with a little bit of luxury.

You have proper beds, you have your bed linen,

you have a stove inside to keep you warm.

And you have all your facilities outdoors for a camp fire

and a totally different unique experience.

Is it kind of cheating because it is a scale up from camping?

Well, it is and it isn't!

I don't think it has to be a painful experience,

and it is weather-proof.

Ireland, the weather is not always perfect

so it is really nice to have somewhere warm and dry to stay

and have the fun of camping and being in the outdoors.

OK, let's have a closer look at the yurts.

The exterior does not scream glam

but let's go and have a look at the interior.

The yurts can sleep two to four people and if the wee ones are staying

you can squeeze in a few more.

This is an absolute world away from camping. This is wonderful.

Why would you want to stay in a hotel?

This is a first for me.

I am about go foraging for the food I am about to eat which you

should not do at home unless you know what you're doing.

Thankfully, I have a local herbalist, Marina, here to help me.

We are going to go looking for stuff?

Are we going to find anything that might possibly kill me or other people?

No, you will not find anything that will kill you,

but it is important to know what to look for.

If you are going foraging, have a guide book with you.

What is the best time of year to go foraging?

The best time of year is early spring,

when things are youngest and more tender.

Let's get a forage on. Let's do it.

-OK, Marina, what do we have here?

-OK, so this is the elder tree.

You probably recognise it. It grows all over Ireland.

It is a wonderful plant.

We use it a lot for fevers and also for hay fever.

Also for catarrh, you know that runny mucus.

-We will be tasty and mucus free.

-Exactly!

-Where do we go next?

We are going to head this way. These are nettles.

It is full of lots of minerals

an especially iron so we use it a lot for anaemia.

We are going to harvest some of these young tops to make pesto.

It is not going to sting you once we make it into pesto

and it will be really tasty.

Right next to us here, you will recognise this as well, probably?

-Sticky-backs?

-From your childhood.

We used to throw it at each other. It is great.

We'll chop it up quite fine and we can mix it into our salad. Here we have some nasturtiums.

They have a really nice peppery taste to them. Taste one.

We are going to pick one of the leaves as well.

-So we have got all our ingredients?

-We are ready to go.

-We have hunted, we have gathered, let us cook.

-Yes, brilliant.

-After you.

Now it wouldn't be my usual choice but on the menu today is nettle pesto.

You can make pesto out of anything that is green and edible.

It doesn't just have to be basil. We are going to throw in some oil.

A little bit of salt and pepper is good.

And we are going to put in some pine nuts.

And then a tiny bit of lemon juice as well.

Is there anything I can do to help you out?

You can chop up some of those leaves there.

Chop up a tiny bit of that sticky-back,

some of these plantain leaves as well and then,

our nasturtium leaves, I just ripped up a few of them.

And we have some chickweed there. That's perfect.

You can throw that there on to the salad, mix it all in there.

-Grab some of the pesto out of here.

-Oh, my goodness.

Then I will get you to drizzle on some of our herb oil.

It's made from some herbs from the garden. That's it.

A quick and easy lunch made out of just what we can find here at Teapot Lane.

-Good?

-Mmm.

-Sticky-back never tasted so good.

It explodes, all the tastes just explode.

The pepper explodes in your mouth. Amazing.

If you fancy a glamping break at Teapot Lane,

a four-person yurt costs from 180 euros

for a two-night midweek break.

Teapot Lane is only 11 kilometres from the beaches of Bundoran,

where I wanted to fulfil another long held ambition.

Being a man weaned on Westerns as a child,

it has always been my dream to ride tall in the saddle.

Well, up here in Bundoran, you surely can, partner.

Hello, there. Hello, Mairead.

I will warn you, if this fine beast is called anything like Killer

or Bucker, I am not getting on it.

-No, this is Bishop.

-Hello, Bishop. He is a big fella, isn't he?

-He is indeed.

-That is pretty far to fall, to be honest, like.

All right, well, we'll get started.

-Squeeze with both legs and ask him to walk on.

-Walk on.

The next thing we are going to try is a little trot. Push yourself up.

And down. Up and down.

Oh! Is difficult to get the rhythm, to be fair.

OK, I agree, I don't make it look easy or glamourous

and I'm not going to win any Olympic golds any time soon,

but it definitely brought out my inner cowboy.

Giddy up, Bishop.

If you fancy a turn in the saddle, the Donegal Equestrian Centre

offers a wide range of lessons from one-to-one to groups.

This is the bit that makes it really special.

You get to bring the horse down to the beach. Look at this.

It's just beautiful.

And I understand why John Wayne walked the way he did.

Come on, Bishop, let's go, boy.

Back on my own two feet and I am still foraging,

this time for a unique bathing experience.

Apparently, it is very soothing.

After that horse ride, believe me, parts of me really need that.

This time, I'm not going to be eating what I'm foraging,

but nonetheless, seaweed has some magical powers.

It is said to cure arthritis,

skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis.

And they are used in a bath?

Is this a new thing or has it been going on for a while?

There is a tradition of baths in the area, in particular there is

a family that have been operating baths for over 100 years.

Wow. I think I got a wee bit more here.

I was a little bit enthusiastic. I got caught up in the moment.

Now the seaweed has been picked it has to be prepared.

What happens is, first of all it is washed,

to get rid of bits of shell and perhaps the occasional baby crab.

It is brought over to these tubs here.

Hot water is poured over them to blanch it

because that helps bring out the essential oils in it.

And then it goes into the bath which already has some heated,

filtered sea water.

A nice salty bath of goodness right there.

This is the first part,

you going to a steam cabinet for ten minutes which opens up your pores

so when you go into the bath it helps absorb all those nutrients.

And before you ask,

I am not auditioning for a role in Doctor Who.

And look at this, form an orderly queue, ladies.

And, no, you don't end up smelling like a fish.

It just feels like being in a beautiful, warm, oily, watery bath.

I can feel it absorbing into me. It's great.

Back in Lisbon, we have been selecting our top five

choices from your recommendations of things to see and do here.

It is time to reveal our number one choice.

It seems that despite all of the cultural delights on offer

in Lisbon, not surprisingly, the one thing that floated your boat

more than anything, is the fact that it is so easy to get to the beach.

If you like getting the sand between your toes,

you can take the train for a half hour outside the city and go to Estoril.

Half-an-hour and four euro later you are transported from the city to the coast.

The trains go every 20 minutes and they ran as late as 1:30am

so you can go for a day trip and make a night of it as well.

We visited in June and the beach was not too busy.

But it can get packed in summer as people can get here

so easily from the city.

There's a range of beaches all within 20 to 30 minutes

from Lisbon, so it was easy to combine a city and beach break.

The beach here is absolutely immaculate

and this is one of the reasons why.

Portable ashtrays.

Take it from the wee holder, stick it in the sand, splash your ash,

close the lid, empty it in the bin. Bish, bash, bosh, done.

Estoril was once known as the playground for the rich

of Europe and it still retains some faded grandeur.

And you really don't need to go to the Algarve to find a good golf course.

There are more than 20 courses located between 30 minutes

and an hour-and-a-half away from Lisbon.

If golf's not your thing, then there are other ways to find your fun.

In fact, you will find the largest casino in Europe right here.

Now, Estoril may be popular for people who love the beach

and indeed, the casino, but if you are a film fan,

this is worth a visit, the Hotel Palacio,

featured in the 1968 Bond film on Her Majesty's Secret Service.

And worth noting that both the concierge

and the doorman from the film still work here.

-Good morning, Sir.

-Hello, sir.

WHISTLES JAMES BOND THEME

There's no doubt Estoril offers a great alternative to the hustle

and bustle of Lisbon City.

And there's a good selection of hotels to choose from.

We recommend the Hotel Londres a three-star hotel that is good

for families and a double room here will cost from 54 euro per night.

This price is based on two sharing and includes breakfast.

Back in Lisbon, we stayed in the Marques de Pombal, a four-star hotel

with 123 rooms.

The hotel is located in the historic centre of Lisbon.

We particularly liked the funky headboards.

You'll be paying from 71 euros per person, per night,

based on two sharing.

If you are looking for a smaller, boutique hotel,

then we liked the look of the Heritage Avenue Liberdade,

a beautifully restored 18th century Lisbon town house.

This boutique hotel will set you back from 70 euro per person,

per night based on two sharing.

We booked our hotels and flights separately

and we travelled with Aer Lingus, who fly to Lisbon from Dublin.

For more information about Getaways visit:

On our website you will find lots more of your recommendations

for places to see and things to do when you are in Lisbon.

-So what did you make of Lisbon?

-It was a real surprise.

I didn't expect to find as much as we did here.

My highlight of the trip would have to be the town of Sintra.

-It is cute and magical and well worth a visit.

-Absolutely.

To be honest, mine is quite abstract.

Mine would be the nightlife here. You can find every type of music.

Lisbon people really know how to party.

You can come here and have an absolute ball.

So it is a good alternative to the Algarve, not just a city break, would you agree?

Absolutely, I would completely agree.

You have got to come here, I would come back. That is it from Lisbon.

We will see you next time on Getaways.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd