Streets of Lisbon

As with a lot of cities, exploring Lisbon, Portugal will never be complete with just a ride on a tour bus (previous post: Lazy in Lisbon).

In this beautiful summer weather, a stroll on the streets.. or a walk anywhere, is a must. 

So let us start by arriving at the Gare do Oriente.

Or Lisbon Orient Station in English.. one of the largest stations in the world, and as busy as the Grand Central Terminal of New York.

Now on the streets of the Bairro Alto district..

Where you see graffitis during the day.. and party life at night!

Just a random pink house.. in the neighbourhood..

Elevador da Bica

Or Bica Funicular in English.. constructed in 1892, climbs the 245 meter steep road of Rua da Bica de Duarte Belo from Rua S. Paulo, and allows the riders to see both how the locals live their daily lives as it passes through the narrow alleys, and the spectacular views of the Tagus River.

On the left where a man is standing by the doorway, is Casa Liege, a restaurant. We had our first Portuguese lunch there, and I just want to say.. you can find better ones ;)

Tagus River and 25 de Abril Bridge as seen from.. somewhere in the neighborhood.. hehe! Isn't it fun to get lost?! :P

On the way to Rossio Square.. I shamelessly asked the policeman on a segway if I could take a picture with him. He made me ride on the segway instead.. haha!! :D

Praca Dom Pedro IV.. popularly known as the Rossio Square

That statue on top of the column is of Pedro IV, a king of Portugal, and the first emperor of Brazil.

Behind is the Teatro Nacional Doña Maria II, or National Theatre Doña Maria II.

With shops and cafes all around, this is the liveliest square in the city - where people meet, socialise, and relax.

I really like it here! :)

Hard Rock Cafe.. Because friends wanted those souvenir shirts and shot glasses..

Tourists in a GoCar.. a 2-seater, GPS-guided, cute little talking tour car :)

Now let's go up!

Elevador de Santa Justa

Or Santa Justa Lift in English.. and also called the Carmo Elevator, connects the lower situated Baixa District to the Bairro Alto, the higher part of the city.

This landmark was built by Engineer Raoul Mesnier du Ponsard, a student of Gustave Eiffel.. which explains the similarities of the structure to the Eiffel Tower of Paris.

Convento da Ordem do Carmo

Or Carmo Convent in English.. used to be the largest church building in Lisbon until the great earthquake of 1755 destroyed most of it. 

What's left of the church building is now used as an archaeological museum, and the convent building is now used by the Republican Guard.

Why you really have to take that Santa Justa Lift to come up..

The view..

And this.. the Castle of Sao Jorge..

And this.. just a street, but doesn't it look amazing?!

And of course, this beauty.. which sums up my memories of Lisbon! :)

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References:

Research - www.golisbon.com

GoCar Tour - www.gocartours.com

Lazy in Lisbon

Having a friend to travel with.. who is equally lazy.. or let me say, relaxed ;) is really a blessing!

We went to Lisbon, Portugal without anything planned, and took the easiest way to see most of the city. We got on a Hop-On-Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus, and sat on the roof deck the whole afternoon, only hopping off once, and finishing the 2 bus routes twice!

It was a very long, relaxing ride, on a cool, windy summer day.. which led to sunburn!!
So don't get fooled by that cool breeze and wear your sunscreen! :)

Here are some of the sights from that EUR 20 tour...

Marques de Pombal Square / Praca Marques de Pombal

A large roundabout that has a monument of Sebastiao Jose de Carvalho e Melo, the prime minister who was responsible for rebuilding the city of Lisbon after the Great Earthquake in 1755.

Campo Pequeno Bullring

Aside from bullfights, this bullring is occasionally used for concerts, circuses, and other shows. It also has a shopping mall, restaurants, cinemas, and a supermarket.

Eduardo VII Park / Parque Eduardo VII

Named after Britain's Edward VII who visited Portugal in 1902 to strengthen ties between the two countries, and where the Lisbon Book Fair is held annually.

Estrela Basilica / Basilica da Estrela

Built in 1790 to fulfill a vow made by Queen Maria I for giving birth to a son and heir.

Tiles / Azulejos

These tile artworks are everywhere in Portugal - On the walls, streets, palaces, churches, ordinary houses, schools, park benches, railway stations... 

25 de Abril Bridge / Ponte 25 de Abril

The 23rd largest suspension bridge in the world, and resembles the Golden Gate Bridge of San Francisco, USA.

Named after the date of the carnation revolution of 1974, which led to the fall of the country's authoritarian dictatorship, and to the withdrawal from its African colonies and East Timor.

Discoveries Monument / Padrao dos Descobrimentos

Located along the Tagus River, the monument celebrates the achievements of the explorers and navigators during the Age of Discovery (15th-16th Century).

Where we hopped off...

Belem Tower / Torre de Belem

Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the fortress was built in 1515 to guard the entrance to Lisbon's harbour. 

It was the starting point for many of the voyages during the Age of Discovery.

At the terrace, a statue of St. Mary and Child meant to protect the seafarers

From one of the windows of the tower... 

The Jardim (Garden) and Avenida (Avenue) Torre de Belem

At the bastion cave with a canon

Hopping back to the bus..

Empire Square Gardens / Jardim da Praca do Imperio

Located in the centre of the Empire Square, where the Belem Cultural Center and Jeronimos Monastery are.

Jeronimos Monastery / Mosteiro dos Jeronimos

Another UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a symbol of Portugal's power and wealth during the Age of Discovery, the great monastery was built to give thanks to the Virgin Mary for the success of explorer Vasco de Gama's voyage to India.

Berardo Collection Museum / Museu Coleccao Berardo

A museum of modern and contemporary art, it houses a part of Portuguese magnate Joe Berardo's art collection which includes works by Picasso, Dali, Magritte, Jeff Koons, and others.

MEO Arena

Named after its main sponsor, MEO (a commercial brand from Portugal Telecom), this venue for major concerts, sports events, and shows, is the country's largest indoor arena with a capacity of 20,000 people.

Outside the MEO Arena

Lisbon Oceanarium / Oceanario de Lisboa

The largest indoor aquarium in Europe, with tanks housing different habitats separated by invisible sheets of acrylic giving the illusion that the creatures are all swimming in the same space.

Vasco de Gama Tower / Torre Vasco de Gama

Named after one of the country's greatest explorers, the sail-shaped building is the tallest in Lisbon. It has a viewing platform at the top, and has been recently converted into a hotel.

The cable cars connect the Vasco de Gama Tower and the Lisbon Oceanarium.

Did you feel like you were also on the roof deck of the tour bus? Hehe ;)

Before we hop off, I just want to share these Jacaranda Trees that were in full bloom!

It was in June, and these purple flowers were just beautifully everywhere :)

Also check out: Streets of Lisbon ;)

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References:

Tour Bus - www.city-sightseeing.com

Research - www.golisbon.com

Oceanarium - www.oceanario.pt