I’ve traveled to about 100 countries, but I had never been to Portugal. When my girlfriend suggested that we take a vacation there, I jumped at the chance; and, as we were already in Germany, it was just a short plane hop.
Because we have no automobile when we travel, we have to cut the country in half, beginning at Lisbon and working our way down south. Sorry, Porto et al., maybe next time!
After locating and freshening up in our Lisbon hotel, we go out for our first walk. One thing we already know about the city is that it was built on seven hills and that there would be a lot of uphill and downhill walking. Fittingly, our first walk is up a local street (a funicular actually operates here) to a hillside park.
Here we encounter the “Adamastor” sculpture looking from the Miradouro de Santa Catarina towards the sea. The Adamastor represents a mythological giant contemplating the dangers of the sea-something that Portuguese sailors know all about.
We walk all the way down to the promenade bordering the Tagus River. Admiring the sunset and a small samba group, we slowly make our way back to the area of our hotel.
Along our route, we pass sardine shops, the Praca Luis de Camoes, and some colorful trams.
Dinner (after another uphill walk) was at the “Toma-La-Da-Ca” restaurant. I have the turkey steak while my girlfriend enjoys some sort of sausage and egg concoction.
It’s our only full day in Lisbon, and we are determined to make the most of it. Walking to the Praca Luis de Camoes, we get a good view of the square and the guards outside of the National Guard Museum.
The Elevador de Santa Justa is a stunning elevator that has become one of Lisbon’s landmarks since it was built in 1902. There is a big crowd waiting to go up, so we content ourselves with taking photos-both front and back.
We search for (after many false turns) and find the walkway to the top of the Elevador de Santa Justa. There is not much to do here except admire the views, which are stupendous…showcasing the red rooftops of the city, including the National Theater.
We walk to the subway on Chiado Square and purchase public transport passes good for the buses and trams. Then we board a crowded tram and take it all the way to its terminus on Martin Moniz Square.
On the way, we pass by Lisbon Cathedral and a famous city arch.
There is a fascinating fountain at Martin Moniz Square which looks like a castle. In fact, the square is named after a Portuguese nobleman who died defending the city’s castle.
The line of people waiting to get on this tram is endless. We’re glad we got on at the other end.
Walking around Lisbon, we admire some colorful buildings as we search for an elevator or funicular to the castle.
It turns out that we can’t visit the overlook here without buying tickets to tour the castle interior. Sao Jorge Castle may be old (12th century) and interesting; but we’re not particularly obsessed with THIS castle. Besides, we’ve seen enough overlooks. The castle peacocks and orange trees are our compensation.
Despite seeing enough overlooks, we try one more-this one with a funicular up and down. Tragically, this funicular was involved in a fatal accident (16 people killed in September 2025) just months after our visit.
In our case, the “Ascensor de Gloria” takes us successfully to, first, a garden converted into a Valentine’s Park and, second, another overlook (the Miradouro Sao Pedro de Alcantara) that offers both formal gardens with sculptures and some fine views of the Castle and Graca Convent.
At the edge of the park, we come across a small monument to Jose Eduardo Coelho, founder of the “Diario de Noticias”-the first newspaper of the Industrial Age in Portugal, and the first paper truly independent of political power and opinion…something important both in that era and our own.
We feel strongly pulled to the Tagus River Promenade-especially at sunsets. So are many of the people of Lisbon (or tourists). Folks take a seat on the stone walls of the promenade and don’t budge.
The sunset doesn’t disappoint, and neither do the nearby monuments-bathed as they are in the gloaming.
There are boats on the Tagus. Whether they are engaged in touristic or commercial endeavors, we can’t make out.
The Praca do Comercio is particularly appealing at dusk with its equestrian statue of King Jose I. Movement to build something bigger and better gained impetus after the 1755 Lisbon earthquake destroyed most of the city. So, over the years following that earthquake, the Praca do Comercio (also known locally as the “Terracio do Praca”) took form. It faces the river and is one of the largest squares (at over 30,000 square feet) in all of Portugal-if not Europe.
Along the Praca do Comercio is a dual arch. The “Arco Triunfal da Rua Augusta” was realized in 1875. Looking at it from the Rua side, you would swear there are two different arches.
We have trouble making dinner reservations in Lisbon (the Portuguese, like the Spaniards, prefer to eat dinner really late). So we end up at the expensive Lisboa a Noite Restaurant, where we wind up switching entrees after just a few bites. Iberian pork and duck…or was it the other way around? Whatever. At least there is a surplus of waiters and service.
The next day is devoted to the Palace at Sintra (to be described next month), and we leave Lisbon the following morning. Taking the subway (which is color-coded for ignorant tourists like us) to the bus depot, we’re off on our next Portuguese adventure.
Leaving Lisbon, we go across the “25th of April Bridge” (celebrating Portuguese “Freedom Day”, when a largely bloodless military coup in 1974 ended a dictatorship and established democracy).
We drive over the Tagus River and, thus, encounter the “Christ the King” statue close up. Inspired by the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio and as gratitude for minimal involvement in World War II, it took a long time to plan and build. The statue was only finished in 1959, and the celebrations continued throughout the 20th century. I hope it doesn’t take us that long to travel through Portugal!
Musical Interlude: “Lisboa”-The Silva Lining Band