We took a three-hour train ride from Porto south to Lisbon and spent a week in Portugal’s capital. We stayed in the Graça district, one of the oldest parts of town. A short walk from our apartment to the top of one of Lisbon’s seven hills.
The neighborhood is served by the 28 tram. We never took it; the line was always long.
Street art.
Our friend Maggie from Portland had a business trip to Lisbon at the same time so we connected. I somehow only have a picture of her and Leena in a store for, uh, rubber duckies.
The pink street in Lisbon indicates (or used to indicate?) the red light district.
We went to the top of the arch overlooking a major plaza on the Tejo river. One of many great vantage points to take in the beautiful city.
A view of Praça do Comércio, the main plaza of Lisbon, from the top of the arch.
We connected with Brian and Jen who moved to Lisbon from Seattle about 18 months ago. We know them from many Thanksgivings at Steve’s and a few other Seattle visits.
Another view from near our apartment. The flag on the left is on the old castle.
We nicknamed this the “little Golden Gate Bridge” and then learned that it was designed and built by the same company that did the Bay Bridge. It seems they took some inspiration from that other San Francisco bridge. It is actually called the 25 de April Bridge.
We visited the São Jorge Castle
We walked a long way (about 4 miles) along the Tejo river to sail for a couple of hours on the river. The marina was under the bridge.
Remember that plaza on the river with the arch? Here it is. The castle is atop the hill in the right center (with the trees).
I took the wheel for a bit.
The Belém Tower dates from the 16th century and was part of Lisbon’s defenses of that era.
The pink house is home to the president of Portugal, a beloved man and very different from the Prime Minister of Portugal.
We took a day trip to Sintra, about an hour by train. It’s a beautiful old village set at the foot of hills with fairy-tale castles on them.
Meanwhile, back in Lisbon.
