The central area of Lisbon is Baixa. It is also the finest part with a mix of traditional Portuguese culture, places to socialise and shop with some magnificent historic buildings. Our hotel was located in this quarter, so it was easy to walk around and experience so much. Having said that – it also has some very steep streets! Fortunately, there are trams, funiculars and the famous Elevador de Santa Justa, all of which take you you up high to enjoy the brilliant views. The lift is a unique wrought iron structure with crafted arches and a polished wood interior.
The grand architecture in Baixa is called Pombaline after the Marquis of Pombai. He was responsible for the rebuilding of Lisbon following the devastating earthquake of 1755. Walking through the majestic Arco da Rua Augusta takes you to the Praca do Comercio or huge plaza that overlooks the River Tejo. The pedestrian streets are paved with the beautiful traditional black and white tiles.
As well as the fascinating shops, we found plenty of places to eat and drink. We had the most amazing ice creams in the Amorino cafe – rose-shaped cornets of deliciousness! We had a great seafood meal at Taberna 90 – I would really recommend this restaurant for the excellent meal and friendly attentive service. Around the Baixa area there is plenty of nightlife. We spent one evening at the Hard Rock Cafe in Avenida da Liberade. There was a terrific atmosphere with a collection of music memorabila lining the walls and good entertainment. Basically, it is karaoke with a live band, but the performers from all over the world were really exceptional.
We were fortunate to be staying in Lisbon when the Sardine Festival was taking place. It was to celebrate the feast of St Anthony. (As a lapsed Catholic, St Anthony is my favourite saint as I invoke his assistance when trying to find lost things! It often works because I suddenly remember where I left the item!) In June the streets and squares are alive with music, dancing and grilled sardines. On the night of June 12th the Avenida da Liberdade had a parade of floats with the dancers and bands dressed in tradional costumes. St Anthony is also the patron saint of Love and Marriage, so each year Lisbon council chooses 16 couples to wed. They get the ring, dress and honeymoon all paid for. After travelling by a tram up to a high square we found ourselves in the middle of a Sardine party. We were given headgear to wear – I had a white “bridal” veil and himself had a sardine hat. It was great fun!
On a more religious note, there are some magnificent churches in Lisbon. The one which you must not miss is the Church of St Roch the patron saint of plague victims. It is one of the few buildings to survive the earthquake. It was built in 1506 and was developed through the centuries. To be perfectly honest, I found that the highly decorated interior, the carvings, the statues, the ceilings, the various side chapels, the precious stones, the gilding and paintings were really too much to take in. The facade of the building is quite plain but the Baroque decorations inside are overwhelming. We found the church in the square Largo Trinidade Coelho after taking a ride on the Gloria funicular to the Mirador terrace to see the sweeping city views. From there we decided to walk down into the city via the Rio de sao Pedro.
There is so much to see and experience in central Lisbon, it really is somewhere that culture vultures need to explore at least once in their lifetime.