City trip - Lisbon

Alfama

Our journey begins in the oldest part of Lisbon. These tiny streets will give you the feeling that you are walking in the past. Because of the earthquake in 1755 there was not so much left of Lisbon. This earthquake still is the strongest ever recorded in Europe. Ten thousands of people found dead because of this earthquake and its consequences. If you think it could not get worse there also was a big fire which destroyed what the earthquake did not destroyed. Thanks to the fact that Alfama was built on stone instead of sand (which was the underground of the rest of the city) this neighborhood was an exception and nowadays we still can enjoy the oldest part of Lisbon.

All over Lisbon you can listen to the typical Portuguese fado, but there is no place where you can do it better than in Alfama. Simply walk inside a bar, order a drink and enjoy the music. Can’t get enough? It is also possible to reserve a table at one of the restaurants where they provide you a menu and one of many fado artists who plays till your very last drink of the night.

Besides listening to fado, Alfama has much more to bring. There are lots of viewpoints (miradouros). My favorite of all is called miroudoro de Santa Luzia. Here you can join live music which often is played by one of many street artists, combined with some drinks this will give you a cozy feeling and a great couple of hours. Another good spot to catch a great view of Lisbon and the Tagus river is the castelo de são Jorge. This castle is located on top of the highest hill of Lisbon. The fundaments are dated from the 6^th century before Christ. There are many different groups who inhabited this place. Iberians, Greeks, Romans, Moors and Catholics. The last two groups fought a big war which was won by the Catholics in 1147, from here there weren’t many changes in who inhabited this area. Entry costs between 0 (children until twelve) and 15 euro’s (adults from 26 till 65 years old). It is possible to buy tickets at the castle itself but I recommend to buy tickets online on the website.

Most places in Alfama can be reached by tram 28 or by tuktuk which also is very fun to use.

Belém

From Alfama we move all the way to the most western part of the city, Belém. This area is perfect for sightseeing. There are multiple museums, exhibitions and historical buildings. From Cais do sodré you can take the train or you can take tram number 15 and it will take you about 10/15 minutes to reach Belém.

When you get out of the train you can walk all the way across the Tagus river and first you will see Padrão dos Descobrimentos. This impressive monument was built about 60 years ago and is a memorial for explorers in the 15th and 16th century. In the very front of the monument you see 'Hendrik de zeevaarder'.

Walk a little bit further and then you will find the torre de Belém. This tower, together with two other forts in Caparica and Cascais, was part of a defensive system for Lisbon from the 16^th century. The tower was built between 1515 and 1521. It is a really pretty building and it gives me some Harry Potter vibes. A must see when visiting Lisbon.

From here we leave the river and we go to the monastery ‘Mosteiro dos Jerónimos’. This is a huge and beautiful building and getting inside will takes a while, especially in high season. They started building in the beginning of the 16^th century and it took about 100 years, but good things take time and that can be seen!

There are plenty of other things to see but last but not least there is Pastéis de Belém. If you walk the same direction as I did you will end here and then you deserve and can enjoy one of many pastry’s. Arguably the best Pastéis de nata you will find. Officially they are called Pastéis de Belém here so keep that in mind!

Sintra and Cascais

When visiting Lisbon (if you have enough time) a day trip to Sintra or Cascais is highly recommended. There are plenty of organizations who offer day trips to these places, but it’s also easy and cheaper to go there by yourself and take the train.

Sintra looks like a fairy tale and there is much to see here. The center itself is really nice, but what you will see in the hills is even better. Palacio da pena, Castelo dos mouros and Quinta da regaleira were my favorites.

Cascais is a town next to the sea, a perfect place for a relaxing beach day. There are a lot of really good restaurants as well so here you will experience the real holiday feeling.

Lisbon’s center.

Let’s end our trip in the center of Lisbon. There are so many things to do and I will not talk about everything, you also have to find out yourself, but there are some places I have to write down. First of all the walk from Praça do Comércio cais do sodré all the way across the Tagus river. A relaxing walk, especially during sunset when the view is amazing.

For the party animals there also is plenty to do. Bairro alto, Santos and pinks street are the places to be. Nightlife in Lisbon is another experience, one of the best in my opinion.

At least one time you have to take the ferry from Cais do sodré to Cacilhas. From here you can walk to one of the restaurants located next to the Tagus river. I have been to Ponto Final and Atira-te ao rio. Both delicious, but the view from ponto final is better. You have to reserve a table, otherwise you have to wait for a while. From here you can go to an elevator and you will arrive in Almada where you can visit the Jesus statue which also is really nice. The statue is impressively big and on top (if you can handle big heights you get an amazing view from Lisbon.

Speaking about amazing views this brings us to the last part of this blog. Just book a cab and ask the driver to bring you to Parque Florestal de Monsanto. Here you will find some good hiking trails and another nice viewing point. There is an abandoned building which is really photogenic.