Lisbon has 7 hills and one of them attracts more people than the others. Small stroll around Lisbon castle in the districts of Alfama, de Mouraria de de Graça.
On the menu: steep stairs, winding lanes, street art galore, some bars, points of views, some of the most important churches in Lisbon and plenty of other things.
Let’s start by La Mouraria. Mouraria because it was the Moorish ghetto, stuck there after the Crusaders reclaimed the city in 1147. This poor district in the shadow of the castle saw the birth of fado and its sad melodies.
Nowadays, the entire world lives here. Africans, Asians and then all the others wherever they come from. The district is known for its poverty, for his delinquency issues due to drugs and also for its street art.
Lisbon is one of the capital cities of Street Art in Europe. You just have to go for a stroll and you will find art pieces in different forms: photo, graffiti, murals, stencils, sculptures and even knitting… Lisbon Street Art tour organizes walks if you don’t trust in your ability to get lost.
Despite the bad reputation, the district is changing, real estate promoters are starting to buy and renovate the buildings. And the same fate that met Alfama seems to be sealed.
Lose yourself but don’t forget to go up. We will join Graca and its incredible point of view. A small square often invaded, its cafe and terrace in the shade. The view on the castle, the red bridge in the background and the Old City roofs. If you haven’t fallen in love with the city yet, it won’t be long before you do.
We climb down towards Alfama.
We pass by St Vincent of Fora monastery with its stern facade. A wonder. A renaissance church with baroque elements like a superb canopy, a closter surrounded by azulejos. A tanker at the bottom. The kings’ Mausoleum and a terrace on the roof.
At the bottom in God’s shadow, the thieves’ market. There is a flea market there on Tuesdays and Saturdays. A meeting point for bargain hunters, collectors, onlookers, those who believe in luck and rare objects. And cheap.
We pass by the Pantheon, a bright baroque church which would fit in in Rome. Then we go down, then up and we get lost. We don’t look for anything or maybe only Santo Estêvão gazebo.
More roofs and always jagged facades and the sea, finally Tage with the sea at the end.
Blue and colors, the sun and the shade. Breeze and young people puffing on their joint.
Then we go back to getting lost. Lanes, stairs, the Arab city. We buy a glass of cherry liquor from the local grand-mothers and we carry on. We avoid groups, greet the cats, we thank the children for their noisy zest for life.
Alfama changes from one year to another. The formerly lively and popular district is changing into a dorm for tourists. The houses are beautiful and renovated, the lanes are clean but some of the romantic charm has disappeared with the older people, the more modest ones and the crumbling walls. Such is life.
In Alfama, the daily joy and daily casualness of the locals co-exist with the highest concentration of bars and restaurants to listen to Fado. The calm of the lanes and solitude on one side, the procession of agitated visitors straight from planes or boats like the vikings before them on the other side. A bittersweet district.
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Join Miradouro das Portas do Sol for a last glance on the district. So, do you like this city now?
You can join the castle if you like medieval military architecture or if you wish to look at Lisbon from another angle. If not, the castle is rather empty and the visit disappointing.
You can have a drink at Cafe de Garagem. Discreet, elegant and full of light. Then look at the sun shine before it sets down on the facades of Graça.
You can also go down to the lower town of Baixa, along the yellow tram n ° 28 and join the Sé.
La Sé is the Cathedral. The most important religious building in Lisbon.
Roman, Gothic and Baroque art mingle here, you will see impressive sculptures and beautiful stained-glass windows. And feel the magic sobriety of medieval architecture.
That’s how our visit around the castle comes to an end. May it live happily ever after.
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Be curious and enjoy the stroll!
More about Lisbon in french :
// Lisbon travelguide : bit.ly/Visiter-...
// Map of Lisbon : bit.ly/Carte-Li...
// Itineraries for a weekend : bit.ly/Itinera...
// Places to stay : bit.ly/Hebergem...
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1 окт 2024
