Lisbon, Portugal
Bom dia na Lisbon!
A short 6 hour flight from Philly to Lisbon and an easy metro ride led us right to our small Airbnb right in Baixa, the downtown district of Lisbon. From every window of our Airbnb, we were presented with beautiful views of rich red rooftops. We had a lovely terrace covered in potted plants from which one could see the neighbors across the street hanging up their laundry in the late spring wind and the sound of the lovely Fado music drifting slowly up to our windows and billowing in the curtains.
The wide cobbled streets of the Baixa region are lined with a mix of big label stores, local boutiques, and restaurants. At one end of this great square, lies Rio Tajo, a bay that connects with the Atlantic Ocean. At the other end, is Rossio, another district that features a great square with beautiful mosaic tiling, called Rossio Square. From this square and the Biaxa area, almost any direction you take is upwards. You can languidly climb the cobble stoned roads that stretch further and further upwards while browsing restaurant selections, almost all of which have outdoor seating. At one of the higher most spots lies Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara, a balcony overlooking Lisbon, providing a wonderful view (picture below). String lights in trees paired with the soft dim of the setting sun make this casual walking a perfect pair.
My favorite way to see the city was just this, walking around, taking a left or right wherever my heart desired, getting lost in small alleyways that would suddenly open up to a large square and then again narrow out into alleyways. As is typical of southern Europe, all the old men would be sitting, smoking, reading newspapers, simply people watching to pass the time. Restaurants would pick up the pace once the sun began to set and incessantly bugged the passerby to give them a try. We stopped in many local artistry shops and boutiques so we could see for ourselves some of the typical artwork and clothing.
Our first afternoon, we stopped by a small deli/ winery for tapas and Portuguese white wine. We watched as the owner carefully sliced each piece of cheese, marking their origin with flags and five or six different types of meat. He prepared a dish of olives and bread with spreads for our meal as well. Such an authentic meal was such a great way to be greeted into this country. Afterwards, we roamed the Baixa area, stopping by stores, monuments, and a great square right before the Rio Tajo. As any visitor to Portugal will find, sardines are the fare of the country, even celebrating them in a grand festival in Alfama district from June 3rd to 5th. We stopped in stores that were filled head to toe with canned sardines, in every local boutique, ceramic, printed, and painted images of sardines stand grandly.
We also spent time following the rambling roads far into the Alfama district, known as one of Europe's oldest neighborhoods. this area truly transports you into a different time. (All pictures above are taken in Alfama area). Alfama was, by far, my favorite part of Lisbon. The appeal of European cities for me, is the age. These buildings have seen more life than I will ever see. These old streets have seen developments from cart to automobile. The beauty of the history of these parts of the city is never lost on me. We walked up every little alleyway, watch children put up laundry outside their window, women cooking with their doors open, entered little art galleries that were tucked into small courtyards, and sat at benches perched near old churches or balconies.
From the Baixa region we walked all the way up until we reached Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara, a beautiful scenic viewpoint that shows a gorgeous view of all of Lisbon. From there, we stumbled upon the Church of São Vicente of Fora, which had a picturesque garden area where we relaxed. We stopped in little shops were we purchased souvenirs made by local artists. We walked around the fort of Castelo de S. Jorge, also seeing Church of Menino Deus, and Church of Santo António. We later found ourselves in another beautiful vantage point, Portas Do Sol. All of these churches, scenic spots, parks, and gardens we found ourselves in, we discovered truly by wandering around the city. As I read about Lisbon later, I realized the names of all of the beautiful wonders we had stumbled upon.
Truthfully, the most beautiful part of Lisbon was watching all of the life happen and getting lost its rustic grandeur. I had the wonderful opportunity to speak with a small curator in an artisan shop who led me back into his curating area, showing me original works of local artists and explained to me the methods or each artwork I asked about. I was amazed by the culture, the hospitality of people, and their world.
