Lisbon 2010 - part I. A trip by Ferny Forner and Rita Risoli

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Travel: October 5, 2010, with EasyJet flights from Malpensa € 133 in two round-trip from Lisbon airport to bus line number 44 to € 1.40 apiece.
Hotels: Pensao Residencial Roma, in a central position just a few meters away from Praça de all'elevador Restauradores and Gloria, two metro lines and several city buses. Large first floor room, bathroom blind, but great, no bidet, towels changed daily use, TV channels without Italians, no wifi in the room, location fee (4 € per hour), breakfast is normal, no elevator we paid 50 euro , an affair, we come back.
Restaurants: Casa do Alentejo: in a palace of the sixteenth century, it seems to go on a patio Arabic, then large halls with walls decorated with large tiles with scenes of hunting and living in the city, next to an elegant bar, flat acceptable and abundant food, spending € 28 for two with wine and coffee, the atmosphere is youthful and fun.
Sinhal Vermelho, in the Chiado restaurant of a certain elegance, do a little 'tail, we have dinner with 48 € for two, with dishes of grilled cod with cabbage and potatoes baked whole, baked prawns with vegetables, dessert, coffee and wine and beer. Spending about 46 € in half.
Locanda Italian: Italian menu, mid-level Italian cuisine, a bit 'expensive
Cervejaria Lusitana inside the mall Vasco da Gama: cheap, no return.
Restaurant O'bachaleiro, commonplace, there is no return, even if it is close to the Casa dos Bicos
Restaurant Pasta Cafe, inside the Vasco de Gama, affordable Italian menu we were fine.
Antigua Confeitaria de Belem, famous for pasteis, large decorated with tiles, not to be missed.
Restaurant inside the museum DOS Azulejos course tiles on the walls depicting products of cooking, game, etc.., Surprisingly low prices, serve hot food, I highly recommend.
cafeteria inside the Sao Vicente de Fora Monastery, also serve hot food at very affordable prices, we will return.
Travel: 24 hours valid subscription (€ 3.75) valid on all public transport (metro, bus, tram, Elevador, airport), very efficient, even at night, means clean and comfortable, even the cheap suburban rail services (Sintra , Cascais, etc..) almost a station.
Climate: variable, on sunny days we have reached 27 degrees, we arrived with the rain, we are surprised to see more people turn to London with an umbrella, then we understand.
Wednesday, 6: the wonders of Belem
We start the sightseeing, cross the square Dos Restauradores square paved with mosaics with geometric motifs that give a sense of relief, fountains and an obelisk at the center, next to the facade Manueline (XIX century) of the Estação do Rossio, then go to Praça Dom Pedro, a beautiful square, mosaic floor with spiral designs, like the previous one, on one side of the theater Dona Maria, a classical style with columns in front and elegantly decorated, pleasant even large fountains, both squares are much enlivened by the presence of shops, bars and bakeries.
Take the elegant Rua Augusta, totally pedestrian, the road ends at the Arch of Augustus (nineteenth century) come to the Praça do Commercio, very great, overlooking the Tagus, surrounded by porticoes, under the arcades there is little, practically Only government offices, the river Tejo, it seems to the sea, both for the breadth of the estuary for the slight swell.
From the square by tram 15 to Belem, the port of departure of the ships of the great Portuguese navigators, chosen to celebrate the splendor with beautiful monuments and the richness of the XIV-XVI, due to the discoveries ..
Let's start with the Mosteiro dos Jeronimos, a magnificent building in white stone, about 350 meters long, the building has an imposing appearance, is Manueline style, a style of decorative facades and windows, elaborate carvings with allegorical figures of animals and plant to see with their symbolism, including the Portuguese kings, which are not only the Gothic cathedrals of France but also Plateresque. Arab and Indian art, do not miss the magnificent portals of the church of Santa Maria.
We enter the church, past the coffins, finely sculpted in marble, of Vasco de Gama and the poet Luis de Camoes, the church in baroque style, with three naves times over 25 meters high, supported by carved columns that look like trees, I vaguely reminiscent of Park Guell in Barcelona.
We are moving towards the cloister, a masterpiece of Manueline square with a side of about 50 m. with beautiful stone arches, carved and decorated on two levels, the cloister leads to the large dining area with tiles depicting scenes of wills, not to be missed by all.
Then visit the Tower of Belem, the symbol of Lisbon, surrounded by the Tagus, is accessed via a footbridge from the outside looks like a crenellated tower, not very tall, rise out of five floors with a stone spiral staircase, steep and narrow at each floor open terraces and balconies with windows very decorated, typical of the sculptures here Manueline you can see up close, it also enjoys a magnificent panorama of the Tagus and the city (not to be missed, including climbing.)
After the visit we go to the original Padrão dos Descobrimientos, memorial, shaped like a bow of a caravel facing the river, with large sculptures of sailors and writers of the findings, the head Henry the Navigator, is situated on a square with a mosaic floor decorated with a compass and map of the world, with nice drawings.
Thursday 7: Alfama, Chiado, Museum Azulejos do, Barrio Alto
go to the Igreja do Carmo with the Elevador de Santa Justa (iron frame, wooden interior a bit 'retro) The church is located in a small tree-lined square, only the walls remain of the church side, in late Gothic style, the reminiscent of the portal, inside you can still see what remains of the high decorated arches, a few are original, as the church over time has been the subject of restoration work along the perimeter walls are exposed sculptures within an archaeological museum .
Then we go by tram 28 Alfama, the area of Arab origin, although very little remains of Arabic, down near the self. Stroll through the narrow streets, often uphill, sometimes at the staircase, the buildings are not very high, little balconies, often the floor is stone, we come to Miradouro Santa Luzia, a lookout with a beautiful garden, pergola and benches . a small church (closed) at the sides large tiles with scenes of the city before the earthquake of 1755.
Then we go to the Patriarchal Cathedral of the EL, austere facade with two towers, I think the Romanesque style, dating from twelfth century, has been damaged by several earthquakes that struck the city, over time there have been numerous reconstructive surgeries, in a cloister very nice where you are conducting archaeological excavations.
Then we take the tram and stop the Largo do Chiado, pretty square very busy, so we will see at night, on one side parallel type two churches in Piazza del Popolo in Rome and Piazza San Carlo in Turin
Then we go to visit, in other areas, the Museo do Azulejos located in the Madre de Deus Convent (XVI century), contains virtually the history of this decoration in the fifteenth century, one can also see a more than 20 tiles long meters with a panoramic view of Lisbon before the earthquake, do not miss the cloister, chapter house and the magnificent baroque church, not to be missed
End the day with a trip to Barrio Alto.