Lisbon:
Boasting
springtime temperatures during the winter and cool summers freshened by a breeze
blowing in from the Atlantic, Costa de Lisbon, on the southwestern coast, offers
a rich and impressively integrated diversity. The capital of Portugal since its
conquest from the Moor
s
in 1147, Lisbon is a legendary city with over 20 centuries of History. The
Alfama is one of the oldest quarters in Lisbon. Since it largely survived the
earthquake of 1755, the area still retains much of its original layout. Adjacent
to the Alfama are the likewise old quarters of Castelo and Mouraria, on the
western and northern slopes of the hill that is crowned by St. George's Castle.
Every year in June, the streets of all three quarters come alive with the feasts
in honor of the popular saints. The Graça quarter and the churches of São
Vicente de Fora and Santa Engrácia are within walking distance of this area.
Radiant skies brighten the monumental city, with its typical tile covered
building façades and
narrow Medieval streets, where one can hear the fado being played and sung at
night. But Lisbon is also the stage for popular festivities, the place for
exquisite shopping, exciting nightlife, and interesting museums, a place from
where motorways branch off in different directions.
Nearby, Sintra's lush wooded heights and verdant charms invite one to take a ride on a horse-pulled carriage, and gaze at the marvelous manor-houses, located within the grounds of century old farms, as one drives up to Pena Palace, built by Fernando Cobourg Gothic on the ruins of a monastery from the 16th century, the style of the palace is a blend of Gothic, Manueline, and Romantic influences which make for a very explosive combination, and keeps the atmosphere of a royal residence. To make it a difficult choice for the curious visitor and only slightly farther a field, lie the impressive Mafra Convent, the cosmopolitan seaside resorts on the way to Cascais, the verdant Serra da Arrábida and picturesque Sesimbra, the Sado estuary and the aristocratic farmhouses of Azeitão. Driving south, the ochre and blue unspoiled beaches on the Alentejo coastline open on to a vast Atlantic horizon.
Fatima Pilgrimages Index Español English Index Viajes