The inhabitants of Lisbon love their historic neighborhoods and speak of them with such pride, one can get the sense that each area is distinct from the other. To experience a traditional old town, head to Alfama, an old village where you can wander around narrow streets under the shade of the majestic St George castle uphill. We stopped at Beco do Azinhal and had a typical lunch at Lautasco, very simple and good. Also, visit Chiado, a neighborhood full of history that has now become elegant and upscale, with haute cuisine restaurants and high fashion shops. Stop at Café A Brasileira, where intellectuals used to meet, and shop for beautiful and classic Portuguese china at Vista Alegre nearby. If you end your day at Chiado, a good follow-on is Bairro Alto, the bohemian part of town, where you can get a feeling for Lisbon´s vibrant nightlife, complete with fashionable locals drinking and chatting on its cobbled streets and bars. But do that right after taking a look at São Roque church and its rich golden altar and unique interior. Belém, which is a little further away, deserves a whole day visit given its numerous historical monuments and sites (Monastery of Jeronimos, the Belém Tower, Coach Museum). A must is Pasteis de Belém café, renowned for serving the best “Pastel de Nata” (custard tart) in the whole Portugal.