1. It’s one of Europe’s coolest cities
And that’s not just because of the wind whistling off the Atlantic. Lisbon is an ancient and beautiful capital, with inspiring architecture incorporating Roman, Moorish and late-Gothic influences, tasty local delicacies and a musical tradition rooted in the plaintive songcraft of Fado (head to Lisbon’s Museo do Fado to learn more about it, and Tasca do Chico bar after-hours if you want to hear it). But, more than that, it’s a pretty good place to go wild over a weekend, with more late-night bars and trendy Portuguese knocking about that you can shake a custard tart at. NOS Alive festival takes place in July, on a patch of coastline just minutes down the road from the city’s Belém district – and there are plenty of reasons you should consider spending your festival weekend in Lisbon.