Alfama Archives - JBRish.com

Near the end of our stay in Lisbon, we learned that the Four Seasons Hotel Ritz situated on top of a hill overlooking the King Edward Park and the Marques de Pombal square, had a rooftop viewing area. We had to walk through the gym/spa to get there, but were graciously welcomed to take our time to look around the observation deck. Our eyes were quickly drawn to a colorful Mariner’s Compass which seemed to house a mechanical device. In a communication from the hotel’s Concierge Office, this is their explanation:

The piece pictured is the Rosa dos Ventos – A wind rose. It indicates “the North” The design is decorative over what was initially the Hotel’s access to the shopping galleries below.

As a way to orient viewers, this is a view of the statue of the Marques de Pombal mentioned in several prior posts. To the right is the Avenida da Liberdade where we would soon be heading. There are a number of banks in this area with popular ATMs. The centrally located buildings and popularity of the streets convinced us to use the Santander Bank ATM. There is always a need for caution when using these conveniences wherever they are located. We experienced no problems during our entire trip.

Below is an “aerial view” of Alfama, the hilly area, which is the oldest district in Lisbon. It is well-juxtaposed against the modern buildings in the foreground giving readers an idea of how the old mixes with the contemporary side of Lisbon.

After several photographs and ample admiration of the wonderful rooftop views, we exited the hotel and headed toward Avenida da Liberdade boulevard. The 90-meter wide boulevard has parklike walkways bordered on one side by automobile traffic and contemporary luxury stores such as Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Gucci, etc. on the opposing side. The sidewalks themselves host the familiar decorative cobblestone patterns.

A meandering garden and canal adds a point of interest to those who stroll along. Nearby benches were occupied by those who wanted to relax, take time for a snack or perhaps foster more romantic intentions.

The “avenue” brings tourists to the Rossio Square area sometimes referred to as Pedro IV Square. This square has been a historical meeting place for citizens of Lisbon during political or cultural events. Now tourists mix with the residents to take advantage of the nearby popular attractions, stores and festive atmosphere.

One of the more curious attractions was the The Elevador de Santa Justa originally designed to help residents make a connection from the lower streets with the elevated Carmo Square. This was one method used in several different areas of Lisbon to deal with the hilly terrain. The Elevador has also become a popular tourist attraction. Interestingly enough, it can accommodate twenty people as it ascends, but only fifteen on the return trip. This device has an intersting history. You can read more about it at the link below.

Elevador de Santa Justa

Starbucks Coffee has become a nearly universal sight wherever one travels and this particular Starbucks stands apart from most because of its beautiful location in the historic Rossio Train Station which connects the capital city to Sintra; less than an hour away. The architecture was impressive and provided quite a contrast to the green and white signs. Note the ornate word “Central” above the arch in the foreground. This was originally named “The Central Station.”

Learn more about the Rossio Train Station

Map courtesy of Google Maps; numbers added by JBRish.com

To review our walk, I have placed markers on the map above:

1 – The King Edward VII Park. The Four Seasons Hotel Ritz was just northwest of the park.

2 – The Marques de Pombal square

3 – The Avenida da Liberdade sometimes just called Avenida (the Avenue)

4 – Approximate location of Rossio Square

5 – The Elevador de Santa Justa

NOTE – The water on the southern part of the map is the Tejo river which has many interesting places to explore. There was a music festival near the Praca do Comercio and it was blocked off at the time of our walk.

This was our last day in Lisbon and while we did not get to see everything on our list, we certainly gained an appreciation for the city and what it has to offer both residents and visitors.

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Continue reading about our trip to Portugal and Spain.

Read more Hiking and Exploration posts HERE

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Breaking away from our routine of traveling to national parks in the United States, we decided to journey overseas with a noted tour company to see a part of the world in which we have been interested for a long time. So off it was to Portugal and Spain.

Map Via

We arrived in Lisbon relatively early in the day. After we checked in at our hotel, we were anxious to get out and about to visit some of the sights we researched. High on the list was the Alfama district in Lisbon.

One of Alfama’s distinctions is that it is the oldest neighborhood in Lisbon. It is located along the Tejo river and is very picturesque. The concierge at the hotel explained that we needed to take a taxi to the tram stop and then take the number 28 to Alfama.

The #28 tram’s route traverses the city’s center thus making it a very busy mode of transportation as tourists use this to arrive at many of Lisbon’s popular attractions. It is less expensive than a tour bus, but there is no guide to point out the sights. We had to be careful as there were two different #28 trams. We determined we needed the one with the destination noted as Prazeres.

You can read more about it HERE

This popular tram usually operates from 7AM until 11PM daily. Check out the current schedules to be sure.

NOTE – Pickpockets often frequent this tram so be careful and keep your valuables close. We had no problems at all (besides the usual language barrier).

Little did we understand that the tram was going to drop us off quite a distance from the main section of Alfama and that we also needed to board a small van to take us to Alfama’s central location; no extra charge. Streets are so narrow in places that cars cannot navigate them. Bicycles and smaller motorized transports are plentiful on these narrow side streets.

As we were walking to board the jitney, we passed a trash can that was quite unique. We didn’t realize that this was customary in Portugal and Spain. Trash/recycle receptacles are sometimes painted and serve as a work of contemporary art. The city sponsors some to the container art. Apparently a number of other European cities have adopted this colorful method of camouflaging these streetside bins.

We managed to find our way to the small van and disembarked near the Miradouro das Portas do Sol (Viewpoint of the Doors of the Sun) which is a large terraced area with an elevated point of view looking over Alfama. The first thing visitors are going to notice is the famous red roofs. This is Alfama’s trademark!

Landmark red roofs of Alfama seen from Miradouro das Portas do Sol

In the picture above, the river is barely visible, but some of the prominent buildings can be clearly seen. The large building in the upper left (with the two towers) is the Church or Monastery of São Vicente de Fora which Wikipedia translates as “Monastery of St. Vincent .” Just off to the the right of the Monastery is the dome of the National Pantheon.

Saint Vincent is Lisbon’s patron saint and a statue to honor him stands as a sentinel at the Portas del Sol close to where most visitors will arrive at one point or another during their explorations. There are several vendors and street merchants at this location trying to capitalize on the crowds that often gather in this area.

Statue of Lisbon's patron saint, Saint Vincent

Here is another photograph of Alfama taken from the Miradouro de Santa Luzia which is another great viewing area. The Tejo river is located along the horizon. More central with a single tower visible is the iglesia de Santo Estevao (Church of St. Stephen).

Another view of the port of Alfama seen from Miradouro de Santa Luzia

As we began to make our way through the old streets of Alfama on the way to the Thieve’s Market, we passed by ancient structures. Here is a crossover near the Campo de Santa Clara (market square).

crossover near the Campo de Santa Clara (market square)

The Thieves Market is similar to flea markets around the world. It is only open on Tuesday and Saturdays in the square near the Panteão Nacional and São Vicente de Fora dating back to the late 1880’s.

There was a large variety of goods for sale including books, crafts and other typical flea market wares.

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Continue reading about our trip to Portugal and Spain.

Read more Hiking and Exploration posts HERE

JBRish.com – quips & queries

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Alfama

Lisbon, Portugal – Walking the Avenue to the Rossio District

Portugal – Alfama District, Lisbon Part 1