Lisboa on the Tejo_Part 1

Lisbon, Portugal

We decided on a list of 10 Must Do’s in Lisbon.  Our ride from Cascais was on a big red bus….so we stayed on and did 3 separate rides to take in the sights and get a feel for Lisbon, finally ending a two day turistico splurge in this fascinating city.  So, borrowing a list idea from a "Go Lisbon" guide, here goes our first 5:

#1. Snap a picture of: (Everything – well, you know Miss Snap-Happy!)  Belem Tower (1515) was once a beacon located in the middle of the Tagus River and used by ships returning from the Indies and New World. Now it’s in the midst of a swell of tourists. Missed a good shot sadly so, next best thing is this favourite, a lucky snap, was of these lion faces…or is it men (with big noses)?

Man or Beast?

#2. Take a day trip to: Jeronimos Monastery and Belem to appreciate a maritime history that predates even Vasco da Gama’s voyage in 1498.  The Monastery’s construction was financed by ‘pepper money’, a spice tax, and is amazingly ornamented, as all Manueline architecture was.

Gaudy Gothic...just fabulous

#3. Enjoy the walk through: Rossio.  A busy town square decorated with fountains and statues.  Sidewalk cafes and restaurants fill the pavements.  Rossio has seen some action in its time, such as bull fights, festivals, military parades and even burning of heretics during the years of Spanish Inquisition. The National Theatre of Donna Maria II (1840) flanks the north side and the nearby Rossio Station built in Neo-Manueline style (1887) has impressive Moorish arches at its entrance. 

Reconstruction after the 1755 Earthquake

#4. Scale the walls of: St George’s Castle. This Moor built citadel was turned into palatial residences in 1147 by King Afonso Henriques.  After the 1755 earthquake, the ruins were “reconstructed” and developed into public gardens, but not until 1938.  We "scaled" them from the comfort of a Starbucks cafe.... seen here if you look closely & up through the window.

Look Up not Look Out

#5. Find your favourite miradouro:  Lisbon is lavishly decorated with tiles (azulejos or painted ceramic tiles).  Walls, floors and ceilings are covered in tiles.  Tile panels sit underneath or on top of window frames.  The blue and white tiles of the Baroque era are considered to be the finest.  The Casa dos Bicos is a diversion in the usual traditional style of decoration in that it is faced with diamond shaped stones - a Moorish influence..

Yes, I know it's being restored, but I can't see over this fence!