Discovering Lisbon

Lisbon is a big city and is also the capital of Portugal. Lisbon has been the capital since its conquest from the Moors in 1147. It has plenty of interesting shopping, nightlife, museums and wonderful hills from which you can view the rest of the city.

View from the Park looking down at Pombal circle.

The way that I have orientated myself to the city. Starting at the Edward VII park, you proceed to the Marquês de Pombal Circle and then down the Avenida da Liberdade to the Praça dos Restauradores and the Rossio. Straight-ahead the Baixa (Low District) and the shops on the Rua Augusta down to the Praça do Comércio and the Tagus River. To your left is the Alfama -- the old city and St. George's Castle - to the right is the Bairro Alto. It's funny most of the guidebooks that I have read start with their layout of the city from the river Tagus to Edward VII Park.

I don't think that to many people arrive in Lisbon by boat these days. But in the 15^th Century this point was the entrance and exit to the world. There is also a story that Columbus stopped first in Lisbon, on his way back to Spain, after discovering the Americas. I recently found a photo of the U.S. Navy NC-4 taxing into Lisbon Harbor after completing the first crossing of the Atlantic Ocean by air - on May 27 1919. The plane arrived in Lisbon after stopping in the Azores. Years latter the famous Clipper Flying Boats would follow the same route and establish commercial Trans Atlantic air service to Europe.

This may be changing. I've just read that Lisbon has become the top ranking European Atlantic seaport in terms of cruise calls and passenger disembarkation. I guess that the investment made to improve the waterfront area is beginning to pay off. 

EXECUTIVE LIMOUSINE SERVICES 

A tour company that you may consider is Executive Limousine Services & Excursions.

Peter awaits you

They provide transfers to and from the airport, TOURS all over Portugal, daily tours in Lisbon and surrounding localities, and tours of Jewish Heritage dating back to the eleventh century. They have Mercedes Vans and Buses and are fluent in English, Portuguese, Italian and Spanish. You may call Peter Feijão at Tel: 351 214 535 299 or E-mail him for more information. 

Avenida Da Liberdade

The Cais do Sodré Railway station which is shown on the map just to the left of the Baixa is where you catch the local commuter trains to the Estoril and Cascais beach resorts. Trains for Queluz and Sintra operate from the Rossio station just off the Rossio. You might even wish to stop in Queluz and visit the Palace of Queluz, the Portuguese Versailles. You also might consider staying at the Pousada de Dona Maria I located in front of the Palace. They have completed the Metro extension that will connect the Rossio and the Cais do Sodre Railway station be sure to visit the very impressive station in Chiado. The line has also been extended from Alameda Afonso Henriques to the site of where Expo 98 was held. It has a string of new stations that should be definitely checked out.

Shopping and Dinning in Lisbon

Lisbon has many fine restaurants to dine in. Please see our restaurant page for some of these. Recently we ate in a very fine traditional Portuguese restaurant. It was call "As Velhas"  and it is very convent - located right off the Avenida da Liberdade. 

  Dinning in Lisbon 

There are also some wonderful shops, fairs, malls and other places to satisfy your shopping needs. We are also introducing a new section on Portuguese Art that will provide you with some more of the Portuguese experience.

Shopping in Portugal

Bairro Alto

This, high quarter, has become the center of nightlife in downtown Lisbon. It has many fine restaurants, small eating places and Fado houses. Busy at night, but an interesting place for a walk during the day.

Lisbon Street

Over looking the city's downtown Baixa area, the Bairro Alto is without doubt Lisbon's liveliest district during the night. A large concentration of bars, restaurants, Fado houses, discotheques and exclusive nightclubs are crammed into this small section of town.

Alfama

Park in the Alfama

This is the oldest part of the city. As you climb up into the Alfama, or ride tram 28, you will pass the Sé Patriarcal of Lisboa as it stands in imposing grander amid the streets and alleys in the picturesque Alfama district. This ancient church is a representative example of the Roman Gothic style dating back over eight centuries. It is also renowned for its association with the founding of the Portuguese nation.

This is a very impressive Cathedral, we had the opportunity of attending mass here on a Palm Sunday.

Sé Patriacal

This is the area of St. George's Castle and has tortuous narrow streets that spiral down from the Castle to the Baixa below. I don't recommend walking up, but you should definitely walk down. You will enjoy the traces of medieval architecture, the colorful houses, and the narrow cobblestone streets. This area is as old as Lisbon itself. The Alfama by night is the best place to go for a taste of ancient Lisbon. You might also try the, A Parreirinha de Alfama, I've been told that it is very good small restaurant featuring Fado.

Alfama from St. Georges

Baixa

This is the main shopping and commercial district of Lisbon. It stretches from the river, Praça do Comércio, to the top of the Rossio. It contains many of Lisbon's finer and fashionable shops. It is also dotted with coffeehouses and outdoor cafés. The street names when translated appropriately turn into such names as Silver, Gold, etc. Lisbon's most popular shopping district revolves around the parallel streets of Rua Augusta, Rua da Prata and Rua do Ouro, which link the squares of the Rossio with the Praça do Comércio. 

Fernando Pessoa outside the Brasileira Cafe

Walking up Rua do Carmo will take you to the fashionable Chiado district of Lisbon. There are also some very fashionable stores along the Avendia da Liberdade, Lisbon's main avenue which stretches from the Rossio to the Praça do Marquês de Pombal.

Narrow Street in Lisbon

Riverside Rendezvous

A 15-kilometer stretch of north bank of the Tagus is being transformed into a pleasure zone consisting of bars, restaurants, cafés, discotheques, music venues, parks, marinas, recreational facilities and public areas. This area is well underway and with every visit a new place turns up. On on last trip we went down to area for some pastry and coffee. It is very relaxing to sit in the outside tables and view the river by night. You enjoy the lights of the ships and boats making their way up and down the Tagus and the automobiles crossing the majestic 25 of April suspension bridge. Later that night a friend would drive us over the new Vasco da Gama Bridge. This 12-mile span is truly spectacular at night. The lights shining on the bridge's cables remind you of a ship's sail from the Golden days of the Portuguese Discoveries. 

Vasco da Gama Bridge

Seeing the City

The refurbished Rossio

Speaking of people, on our last visit we noticed the police would not let our cab onto the Avenida da Liberdade obviously something big was going on. We got out of the cab and noticed that a parade was in progress. The whole Avenida was blocked off for a massive parade. The folk singers from the Alentejo, Cantadores Alentejanos, were marching up the Avenida da Liberdade in all their splendor. As a nearby Portuguese viewer commented, this is typical Portuguese - it was. There they were in their colorful dress with arms locked, singing and marching very slowly up the Avenida toward the Marquês de Pombal Circle.

Folk Singers on Parade

Usually, we would pause at the Rossio (the Praça de D. Pedro IV) for a snack and enjoy the beauty of the square with the statue, the fountains and Teatro Nacional providing an interesting backdrop.

National Theater

My wife could spend hours strolling down the Rua Augusta and the side streets enjoying window shopping in all the fashionable shops, especially the newly restored Chiado District. Which by the way is on the hill behind the Elevador Santa Justa. You really can spend hours looking in the store windows. You can stop at one of the open-air cafés for a cup of coffee and some pastry.

Elevador Santa Justa

One day, we noticed the Elevador Santa Justa an imposing gray iron structure that looks a little like the Eiffel Tower. You catch an elevator inside it that takes you up to a balcony from which you get a panoramic view of the city. If you walk up the spiral staircase from here, you emerge at a higher level that has a small café where you can get a cup of coffee and enjoy the view even more. This is also a great spot to take photos of Lisbon.

View of the Baixa  from the top of the tower

Rather than take the elevator down, we exited out the rear to the Largo do Carmo in the Chiado area. You will then come upon Lisbon's best ruin, the Carmo Church, also near by is the National Archeology Museum. The Carmo Ruins consist of a 14^th century church, which was seriously damaged, in the earthquake of 1755. Since then its roof has remained open to the heavens. In recent years this exit has been closed but it is well worth walking up the hill to see this site.

We recently had the opportunity to visit the newly and beautifully restored Convento das Bernardas in the District of Madragoa.

Convento das Bernardas

This is a perfect example of how the history of the past can once again be brought to life. It is also now the home of the Museu da Marioneta which is well worth a visit.

The Trams are quaint little electric trolleys that sort of remind you of the cable cars in San Francisco. Lisbon's trams are not only vintage vehicles and picturesque in themselves, but many go through the historic parts of the city, providing an inexpensive way to take a tour. These unique trams climb and descend the city's hills along 72 kilometers of track. These romantic vehicles have remained in service far beyond their time. They are now more than just a symbol they represent the city's soul.

It was in August of 1901 that the city of Lisbon awoke to see that the new trams had arrived. The "Americanos" and "omnibuses" - slow mule drawn vehicles that had carried the majority of passenger traffic were relegated to history. The trams themselves are originally of American origin, and were built in the company's own workshops from the 1920's onwards. Today, the trams are considered part of Lisbon's heritage and part of its soul.

Tram in Lisboa

We got on a lot of trams (carro Electrico's) and we just went wherever they took us. It was really a nice way to see the City. You really can not become lost. If you're in doubt, just get off and catch a taxi back to your Hotel.

One holiday, we caught a tram and rode it to the end of the line. I didn't know where we were but soon I noticed we were right across the street from the Alto de São João cemetery, Lisbon's largest. Since it was early in the day, we decided to pay a visit. It was a very impressive place and cemeteries make me nervous. As we were walking around my wife started talking to a nice Old Portuguese woman that was cleaning her little Casa. My wife doesn't speak Portuguese and the woman didn't speak English, but I sensed that they understood each other perfectly. She showed us pictures of her departed family members and the shelve on which she will eventually reside. It was a warm feeling to be invited into another person's home and family. Soon the cemetery was filled with people. The holiday was appropriate, it was Todas os Santos (All Saint's Day).

Alto de São João

Environs of Lisbon

Day trips by car, bus or train can cover many areas that are close to Lisbon. Closest to Lisbon are the fine beaches of Cascais and Estoril only ten miles west. A few miles inland from these beaches stands the forests of  Sintra , a UNESCO World Heritage site, with its charm and fascinating palaces. A little further north is Queluz with its delicate palace and a little further on Mafra with its rich Baroque monastery. 

Whole day trips to Óbidos, Batalha, Nazaré and Fátima are also available. Just south of Lisbon is Setúbal and the beaches along the Arrábida mountain range. 

A train link across the Tagus is also now open. This line links that city with the south bank suburbs via a second deck on the Ponte 25 de Abril bridge. You may board at most of the cities railway stations. So enjoy your ride in the ultra modern double deck trains that are equipped with air conditioning and background music.

To assist you in planning your trip, asking questions and saying what you liked or didn't like, I have set up a new forum for this Discover Portugal questions and answers Please visit it.

Recently a number of people recommended that I take the ride out the new metro line to the Oriental Station. This was the station developed for Expo 98 and now for the new Parque das Nações. 

The old Portuguese naval frigate D. Fernando e Glória is open to the public again after her overhaul and refit in the navy shipyards across the river. You may see the realistic enactments of shipboard life in the days of sail with life size wax figures.

For information about the working training ship NE Sagres please visit our page on this magnificent ship.

Where are all the Ferries going?

One day while sitting in a café and looking out at the river, I noticed people getting on ferryboats that were going across the river. Well, if you wonder where the Ferries are going, you get on one and find out.

We walked down to the Ferry and found that it was going to Barreiro, where ever that is. We got on the Ferry and after a 30 minute scenic trip across the Tagus arrived a Barreiro. It was a nice little town. We walked around the town for a while, stopped for lunch and caught the return ferry for Lisbon.

Well, the ferry fever must have bitten us. The next day, I found another ferry at the Southeast ferry dock -- near the St. Apolónia Railway station. This ferry went to Montijo. This trip was really nice. It took about an hour and really gave you a chance to enjoy the river and the views of Lisbon and the surrounding areas.

We arrived in Montijo and I must say that I really liked this town. Walking in from the dock area is a palm tree area that reminds you of the posh retirement areas you see in pictures from Florida.

Montijo Ferry Area

The town is freshly painted and has a quaint little town square. We really liked this town very much and were rather sad when the day ended and we had to return to Lisbon.

Montijo Street

Located near the Southeast ferry is the St. Apolónia Railway station, where you can catch trains to other points in Portugal and Europe.

The ferries really provide an economical means to enjoy the sites of Lisbon from the river and acquaint you with the towns on the other side.

Still fascinated by the ferries, we chose to visit the two remaining locations on our last trip. These are Cacilhas and Seixal (say shal). We walked around the town of Cacilhas for a short while. My wife had spotted her favorite food in the window of a restaurant, so we returned there for lunch. My wife ordered her favorite food, grilled sardinhas. There were (15). I counted them. I had one of my favorite meal carne de porco à alentejana (pork pieces with tomatoes, clams and onions). Both of us really enjoyed the meal in this restaurant - Rei da Sardinha Assada on the Rua Cândido dos Reis in Cacilhas.

The next day we repeated the adventure and went over to Seixal. They were using one of the new ferries on this trip.

If you are just interesting in taking a sail on the river Tagus and discovering Lisbon from the river, every day between April and October, two-hour cruises leave at 11:00 and 15:00.

One of the new ferries

The Elevator bug

The Portuguese refer to these as elevators, but they are really Trams permanently built at an angle that take passengers up steep routes. The ride is short, but the hill is steep, and it's an experience. We found three of them and rode on two of them -- yes, we caught another bug. It's an experience to ride on one and there is a reward at the end of the line.

The Elevador da Glória, runs from the Calçada da Glória on the west side of the Praça dos Restauradores and takes you up to the Bairro Alto. Once you arrive at the top, walk to the right to a park. From this park you have an excellent view of the Baixa, the lower part of town, and a good view of St. George's Castle and the Alfama.

On the east side of the Praça dos Restauradores is another Elevador, the Elevador do Lavra. This elevator takes you up to an area of the city called Anjos. There was another Small Park here -- the Jardim do Torel. This park provides you with a magnificent view of the Baixa and the Bairro Alto. We walked on for a few more blocks, found a small restaurant and had a very enjoyable lunch.

Elevador do Lavra

St. George's Castle

On the day that we went to Saint George's Castle, we went a roundabout way. That day started with a trip to the Amoreiras Shopping Center, one of the largest shopping centers in Lisbon. After a few hours there, we decided to have lunch at the Casa do Leão that is beautifully situated inside the St. George's Castle walls. So we caught a taxi to the restaurant.

That excursion provided us with the opportunity to explore the grounds of St. George's Castle. About three thousand years ago, Lisbon's earliest inhabitants made themselves at home on the site now occupied by the Castle. These grounds are extremely interesting and it also provides you with views for miles over the harbor, city, and country. They have recently erected a telescope on the Castle grounds that will provide you with breathtaking view of the city and surrounding areas.

The Castle is located up quite a few hills. So the best way to go is via a taxi. We left the Castle and walked down through the narrow cobble stone streets of the Alfama. This section is the old Moorish section of the city. As you walk down these winding streets, it is pleasant to see the colorful tiles and iron balconies that decorate many of the houses along the way. We eventually caught the tram and arrived back at the Rua Augusta.

Saint George's Castle

FADO - the soul of Portugal

Fado, which means "fate" or "destiny" is the name given to the anecdotal, satirical, sentimental, or occasionally happy songs performed by the singers. Since we missed the singing of the Fado by the students in Coimbra, my wife had been after me to find some place to hear Fado. I understand that is difficult to find the real thing, since many restaurants have commercialized it.

Well, luckily, we had a Portuguese friend who took us to a small restaurant with authentic Fado music and singers, "A Guitarra da Bica". It was great. We had a very enjoyable night listening to Fado from 11PM until about 2:30AM.

If you would like to know more about Fado houses and maybe listen to a little Fado music, visit the Fado Section below. (You definitely should)

Museums

There are many Museums to see in Lisbon. We did not visit too many, but one that I really recommend is the Gulbenkian Foundation Museum. We spent about four hours here one day and enjoyed it very much. It is very well laid out and it has many interesting things to see. The Gulbenkian is one of the richest legacies ever left to a nation and one of the best art collections in the world. 

Another museum that is well worth visiting is the Air Museum. It is located 15 km north of the city but it will give you a chance to many famous aircraft that were involved in Portuguese history.

On the last trip we took in another museum and it was well worth it. It was the Ancient Art Museum. It was real easy to get to. At the Praça do Comércio we caught the number 18 tram and got off at the Santos stop. Then you can either walk up the steep hill or the equally as steep steps, but it is well worth it. You can spend many enjoyable hours walking around enjoying the exhibits and taking occasional breaks for coffee in facilities restaurant. My shopping companion, my wife, informed me that the prices in the gift shop well very good.

Restaurant in the Ancient Art Museum

You may also like to visit the Institute of Portuguese Museums site. As there are many more interesting Museums in Lisbon to visit. Also many of the museums are free on Sundays. The Portuguese Museum site will provide you with a tour of the following museums: National Tile Museum; National Museum of Ancient Art; Chiado Museum and the National Coach Museum. It is well worth a visit.

On a previous visit, which was in the beginning of October, we noticed a big celebration going on over by the city hall. We walked over to see what it was. Well they were celebrating the anniversary of the birth of the Portuguese Republic. On October 5 1910 an uprising by the navy over threw the monarchy of Braganca and made Portugal a Republic.

In the square in front of the city hall they had setup cannons, horses, barricades and other replicas from the period. A group of actors dressed in period uniforms were enacting various events that had taken place during the revolution. The costumes, the flags and the equipment made the ceremony a very colorful event.

I was leaning on a cannon and was told to move. No sooner than I moved a few feet then they discharged the cannon and also exploded a string of fireworks. It was really a very colorful celebration and it didn't take much to feel right at home with the crowd. They were also selling food and drinks and everybody there was in a very friendly mood.

All in all, it was a very pleasant experience and as far as I'm concerned it gave me a better understanding of the country and the Portuguese people.

Ceremony Celebrating the Anniversary of the Republic

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