What better way to start your first full day in Lisbon but with Portuguese pastries! This whole city is packed with pastelaria and the typical Lisbon pastry is called pasteis de nata. It was high on my list of things to eat here. We consulted Google and found a small bakery in one of the little hidden alleyways in Alfama – our neighborhood. Breakfast = 1 pasteis de nata, 1 azevias do grão e amendõa – which is cinnamon and chickpeas in fried dough(!) and one savory bread stuffed with chorizo. Okay! Everything I’d heard about pasteis de nata is spot on! It is a flaky crust similar to a croissant filled with a delicious custard and the top is similar to the consistency of creme brûlée. Absolutely yummy and a must-eat here!
We had some time before our scheduled walking tour so now headed up the hill from our apartment toward Sao Jorge Castle – which is a castle built in the mid 11th century and sits at the top of the biggest hill in Alfama. I’ve read it’s not worth paying the money to visit the castle and it was closed so we went in search of a viewpoint and were not disappointed!
Miradouro de Santa Luiza is one of the the most beautiful views in Lisbon. Miradouro translates simply to viewpoint in English. Apparently anytime you see a sign for a Miradouro you should take advantage of it. And since it was so early (Lisbonites seem to stir a bit later than other European cities) we were one of just a few people in the sweet square. It is beautifully landscaped and offers an unobstructed view of the Tagus in the distance and the copper colored rooftops of Alfama in the foreground. Just stunning. At Portas do Sol – which was of course not open yet – we got to see one of the most photographed views in Lisbon.
We headed down the hill toward Bairro Alto where we were scheduled to take a free walking tour of Lisbon. John and I love to do these tours. They are always run by locals and tourists get a chance to hear their stories and ask questions and get local recommendations. This time we chose Chillout Lisbon Tours based on reviews I’d seen online. Pedro was our tour guide – a Fado-singing local who got fired from his office job and decided to use his passion for his city on tours.
During the tour we were given a lot of history on the city. The event in this city that seems to define it more than any other is the earthquake of 1755. I’d read about the earthquake but it was fascinating to be on the streets where it happened and picture life that day.
The earthquake happened on November 1st at 9:40 am. Scientists today say that it registered an 8.5-9 on the Richter scale and it lasted up to 6 minutes. Compare that with the latest quake in San Francisco in 2007 that was just a 5.6 on the Richter scale! The earthquake caused fissures up to 16 feet across. And – since the quake took place on the Catholic holiday of All Saints Day – candles lit in homes and in churches started massive fires all over the city. Survivors of the earthquake rushed from their homes toward what they thought was safety – the water of the Tagus river. From there they watched the river recede and then a tsunami engulfed the harbor and the downtown area of the city, killing somewhere between 10,000 and 100,000 Lisbonites.
Needless to say that day has left it’s mark on the city. The architecture of the buildings changed; the mindset of the people changed; the way they celebrated changed. And the passion that Pedro spoke about it was moving. They have even left the Carmo Convent as it stood after the earthquake that day – roofless as a result of the building caving in on the congregants that day.
We continued on through 4 of the main neighborhoods of Lisbon where Pedro sang and joked and provided history lessons and gave recommendations.
Two things I won’t soon forget – a quote by the Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa who said “Life is Good but Wine is Better!” Apparently he died of liver colic – a.k.a. Chronic alcoholism! And in Lisbon you can “drink whatever you want, wherever you want, whenever you want”! It was a very nice 3 hours and I would definitely recommend anyone to take one of these tours.
Based on a recommendation from Pedro, we headed back to the Bairro Alto neighborhood for a traditional Portuguese lunch. He recommended a street called Rua de Duque which has 5 wonderful, local restaurants on it. I’d actually read the same in my research so we headed to O Fernandinho restaurant, run by Fernando himself – a short, round, jolly man who greeted us with a smile.
We ordered another traditional dish – bacalhau a lagareiro. It was SOOOO good! Grilled cod seeped in olive oil and garlic and accompanied by potatoes and broccoli. My favorite meal yet! Just beware of bones 🙂
More walking…more walking…back to our apartment to rest our weary feet.
Another night in Lisbon equals another stunning sunset. There are so many places to watch the sunsets here. Again, termed Miradouros. This time we packed wine (drink anything, anywhere, anytime!) that our host had left us and headed back up the hill to Placa de Graça. It was nothing more than a small square with a little sculpture and one bar/restaurant but was teeming with people! We managed to get a spot right on the side of the wall for a another gorgeous sunset over the rooftops of Lisbon. And more importantly, sitting in that environment we are able to be completely present. Surrounded by beauty and diversity and love and laughter. That kind of scenario seems to open the door for communication and extreme appreciation. It was a moment I am truly grateful for – especially because I got to share it with the love of my life.
Time for more walking and food! We headed back down the hill and decided to try another typical restaurant on Rua de Duque since every other place was packed with tourists! I don’t like it when the waiters and hosts almost accost you while walking by and I’d rather not eat with a bunch of tourists anyway…This time we ate at Duque da Rua and shared a carafe of Portuguese white and more conversation and smiles.
As we walked back to our apartment through the alleyways with Fado playing in the background, the night would not be complete without having more of Lisbon’s traditional liqueur called Ginja. A Portuguese woman had a small table set out with a large bottle and plastic shot glasses as well as chocolate shot glasses! Can you imagine what we chose?!
A stop on the way to our apartment for a chocolate bar completed our amazing day!
Castle de Chillon is a medieval fortress sitting on the shores of Lake Geneva. It is the most visited monument in Switzerland. The oldest parts of the castle haven’t been definitively dated but the first written record of the castle is 1005! It is most known for it’s use as a prison in the 16th century. It’s most famous prisoner is Francois Bonivard on whom Lord Byron’s famous poem “
