Lisbon, Portugal - a Weekend Trip
As one of the excursions hosted by AIFS on my summer study abroad trip to Spain, we were taken on a weekend trip to the capital city of Portugal, Lisbon. After a long, 5 hour bus ride from Salamanca, we were rewarded with the first incredible sight of the city: the arches of the Aguas Livres Aqueduct.
There are 35 arches that cover the valley across 941 meters, the tallest arch standing at 65 meters, and is considered a masterpiece in engineering for the Baroque period.
Our first stop off the bus was the Jerónimos Monastery, a famous Gothic-style church with beautiful, integrate cravings on the outside.
Nearby the church, we had our first look at the Atlantic Ocean from the nearby Belem Tower at the mouth of the Tajo River. Also a little ways from the tower was the Padrão dos Descobrimentos, or 'Monument to the Discoveries'. It's a monument to celebrate the Portuguese Age of Exploration.
On another stop in the city, we were taken to the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga. The museum was located on top of a large hill, so in addition to seeing hundreds of historical paintings, we got a great view of the surrounding city and the ocean beyond.
The streets of Lisbon have some of the most beautiful buildings I've ever seen. Each looks similar to the next in architectural style, but they tend to have their own unique paint color, brick, or design.
Rossio Square (also known as Pedro IV Square) is located in downtown Lisbon. Its a beautiful square with a fun brick design and backed by the Teatro National D. Maria II. Nearby there is a tower (atop many, many stairs) for tourists to clim to get a great view of the plaza from above as well as of the rest of the city.
The orangey-peach topped roofs of every building in the city create a gorgeous color palette in combination with the soft blue of the ocean in the background.
The street leading up to one of the most famous spots in Lisbon is Rua Augusta. The street is paved in a unique brick pattern and is lined with extravagant restaurants, cafes, and hundreds of shops for tourists. We also saw many artists painting, and musicians or dancers performing on the street.
At the end of Rua Augusta is Praça do Comércio (meaning Commerce Square). It's also still known as the Terreiro do Paço or 'Palace Yard' because it was the location of the Royal Palace until it was destroyed by an earthquake in 1755. At the plaza's center is a statue of King José I.
On Sunday, before leaving Portugal from our weekend trip, we headed west to the small city of Cascais. Here we got to see some of the cliff covered coast directly on the Atlantic Ocean.
Cascais' coast is home to the Boca do Inferno (or 'Mouth of Hell'), a chasm in the seaside cliff.
I got to swim in the Atlantic Ocean (my first time on the EAST side of it). The water was absolutely freezing. Most people opted out of much more than sticking their feet in.
For a last lunch in a sea side city, the obvious meal choice is seafood! We sat outside at a small restaurant next to the harbor with a great view and ate some seafood pasta.
There are 35 arches that cover the valley across 941 meters, the tallest arch standing at 65 meters, and is considered a masterpiece in engineering for the Baroque period.
Our first stop off the bus was the Jerónimos Monastery, a famous Gothic-style church with beautiful, integrate cravings on the outside.
Nearby the church, we had our first look at the Atlantic Ocean from the nearby Belem Tower at the mouth of the Tajo River. Also a little ways from the tower was the Padrão dos Descobrimentos, or 'Monument to the Discoveries'. It's a monument to celebrate the Portuguese Age of Exploration.
The streets of Lisbon have some of the most beautiful buildings I've ever seen. Each looks similar to the next in architectural style, but they tend to have their own unique paint color, brick, or design.
Rossio Square (also known as Pedro IV Square) is located in downtown Lisbon. Its a beautiful square with a fun brick design and backed by the Teatro National D. Maria II. Nearby there is a tower (atop many, many stairs) for tourists to clim to get a great view of the plaza from above as well as of the rest of the city.
The orangey-peach topped roofs of every building in the city create a gorgeous color palette in combination with the soft blue of the ocean in the background.
The street leading up to one of the most famous spots in Lisbon is Rua Augusta. The street is paved in a unique brick pattern and is lined with extravagant restaurants, cafes, and hundreds of shops for tourists. We also saw many artists painting, and musicians or dancers performing on the street.
At the end of Rua Augusta is Praça do Comércio (meaning Commerce Square). It's also still known as the Terreiro do Paço or 'Palace Yard' because it was the location of the Royal Palace until it was destroyed by an earthquake in 1755. At the plaza's center is a statue of King José I.
On Sunday, before leaving Portugal from our weekend trip, we headed west to the small city of Cascais. Here we got to see some of the cliff covered coast directly on the Atlantic Ocean.
Cascais' coast is home to the Boca do Inferno (or 'Mouth of Hell'), a chasm in the seaside cliff.
We spent the late morning of our last day viewing the cave in the cliffs and then moving into the city for some lunch and time on the beach.
I got to swim in the Atlantic Ocean (my first time on the EAST side of it). The water was absolutely freezing. Most people opted out of much more than sticking their feet in.
For a last lunch in a sea side city, the obvious meal choice is seafood! We sat outside at a small restaurant next to the harbor with a great view and ate some seafood pasta.
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