5 fun-filled summer days in Lisbon – Part 2

Welcome to part 2 of the Lisbon thread – again this will be divided into different areas of Lisbon so you can see what attractions are close to each other – very useful for planning!

In case you haven’t read part 1 yet, make sure to go and have a look at that as well for more places to see and things to do in Portugal’s capital.

Alfama, Mouraria & Graça

Castelo de São Jorge

São Jorge castle was built in the mid-11th century on the peak of São Jorge hill, the highest point in Lisbon. There is so much to see in this huge castle complex, from the only remaining green space in Lisbon where native trees predominate to an archaeological site showing three major periods in the history of Lisbon (although this was unfortunately closed when we were there). We went to the castle in the mid-afternoon and spent well over two hours there because there was just so much to see! There are also a few cafes to keep you fuelled if needed.

The price for a concession (which included students) was €5, with adults being €10. We didn’t think that either of these was extortionate as it must be expensive to keep the castle and all the exhibits running smoothly, and so it felt like great value.

Places of Worship

Mosteiro De São Vicente de Fora

The Monastery of St. Vincent Outside the Walls as it translates to in English was one of our favourite places to explore on the whole trip. With beautiful architecture both inside and out and some of the most intricate blue and white tile work we had ever seen – it was well worth the student price of €2.50 each to get in (if you’re a full-paying adult its only €5 which isn’t too bad). There are also some great views from the rooftop, both of features of the building and the wider area. We spent a good couple of hours here at least, which shows how interesting we found it!

Igreja de Santa Engrácia

There is quite an interesting story behind this church, if you want to find out more follow the link on the title. The original church was actually demolished in 1630, and the one that stands today was only completed in 1966 which came as a surprise to us. It also has an alternative name of the National Pantheon, and it also contains the tombs of several Portuguese presidents and other famous Portuguese people.

Both the inside and the outside are very pretty, and what’s more is that Sundays before 2pm it is free to go in! Outside this time it is €3 entry. There is also a rooftop viewpoint to explore if you’re feeling up to the stairs.

Igreja e Convento da Graça

Situated on top of Graça hill, this church and convent offers not only a great panoramic view of the city, bit also some interesting architecture. You can also find plenty of tiled blue and white paintings within the walls of this complex which are very traditional in Portugal. Our favourite bit of the church was probably actually the ceiling… sounds very nerdy I know, but the design was just so intricate I have no idea how they even began to make it look so amazing.

Viewpoints! 

Miradouro da Graça

Yes, there are plenty of viewpoints in Lisbon, but each offers a different perspective of the city so, if you have the time (and the stamina!), I would recommend paying each one a visit. We went to this one during the day but apparently it is a completely different yet equally wonderful view in the night. There is also a cafe up there as well if you are thirsty / peckish for something.

Miradouro da Santa Luiza

Yep, you guessed it – another viewpoint! But again, if you’re around this area anyway its always nice to get a good view. There was also some really nice places to sit and just take a few minutes to admire the city. We have particularly vivid memories of this viewpoint in particular because whilst we were there, a street performer played one of our favourite classics out of the blue, Easy like Sunday morning by Lionel Richie. We will always associate that song with Lisbon now, which is certainly no bad thing!

Miradouro da Senhora do Monte

Yet. Another, Viewpoint! But as said before, if you’re in the area and have a bit of spare time you might as well take a gander :).

Baixa

Elevador de Santa Justa

This bizarre-looking contraption is actually a lift constructed in the 19th century to take people from the Baixa District to the Largo do Carmo, climbing 7 stories in the process. Whilst this was once an integral part of Lisbon’s public transport network, it is definitely now more of a tourist attraction and it can get REALLY busy…

We didn’t actually get the chance to go up to Largo do Carmo in the lift as the queue was just too long and there was things we wanted to do more. It is also quite expensive to ride (€5.30 last time I checked) if you’re not savvy about it, but there are ways to enjoy it for much better value. For example, as it is technically still part of the public transport system, a ride on the lift is included in a 24-hour travel pass which is around €6.40 and can be purchased at any metro station. This does not include entry to the viewing platform at the top of the lift, however this is only €1.50 to go on, so if you’re paying for public transport anyway this is a great value option. I think that if it was less busy we may have given it a ride, but I don’t really know if you’d see much until you got to the top anyway…

Elevador da Gloria

One of the three funiculars found in Lisbon, Elevador da Gloria saves you a steep climb between Baixa and Bairro Alto. Taking a ride on this funicular is also included in the 24-hour public transport pass, so if you have one of those anyway why not give it a ride? It can get quite crowded at peak travel times sot here can be quite a queue, but we thought it was a fun ride regardless, and a traditional way to get around the city.

I recently found out that the Ascensor da Lavra funicular is apparently the least busy in Lisbon, I wish we’d have known that when we went as it sounds like it would be a lot more peaceful and authentic. But you lucky people are being told now, don’t say we don’t treat you well ;).

Squares

Rossio Square

Although its proper name is Praça Dom Pedro IV, it is much more commonly referred to as Rossio, even by the locals. It is a popular meeting place for locals so there is bustling and there is always something going on. Either side of the square there is a fountain, flanking a tall columnar statue of  Pedro IV (who the square was named after) in the middle.

The Teatro Nacional Dona Maria II (a National Theatre) dominates one corner of the square with its imposing building, and the paving gives off a cool optical illusion – just try not to get dizzy!

Praça dos Restauradores

A square which pretty much does what it says on the tin, some of the more expensive fancy restaurants can be found near here. We wouldn’t call this a must-see but it is little more than a five minute walk from Rossio Square (above) so, if you’re going there anyway you might as well give this one a look too. The square commemorates the Portuguese Independence from Spain in 1640.

Praça da Figueira

This square is the unofficial main transport hub in the city, as it is the terminal for a few public transport lines. Hopping on a tram or bus at its starting terminal is always better as they seem to get they get really crowded pretty fast.

Praça do Comércio

This is actually one of the biggest squares in the whole of Europe which is pretty incredible, and it certainly is huge! We found this to be a perfect place to rest for a while and people watch as it is always bustling, and it is close to the river too so make sure to have a wander down there for views of the Ponte 25 de Abril suspension bridge. There are also plenty of restaurants that line the square, so you won’t struggle for somewhere to eat but again because it is such a bust area it is likely that they hike the prices up a bit.

Other places of interest

I’ve just realised I’d forgotten to put a couple of places on the last post so I’m going to list them here (and add them to the previous post as well) so you don’t miss out. Here goes…

Livraria Bertrand Chiado– Chiado & Bairro Alto

To any passerby, this would just look like an ordinary book shop, nothing too spectacular. However, looking closely you can see that this is actually the world’s oldest book shop, it has a Guinness World Record and everything! It feels quite cool to say that we have been there now, as many people don’t even know it’s there in Lisbon right under their noses. The inside was actually pretty funky too, a mix of old and new which we really liked.

• 

• 

Edward VII Park and Estufa Fria

This 26 hectare park is a little out of the main tourist hub, but it is still really easy to get to. Despite it being rather close to a main roundabout and lots of roads, it is surprisingly peaceful and a nice place to get away from all the hustle and bustle of the city. The park hosts various events during the year, but when we went it was empty and in its place were perfectly symmetrical hedges in a beautiful pattern. There is also a sports pavilion in the park which we didn’t go and explore (at the time we actually thought it was someone’s house!) but it could be worth a look.

If the park alone wasn’t enough, there is also the Estufa Fria. This is a green house with three different zones ranging from cold to hot temperatures, complete with water features and statues. According to their website, they house a vast variety of plants as well as animals such a geckos and butterflies. We really wanted to visit whilst we were here but unfortunately they only take cash and we had run out of that as it was our last full day 😦

• 

• 

LX Factory

Again this place is slightly out of the city centre, and it almost feels like a little town of its own. What used to be an old factory has been turned into a unique mix of bars, eateries, galleries and all sorts of shops. They are all independent businesses and it definitely has a trendy-vibe about it. This isn’t normally our sort of thing but as we had seen most things by our last day we decided to head over there for the afternoon. We didn’t go on a Sunday but apparently there’s a lovely market that sets up here too on Sunday’s, so why not incorporate that into your visit too?

The bookstore here is something not to miss here, pretty much the while wall is filled with layers and layers of books! There was also an upstairs section which housed all kinds of wacky contraptions and inventions which were really cool to look at.

We ended up eating at a Argentinian restaurant here called El Chanta, which served a really good baguette to each of us – just what we needed for lunch.

So that’s it for our adventures in Lisbon, like I said I don’t know how we fitted it all in to our time there! But it was a wonderful trip and there is so much to do there for everyone, and even in mid-September it was lovely weather and slightly less busy too which is a bonus.

Happy travelling!

Zoe and David x

Written by Zoe