Portugal’s capital city is one of the longest-established in Europe (despite having been flattened by a legendary earthquake in 1755) and its sunniest, with 2 800 hours of vitamin D every year. Lisbon is lovely – there’s no other word for it. It’s a little timeworn, perhaps, but its charms have certainly not faded.Take a ride on a wooden tram or iron funicular, or check out the fascinating old shops in the Baixa district. Wrought iron balconies, tiled roofs and cobbled streets draw the eye just as much as the pastel-coloured fantasia of buildings.The Atlantic Ocean forms a backdrop to a city that was once the focal point of an empire stretching from Brazil to Goa, and is today a charming celebration of the best of old and new Portugal. It’s a city that amply rewards taking a stroll – each turn of your head will reveal something to delight you. Just outside the city, you can take a drive across the Vasco da Gama Bridge – at some 11 miles long, it’s Europe’s grandest.