An urban feast of contradictions

LISBON is a city of quiet contradictions.

Once overlooked as a tourist destination, the Portuguese capital now holds rising star status.

Its narrow cobbled streets and steep hills, once the domain of spice traders and intrepid explorers, now welcomes a new age of discovery. Boasting 2,800 hours of sunshine a year; 14 UNESCO World Heritage monuments, eight eclectic Bairros and a coastline of sandy beaches, palaces, cliffs and casinos; Lisbon’s cultural and geographical diversity isn’t simply a recommendation — it’s the star attraction.