Jardim da Cerca da Graça

Rick Steves has a really good guidebook for key places in Portugal. His section about Lisbon makes life a lot easier for planning as it includes lots of good tips about where to go and what to do and see. I just tear out 4 or 5 pages from his guide, about an area that we would like to explore and take those with me. Chris uses the Mapme app or google maps app and we are set.

Yesterday, we went on his “Alfama Stroll and the Castle”, starting at Lisbon’s highest point, Sao Jorge Castle and ending at the Fado Museum near the river in the sailor’s quarter. We went at around 9 a.m. in order to avoid the tour groups. Sometimes, we casually join a group to hear stories or facts about a certain spot.

The castle gate is a short walk away from our apartment. We walked to the gate and looked around the small town that stands within the walls before buying seniors’ tickets to enter the viewing terrace and the castle proper. There are several places to get great views of Lisbon but it was lovely of the Tejo River from up there. We could see the big April 25th Bridge (somewhat like the Golden Gate Bridge) in the distance.
We strolled along the ramparts and climbed the towers, while trying to find our apartment building in the streets below. We had left an orange towel on the balcony clothesline.

The first settlements on this hill date back to the 7th century B.C., but the castle was built in the 11th century when Moors built it to house their army and house their important people during a siege. But then it was taken in 1147 and Portugal’s royalty lived there.

The little museum on the site had archaeological finds from the 7th centre B.C. to the 18th century.

The Castle Town just outside the castle is full of cute shops and restaurants. Most of these buildings were built during the Middle Ages for well to do people.

On the way down to the river, we passed the Largo Santa Luzia. The iconic trolleys stop here as there is a free panoramic view from its terrace with nice music. We popped into a little cafe to have a coffee and delicious natas - maybe the best ones yet!

We continued walking down, down, down stairs and steep roads to the Alfama area. Lots to see - laundry flapping from wrought iron balconies, birds in cages, flowers, tuktuks, a lady selling 1 euros cups of Jinga to passerbys, artists’ workshops in old building, grafitti, and men in groups smoking and chatting. There are signs everywhere warning people of possible pickpockets. Good reminders. It was a warm and sunny day so we felt good.

At the bottom of the hill is the Fado Museum. Our friend Donna highly recommended it. Fado - Rick Steves describes it as “wailing fisherwomen’s blues”. I really like it. There are three wall murals on three levels with the faces of three generations of local fado stars. With the audio guide they give you, you can key in the number beside the face you like and listen to the person singing. We could have been there for hours!!!

Hunger stuck so we asked a shopkeeper if she would recommend a nearby locals’ restaurant. Once again, we had a delicious fish and pork/clam meal with sangria for a good price.

The walk back up to our apartment wasn’t so bad. Maybe it was because our legs have become used to the exercise we had, climbing the many hills in Sao Miguel. Maybe it was because of the energy provided by the homemade ice cream cone we ate...Read more