Walking through Sights and Colors of Lisbon

DP Photo Challenge, Photo Rehab, Photos, Travel, , , , , , , , 75 Comments

I am going to share some photos I made in Lisbon around mid March. Some of these are city landscape shots, which I am submitting to the WP Weekly Photo Challenge.

The other photos though, will join Jo’s Walk at Restless Jo. I know that not only she loves Portugal, but knows the country very well. In her blog you can discover gem locations, outside the tourist trap.

For now, I will take you for a walk, so you can visit gorgeous sights of the beautiful city of Lisbon.

The featured image shows Lisbon harbor area and Cais do Sodre, as shot from Cacilhas, which you can reach in 20 min by ferry boat.

Visiting Bairro Alto

The next two images show the roofs and buildings of old Lisbon, intertwining the areas of Chiado, and Baixa, including the famous S. Jorge castle.  To get this view you go to Bairro alto, either walking up hill, as we did, or taking the ‘city tram’, which you will see later.

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Lisbon

The view including the water side.

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Here is the tram from and to Bairro Alto. If you don’t feel like walking up hill, you can find it at Praça dos Restauradores.

Tram to Bairro Alto downhill
Tram to Bairro alto uphill

Bairro Alto is said to be a working class quarter dating from the 16th century that has traditionally been the city’s bohemian haunt of artists and writers.

It is the city’s vibrant nightlife quarter. You find colorful graffiti-ridden façades (which I will bring later on another post),many traditional and international restaurants, Fado Houses, bars and alternative shops. There you see people of all ages, backgrounds, and lifestyles walking through the cobbled lanes.

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On another day we headed to Chiado. On our way, I shot ‘Rossio square’ up from the first level of stairs to reach Chiado.

Rossio is the liveliest square in the city, where people stop to relax, or for a drink at the several cafes with outdoor sitting.  On either side of the square are two baroque fountains, and in the center is a monument measuring 27 meters in height. It consists of a pedestal with marble allegories of Justice, Wisdom, Strength, and Moderation, qualities attributed to Dom Pedro IV, whose statue stands on top of the monument.

In the 19th century the square was paved with cobblestones in wave patterns, a design seen today in many other pavements all over Portugal, and that has spread to Portugal’s former colonies from Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) to Macao (China).

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Rossio

Estacao do Rossio at night

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A bit of Chiado

Chiado is an elegant area with theaters, bookshops, old-style cafes, art nouveau jewelry shops, luxurious brands, and local treasures such as the fine porcelain shop Vista Alegre.

Much of the area was destroyed in a fire in 1988, but has since been reborn. It remains one of Lisbon’s most beloved districts, with reminders of its past as the center of the city’s intellectual life, with statues of literary figures such as Fernando Pessoa, Luis de Camões, and Eça de Queiroz.

Head to Cais do Sodre, if you love to capture the sunset.

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Twilight at Mercado da Ribeira

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In our last day we took the train and headed to Belém. The first monument to be seen is the Discoveres Monument.

Built on the north bank of the Tagus River in 1960 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the death of Prince Henry the Navigator.

It represents a three-sailed ship ready to depart, with sculptures of important historical figures such as King Manuel I carrying an armillary sphere, poet Camões holding verses from The Lusiads, Vasco da Gama, Magellan, Cabral, and several other notable Portuguese explorers, crusaders, monks, cartographers, and cosmographers, following Prince Henry the Navigator at the prow holding a small vessel. The only female is queen Felipa of Lancaster, mother of Henry the navigator, the brain of the discoveries.

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If you continue walking along the water, you will then reach the famous Torre de Belem.

Built in 1515 as a fortress to guard the entrance to Lisbon’s harbor, the Belem Tower was the starting point for many of the voyages of discovery, and for the sailors it was the last sight of their homeland.

It is a monument to Portugal’s Age of Discovery, often serving as a symbol of the country, and UNESCO has listed it as a World Heritage monument.

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Torre de Belem

While many are waiting in line….

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Some prefer to chill out and watch the views.

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Just like the seagulls

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I will share a few more photos with you on another post.

See you soon.

Jo’s Monday Walk

Weekly Photo Challenge: Landscape

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Sharing sights & insights captured with diverse angles. Ex-corporate, now my own boss. Cycling, hiking, cooking, reading, yoga, writing and photography, are no longer only hobbies listed on my resume. It's what I do when I want.

75 thoughts on “Walking through Sights and Colors of Lisbon”

  1. Wow what stunning vistas you have captured here. Such beautiful shots, well done. It makes me want to go there. Those narrow lane shots are my favourites. So gorgeous.

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      1. HI Lucille, yes back. All is good …. challenging times but we ride the waves. Thanks for your support, was thinking of your words and challenges when I was home. Great you are back in blogging land. 🙂

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  3. What a beautiful post, Lucile!
    I know Lisbon and each of tour terrific photos remind me of my visit to the town!
    They all are of great quality , thank you for this walk!

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  8. WOW!!!! What a drop dead gorgeous post, Lucile! 🙂 I’m so honoured to be linked to it. Thank you so much. Funny because earlier I saw you in my Inbox and thought ‘must go and see what Lucile’s up to this week’. Little did I know. I usually try to visit all the people who leave comments and then progress from there but you beat me to it big time! Fabulous shots! I love that one of the statue from up high, and Rossio at night and… all of them! Thank you again. I don’t have many Lisbon shots myself because the last time we were there was pre-blogging! Must be due to go again but I won’t be able to compete with these. 🙂 🙂

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          1. I just saw she is helping you with an itinerary. You’re in great hands. Porto is hilly too but there are ways to go around the city with public transport. And from there you can take a train to the Douro region and return by boat too. A day trip.

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                  1. Sue, I know a Portuguese person who works with clients who need help to organize personalized trips to Portugal. His knowledge of places off the beaten track is unique. I know that Jo is helping you, but if you want extra assistance, he would be the ideal person, to get a full package of suggestions, hotels, transport, etc. organized.

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                    1. Hi Lucile, I think Jo might throw me a few ideas of places, but your person sounds useful…let me know his details, and who knows, I might get to Portugal one day!!

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    2. I’m so happy to have positively surprised you! 😀
      Jo, thank you so much for your considerate words. While there I thought about making a walk for your blog, so you’re the inspiration.
      And of course you’ll make wonderful photos when you go back there. No one makes the exact same photos. I see that the whole time when checking my husband’s photos. We always laugh about it. Everyone sees different things and puts a unique perspective when talking about it or showing it.
      So…looking forward to your next trip to Lisbon!
      Thanks again my dearest.
      Have a lovely week.
      Lucile

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  20. Pingback: Graffiti in Bairro Alto of Lisbon – lucile de godoy

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