So we said goodbye to Africa. We arrived at the Marrakesh airport with plenty of time to check-in and board our flight to Lisbon. The check-in queue wasn’t very long but was moving so very slowly. Then, as we approached the counter ourselves, we found out why: it seemed that many purchased tickets, like ours, did not include checked luggage. Odd! We were sure it did. We were told to queue at the Swissport counter, purchase the luggage portion of the ticket – really expensive at the airport – then return to the Transportes Aéreos Portugueses (a.k.a. TAP) counter to complete our check-in. We had chosen Marrakesh to Lisbon because of our interest in seeing Portugal and, more importantly, because of the very cheap flight . Oh, well, at least our interest was intact.
We initially booked seven days at our Lisbon AirBnb, thinking we would then move on and slowly make our way north-east to our final European destination, Vienna. However, the effects of continuous planning-packing-moving-unpacking were creeping in and we needed to slow down. The last time we had taken a travel break was early November in Kalamata, Greece. An extra week was added to our stay in Lisbon, and we settled into a nice, slow pace. While we did spend entire days in our pyjamas – we definitely took advantage of those rainy days – we also explored the many beautiful neighbourhoods of Lisbon.
Alfama & Sāo Vicente: The steep and narrow streets of these two historic areas, reminiscent of Moroccan medinas, set the transition for our return to European travel. The streets suddenly open up on to squares and parks, and offer some of the best views of the city and riverside below. Alfama and São Vicente have two such miradouros (or viewpoints), Das Portas do Sol and Santa Luzia. Around the corner, and just down the hill, we descended to the Pantheon of the House of Braganza. Still not having an appetite for the more touristy sights, we skipped the Pantheon and headed for the Feira Da Ladra, a large flea market of new and used wares, clothing, curiosities and antiques, held every Tuesday and Saturday from dawn until dusk. Heading back home, we ended our exploration day with a relaxing walk along the river Tagus.
Baixa & Chiado : From Praça do Comércio to Praça Rossio, and extending east-west from Alfama to Cais de Sodre, the neighbourhoods of Baixa and Chiado were teeming with shops, cafes, restaurants and bars. Tourists and locals crowded the streets for Christmas shopping, eating, drinking or taking in the Boas Festas sights and sounds. The neighbourhoods were nicely decorated, awakening our Holiday spirit, despite in-Canada-like temperatures and the absence of snow. We even spotted the Santa Claus tram! How exciting it must have been for the children riding inside. Ho!Ho!Ho!
Belém: While it’s considered a neighbourhood of Lisbon, Belém is a 30-minute tram ride along the former industrial, n
ow trending, shore of the Targus. After a stroll through parks and boardwalks to view the Torre de Belém and the Padrão dos Descobrimentos monument, we headed back toward the main restaurant area, many establishments claiming to serve “authentic Portuguese”, but delivering “meh!” food. After lunch, although too full for dessert, we made our way to Pasteis de Belém, makers of the original pastel de nata since 1837. A six-pack of these little tarts would surely be as still delicious hours later! Yes. Yes, they were.
Lisbon is a city of walkable neighbourhoods, each offering its specialty in architecture (uniquely tiled buildings), beaches, parks, and very hilly viewpoints (Campo Mártires da Pátria with its chickens and ducks, and Jardim do Torel with its lounging chairs and views of downtown come to mind). Of course, there were also the strategically placed funiculars to avoid climbing up another hill. For a stopover that was meant to be restful, we walked as much as any other city visited. Dur
ing one of those walking day, we made our way to the Basilica de Estrela. While visiting the basilica, one of the caretakers asked us if we wanted to visit the rooftop terrace – we hadn’t seen obvious posted signs of this option. But, for only 4€, why not? After ascending the 112-step spiral staircase, we exited from one of the bell towers onto the roof. The actual roof! Unlike the Palermo’s Cathedral rooftop (Sicily post), this terrace had no set path and no barriers (and no safety rails!) We were also able to access the upper gallery of the basilica’s dome to view the apse below, but a strong wave of vertigo deterred one of us. We spent 30 minutes on the roof – by ourselves – taking pictures and getting a 360º view of Lisbon. Definitely worth the four euros! The basilica was also our starting point for boarding the 1930s tram, number 28, running east to west (and back again), through parts of the most touristy areas of Lisbon. We had initially tried to start from the other end; but, due to its proximity to a subway station and Castelo Sāo Jorge, this tiny tram would fill too quickly.
Sintra
Only an hour train ride from downtown Lisbon, Sintra was definitely worth a day trip. From the arrival station, it is only a few minutes walk to the historical downtown. Although very touristy, it was enjoyable to walk along the narrow, hilly cobbled streets to explore shops and cafés. Through the winding streets, we made our way to the hiking path – mildly strenuous – that would lead us up to Castelo dos Mouros and the National Palace of Pena. Both castle and palace offered breathtaking views of the surrounding valleys, all the way to the seashore beyond. After a full afternoon of hilltop, castle and palace sightseeing, we deserved our ride back downtown in a tuk-tuk.
Cascais
Toward the end of our 15 days in Lisbon, we were getting restless again. It was time for a second day trip to the Portuguese Riviera town of Cascais, only a 30-minute commuter train ride away. We arrived in the centre of the town and walked around a bit to orient ourselves. Then, after a late morning snack, we continued toward the seaside Citadel, passed the Santa Maria Lighthouse to the cliffs of Boca do Inferno. We could have spent hours watching and listening to the crashing waves – so mesmerizing! Returning downtown, and still energized by the warm sunny day, we walked along the seaside boardwalk toward Estoril, the next town three kilometres away. By then, we were famished and stopped for lunch at Pasteleria Garret for a tasty lunch. From Estoril, we hopp
ed on the train back to Lisbon.
Mixing winding and narrow streets of Alfama with the rigid grid of Baixa, contemporary styles with traditional culture, Lisbon surprised these travellers with its walkable neighbourhoods, peaceful riverside boardwalks and delectable coffee and dining experiences. Barely skimming its history, landscape and culture, we were left with an appetite to see more of Portugal. But that would have to be another journey. It was time to head north to Bavaria (and the cold).
One thought on “Lisbon, Portugal December 5 – 19, 2017”
Take-Another-Plane is an alias of TAP airlines 😋
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