Sunflower Books: WALK & EAT LISBON

1st edition (2005); updated 4/04/08

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Updates for the walks, restaurants, shops and recipes in Lisbon and the surrounding area given below supplement those provided in the guidebook. It is vital that this Update is read in conjunction with the text of the book, but note that the Update applies only to the edition stated and not to any earlier editions. (If you have an older edition of this book and want to "upgrade" to the latest edition at half price, click here.)

Information has been forwarded to us by users of the book, and Sunflower Books offers the data in good faith but cannot be held responsible for any misleading or inaccurate content in the Update. Unless indicated otherwise, what appears here has not been verified by the author or publisher, so please allow due caution when new or amended routes are suggested. Each piece of information is dated; bear in mind that some of the older observations may have since been overtaken by events or further changes. If, during your holiday, you are using the current edition of the guide and are able to provide any additional updating to add to this page, we will be pleased to hear from you. Please send information, preferably in hard copy, by post, to Sunflower Books, PO Box 115, Exeter EX2 6YU (or if you prefer, by e-mail, to mail@sunflowerbooks.co.uk).

Accommodation: A company in Portugal offering interesting accommodation in Lisbon has written to us; you might like to look at www.friendlyrentals.com (Sunflower, 10/07)

Walk 2: Just before the 1h26min-point, on leaving the Fonte das Passarinhos, you walk down right on tarmac, not left. (User, 10.05) [Author: Obviously if one turned left one would retrace ones steps along the way just walked. We assumed people would realise that you continue along the route on leaving the fountain, in which case you are immediately confronted with a junction where you turn down left (following the Lagos sign) as indicated in the text.] + We enjoyed this walk, though we split it into two halves and took the bus up to the Pena Palace for the ridge part of the walk. That worked well and you might like to suggest it to readers. But the Sintra tourist office guide calls this walk "very strenuous", whereas you categorise it as "moderate". It is obvious when you look up from Sintra town square to the Moors Castle that this is anything but a moderate climb. (User, 5/07; the authors comment: When grading a walk several factors have to be considered, not only height gain (which in this case is clearly stated as being 350m). In this case underfoot conditions are generally excellent and most of the uphill is on a steady gradient. The book is designed for walkers whilst the tourist guide is for allcomers.) + On page 39, just below the picture, the instruction "zigzag to the right just 10 metres above the gate" is wrong. It must mean '10 minutes' rather than '10 metres' (which then works nicely), and the zigzag is not to the right. (User, 5/07 - confirmed by another user (also 5/07) who writes: We "zigzag to the right just 10 metres above the gate and, ignoring the steps up to the right (18 min), follow the main, level path. But a minute later do fork right uphill (above a small castellated house)." I ignored the steps to the right 10 metres above, and found myself on a small trail that got smaller. Eventually, I beat my way uphill (after going back to the fork in the road and reassuring myself I was on the right trail.) Before I got to the top, I was obviously on the wrong trail, and eventually clambered over a stone wall onto the main path up above. I think the "10 metres" should maybe be 100 metres. Also, while I didn't time it, the "minute later" might be 5 minutes or so (i'm not sure). Thanks for the guide book. Sintra was absolutely wonderful! [The authors comment that they will check this out as soon as possible; there have obviously been some changes.] + We went to Lisbon a couple of years ago and made some use of your Walk & Eat book there, although at the time I wasn't able to walk very far because of ankle problems. But we had a fine time doing the Sintra route. Keep up the good work! (User, 3/08)

Walk 3: This walk presents a few navigation problems because there are so many tracks that look very similar (and in fact new ones going in when we were there!). After turning right at the T-junction (with signpost) at the 41min-point, one needs to keep ahead until the road down to Capuchos is reached (as shown on the map). Ignore any turnings before this road. (Author, 10/05) + We made the mistake of starting around 4pm; this meant that the two main highlights of the walk the Monserrate gardens and the Covento dos Capuchos were both closed when we arrived. Please stress that this walk should only be attempted at the beginning of the day as without visits to these attractions it really is not worth it. (User, 10/06)
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Walk 6: After the 1h11min-point, we missed the detour junction to the caves and blowholes (our timings did not coincide, and the word T-junction did not fit the situation on the ground. We went back to the road and tried again but never found the right spot (with hindsight there was only one other track we did not try). We ended up in Azoia and walked down the road to Cabo da Roca. (User, 10.05) [Author: I am puzzled by this comment. We walked this 3 or 4 times and so have a very clear mental picture of this section. The waymarking sharp right at 1h07min should be easy to spot, and within 4-5 mins one reaches the waymarked T-junction. There are no other turnings off (apart from the rough track off right mentioned in the text).]

Walk 7: At the 57min-point the track no longer exists - the field has been ploughed up. We walked round the edge and with binoculars picked up the distant path. We found the timings between the quarries inaccurate. (User, 10.05) + We never did even get to start this walk as we could not find the starting point, despite several runs to and fro along the road. Please could we have more explicit guidance on how to find the Capela. (User, 5/07; the authors' answer: The access to the capela is clearly marked on the map. Look for the bus stop, just by the junction of the N10 with the 1056. The lane up to the capela is almost opposite. The capela itself is 200m up the lane. )

Walk 8: The text on page 98 reads 'Turn right on the road and, where it swings off left (1h12min)...' It would be more accurate to say 'Continue along the road and, where it swings off left....'. (The text in the book assumes users will go off to the other side of the road to explore as suggested, in which case they would need to turn right on rejoining the road.) (Author, 10/05)

Walk 9: IMPORTANT. A new motorway is being built in this area, making the walk either difficult or impassable at present. Basically it has all been bulldozed from the 6min to the 1h38min-point. When the work is finished, the authors will check to see if anything is left - one user said that it looked as if even the fortifications had been destroyed. (Sunflower, 10/06)

Restaurant: there is a fantastic and quite new restaurant in the village of Colares (where they make a unique but previously well-known wine in very small quantities nowadays) just beyond Monserrat gardens. It is very much in a country village but has more charm of ambiance and sophistication in cooking without high expense, even with the current high euro, than many restaurants in Lisbon itself and certainly among the tourist hordes in Sintra. It is called Colares Velho, Largo Dr Carlos Franc, 1-4, 2705-192 Colares
Tel +351 219 292 406; www.restaurantecolaresvelho.com (user, 4/08)