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Mosteiros dos Jerónimos
Sé Catedral de Lisboa
Torre de Belém
Padrão dos Descobrimentos |
So you want to see beautiful things... Come, let Pedrito guide you...
Castelo de Sao Jorge - The Castle of Saint George Largo do Chão da Feira (you can't miss the Castelo, it is built on the highest point of the city)
Open: every day of the year, 9.00-21.00 (March to October), 9.00-21.00 (November to February) Admission: Roam freely in the gardens, fee for the exhibitions Go for: The oldest fortification on the highest hill
Pretty much everybody has been here: the Phoenicians, the Greeks, the Romans, the Arabs, the Visigoths and now travelers from around the globe. The Romans named the city "Olisipo", as legend has it Uysses came sightseeing here. The early settlements on the hill date back to the Iron Age, but the Moors were first to erect a casbah or fortress on the hill of Old Lisbon. The European crusaders took over in 1147. The castle was named after Saint George of Cappodocia, a Roman martyr. The castle served as a royal palace until the XVth century. To get there, you walk up little winding streets in the old part of town. You can also take the old yellow electric trams that go almost to the castle. Sunset or late afternoon is the best time to go, as you can combine the pleasant panoramic views and the tranquil gardens with a romantic walk, a drink or a meal in Alfama, the Old Lisbon.
Instituto
do Vihno do Porto - Port Wine Institute
Open: Monday to Saturday, 10.00-22.00 Admission: No free drink Go for: Port Wine tasting
Yes, we created Port wine, not just the dark red Port wine, but also the white Port wine, the not so red Port wine, the pale pasty Port wine etc. The English love Port wine, and in fact, they own most of the Portuguese production. Here is an opportunity to taste fine Port wines, but this can be expensive. The institute looks more like a lounge (smoky) than a museum. A glass starts at around one euro, so if you like the wine, take note of its name and go buy it in a cheaper place. Saúde! Chin-Chin!
Mosteiro dos Jerónimos - Jerónimos Monastery Train: Cascais Route (Belém Station)
Open: 10.00-18.30 (June-September), Closed over lunch break 13.00-14.30 (October-May), Closed on Mondays Admission: 3 euros for the cloister, Free on Sundays Go for: Stupendous architecture Pedrito's especial: There are good classical
concerts and operas in the Monastery. Let me get one point straight. This old monastery known as "Santa Maria de Bélem" has nothing to do with the famous Apache warrior Geronimo or Goyathlay. Understand? The monastery was donated to the Benedictine monks of the order of Saint Yeronimus. King Manuel I began the construction in the age of discoveries, around 1501, with the treasures "accumulated" from Asia, Africa and America. Vasco de Gama, the great navigator, rests here, after many adventures around the globe. The National Museum of Archaeology is located in the monastery and contains impressive collections dating back to 2500 BC.
Museu Calouste Gulbenkian Metro: São Sebastião / Praça de
Espanha Open: 10.00-17.00, Closed on Mondays Admission: 3 euros - Free on Sundays Go for: Fine art
Portugal's finest fine art museum houses a diverse collection of Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Moorish, Asian and European artifacts. Antiquity coins and mummies, Japanese prints and stamps, as well as Chinese porcelain, are displayed alongside paintings by Rembrandt, Degas, Monet and Renoir. This place also had classical music concerts, inside in the Hall and outside in the amphitheatre in the gardens, which are beautiful by the way. Pedrito likes going there to do some reading, or take a nice walk with Pedrita.
Museu Nacional do Azulejo - National Museum of Ceramics Avenida Infante D.Henrique
Open: 10.00-18.00, 14.00-18.00 (Tuesday) Admission: 2.24 euros Go for: Colorful ceramics and other tiles
This small and beautiful museum located in a convent offers an insight to the history of one of Portugal's more beloved art form: painted tiles that have traditionally decorated buildings and houses since the XVth century. Blues, yellows, greens and reds cover walls, staircases, doors, windows, telling the chronicles of Lisbon through the ages. This is definitely a Pedrito and friends' favorite.
Praça Dom Pedro IV (Rossío) - Dom Pedro IV Square
Admission: Free roaming Go for: Public executions, cafes and restaurants
Long
gone are the days where a good family outing meant a bit of blood and
public executions performed on Rossío. The National Theatre was built
on the site of the infamous Palace of the Inquisition. Dom Pedro from
the top of his tower watches more serenely over this busy square where
Pedrito and his friends often sip café, east pastries read papers and
watch tourists. You are a stone's throw from the restaurant and
shopping area that surrounds the Elevador de Santa Justa, which by the
way I have never taken.
Sé Catedral de Lisboa - Lisbon's Cathedral Largo da Sé (!), on the tramline going up towards the Castle, very close to the Baixa, the old shopping district.
Open: 9.00-12.00, 14.00-18.00 Admission: 2 euros Go for: Architectural feast
Shortly after the defeat of the Moors, Portugal's oldest cathedral was commemorated in 1150 by its first king, Dom Afonso Enriques. Where once Lisbon's Mosque stood, the crusaders decided to build Sé. How's that for promoting world peace? Nevertheless, the architects did a great job with the cloister and the sacristy. On a related subject, and as you will undoubtedly notice, we Portuguese, tend to be dark haired with a sun tanned skin. Some tourists even mistook Pedrito's dad for Omar Sharif. Where did all that Moorish ancestry come from? World love, undoubtedly...
Torre de Belém - Tower of Belém Rua de São Pedro de Alcântara 45
Open: 10.00-18.30 (June-September) - Closed over lunch break 13.00-14.30 (October-May) - Closed on Mondays Admission: 2 euros Go for: A vantage point on the Age of Discoveries
The Torre offers a great view of the river Tagus as ships from around the world sail in and out of Lisbon's harbor, perpetuating a tradition that started in the Age of Discoveries. The Torre was built in the XVIth century to defend the entrance of the harbor, and later served as a prison. There's bound to be a bit of nostalgia and yearning as you climb to the top. Free men always cherish the sea.
Padrão dos Descobrimentos - Monument of Discoveries
This is not too far from Torre de Belém, in fact you can combine a visit to the two monuments with a nice walk along the waterfront and the marinas. This tower was erected in 1960 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the death of Henry the Navigator and indeed to celebrate the navigators of the XVth century. The giant statues represent all those who participated in the glorious Age of Discoveries: sailors, knights, priests and traders who sailed across the uncharted waters under the captainship of Vasco da Gama, Bartolomeu Dias and other Álvares Cabral. Dias was first to sail across the Cape of Good Hope in 1487. Gama first reached India by sea in 1497. Cabral discovered Brazil in 1500, also sailed across the Cape of Good Hope to India. Their ships all came back loaded with spices so that we can now enjoy a good curry in Lisboa.
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