PlanetSKI is in Portugal (again): Part 1

12th October 2024

This summer on PlanetSKI we have been reporting on a few of our travels outside of the ski season.

They’ve had, somewhat to our surprise, many thousands of views, great feedback and growing interest.

It seems PlanetSKI readers are in interested in more than just our winter ski travels:

• PlanetSKI is back on the South Downs Way
• PlanetSKI turns into PlanetBEACH
• PlanetSKI in the West Country

We’re now in Portugal.

Partly to write copious amounts of winter feature copy ahead of the season without any distractions.

Also to re-charge the batteries ahead of the rapidly approaching winter season of 2024/25.

We have been to Portugal before in October for these exact reasons.

Portugal, 2022. Image © PlanetSKI

Now we are back, and this time we thought we’d tell you a bit about PlanetSKI’s current autumn hideaway – Lisbon.

We can also report that there is skiing in Portugal.

Just one resort,  Serra da Estrela, that is 220kms north of Lisbon in the Serra da Estrela range.

Portugal. Image © PlanetSKI

More of the skiing at Serra da Estrela later.

Flying in to Lisbon is not dissimilar to flying in/out of Innsbruck in Austria as the flight path goes directly over the city centre with fabulous views of the city below.

Lisbon, Portugal. Image © PlanetSKI

Once in the city the first thing you may notice is the hundreds of electric tuk-tuks and vehicles buzzing about the place.

Not dissimilar to the car-free resorts in the Alps like Zermatt and Saas-Fee.

But somewhat more colourful.

Lisbon, Portugal. Image © PlanetSKI

The first place most tourists head to in Lisbon is the Sao Jorge castle.

We followed suit.

Lisbon, Portugal. Image © PlanetSKI

Lisbon, Portugal. Image © PlanetSKI

The Moorish citadel is one of the city’s most famous landmarks.

It was first built in 1147, but for the sake of accuracy we should say it now appears as it does due to restoration in the 1930’s.

It was reduced to a pile of rubble and rocks after the 1755 earthquake, and remained so until the 20th century restoration.

Lisbon, Portugal. Image © PlanetSKI

There are a few alpine similarities.

The somewhat neater Schloss Ambros in Innsbruck looks down on the Austrian city.

Schloss Ambras, Innsbruck. Image © PlanetSKI

Both castles are re-known for their peacocks.

Innsbruck Ski + City, Schloss Ambras. Image © PlanetSKI

Some are better than others.

Sao Jorge castle, Lisbon, Portugal. Image © PlanetSKI

Sao Jorge castle, Lisbon, Portugal. Image © PlanetSKI

Lisbon has funicular lifts in the city – like many alpine resorts.

Lisbon, Portugal. Image © PlanetSKI

On this one we ate the local delicacy, pastal de nata (custard tart) as we started a full-on day’s site seeing.

Not unlike a small tartiflette on the way up the La Daille funicular lift in Val d’Isere to get sustenance for a day ahead on the slopes of Espace Killy.

And talking of breakast in Lisbon, the Confeitaria Nacional is an absolute must.

Lisbon, Portugal. Image © PlanetSKI

It has been serving peckish people in the morning since 1829.

Lisbon, Portugal. Image © PlanetSKI

Many ski resorts have a ‘Stairway to Heaven’ including Kicking Horse in Canada and Verbier in Switzerland.

Kicking Horse, Canada. Image © PlanetSKI

There is a ‘Stairway to Heaven’ in Confeitaria Nacional.

Lisbon, Portugal. Image © PlanetSKI

And it leads to this.

Lisbon, Portugal. Image © PlanetSKI

The chefs of the legendary breakfast the ‘Offshore’ in Verbier would be proud of the offering.

Lisbon also bears more than a passing similarity to San Francisco – the gateway city to the ski resorts in northern California that we visited last year ahead of heading to Mammoth Mountain and Palisade Tahoe.

• PlanetSKI hits the road to go spring skiing in California

Both cities are built on hills and have tram systems.

The San Francisco ones run on steel cables under the roads.

San Francisco, USA. Image © PlanetSKI

• PlanetSKI rides the cable cars of San Francisco

The ones in Lisbon run from overhead electricity cables.

Lisbon, Portugal. Image © PlanetSKI

The two cities have also been devastated by earthquakes.

• Lisbon in 1775.
• San Francisco in 1906.

And how about similar bridges?

Lisbon, Portugal. Image © PlanetSKI

At the right end of this Golden Gate lookalike in Lisbon is a gondola ski lift that links Torre Vasco da Garma with the city’s main marina.

As we wandered around Lisbon we saw the fabulous tiling designs on the outside of buildings.

Lisbon, Portugal. Image © PlanetSKI

Lisbon, Portugal. Image © PlanetSKI

Our thoughts turned to the decorative designs on the buildings in Austria.

Innsbruck. Image © PlanetSKI

And the street ironwork had a passing similarity.

Innsbruck, Austria. Image © PlanetSKI

Lisbon, Portugal. Image © PlanetSKI

And as we mention Austria, Lisbon has no shortage of bars that get going at apres ski time.

Lisbon, Portugal. Image © PlanetSKI

So, what about the skiing in Portugal?

There isn’t much of it, but it does exist.

Serra da Estrela is the only ski resort in Portugal.

It is set in higher ground of the Serra Estrela and is usually open from mid-December to mid-March.

It is near the towns of Covilhã and Guarda and has 5.9 km of slopes that are between 1,851m and 1,997m.

It has three lifts: one chairlift and two drag lifts.

Serra da Estrela, Portugal. Image © PlanetSKI

The chaotic nature of Lisbon has a passing similarity to another gateway city to some off-the-beaten-track skiing; Istanbul in Turkey.

We passed through Istanbul last winter as we skied in Turkey:

• PlanetSKI is skiing and site seeing in Turkey

City & Ski, Turkey. Image © PlanetSKI

Lisbon has the same chaotic nature in its tight narrow streets.

Lisbon, Portugal. Image © PlanetSKI

And of course Lisbon has its statues and memorials.

Lisbon, Portugal. Image © PlanetSKI

Like many in the Alps.

Innsbruck. Image © PlanetSKI

Kitzbuhel. Image © PlanetSKI

Chamonix, France. Image © PlanetSKI

Lisbon, Portugal. Image © PlanetSKI

The chap at the top is the wonderfully named ‘Henry the Navigator’ – more about him in our next post from Lisbon.

Right that is probably about time for the ski comparisons to draw to a natural conclusion.

The next post will be about the wonderful, wonderful city of Lisbon.

We’re heading to Torre de Belem a UNESCO World Heritage site on the edge of Lisbon.

Lisbon, Portugal. Image © PlanetSKI

There are several UNESCO sites in the Alps including:

• The Aletsch glacier in Switzerland
• The fortifications of Briançon in the French Alps
• 5 regions of the Dolomites in Italy
• The city centre of Salzburg in Austria

Here are some of the other sites in the Portugese capital we’re taking a look at:

Lisbon, Portugal. Image © PlanetSKI

Lisbon, Portugal. Image © PlanetSKI

Lisbon, Portugal. Image © PlanetSKI

Lisbon, Portugal. Image © PlanetSKI

Lisbon, Portugal. Image © PlanetSKI

Then it’s a train trip from Lisbon south to the Algarve to lock ourselves away and write more winter copy and features for PlanetSKI.

Eat you heart out all you alpine rail rides.

Train in the Alps Image © PlanetSKI.

Lisbon to Lagos is a cracker.

More to follow folks…