LISBON

Favourite Memory: The city took me totally by surprise!  It is beautiful- I love the interesting patterns of the pedestrian areas and the beautiful tiles on the building facades.

In a nutshell:  Very welcoming city, people are really friendly and the food is quite good. It is easy to walk around the old town but make sure to take ride the old trams too.

Spend some time in Rossio Square.  It is located in the old town and has been one of its main squares since the Middle Ages. It has been the setting of popular revolts and celebrations, bullfights and executions, and is now a preferred meeting place of Lisbon natives and tourists alike.  

Get your souvenirs on Rua Augusta.  Arco da Rua Augusta at the end of the street opens up to the Commerce Square and a beautiful view of the ribiera.  The street itself is full of places to shop and grab some lunch.  The restaurants have outdoor seating and it is a great place to people watch.

Ride on the Old Trams!  We rode tram 12 around the old town and tram 28 all the way up to St George's Castle.  You see Lisbon's famous graffiti along the way and once you get to the top you see amazing rooftop views of the city.

Rossio Railway Station- One of my favourite buildings in this area. Interestingly, trains gain access to the station, through a tunnel which is more than 2600m long.

Take the Santa Justa lift.  It offers 360 breathtaking views of Lisbon.  It connects teh lower streets of Baixa with the higher Carmo Square.

Go for a morning walk- so many places for good coffee and people watching!

Walk into the Commerce Square and be awed by its size and beauty, enjoy the views of the Tagus river.

Visit the famous Jeronimos Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Go inside the church and visit the tomb of Vasco de Gama.  Enjoy a walk along the cloisters and then cap the visit with a famous "Pasteis de Belem"- serving satisfied customers since 1837!

The Belem Tower played an important role during the Age of Discovery.  Originaly it was built on a small island in the Tagus river but as development extended the shoreline the northern bank crept southwards into the Tagus,eventually integrating the tower into the riverbank.

For more information on Lisbon: http://wikitravel.org/en/Lisbon

For these and other pictures of Lisbon go to my Flickr Album

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Rossio Square

Arco da Rua Augusta

Historic Lisbon Trams

Rossio Railway Station

Santa Justa Lift

Commerce Square

The Belem Tower

Jeronimos Monastery