We headed back to Lisbon on a very early train to take advantage of our last day in Portugal. No rest for the weary, once we arrived we quickly headed out again. There were two more sights that I really wanted to take in before leaving – the Tower of Belem and Mosteiro dos Jeronimos – the Jeronimos Monistary.
The Belem district of west of Lisbon by about 5 miles. Since we needed to keep our track record of 10+ miles a day, we decided to hoof it there. On the way we made a quick detour to the “must-eat” Timeout market in Cais do Sodre.
The Timeout market – yes, named after the magazine – boasts stall after stall of traditional and not so traditional Portuguese food and drinks. There are 35 food and drink stalls. You can take your pick from typical bacalhau (cod), pasteis de nata, sardines or you can feast on delights from other countries – including pizza and a good old fashioned burger.
It was a madhouse in there! It was lunchtime so it makes sense but it was just packed. I am, however, glad we went. We stumbled upon Oh Prego da Peixaria – a stall that sells one of Portugal’s national sandwichies. A prego is a beef sandwich that can be served in bread (with mustard or hot sauce) or in a platte (with fries, rice and fried egg). We ordered Prego Motard – “A Kind of Burger”. It was a burger covered with chorizo and fried egg and it was oh so good. The place was cool but very, very touristy.
Again taking the road less traveled we began our trip to Belem – passing by the docks and the trains where almost no people ventured. Often we thought we were lost but as usual we found our way and ended up fighting the wind along the Tejo estuary between the unbelievable Padrão dos Descobrimentos monument and the Torre de Belem.
The Padrão dos Descobrimentos – the Monument to the Discoveries – is a massive sculpture made of limesone brought from neighboring Sintra that sits directly on the river. The sculpture depicts the front of a ship used in early Portuguese exploration with a figure of Henry the Navigator at the head. On either side are 16 figures (33 total) representing figures from the Age of Discovery. The sculpture is breathtaking – especially against the deep blue sky and deep green Tagus river.
You can see the Torre de Belem come into view as you stroll away from the monument. Another magnificent site as it beckons you down the river. The tower was built in the 16th century as both a fortress and a port from where Portuguese explorers departed. It is now classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Jeronimos Monastery is across the street from the Tower of Belem. I’d wanted to go into the monastery but was just too tired at that point. The early morning, the distance we’d walked and the relentless wind from the Tagus made us both want to hop on some public transport for a quick trip back to our apartment and a nap. But you can’t miss this monastery if you’re anywhere in Belem. It’s Gothic facade is absolutely awesome. It is also been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And pictures do not do it justice – it’s something you have to see to believe.
It was our last night in Lisbon 🙁 And we’d learned a lot. All we wanted was a last beautiful sunset, some gorgeous food and SOME TAWNY PORT!
We finally mastered the Miroduoro! This time we were headed way, way, way up to the highest hilltop in Lisbon – to Miradouro da Nossa Senhora do Monte.
Ok, this is the way to do a Miroduoro:
First, pack your bag with a wine bottle opener and two glasses – something bigger than demi-tasse espresso cups!
Second, stop at a wine bar on the way and pick up a huge bottle of 10-year-old tawny port. We’d passed this wine bar so many times during our visit. Cleverly, it’s called Cheap Wine Bar & Shop (clearly it struck a cord!) This time we finally went in where we chatted with the bar manager – Vera – who gave us tastes of different aged tawnys. She was super helpful and kind.
Third, stop at a mini mercado (mini market) for a delicious mix of prosciutto ham, goat cheese, fresh fruit and chocolate.
Fourth, haul your loot to the highest hilltop in the city and settle in for a lovely picnic as you wait for nature to smile down on you.
Let me just say, we had the best picnic in the park that night! I mean, meat and cheese and port – YES! The miroduoro wasn’t even crowded. And the sunset was one of the best we’d seen. There were wispy clouds in the sky to provide that additional touch of ethereal color. Unforgettable!
We were on a bit of a high, as it was our last night in Portugal and we still had some port left in our bottle so decided to go back to Vera and Cheap Wine Bar & Shop. She welcomed us back with open arms. Even brought us a free appetizer of pizza and olives. And we got to have a nice chat with a lovely woman who took the time to share part of her story with us. When we finally left, I got the traditional double-cheek kiss from Vera! It made me feel like a million bucks!
It was the perfect end to an incredible trip. The experiences, the memories, the conversations – these are what will keep me going during the stressful and complicated days of our so-called normal life. This – THIS – this is why I love to travel.