Washing hangs from ancient balconies, Moorish alleys twist round dark corners and the Lisboetas fill a thousand cafes and restaurants with animated Latin chatter. Rattling trams and rusty elevators add to the period feel – like Paris in the 1920s, some say. However, things have been changing. European Union funding and developers with an eye for investment have combined to transform many city streets.
Lisbon was thrust into the spotlight when it hosted the prestigious European football championships. This honour galvanised the city into a clean-up and its central squares – long marred by dusty construction work on underground car parks – emerged tidy and welcoming. Lisbon is more confident and sophisticated now and enough of the ‘old’ Lisbon survives to make the city a likeable and rewarding location
