Portuguese symphony: Lisbon – a city of rain and the magic of centuries A report for Caliber.Az

My visit to Portugal to cover the European Trampoline and Tumbling Championships was also marked by an introduction to this remarkable country and its capital.

Portugal is extraordinary in almost every way — its nature, its people, and the way those people relate to that very nature. You begin to notice this the moment your plane starts its descent into the airport of the Portuguese capital — the city of Lisbon, which locals call Lisboa, while many Europeans refer to it as Lisbon. Why its name is rendered as “Lissabon” in Russian remains something of a mystery to me.

Be that as it may, let us leave that question for another time and return to the airport. It is located remarkably close to the city centre: as the aircraft approaches for landing, it flies almost directly over the rooftops of neat, orderly houses. And the first thing that strikes and delights you is that both the city itself and its suburbs are immersed in greenery. Considering that Lisbon is the largest port city in Portugal, situated on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, what surprised me most was its pristine coastline — untouched by cafés, villas, or any kind of barriers.

The Portuguese capital pleases the eye with its clean streets, modest houses, and towering skyscrapers that blend so harmoniously into the cityscape that one gets the impression they were built at least a couple of centuries ago.

Arriving in Portugal and not visiting the famous Estádio da Luz – the home ground of the legendary S.L. Benfica – would have been, for me as a journalist who also writes about sport, a real omission. So I set off there.

Ranked among the 20 best football stadiums in Europe, the arena is instantly captivating from the very entrance. Everywhere you look, there are reminders of the club’s star players, its emblem in the form of an eagle, and numerous other details — including a boutique filled with various accessories bearing the “Eagles” logo, ranging from sports kits to even everyday sweets.

A full-scale tour of Estádio da Luz, which holds 68,000 spectators, costs 24 euros. In return, you are given a 90-minute opportunity to explore the club’s glorious history and see unique exhibits up close.

There is truly everything here. Even the display dedicated to the club’s greatest legend, Eusébio, features his boots, playing kit, and gifts presented to him by other global football stars. Among them are especially carefully preserved items: a gift from Soviet goalkeeper Lev Yashin — a fur ushanka hat — and the kit of English forward Bobby Charlton.

International trophies are also on display here, won not only by footballers, but also by rugby, basketball, volleyball athletes, and others. The football pitch itself — where not so long ago our Qarabağ FK sensationally defeated S.L. Benfica in the Champions League — is maintained in perfect condition at any time of the year, as is the team’s dressing room, where each player has his own locker.

At this point, I believe enough has been said about sport, and I will move on to a topic that is tempting and attractive to almost everyone: shopping. Right opposite Estádio da Luz, literally across the road, stands the largest shopping centre not only in Portugal but on the entire Iberian Peninsula — Centro Colombo, with more than 400 shops and numerous restaurants and cafés.

Although it has only three floors, it is nevertheless enormous in scale, and I would describe it as a “European version of the Dubai Mall,” but with much more affordable prices. On the lowest level, there is a hypermarket of equally vast proportions.

So, be prepared to spend at least six to seven hours exploring this shopping centre — especially if you come with your significant other — and also be ready for the fact that in Lisbon, at almost any moment, particularly in spring, rain can suddenly pour down. So don’t head out for a walk without a hat, unless you want to carry an umbrella everywhere you go.

Those who have more free time but a smaller budget would be better off visiting outlet centres. Or rather, one in particular — the largest in Europe: Freeport Lisboa Fashion Outlet, with a total area of — attention! — 75,000 square metres.

It is located in the suburbs of the Portuguese capital, in the town of Alcochete, and you can reach it by bus from Rossio Station.

That is where you will truly be able to shop for an entire year in one go. But try, if possible, to visit it on the last Thursday of the month, when already low prices are further reduced. At that point, favourite brands such as Armani, Burberry, Diesel, Tommy Hilfiger, and Trussardi can be purchased at prices at least twice lower than in other shopping centres in Lisbon, and three to four times lower than in Baku.

Those for whom spiritual nourishment matters more than shopping will find this Western European city interesting on virtually every street and in every district. Therefore, trying to list all its sights would be like attempting to retell War and Peace.

Simply come to Lisbon and walk through its streets. Believe me, even the rain is unable to overshadow this beauty and the magic of centuries…

By Vugar Vugarli, Lisbon, specially for Caliber.Az