A walk through Lisbon: the city of viewpoints

Once in Portugal, it is easy to fall in love with one of its beautiful cities. In the case of this trip, we propose a short tour of the Portuguese capital: Lisbon.

From Seville we will enter the Algarve and continue to Lisbon until we reach Porto. Each of these places has its own charms and makes it perfect for a scheduled circuit of Spain & Portugal 12 days. It all depends on the time you can dedicate to each site.

Lisbon for the most cosmopolitan, the Algarve to relax looking at the sea and enjoying one of the most charming coasts of the peninsula. Porto is pure tradition, you will get to know one of the most charming cities on the peninsula, where wine stands out above all.

So, continuing our previous trip, where we could already see Lisbon above, we will start by getting to know all the corners of the largest city in Portugal.

LISBON

Located at the mouth of the Tagus River, Lisbon is one of the European capitals with the best climate. With its Mediterranean climate, it covers temperatures that do not exceed 30 degrees in summer and almost never drop more than 5 degrees in winter. Of course, it will rain for a while.

Also known as the city of the seven hills, it is the ideal city in which to spend a weekend without much complication, since access to the city from Spain is quite simple.

To get an idea of the city in general, it is best to visit the viewpoints first. Starting with the Portas do Sol one where you will see a panoramic view of the La Alfama neighborhood or the one next to it, the Santa Luzia viewpoint which has a beautiful garden with tiles. Others like Da Graça, or San Pedro de Alcántara, you will be able to see the Castle of San Jorge and the center of Lisbon.

But if we talk about viewpoints, you must go up the Santa Justa Elevator. It is a 45-meter elevator that connects the Barrio Alto with La Baixa and gives you a fairly wide general view of the city. You can take it every day from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., but from November to April it closes an hour earlier, at 10:00 p.m. The mental image of Lisbon in general, the first thing you should know is the La Alfama neighborhood. It is the perfect place to wander around and discover what the city is really like without needing a map, since it is really like a labyrinth. It is located between the castle of San Jorge and the shore of the Tagus. There you will find corners full of charm and typical restaurants where you can eat a good plate of typical Portuguese cod.

As I mentioned, another place that you will love to visit is the 5th century St. George's Castle. There you can walk through some beautiful gardens and contemplate one of the best views with a Da Vinci periscope. This castle can be visited from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. every day, except in winter when they close at 6:00 p.m. 

If you walk through the city, sooner or later you will end up at the Lisbon Cathedral (Sé de Lisboa). Dating back to the 12th century, it is one of the essential monuments of the Portuguese capital. Although if you want to marvel, the Convento Do Carmo which, although it is in ruins since an earthquake in 1755, has the sky as a roof and a stone structure that will leave you speechless. Keep in mind that they close on Sunday, so it is better to visit another day of the week.

Leaving the Convento Do Carmo, you can walk through Chiado, located between the La Baixa and Barrio Alto neighborhoods. A bohemian and quiet neighborhood to walk relaxed looking at the little shops like the Livraria Bertrand, which is considered the oldest bookstore in the world.

But if you want to go for a great photo session, that's why you have the historic yellow wooden tram number 28. It is a symbol for the city and quite famous. If you go up it will take you through the hills to the Belém tower, the castle of San Jorge or the fantastic Jerónimos monastery, for example.

To finish and take us as a souvenir, we must stop by the Patisserie or Pastéis de Belém, which has been baking the famous pastéis de Belém since 1837 with the monastery's secret recipe. Think carefully if you want to give some away or take them home. I know, it's a difficult decision.

It must also be said that Lisbon is not just a city, it is also nature. Near the city of Lisbon and crossing the Tagus River, is the Tagus Estuary Natural Reserve. There are thousands of water birds, highlighting flamingos. A great way to get to see this reserve is by boat from the city of Lisbon itself. Prepare your binoculars to spot herons, spoonbills and other beautiful birds.

Another green corner of Lisbon is the Western Region, which is located north of the city. It is perfect to enjoy the sea without the typical crowding of the coasts of Portugal. And if instead of the sea, you look for land, the closest mountain range is that of the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park, half an hour by bus.