LISBON, PORTUGAL // TRAVEL DIARY // APRIL 2017

I visited beautiful Lisbon over the Easter of 2017 with both of my parents. It has everything – culture, beautiful sites and shopping as well as some of the most stunning hilltop views. Even visiting in April, the weather was gorgeous – sunny but cool.

Lisbon is well known for its colourful buildings and some huge hills. However I did not expect it to be as diverse as it was. There are so many parts of Lisbon to explore, including the busy Bairro Alto district filled with bars and nightclubs, the beautiful plaza of Praça de Comércio, one of the biggest plaza squares in Europe lined with little cafes and shops, and even the old São Jorge castle, a Moorish castle built on a hilltop which overlooks the city.

There are lots of ways to see the city. You can walk, drive, cycle (beware of the fluctuating hills!), go on a moped or catch a tram. The latter was my absolute favourite, and I stayed on the tram for a whole circuit, just taking in the sights, sounds and smells.

Some notable landmarks and sites in Lisbon which are well worth a visit include the Belém Tower (pictured below), also known as the Tower of St Vincent, which is a medieval fortified tower and UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its role in maritime discoveries during the Age of Discoveries era. There is a little café right next door to it which is floating on the Tagus River. Its a lovely place to sit out with a drink and a classic pastel de nata, Portuguese’s famous egg tart pastry.

Other places of significance include the Church of Santa Engrácia (pictured below), a 17th century monument, National Pantheon of Portugal and former church which was so awesome and huge that it did not completely fit in my camera’s shot, the Jerónimos Monastery (within walking distance from the Belém Tower), a world heritage late Gothic-Manueline-style monastery which is also an archaeology and maritime museum, and the Santa Justa lift, an iron elevator with beautiful views over the city.

Another notable place to visit is Eduardo VII park which is Lisbon’s largest public park. If you head to the top of the park you get some stunning views across the park and over parts of the city. There are also some beautiful stone statues nearby as well as the Pavilhão Carlos Lopes museum (all pictured below).

In addition to architecture, museums and sculptures, there are also other forms of art all around the city of Lisbon in the form of graffiti. I know that some people can be against graffiti, however I consider these particular pieces to be some inspiring works of art that really add to the diversity of the city. Feel free to judge for yourself and make up your own mind!

Like all the other places, I would love to return. It will be interesting to see what has changed, and whether new graffiti art has been added. But for now, I am content with relaxing here in England whilst dreaming of the Portuguese delicacy of francesinha (a large ham, sausage and steak sandwich, coupled with a fried egg, melted cheese and a spicy tomato sauce). It is a heart attack waiting to happen, but so so amazingly delicious!

– ARIA

Places Visited/Mentioned: 

• General Information on Lisbon (TripAdvisor): Lisbon TripAdvisor
• Discover Lisbon, Visit Portugal: Lisbon, Visit Portugal
• Bairro Alto Wikipedia: Bairro Alto Wikipedia
• Bairro Alto TripAdvisor: Bairro Alto TripAdvisor
• Praça de Comércio Wikipedia: Praça de Comércio Wikipedia
• Praça de Comércio TripAdvisor: Praça de Comércio TripAdvisor
• São Jorge Castle Wikipedia: São Jorge Castle Wikipedia
• São Jorge Castle TripAdvisor: São Jorge Castle TripAdvisor
• Belém Tower Wikipedia: Belém Tower Wikipedia
• Belém Tower TripAdvisor: Belém Tower TripAdvisor
• Recipes for Portuguese Egg Custard Tarts: Portuguese Egg Tarts Recipe – Tasting Table
• Church of Santa Engrácia Wikipedia: Church of Santa Engrácia Wikipedia
• Church of Santa Engrácia TripAdvisor: Church of Santa Engrácia TripAdvisor
• Jerónimos Monastery Wikipedia: Jerónimos Monastery Wikipedia
• Jerónimos Monastery TripAdvisor: Jerónimos Monastery TripAdvisor
• Santa Justa Lift Wikipedia: Santa Justa Lift Wikipedia
• Santa Justa Lift TripAdvisor: Santa Justa Lift TripAdvisor
• Eduardo VII Park TripAdvisor: Eduardo VII Park TripAdvisor
• Recipe for francesina: Francesinha Recipe – Catavino