Hi there, my partner and I will have two full days and nights in Lisbon pre-cruise in early November 2009.

I would very much appreciate Foderites' suggestions for an itinerary to follow.

We like walking around historic districts, visiting museums and being exposed to local culture and crafts. We are not much on shopping or clubbing...but would go to a club to hear great music if it were available (fado, maybe!).

We like eating in restaurants that serve local/regional dishes and would appreciate your help finding some of these. I particularly want to find a good place for bacalhau!

Recommendations for the part of the City to stay in and for accommodation would be appreciated too...we don't much like the 'could be anywhere' international chains. We also don't want to spend an arm and a leg on over the top 'boutiques'. Reasonably priced locally owned and operated hotels as well as pensiones and B&B's are just fine.

Fodorites have supplied excellent advice for other trips and I look forward to hearing from you experts about what you suggest for this one.

Many thanks

Some places we enjoyed in Lisbon last year:

Stop do Bairro, Rua Tenente Ferreira Durao 55A in the neighborhood of Campo de Ourique. This was a great storefront restaurant, unpretentious and filled with locals, decorated with soccer memorabilia, and a long typed menu that apparently changes daily.

Cervejaria Trindade, Rua Nova da Trindade 20C. On a steep street bordering the Chiado and Bairro Alto, in an old monastery with walls tiled in the traditional Portuguese tiles. In all the tourist guides, so you won't be alone, but a good assortment of dishes including good seafood.

Caldo Verde, Travessa Poco da Cidade, 40 Bairro Alto. A small informal spot in the Bairro Alto for fado, not as commercial as some others. Only locals when we were there. Telephone 213 422 091.

Tram 28 winds through the narrow streets of the Alfama district and is very atmospheric.

We stayed at the Hotel Borges with a great location in the Chiado. Reasonable prices. The hotel has seen better days but our room was comfortable, and rooms on the street can be noisy in the summer. In November I doubt that would be a problem. We were given a less comfortable room at first and we were switched to a better one when we asked. Skip breakfast though; there are much better options at the two cafes right outside the door.

You might be interested in my trip report:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35062668

wonderful information nikki, thank you so much. I have bookmarked it all

Be VERY careful in Lisbon, my Daughter & I were in Lisbon a couple of years ago, & she was robbed on the bus that travels through the city....Interesting point in that is that the Police have a separate station just to handle thefs that occur to visitors & MANY people were in there4 reporing theft !!!!!!!!

My favorite restaurant there:

http://www.restaurante-olivier.com/homeing.htm

I really enjoyed wandering around the Alfama. Castelo Sao Jorge had great vantage points around the city.

Here are some photos I took while visiting that you may enjoy:

http://www.flickr.com/search/show/?q...0N00&s=int

thank you flygirl - loved the pix. we share a love of gothic arches, I see.

and, yes, frank, we will be careful!

curious:

You'll enjoy your visit to Lisbon, a lovely city..I strongly second Nikki's suggeston for Caldo Verde for fado...we loved the welcoming ambience. It was her trip report that tipped us on it.

stu t.

I just spent six full days in Lisbon, and could easily have spent longer. (Trip report forthcoming... soon...) Plenty of museums, even if you stay in Lisbon proper and don't go to Belem. With only two days I'd probably spend one day in Lisbon and one in Belem.

I didn't eat bacalhau, but I did eat fabulous chicken (twice) at Bonjardim - cheap and cheerful and in all the books. I stayed at the Residencial Florescente (www.residencialflorescente.com), which has an excellent location, but can have a noise problem, depending on which room you get. Breakfast isn't much, either.
Buy a transport pass - the public transport is excellent, and then you can just hop on and off whenever you want.

Residencial Estrela do Saldanha one block from Saldanha (Metro, Bus & #28 TrolleyBus). Owned / Operated by Carlos Ferreira, a very nice guy.

It's on Avenida da Republica #17, corner Duque de Avila, next door to Pasteleria Versailles (Golden Oldie)MetroLisboa is right at the door.

Around the corner on Duque de Avila there are a couple of inexpensive restaurants.

I've also stayed at a Residencial on 5 D'Outubre (also bears the name of that street). It's about 200m from Estrela do Saldanha. It has an elevator & Continental B'fast is served in a 7th floor Solarium. Both are economical, well located and I would stay in either again.

Let's say I like the neighborhood