Lisbon Portugal Travel Guide: Medieval Castles, Colonialist History, Mediterranean Climate

Lying on the western coast of Portugal is its capital city of Lisbon — the city of pastel coloured buildings. Here the Kingdom of Portugal had schemed its plans for world domination many hundreds of years ago, devising strategies of conquest. Here, the ships set out for sail from the Lisbon Harbour out of the Tagus River to colonise Asia, South America and the Africas. Semblances of its wealth and power still exists to this day, seen today in its monumental, grand and intricate buildings. It is one thing to see the architectural prowess of these buildings, but being able to understand the stories of the people that had walked through the corridors of these buildings and to understand the strategic purposes of these landmarks, takes awe to an entire new level.

Belém Tower

Arguably one of the most iconic historical monuments of Lisbon that you must visit is the Belém Tower. It was constructed in the 16th century and serves as a ceremonial gateway to Lisbon, symbolic of the Age of Discovery where explorers would leave and enter the harbour. If you observe closely, you can see symbols of heraldic shields, crosses, anchors and navigational instruments which all represent elements of the global empire that the Portuguese sought to establish. This complex ornamentation is architecturally known as a Manueline style (otherwise termed as late Gothic Portuguese Style). For some tourists, it is often easy to overlook the intricacies of these buildings. In order to more greatly appreciate buildings of this nature, you really need to just stand still and stare at it. Maybe take out a pencil and try to sketch it out. Ponder about the many men that had to lift huge bricks of limestone up in a time absent of modern machinery, and the many hours that they had to spend carving and chipping away on the stones to create the details.

This tower is now protected by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Its historical purpose was to serve as a fort that protected the people of Lisbon from incoming raids through the Tagus River. This would prevent ships from entering the harbour from the Western Coast that would otherwise engulf the city, allowing the enemy to set up a strategic flank. The building is constructed at the narrow entrance of the Harbour, allowing the Portuguese to fire weapons to destroy the hull of enemy ships and serve as a deterrence. Artillery cannons were contained within the building. The holes that they were fired out from is seen in the small, square windows in the photograph. Furthermore, many political prisoners of the state were also held in the basement of the tower.

From October — April, Belem Tower is open from 10am — 5:50pm; From May — September, it is open from 10am — 6.30pm. The price currently is around €6 for standard adults and €3 for students/seniors. If you have the Lisboa travel card, entry is free, and it gives you access to other tourist attractions as well.

Jerónimos Monastery

Not too far from Belém Tower is another iconic landmark of Manueline architecture — the Jerónimos Monastery. It was commissioned to be built in 1496, as a symbol to celebrate the safety of voyagers that had returned from India. A tranquil sanctuary, many sailors would spend their last nights in the monastery before setting sail on month long voyages across the ocean horizon. Portugal is a Christian nation with roots deeply embedded within the religion. The Order of Christ Cross is carved across buildings, and even exists prominently on the modern Portuguese flag. Within the monastery lays the tomb of many significant Portuguese figures such as King Manuel (the person that had ordered construction of many of these monuments, hence the period is known as Manueline) and King Sebastiao.

From October — April, it is open from 10am — 5pm; From May — September, it is open from 10am-6pm. The price is around €10, or free with the Lisboa card. It is also free to enter on the first Sunday of every month.

Padrâo dos Descobrimentos

The Monument to the Discoveries is a colossal statute along the Tagus River. The monument was built in 1958 as a monument to acknowledge the exploration and trade with India and the Orient. Each of the statues represent important historical figures who played a large role in the Portuguese Age of Discovery. These figures include King Alfonso V and Ferdinand Magellan, to name a few. There are a range of navigators, sea captains, explorers, writers that helped planned expeditions, draft maps and guide ships in the correct direction across expansive oceans.

Palace of Quelez

The Palace of Quelez was built in the 18th century as a retreat and royal residence for Queen D. Maria I and her husband Dom Pedro III. The beautifully designed baroque palace is the epitome of luxury and neoclassical architecture, and has essences of French influence. You will see gold carvings, mirrors and Renaissance paintings displayed across all the rooms from the bedroom to the ballrooms. After the tour inside the palace, you can lose yourself wandering through the mazed gardens and amongst the fountains and statues that surround the palace. Following the death of Dom Pedro III, Queen Maria descended into madness, supposedly a sever state of depression — at a time when the French had begun their invasion of Portugal. However, by the time that Napoleon and his men had invaded, the royal family of Portugal had escaped on a ship set sail for Brazil.

Portuguese Cobblestone

You may notice whilst you are traversing through the streets of Lisbon that their streets are constructed with distinct white and black tiles upon tiles of cobblestone, made of basalt and limestone. You even see this in other areas of the world with Portuguese influence such as Macau in China! The cobblestones were used to create beautiful mosaics to elevate the charm of the city and can be best seen in squares such as the Column of Pedro IV, a monument to the King.

Food

You must try Portuguese egg tarts here in Lisbon. It was supposedly created by the monks of the Jeronimos Monastery in the 1700s, and now these egg tarts have gone on to become world renowned. Definitely a must try!

Portugal for me, isn’t as well known for food compared to many other countries in the world (sorry!). However, if you really enjoy seafood, you might be in for a treat. A country surrounded by water, popular dishes include codfish and sardines.

A thing to watch out for in Lisbon are tourist traps! Many travellers have reported that there are restaurants located in nice locations that in fact lack in quality of food and service. They will be very vocal and try to get you through their doos. However, make sure to do your due diligence and read online reviews on Tripadvisor, Zomato and Google.

Hotels & Transport

I stayed in a 4 star called Turim Marquês Hotel located quite near the city centre and costs around a modest AUD$151 (US$113) a night for 2 guests. Nothing too fancy, but not cheap for a backpacker’s budget. However, there are loads of viable hostels and Airbnbs which you can look into for very affordable prices if you are on a tight budget.

The great thing about Lisbon is that the airport drive was only 15 minutes (unlike some other cities i.e. Tokyo, where the airport is so far away from the city!). The coast was only a 30 minute walk through the city, and I would walk multiple times during my stay. I really enjoy walking or cycling rather than sitting in a taxi/Uber when visiting a city because you really are able to embrace the environment so much more.

I really recommend getting the Lisboa Travel Card. It costs around €14 to €20 per day, and you get free entry to many of the best attractions and museums in Lisbon and saves a whole heap of time. It is also really convenient as you get unlimited free travel by bus, metro and the iconic trams. You can see more by visiting the official website here.

Suggested One Day Plan

1. Castelo de S. Jorge. Start at this 11th century hilltop Moorish castle and royal residence for ~1.5 hours.
2. Lisbon Cathedral. After a 10 minute walk, visit the oldest church in the city and admire its history for 40 minutes.
3. Praça do Comércio. A 10 minute walk is this waterside plaza with notable arches and statues lined with outdoor cafes & shopping venues where you can have a break to enjoy some Portuguese cuisine for 40 minutes.
4. Santa Justa Lift. A 5 minute walk away is a cast-iron elevator built in 1902 to connect the lower streets of Lisbon with Carmo Square.
5. Ponte de Abril. A 15 minute car ride away is Ponte 25 de Abril, a Golden Gate style suspension bridge that links Lisbon with Almada. It is a 2km bridge that connects the two opposite sides of the Tagus River.
6. Jerónimos Monastery. A 10 minute walk away is the Monastery where you can appreciate the archaeology and Maritime museum in its wings for 1 hour. Learn about the story of monks and imagine the lives of sailors as they prayed the night before they set sail on month long voyages across thousands of kilometres of treacherous waters.
7. Padrão dos Descobrimentos. Another 10 minute walk away is the Monument of the Discoveries. Stop to take a photo here with the iconic suspension bridge in the background. The monument marks 500 yeas since Henry the Navigator’s death.
8. Belem Tower. Finally a 15 minute walk will bring you to Belém Tower.