Lisbon is the Capital of Portugal, one of the great exploring and colonial powers of Europe. With that exploration came wealth and there is plenty of architecture in the City as evidence of that wealth. Lisbon on the Tagus River faces west and the Atlantic but the Portuguese also headed south and ultimately east.
Lisbon Portugal is the second oldest city in Europe behind Athens, centuries older than Rome. Built in a hilly district, there are places in the City where you can get spectacular Lisbon images in front of your eyes. One such place is Lisbon Castle, Castelo de Sao Jorge and your Lisbon pictures will certainly include some from there.
Ponte 25 de April
If you have seen a photograph of a Lisbon bridge, it will be one of two. Vasco da Gama Bridge is almost 15 kilometres long and is an important link between north and south Portugal. It is named after the explorer who first sailed to India. This bridge, 25th April, the longest suspension bridge in Europe, is similar to the Golden Gate in San Francisco. The Carnation Revolution that deposed the dictatorship took place on 25th April 1974.
It was the main bridge across the River from the mid-1960s until the Vasco da Gama Bridge opened 30 years later. Both are significant landmarks within Lisbon.
Padrao dos Descobrimentos
This monument, literally the Monument of the Discoveries, sits on the north bank of the Tagus. It is where Portuguese ships set sail to India and the Far East in the 15th and 16th Centuries. A temporary beacon stood there for a few years from 1940 but today’s permanent monument began in 1958. It took two years to complete. You can get to the top of the monument to an observation deck.
Praca do Comercio
This lovely square looking out to the harbour had to be remodelled after a serious earthquake in 1755 which caused major destruction right across Lisbon. Its name is a result of the role it now plays in Lisbon’s economy. The statue of Jose I stood as a centrepiece from the Square’s early days.
The penultimate monarch of Portugal, Carlos I, was assassinated in the Square by Republicans in 1908. The Republic took over from the Monarchy two years later.
Miradouro Das Portas Do Sol
Another place to get views over Lisbon City is Miradouro Das Portas Do Sol. You will get great Lisbon photos of your Lisbon visit from here. That is especially the case looking over Alfama towards San Jorge Castle.
Take a seat and order a favourite among locals and visitors, coffee and tarts, while you take it all in. There is both a cafe and a cocktail bar here. Other great images to see from there are the Church of Sao Vicente of Fora and the National Pantheon.
Belem Tower
The Tower of St. Vincent was originally a 16th Century fortress located where the ships would depart and arrive from different parts of the world. The Bastion and four towers built with limestone use a range of architectural styles including Manueline.
Belem Tower together with Jeronimos Monastery is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and visitors can walk on part of this lovely building. There are 5 internal floors with a spiral staircase to the terrace. You will also enjoy its statues including the Statue of Our Lady of Safe Homecoming.
Parque Eduardo VII
This public park takes its name from Edward VII, King of the United Kingdom, who visited Lisbon in 1903, a sign of the strength of the then Anglo-Portugueses Alliance. Its current design dates back to the end of World War II and it reopened to the public in 1949.
If you stand at the north end, you will see the stunning maze in front of you and the River Tagus in the far distance. Enjoy the fountains, promenades and informal garden areas as well as the maze. Incidentally, you will see the largest Portuguese Flag in the world flying at the Park.
Street Art of Lisbon
This image remembers the fado music tradition, a melancholy style that dates back to the early 19th Century. Several artists contributed to the final mural. Lisbon is full of colour including pastel-painted street houses and its graffiti.
Lisbon has some famous graffiti artists who have left their mark on cities all over the world. Political murals have featured over recent decades. Lisbon Council actually sponsors graffiti, seeing it as a positive contribution to the City. Indeed, there are some lovely images around Lisbon inspiring even more artists to create something new.
Overseas artists also contribute to Lisbon’s street art with the work of Brazilians, Italians and Spaniards in Avenida Fontes Pereira de Melo on three empty buildings ranked among the best in the world.
Lisbon’s Trams
Trams are very popular in the City. Alfama Lisbon is a district with steep streets making the trams so useful in getting around. The No. 28 goes through Alfama up to Sao Jorge Castle that dates back to the 11th Century. Alfama is a very old part of Lisbon and contains lovely craft shops and cafes. Explore it using the tram but make sure you are wearing a comfortable pair of shoes.
There are six tram lines and a total of 31 kilometres of track within Lisbon with trams being part of local life for almost a century and a half.
Conclusion
The experience of Lisbon travel is memorable. History awaits you at every turn with stunning architecture, much from the time when Portugal was such a colonial power. Portugal developed colonies in South America, Africa and Asia. The wealth that resulted can be seen as you explore the City.
There is more than stunning architecture to enjoy. Lisbon’s museums tell the story of exploration in greater detail so make sure you give yourself time to really get to know Lisbon.