I am no stranger to Southern Europe, I’ve been to Spain before and revelled in the abundant history and wonders Andalusia has to offer. It may have been easy then, to dismiss the idea of visiting Portugal. After all, how different could it be? The nations neighbour each other and share the same climate.
Would one miss much by skipping Portugal?
The answer to that is yes.
In the summer of 2024, I travelled to Lisbon and its surrounding areas, including Sintra and Cascais. The Atlantic coast that was mostly exclusive to Portugal over its larger neighbour proved too alluring to ignore.
Lisbon
With settlements dating as far back as 1200BC, Lisbon has since found itself under the rule of conquerors far and wide. It was known as ‘Ollispo’ under the Romans and ‘Al Uqsbuna’ during the time period of the Muslims.
My first impression of Lisbon came as I walked its rocky streets on my first morning. There is a distinct, unmistakable comfort when treading upon sun-kissed rocks in an historic European city. The smooth, glazed surface of the timeless rocks bore witness to the fact that millions walked here before me, where the slow pace of time does well to hide the fact that men as ambitious as any who have ever lived once roamed them.
I visited the Rossio Square where behind the touristy exterior, a darker past lay. In previous times it was used as an execution site for those tried as part of the Inquisition. To be honest, there wasn’t much to see here aside from some fountains, it was just an open square after all, but it did have a variety of shops and restaurants around it which kept it busy and full of life.
From there I made my way to the Santa Justa Elevator. Now, I was prepared for what I was about to see beforehand, I had seen online before that the panoramic viewpoint at the top was accessed without paying to go up the elevator itself. By simply walking around the back for free, we could get to the same platform everyone else was paying to reach. Now, I did this and I walked around the back, meaning that I walked the streets leading up behind the hill behind where I finally reached the platform. After some reading of the history of the elevator, I realised that it was initially constructed for the exact purpose of what everyone was trying to achieve without it. The smugness of tour guides who proudly proclaimed behind me to their respective groups that they had just viewed for free what other people had paid to see only betrayed the fact that they were missing the entire point. Lisbon is built upon very hilly terrain and walking its streets can be challenging in certain neighbourhoods. The Santa Justa Elevator was built in 1902 by a student of the man who designed the Eiffel Tower, and this inspiration is apparent in the design. It served the purpose of helping people to access the neighbourhoods up above them in the hills. It wasn’t designed to be a viewpoint or a fancy landmark, it was designed to help people go where they needed.
This highlights a point I think we as tourists (and I include myself here) need to be aware of. If we are not careful, we can be quick to look at things backwards when visiting other countries. If I saw the elevator as just another item to tick off my list, I would have accessed the viewing platform by climbing the hills behind (as I did) and then think nothing of it, perhaps wondering why such a contraption was ever made in the first place. Even worse, I could have entertained a smug attitude like the tour guide I overheard, wondering why anyone would pay money to go up the elevator when they could go around for free. But by learning and understanding its history, I was able to appreciate its true purpose and see it for what it was, not just something to be ticked off. We outsmart no one but ourselves by aiming to treat shortcuts to experiences as shortcuts to meaning. The elevator exists to server a purpose to the people, not as a landmark in its own right. To balance this however, if you are unable to climb the hills on the streets behind, then don’t feel bad about queueing and paying for a ride in the elevator, you are using it precisely as intended!
From here I walked down to the Commercial Square which was the former site of the Royal Palace in centuries past, but due to the devastating impact of the 1755 earthquake it was decided to be rebuilt into an open square where markets selling wares and good from across the world were to be sold. I can imagine that its markets were THE place to be in Lisbon for all kinds of exotic goods and treasures from across the world in its heyday. Today the square mostly stands empty (at least it was while I was there), leaving space for tourists like myself to fill it with what we imagine it must have been like all that time ago.
What was notable however was the mysterious presence of 2 columns and a pier leading directly into the Tagus Bay, just meters from the edge of the Square. These 2 columns signify the exact place where ships containing royalty or otherwise notable persons coming from distant lands were formally received as they docked their ships. One recent example would be Queen Elizabeth II herself in 1957!
To anyone unaware, these columns (known as Cais das Colunas) don’t look like anything special. They seem entirely unassuming, but I was fascinated to know that I stood where Kings and Queens, Explorers and Dignitaries once tread. How the tides of history turn! Land that was once stepped upon by only royalty now carries the footsteps of any person and is ignored by most.
On the other side of the Square, the Rua Augusta Arch stands tall, guarding the entrance to Rua Augusta itself, the main street in Lisbon. Completed in 1875, it was built to symbolise the city’s rebirth after the previously mentioned 1755 earthquake. The top of the arch is home to figures such as Vasco da Gama (the man who discovered a sea route under Africa from Portugal to India). I was able to take an elevator to the top for a small fee and cast my gaze down upon the Commerical Square I had just visited below. A nice break from the hustle and bustle of the square, it was also a nice view of the Tagus Bay.
At this point, I knew that I wanted to see the Belem Tower next. It was however, many kilometres from where I was at the Rua Augusta Arch. I decided to walk along the coast the entire distance, it was a hot, sunny day, but not hot enough to cause any discomfort. The cool breeze from the bay provided enough of a counter to the sun that any walk would not be burdensome.
This walk took me past Cais de Sodré train station, one which I would become familiar with later in my trip. As I watched trains go by, I realised that this walk was much longer than I had anticipated. Google Maps revealed that it was 7km away from where I was. Having the time, energy and most importantly the thrill of adventure within me, I pushed forward. I had nothing to lose from such a walk and had everything to gain. When in a new country, there is something new to be seen and experienced at every step and around every corner. So I persevered.
Eventually I found myself stood beneath the tremendous 25th April Bridge (Ponte 25 de April). Now, I am more of a fan of natural landscapes and the beauty we find in nature, but having this monumental structure in front of me was nothing short of awe-inspiring. It looks like an exact replica of the famous Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco (said by someone who has not actually been there to see it … yet) and is in fact painted in the same exact colour. Being able to walk directly underneath it was almost indescribable. I witnessed trains shrugging along the underside too and realised how simple, yet elegant the whole structure was. It was also endearing how the space underneath the bridge was used to host tennis cages so that people could enjoy playing in the heat while having some respite from direct sunlight.
Moving past the bridge and a lot of walking later, I came across the Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology. While I did not have the time to enter, the building itself is architecturally interesting enough to mention. It sports a sleek, modern design which allows pedestrians to walk up a slope onto its roof, providing a great viewpoint over the Tagus Bay and surrounding promenade. While I am not generally a fan of modern architecture, I realised that when it is done right and doesn’t disrespect its surroundings, it can express itself well.
Continuing my odyssey, I enjoyed a refreshing ice cream before coming to the Monument to the Discoveries. I had known that this was directly on my way to the Belem Tower and something I had wanted to visit. So I bought my ticket and went right in.
The structure itself pays homage to the vast number of men who sailed from Portugal during the Age of Exploration discovering (and yes, often exploiting) new lands. Without getting into many of the unfortunate details, I am still able to respect the fundamental desire and bravery of the men who ventured into the deep, dark unknown to seek new riches or simply to discover what lay beyond the boundaries of the known world. The human spirit desires expansion and thrill, establishment and adventure, and despite what may have happened as a result of those desires, looking at it from an objective historical perspective was fascinating. The systematic exploitation of weaker people is nothing to be ignored or belittled, but it is important to sometimes be able to step back enough to see the trends and happenings of history in an impersonal way so as to truly understand human nature and learn real lessons from it.
The Monument itself is located near the mouth of the Bay of Tagus, it has undoubtedly been a location that has seen untold numbers of men set sail to seek adventure and so it makes sense that the structure itself showcases sculptures of some of these men on its exterior. Entering the structure allows you to head to the top where the observation deck is. I was able to experience even better views that I had of the Tagus Bay and River previously, as well as catching my first glimpse of the Belem Tower in the near distance. I did not however, visit any of the exhibitions on the lower floors, perhaps another time.
As I was leaving, I overheard some fellow tourists ask about the closing time of this Monument. The answer was that it was closing soon. It suddenly came to me that although it didnt seem to be that late on this late summer’s day, places could still close at 5pm on the dot. I hurriedly checked how long I had left before the Belem Tower closed for the day. This was my designated day to explore Lisbon and it would be a shame not to catch one of the last major items on my itinerary. Thankfully, it was 5pm, an hour away. I had no doubt that I could walk the rest of the distance in time, but to be safe I hired a nearby bike to cover the rest of the way.
As I rode to Belem Tower and parked up the bike, I knew something was off. The pier leading up to the tower was chained off! Surprised, I asked some local guards what the deal was, but despite my arrival well before closing time, it turns out that everything was ‘sold out’ for the day! The ultimate destination for which I walked 7km for had retained its mysteries. I was close enough to touch the tower and yet I was forbidden to enter.
I had some questions about the Tower that I had hoped I would have answered within. From my previous research, this Tower was strategically located at the top bank of the Tagus River and armed so that any invading ships would be subject to brutal canon barrages. Remember the Commercial Square from earlier and how I mentioned thats where the Royal Palace used to be? This Tower seemed to have served as a naval guard post for any ships attempting to enter the bay. But to me, this made little sense. Admittedly, I haven’t seen a canon fired before in real life (I am sure movies don’t count), but even if this tower was decked out with many of them, how effective would they be across the huge width of the river? And why wasn’t there a similar tower on the other side? Better yet, why wasn’t this tower constructed and used further out in the water?
Like the exhibitions at the Monument to the Discoveries, I will leave these questions for now in hope that they will be answered in person at the Tower in a future time.
Despite these last minute setbacks however, I did not regret my pedestrian adventure one bit. It was refreshing to walk along the 7km of coast to get to the Belem Tower and as cliched as we all know it to be, sometimes it is really true – it is about the journey, not the destination.
After taking a quick detour to a local Mosque for prayer, I had another decision to make. I had already walked the 7km to the Belem Tower, was I now going to walk the same 7km back when I had already seen the sights along the way? It didn’t make any sense to me.
I had one attraction left to view in Lisbon before the day’s end, the Castle of St George (Sao Jorge Castle), and although the fact that it closed much later in the evening was reassuring, I didn’t want to take it for granted. I hired a nearby scooter and rode swiftly all the way back to the Rua Augusta Arch.
Thankfully, the walk to the Castle wasn’t too far from there. But as I found out, it wasn’t the distance that was necessarily the issue, it was the elevation.
The Castle sits atop Lisbon, overlooking the city with its rocky structure showing its silent dominance over all. The structure in its current recognisable state was built by the Muslims when the city was part of the Andalusian Caliphate. Thankfully, I am no stranger to climbing heights and I made it to the Castle in time around an hour before closing time. As soon as I entered I was treated to a colossal, sweeping view of Lisbon painted orange by a burning sunset.
The view was simply magnificent, it seemed like a fitting reward for my adventures across the city for the day. In hindsight although I imagine the view would be as glorious at any time during the day, the fact that I got to witness it at sunset made the moment even more special for me. The view of the city with the magnificent bridge I walked under earlier in the background was an inspiring experience I will not forget any time soon.
After a wander through the castle grounds, I also took the time to use the telescopes intended to gaze upon the city to look directly at the moon. At that moment, for the first time in my life I saw the moon up close with my own eyes. We have all seen stunning pictures on television and online, but to see it magnified before my every eyes in such details was an experience that left me stunned in awe.
Concluding my exploration across the castle and its grounds, I was happy to end my adventurous day and made my way back down to the streets of Lisbon. As I navigated the backroads destined to bring me to the metro station, I came across scenes of people sitting outside their houses in communal courtyards eating and drinking while a musician played away in the background. This was no festival, this was a random backstreet. I imagine that this was the cultural relaxation of Europe that many across the world envision.
Lisbon kept me very busy on my first day, and I was prepared to venture out to the alluring Sintra the next.