Lisbon Trip 2025 - PART 2
Riding Lisbon's narrow, steep streets on the original yellow 1930s tram, visiting the Castela St Jorge and picturesque city squares
Lisbon Sightseeing
This time, my hotel also included breakfast, which is great, but also means being a bit more organised getting up early in the morning, which I’m terrible for. Particularly on holidays.
Anyway, the mix of Portugal’s pastries and their renowned custard tarts lured me in, and there were also cooked options, and a mix of fruits, cereals, meats and choices of juices and hot drinks, so I certainly got my money’s worth. It was also beneficial today, as I tend to do quite a bit of walking on foot initially to get to know a place.
The hotel was situated pretty centrally, but far enough from the core hustle and bustle to be a peaceful retreat. Basically straight down a hill for around 20 minutes, with a few corners, brings you to the core shopping esplanade, sprawling across many streets, and punctuated by buses and iconic yellow trams, more of which later.
There were picturesque buildings intricately designed in decorative tiles, however it was quite a mix and rather inconsistent architecture, but nonetheless interesting to see how each neighbourhood differed.
Winding through the meandering streets, which following a rather steep incline, was then pretty much downhill until the streets met the river Tagus, easily the widest estuary of rivers I’ve seen. Spanning it, a bridge very similar to the Golden Gate Bridge, albeit smaller in stature.
Along the banks, there is a central transport hub of Cais Do Sodre, housing a train and metro station, bus station and trams serving throughout the city and beyond. I caught one on a bit of a punt of adventure, with my recently acquired Lisbon Card, which would give me entrances to museums and transportation for the next 3 days.
I worked out from mapping inside, this would take me further down the vast seafront, where I saw 16th century fortification and gateway for Portuguese explorers, Belem Tower, and massive late 15th Century Jeronimos monastery.
The giant monument of the discoveries, with calved limestone figures was in this direction, and this really is a marvel of architecture to see in person, for the presence it occupies and the skill involved to achieve. It was constructed in 1960 to celebrate the 5th centennial death of Prince Henry the Navigator, a figure influential in the maritime expansion of the city.
Around an hour strolling around the area was really pleasant, and I’d generally timed it to miss the passing shower. Back on the tram to where I’d come from, and it was time for a late lunch in an absolutely buzzing food market, with huge lines of tables and a good few hundred diners thronging them! There must’ve been at least a dozen stalls selling their salivating specialties - probably a foodie’s paradise! I can’t say I am, but nonetheless it was an amazing atmosphere inside, and I grabbed a traditional Portuguese steak with fries, washed down with their slant on sangria as I needed that energy boost!
The rest of the day was pretty much spent exploring more of Lisbon’s streets, and in the evening, once the crowds for the yellow tram had died down, I decided to have a white-knuckle ride through the narrow streets on original route 28 from the 1930s! It is so designed to come within touching distance of buildings, with sharp corners and undulating uphill and downhill along its journey - particularly suited to fans of rollercoasters I felt!
An an interesting day of random adventure complete, with more to come no doubt! That’s what I love about travel - the unpredictability and challenges in working a new place out and seeing what it has to offer!
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