We took the train from our hotel and headed towards Restauradores. A 2-minute walk from here got us right into the heart of Lisbon which is the Rossio Square. This area has a number of restaurants and neat little cafes. While we were there, we managed to grab a light lunch at one of the nearby restaurants. At this square, you'll find a long column with a statue of Dom Pedro IV on top, a water feature and love locks. Something you wouldn't miss!
We spent a good 3 days in Lisbon during our trip to Portugal. Yes we were pretty jet lagged, but we didn't want to waste any time resting. Our goal was to see as much as we could in 3 days. Lisbon is such a big city, and I mean really BIG! There are a lot of places to visit within the city itself as well as on the outskirts. Its always a good idea to do some research and decide where exactly you want to go and what interests you. We decided that we would dedicate 1 day just to explore Lisbon city and do a day trip to Sintra and Fatima on the other 2 days. Since it was going to be a day trip, we were sure that there would be plenty of time in the evenings to explore more of Lisbon city. We stayed at the beautiful Sheraton Lisbon Hotel & Spa which was located right in the centre of the city and just a 2 minute walk from the Picoas metro station. It is always a good idea to stay close to a station if you're planning on exploring a city yourself. The first thing on our list was to take a ride on the ever popular "Tram 28". A word of caution when you're going around Lisbon - LEAVE YOUR IMPORTANT BELONGINGS AT THE HOTEL. Many of the popular tourist sites attract pickpocketers and you wouldn't even know when you're robbed. They're pretty darn good! This applies to Tram 28 as well. We took the train from our hotel and headed towards Restauradores. A 2-minute walk from here got us right into the heart of Lisbon which is the Rossio Square. This area has a number of restaurants and neat little cafes. While we were there, we managed to grab a light lunch at one of the nearby restaurants. At this square, you'll find a long column with a statue of Dom Pedro IV on top, a water feature and love locks. Something you wouldn't miss! To catch the famous Tram No 28, we had to walk further away from Rossio Square until we reached the tram stop (ask for directions!). While going through TripAdvisor before starting this trip, some of the tourists had complained about waiting in a long line to get onto the tram. However, we were lucky enough to hop onto the first tram that arrived there. This vintage tram which is a tourist attraction by itself it such a beauty! It makes its way through the narrow winding streets of historical Lisbon stopping at various view points and monuments. We had the pleasure of visiting just one of the monuments, that's the Lisbon Cathedral but could only get a glimpse the other (St George Castle) from the outside as they were closed for the day. This ancient Gothic style Cathedral is definitely worth a visit though. For a small fee, you can also visit the treasury and cloister. It houses a series of the ancient ruins and is pretty impressive. While you're there, make sure to peek through those tiny windows on the upper floor for a breathtaking view. If time permits and you still have that wee bit of energy left in you, explore the area by foot. You'll come across hidden gems that you would certainly miss if you were on a tram. This picturesque old neighbourhood is full cobblestone alleys, colourful buildings and offers wonderful views of the river.
1 Comment
Darren D'Costa
5/6/2015 02:50:00 pm
Hi Delaine,
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