Lisbon, Portugal – Additional Sights

On our last couple of days in Lisbon we went across the bowl^[1]I note this because it is the lower flat portion of the city the rise gently to the north. and visited the sights in and around the oldest part of the city, Alfama. Then after that we took the 15E Tram and visited Belém, the most important part of the city with respect to ports and its historical noteriety.

Alfama the Other City

This area includes the Moorish Castle of São Jorge and a number of the overlooks that the area enjoys. Of course, there is also Lisbon Cathedral, which actually looks like it might have been destroyed by the great 1755 earthquake and rebuilt afterwards, but the cathedral and area were largely spared from any damage due to that quake.

Lisbon Cathedral – Exterior – Lisbon, Portugal

Perhaps contrary to popular belief, Lisbon and Porto are very busy ALL YEAR. It appears that since RyanAir has a HUB in Porto, everyone and his cousin comes to the area for at least the weekend and many for the entire week. This not doubt puts real stress on Porto, which I can not imagine during the summer when it is really hot and full of tourists.

Lisbon on the other hand is a larger city and can handle more people, however, it has the double wamy of having cruise ships dock as well. So expect the lower parts of Lisbon to be always crowded.

Some walk from the Chiado part of town, where our hotel was located, and across the promenade of R. Augusta, is a totally different part of the city, Alfama. Here you can find the Santa Apolónia train station; in fact, check any train ticket you have that travels to Porto or beyond, and you might notice that it might not be necessary to go all the way to Oriente train station, some of those trains actually start in Santa Apolónia.

Tagus River to the Ocean – Lisbon, Portugal

If you walk the area it is quite steep, so be prepared, or for those less inclined to walk and climb, take an alternate mode of transportation like the 12E Tram, a Tuk-Tuk or the bus.

Church of Our Lady of Grace

The Church of Our Lady of Grace stands on top of one of the hills on this side of the city. It has a beautiful ceiling in the nave, but the altar is rather plain and typical among other churches we have seen.

Church of our Lady of Grace – Nave – Lisbon, Portugal

Adjacent to the church is the Convent of Grace, which is temporarily being used as a modern art museum. However, it is nice just to drop in and see the fascinating Portuguese tiling that adorns the walls.

Church of our Lady of Grace – Convent – Lisbon, Portugal

Castle of São Jorge

The Castle of São Jorge is a large Moorish castle with a commanding view of the overall area of Lisbon. It has a surrounding wall with a central castle and a number of amenities, including a cafe and a restaurant.

Castle of São Jorge – Tagus River – Lisbon, Portugal

Castle of São Jorge – Tagus River and Bridge of the 25th of April – Lisbon, Portugal

Though you can purchase tickets at the gate, we found the entire staff appeared to be very confused and we got numerous conflicting stories as to what was available, when and where we had to queue in line. We decided to purchase our tickets online, this was actually quicker and more convienent. However, we still had to stand in a line for about an hour, and it isn’t even tourist season, so bring your patience.

Castle of São Jorge – Lisbon Overlook Area – Lisbon, Portugal

Castle of São Jorge – Points of Interest in Tile – Lisbon, Portugal

Castle of São Jorge – Old Bronze Cannon – Lisbon, Portugal

Castle of São Jorge – Interior – Lisbon, Portugal

Castle of São Jorge – Peacocks – Lisbon, Portugal

Castle of São Jorge – Entrance to Castle proper – Lisbon, Portugal

Castle of São Jorge – Interior of Castle – Lisbon, Portugal

Castle of São Jorge – Interior of Castle, Ramparts – Lisbon, Portugal

Church of Saint Vincent de Fora

The Church of Saint Vincent de Fora is actually pretty far from everything else, but still walkable. From the Church of Grace and some of the observations points, it can be easily seen in the distance, usually with the National Pantheon dome looming in the frame.

Church of St. Vincent de Fora – Dome of the National Pantheon – Lisbon, Portugal

The interior is actually quite spartan and perhaps not worth the effort. However, for a fee you can enter other portions of the grounds like the sacristy, which is known to be far more opulent than the church itself. Having been in so many churches in the past few months, we decided to save our money and continue our travels.

Saint Vincent de Fora – Exterior – Lisbon, Portugal

Saint Vincent de Fora – Nave and Interior – Lisbon, Portugal

Belém the Port City

Noted in history as the port from which Vasco da Gama departed for his adventures to India, this port town’s most noticeable attribute is it tower. But there is also the monastery, its cloister and the church, all of which represent fabulous examples of the late Gothic Portuguese Manueline style of architecture.

Jerónimos Monastery and the Church of Saint Mary of Bethlehem

When you exit the tram the first thing you notice is the Church of Saint Mary of Bethlehem across the street. Then the Jerónimos Monastery comes into view, as an extension to these architectural marvels.

Church of Saint Mary of Bethlehem – Jerónimos Monastery – Lisbon, Portugal

Belém Tower

The Belém Tower, or more precisely, the Tower of Saint Vincent, stands just off shore and was actually a lighthouse in the past.

Restaurants

Rendez Vous

After we visited the Church of St. Vincent we stopped at a small restaurant along the way back called Rendez Vous. They have sort of an eclectic menu which probably does not appeal to everyone, but we found the food and wine very good and would commend the place to anyone looking for something a little different.

Rendez Vour Restaurant – Tuna Salad – Lisbon, Portugal

Rendez Vour Restaurant – Greek Salad, Bread and Fries with Olive Oil and Oregano – Lisbon, Portugal

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↑1	I note this because it is the lower flat portion of the city the rise gently to the north.

Sintra, Portugal – Missed Outing

With optimism in the weather and a plan for a good day, we headed to Sintra, Portugal, in the hopes of seeing the Moorish Castle or the National Palace of Pena. Unfortunately, shortly after we arrived our hopes were dashed after we learned the weather had trashed the place and everything in the park was more or less closed due to too many fallen trees, so a missed outing.

How To Get There

By metro it takes about forty-five minutes, leaving Lisbon’s Rossio metro station, a number of blocks from our hotel uphill, to Sintra station about a dozen stops away. This metro line is very busy, so be prepared.

Rossio Station – Platform – Lisbon, Portugal

The Town

Is chaotically laid out and has many narrow passageways and alleys. As with most of Portugal, you get the feeling you must always climb up or down, so be prepared for a lot of steps.

Quinta da Regaleira

The Quinta da Regaleira was another issue. Though we wanted to visit the property, it only has reservations and time slots. Aside from that, the line was so long, since everyone was looking for alternatives due to the closures, that it was quickly out of available times. So we took some photographs and turned around.

Biester Palace

Having failed to come on a day when the majority of the park was open, we settled on the Biester Palace, so that the day and trip was not a total loss.

Biester Palace – Stairs to Palace – Sintra, Portugal

Biester Palace – Front – Sintra, Portugal

Biester Palace – Back Entrance – Sintra, Portugal

Sintra_13_BiesterPalace_05

Sintra_13_BiesterPalace_06

Not technically a palace, the residence that is called Biester Palace stands prominently and views from the grounds are very nice. The grounds are quiet enough and there is a cafe where one can enjoy a hot or cold drink while enjoying the beautiful flora.

Biester Palace – Rooms – Sintra, Portugal

The house itself is decorated with wood, a majority of its finish and main rooms are adorned with something similar, if not, oak. One comes away with the house having an almost Spartan interior and the chapel appears to be the most adorned room in the house.

Biester Palace – Chapel – Sintra, Portugal

Biester Palace – Bathroom – Sintra, Portugal

Biester Palace – Scullery – Sintra, Portugal

There is an elevator, though it was never electrified and gives the appearance that it was only used when company was present, or for other civil tasks.

Biester Palace – Elevator Hand Mechanism – Sintra, Portugal

Biester Palace – Elevator – Sintra, Portugal

The Ninth Gate

One claim to fame this house has that might appeal to some, it was one of the locations where Roman Polanski shot the film The Ninth Gate. It was during Dean Corso’s travels to visit Victor Fargas that the house and fountain are involved in the movie.

Biester Palace – Ninth Gate Book Prop and Postcards – Sintra, Portugal

Restaurants

In Sintra there are plenty of restaurants and cafes, so you shouldn’t have a difficult time to find a place to eat.

Fatto da Claudio Coelho

A nice place for lunch, service Italian food and other specialties. We each shared the bruschetta and a pasta special, so something simple and somewhat light.