Loving Lisbon

This was our last day in Lisbon. In many ways, it was less structured than the others, but, as always, we kept very busy.

We did not set an alarm, and so we slept in a a little in the morning. It was after 10:00 when we headed down the street for breakfast. As part of our stay here at Alfama House, we were given a voucher for a free breakfast at a local bakery. We ordered sensibly, but when our meal came, the owner has thrown in two custard tarts on the house. There is no way to get away from this treat in this city!

After custard tarts, the most iconic image of Lisbon is Tram 28, a streetcar with a route through the major tourist areas. It is an inexpensive way to see the sights. Unfortunately, most tourists know this so the streetcar is usually very crowded. We rode it twice today; first to get to the Basilica de Estrela, where we started today's touring, and towards the end of the day to take us up to the Castelo de Sao Jorge. I was very fortunate both times, finding a seat immediately upon boarding, but Bob had to stand some of the time on our first trip.

Tram 28

The twin towers of the Basilica da Estrela

   














The purpose of both tram rides was to get us "up" so that we could then come "down" on foot - the smart way to tour a hilly city like Lisbon. Our first excursion, a 45 minute walk around central Lisbon described in our guide book, started in the Bairro Alta quarter and took us about three hours because we stopped so often for pictures. Highlights included the Basilica da Estrela, where I climbed to the roof to take a few photos, including some vertigo-inducing shots from the cupola looking down into the apse of the church; the Jardim da Estrela, with its wrought-iron bandstand; and the Palacio de Sao Bento, currently under renovation, the seat of the Portuguese Parliament.

The bandstand

After lunch, we arrived in the low-lying Baixa and Avenida quarter of the city, where Neo-classical influences abound. Just as Chicago was defined by its great fire in the late 19th century, Lisbon was transformed by the earthquake of 1755. Most of the city was destroyed at that time; when it was rebuilt, its squares and avenues were reminiscent of Paris. This is Lisbon in its golden age - looking grand! Baixa is the commercial hub of the city, and so finally, I did some shopping.

The massive Rossio square

Palacio de Sao Bento

At this point, we were back down by the river so, too tired to climb, we again rode Tram 28 to the Graca area at the top of Lisbon, where we found another spectacular viewpoint looking over the city. Our last visit of the day was to the reconstructed Castela de Sao Jorge. It looks old, but, in fact, most of the castle was built in 1938 on the site of a Moorish fortress, and later, a Portuguese Palace.

Praca Do Comercia

As the sun set, we made our way to a charming restaurant near our apartment, Santo Antonio de Alfama. We were seated very close to the two German couples on either side of us, so we struck up a conversation with both of them. A very enjoyable meal with good company!

Castelo de Sao Jorge

Dinner at Santo Antonio de Alfama