Lisbon

A beautiful city to get lost in

By Michael Wilson

December 3^rd, 2015

Arco da Rua Augusta

I arrived in Lisbon just before sunset on Friday, so I grabbed my camera and headed toward the water to watch the sun go down. On my way was Arco da Rua Augusta, a lovely arch in a huge square surrounded by cafes. The waters edge is right next to the square so I headed on over…

Sunset by the river

The river side was bustling with people looking out over the river, and they were treated with a stunning sunset. It was such a calm place to be so I spent time people watching and soaking up the views.

Mercado da Ribeira

Lisbon is full of places to enjoy amazing food and wine with Mercado da Ribeira being a great place to do so. An indoor market full of enticing food and drink stalls each serving up something different. With so much on offer I decided to try small plates from as many as I could!

An evening stroll

I caught up with some friends in the evening and after the wine had run dry I walked across the city back to my apartment. The city was buzzing with people and it was the first time I came across what would become many examples of street art (so the walk took a little longer than it should have).

Statue of King John I

The next morning, I got up early and headed to the first stop of tram 28. On the way, I stopped off at the statue of King John I and soaked up some sun.

Tram 28

Every guide you read about Lisbon highly recommends taking a trip on tram 28 and by the length of the queue at the first stop, I’d guess everyone else had also read the guides. The tuk tuks take advantage of the queues by stetting up across the road for the impatient people not wanting to wait.

Tram 28 takes about 40 minutes to ride from start to finish and it passes what felt like everything worth visiting in the city. It’s an amazing way to get your bearings of the city.

Time to wander

I got the end of the line a started to explore. The sun was shining without a cloud in the sky and there was beauty everywhere. The old buildings give the city such character.

Assembleia da República

I stumbled upon the parliament building and was nearly blinded by how bright its white walls were in the sun!

25 de Abril Bridge

Lisbon’s version of the Golden Gate Bridge was next on my list so I jumped on a train and headed down the river. The area surrounding the bridge is packed with bars and restaurants, there’s also a marina and some sports areas. I enjoyed this area so much I stayed until sunset.

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Street art

I’ve always thought the sign of my kind of city is a city covered in graffiti. Lisbon has a huge array of graffiti all over the city but especially in the older areas. It’s amazing to see so many creative talents given the city as a canvas.

Alfama

Alfama is the oldest part of the city and it’s where Castelo de S. Jorge (the castle) is. There’s lots of crazy little alleys to explore and most of them lead to a quite stunning view over the city. I spent my last morning in Lisbon meandering around this area and came across so many beautiful examples of graffiti, beautiful views and amazing old houses.

Lisbon was a brilliant city to explore. The weather was lovely, the sights were amazing, the people were kind, the food was delicious but sadly the time was all too short…