Miradouro das Portas do Sol

We took the Bica funicular up to the top and connected with the #28 Tram just to see where it goes. The Bica funicular was the one we walked up and down last night. Today it still has lots of people on it walking up and down, but they get out of the way when the tram goes up or the other one goes down. There are only 2 trams on this one. I think I read it opened in 1892.

We connected easily with the tram and took it til it went past this cool church. Se Catedral. We didn't get off there, but instead the next stop. You have to push the red button to let the driver know you want off. Then you exit via the rear. So we ended up in this beautiful square with a great view. Colin and I were sitting on opposite sides of the tram, and it was crowded so when he saw this great view he yelled at me to see if I wanted to get off. You have to be quick or the door closes and you miss your stop.

this is the Miradourado Portas do Sel. plaza. It was created when some buildings were torn down in the 1950's so they didn't rebuild and instead had this great view point. It is right next to this old church which is built above the old wall.

This 8th century fortified wall marked the boundary of Moorish Lisbon (it felt a bit like the walls of old Havana,, but that was 16th century). the porta do Sel was the sun gate, the entrance to the old city. You can still see a couple of places where the walls are still visible.

We had an espresso (.80 Euro) and a Samosa on the patio. Steeves says it is the most scenic cup of coffee in town and he was right! we read that after we stumbled on it. There is a statue of St Vincent in the square. We took a selfie as we had our coffee.

there were a couple of cruise ships in town so very busy with cruise visitors as the docks have been recently reclaimed (100 yes) out into the river Tagus river. You can see the docks from the terrace and there is an elevator close by in another square we went to Largo Santa Luzia so the cruise ship people can get up the hill. It would be more fun to go down the stairs next to the old wall, but we ran out of time to do that.

we did go partway down these stairs and there were public washrooms there, but it costs .5 euoros to use it. There was a really cool cartoon mural there that showed the history of Portugal.Leia mais