Winter In Lisbon

When one listens to the melancholic Fado songs lamenting the past glory and the lost love in Lisbon and watches the Portuguese people’s faces showing some senses of lack of pride it intrigues one to question where the traces of the past grandour and wealth of this nation have gone.

Disembarking the aircraft one may be pleased by the surprising mild winter sunshine and blue sky above the city of Lisbon. The airport is located not far from downtown of the Portuguese capital. A bus trips may take 20 minutes and the fare is cheap.

Lisbon is built on top of hills. The old downtown Baíxa faces the riverbank of the river Tagus and is surrounded by quarters on higher hills such as Alfama and Bairro Alto. The main shopping street Rua Augusta runs from Baíxa accross the adjacent quarter Chiado and ends up at the huge square Praça dom Predro IV.

A walk along the waterfront esplanade along the vast river Tagus in the quarter of Belém is a welcome break from the bustling downtown Baíxa. From the waterfront esplanade one may take a grasp to the huge sculpture Padrão dos Descobrimentos. The landmark honors the great Portuguese seafarers who did great discoveries in the past.

For art lovers the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum is a real must-go. Located inside a green quiet park in the quarter of Sao Sebastao it is like an haven of peace amid the crowded traffic. The museum has a rich collection of art items from the Greco-Roman, East Islamic, Armenian and Oriental civilisation. A great deal of its collection was a legacy from a wealthy businessman from Armenian origin. The admittance fee is 3 euro each.

The ancient castle, Castelo de Sao Jorge, is surely worth a visit. Built on top of a hill it provides an awesome view on the entire Lisbon and the river Tagus. Once a citadel built on Roman ruins it has become a popular tourist attraction nowadays. A greater excitement is the sight of the mansions on route to the castle. Their walls are richly ornamented with cheerful colored ceramic tiles. It is a real indulgement of this lavish display of gorgeous ceramic tiles which give the mansions a near enchanting look.

For the enthusiastic admirer of Portuguese tiles one may hop on to the Museu Nacional do Azulejo, the national museum of ceramic tiles. Located slightly further away from town, the museum can be reached by a few buses. Going by cab remains however the easiest way to get there. The museum has a vast collection of ceramic tiles. It tells the history of the tiles manufacturing in Portugal since the 17th century. Housed in the convent of former queen Leonor the building itself is ornamented with gorgeous tiles.

A visit to Lisbon in December can be more than a pleasant enjoyment of the mild winter sun but also an interesting discovery of the rich cultural inheritage and historical architecture of the Portuguese capital.

Yee Chuen Leung
Chief Editor