Miradouros and other things

One of our objectives in Lisboa was to visit the high elevations, Miradouros, which overlook the city. Last year we visited the Castelo, one of the higher areas providing a wonderful view of the city (see photos from the Castelo from 2010). This year, so far, we have been to São Pedro de Alcantara and the Elevator Santa Justa (see blog posts Lisboa and Lisboa 2).

The next on our list were Miradouro Senhora do Monte, the highest point in Lisboa and the Miradoura Graca. We decided to take the well known old Tram 28 up to the highest point then walk down to Miradouro Graca and wend our way past Igreja de S. Vicente then the National Pantheon and on through part of the Alfama then home.

After getting off the tram we found our way, after a few minutes of disorientation and some discussion about the appropriate route, to Miradouro do Monte and some excellent views of the city. This view of the Castelo São Jorge shows that this spot is at least as high as the Castelo - they say higher.

This view is looking more westerly and if you click on the photo and look just to the right of the centre you will see a white and gray building - this is the Hotel Mundial where we are staying just a couple of blocks from the Praça de Figueira and Rossi, both mentioned in earlier posts.

On the left of this photo, the orange roofed building with the bell tower is Igreja São Vicente and the small roundish clump of umbrella pines immediately to the right of the bell tower and with a wall just below (click on the photo) is Miradouro Graca, our next stop.

On our way down to Miradouro Graca, we came across this small building covered with blue and white tiles - apparently a shop that makes and sells azulejos.

This is a view from Miradouro Graca - the clump of umbrella pines in the top right hand corner of this view is the Miradouro do Monte from which we had just come. No more photos from here as they are similar to the ones above from Miradouro do Monte.

This road from the Graca area leads to the Monestery São Vicente do Faro. Originally commissioned in around 1140, the current buildings were apparently built during the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Its bell tower is visible at the end of the street.

This too is the approach to the Church of St. Vicente. We walked past the pink blossoming tree (click on the photo) through the archway and into a small square where we found a market building adjacent to which was the beautifully tiled building in the next photo - close-up of which is in an earlier post. We have no idea what this building is or was and why it is so decorated.

This is a photo of the Portuguese National Pantheon, Igreja Engrácia, A magnificent looking 18th century building from the outside - we did not go inside so have no information about it. It was apparently declared the National Pantheon some time in the 20th century.

In my first post from Lisboa I mentioned it as a city of contrasts and a good example is the Pantheon and the interesting old building in the next photo which faces the Pantheon not much more than 100 meters away. The photo of the Pantheon was taken while I was standing pretty much in front of this building.

These last photos were taken during our walk through the Alfama, the old Moorish section of the city, a maze of narrow streets and walkway and dramatic ups and downs negotiated on steps or steep inclines. More on the Alfama in posts from last year.

This and the photo above show fairly characteristic long stairways linking the higher and lower areas within the Alfama.

Here a narrow walkway between buildings. And these buildings are not vacant and decaying - they are interesting and attractive homes to lots of folks, as indicated by the numerous potted plants and occasional bits of laundry hanging out to dry (see the first of the Alfama photos above).

We found this map of the Alfama on the side of a building next to a restaurant where we had a break for drinks as we were leaving the area of the Alfama.