We thoroughly enjoyed a short, five-day city break to Lisbon. An early start on our first full day, and following a leisurely breakfast, we walked from our hotel located at Marquês de Pombal, downhill along the Avenida da Liberdade, to the railway station at Rossio. The avenue is extremely wide, very busy with traffic, and lined with some wonderful buildings on both sides of the roadway. We passed two bronze statues showing how the pavements are laid. We saw this technique in use on the streets of Funchal in Madeira when we visited the island earlier in the year.
LISBON SINTRA – Tuesday
The castles of Sintra were on our agenda, and we visited them first. A forty-five-minute train journey took us to the village. On exit from the station, we met a charming Portuguese tuk-tuk driver who charmed us into his rickshaw. What a good choice: a running commentary of the area and the castles, and a great personality to boot! For €10 each going up to the castles, and €5 each going down! The forty-minute ride up the very steep hills to the castles was most entertaining.
The Pena Palace was extremely busy. The view from the palace itself was stunning, with views over the River Tagus and the Atlantic Ocean. The palace itself was remarkable for its Moorish construction and for its role as a cool summer palace. After our own leisurely tour, we wandered downhill through the cool forest to view the small lakes towards the bottom of the hill.
The village of Sintra was interesting too, with its fine and colourful architecture. We stopped for a light lunch of pizza and a cooling drink in a local sidewalk cafe.
LISBON TRAM 28 – Wednesday
One of the reasons for visiting Lisbon was to experience the celebrated Tram 28 route. These classic yellow trams retain their original 1930s features, such as brass dials and polished wood interiors. We started early on our second day and missed breakfast, as we had been advised to get to the tram start before 8 am. It paid off, as we were lucky to be first in line and chose our seats on the recommended left-hand side.
It was a fascinating journey through some very narrow streets, so close to the walls that you could not take any photos. Uphill and downhill, the 40-minute journey was well worth our early morning start. Passed many fine squares, monuments, churches and buildings. Our terminal stop on Tram 28’s Final Destination: Prazeres Cemetery. It was before 9 am, so most businesses and shops were closed.
We found a small cafe, enjoyed a welcoming coffee, and sampled a few Pastéis de Nata and other Portuguese tarts. A short walk away, we attended Mass in the local church.
Then, boarding the returning Tram 28, we had no seats and stood, crowded in the carriage. At each stop, more passengers joined the tram until we were all packed like sardines in a tin!
In the afternoon, we strolled around Terreiro do Paço, with the equestrian statue of King Joseph I in the middle of the plaza and the Rua Augusta Arch triumphal arch in the background. The renovation of the old palace yard followed the destruction of Lisbon in the infamous earthquake and subsequent tsunami of 1755. The plaza holds commanding views across the River Tagus. We enjoyed a lunch in the shade of the parasols on the edge of the square.
River Tagus
Later that afternoon, we took a boat trip along the river to view several monuments and landmarks in Lisbon. A refreshing open-air river tour in the 34 c heat. Highlights included the famous Belém Tower: a medieval fortified tower on a tiny river island with a rooftop terrace offering estuary views. Monument to the Discoveries “Padrão dos Descobrimentos”: a statue built in 1940 and made permanent in 1960 to mark 500 years since Henry the Navigator’s death. Located on the south side of the river in Almada is the Santuário de Cristo Rei (Sanctuary of Christ the King). The Catholic statue is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ and is inspired by Rio’s Christ the Redeemer.
Pass twice underneath the Ponte 25 de Abril Bridge, crossing the Tagus. This bridge, over 2 km long, is a striking Golden Gate-style suspension bridge that links Lisbon with Almada by both road and rail.
After an interesting but exhausting day, we collapsed for a refreshing cocktail and a bite to eat at the Tivoli Hotel Sky Bar. With a fantastic view over the city, it was a great way to finish the second full day of our city break.
LISBON AQUARIUM – Thursday
We had been told, during our boat trip, that the aquarium was a great visit by a lovely family from Venezuela, who now live in Dubai. Using the metro, which we eventually mastered, we travelled to the Oriente area to visit the Oceanário de Lisboa – one of the largest indoor aquariums in Europe, located on the waterfront of the Tagus River.
MISCELLANEOUS
Below you will find a small potpourri of various photos which remind us of some of the sights we saw.
