Lisbon City Drive

See the Highlights of This City of Discovery:

Witness the enduring legacy of the Age of Discovery in Portugal on this tour of Lisbon’s grandest landmarks. On the banks of the Tagus River, gaze up at the Monument to the Discoveries, inaugurated on the fifth centennial anniversary of explorer Henry the Navigator’s death. Nearby is Belém Tower, a UNESCO Site and a reminder of the great maritime discoveries that laid the foundations of the New World. Another UNESCO Site is the Jerónimos Monastery at the entrance to Lisbon’s harbor. You can also see the 25th of April Bridge, named for the date of the revolution that restored democracy to Portugal. With your guide, view the riverside statue of Christ the King looking over the city, and pass beautifully landscaped Eduardo VII Park, named for England’s king, who visited here to improve Anglo-Portuguese relations. After your insightful tour, return to your ship.

Today was turnaround day on the Viking Neptune. Passengers who were sailing from Rome to Lisbon disembarked, while new passengers sailing from Lisbon to Fort Lauderdale boarded throughout the day. For Tim and me, it was just another port day, since we are continuing to Fort Lauderdale. I’m so happy we have 11 more days to experience this wonderful ship.

Tim and I are really enjoying our stateroom location on Deck 3. We are just steps away from the Atrium, so we don’t have the endless long hallways to transit. We walk the corridor above the Atrium many times a day, and I always notice the four mannequins dressed in traditional Norwegian costumes. At least they were dressed until today. This morning, all but one of the mannequins was naked but embellished with verses in Norwegian. I learned that the crew members who were greeting embarking passengers were actually wearing these costumes. The dresses were even lovelier on real people.

It Was Nice to See the Norwegian Costumes on Real Women, Not Mannequins

On turnaround days, there are typically only one or two excursions offered, so I decided to take the Lisbon City Drive tour. Although we visited several of the same places as yesterday, that was okay. I had different experiences today, and the light was much better for photos. Despite the forecast for rain, it turned into a beautiful day.

Our tour began with what seemed like a whirlwind drive through parts of the city, and I remember little of what we saw. Soon, however, we passed under the monumental Águas Livres Aqueduct, and I was amazed at the height of this structure. Built in the 1700s to provide clean drinking water to the city, it had the tallest stone arches in the world at the time of its construction.

The Monumental Águas Livres Aqueduct

We then made our way to the Belém neighborhood and stopped for a bit at the Belém Tower. Today, I was able to look more closely at the details of this historic monument.

Belém Tower

Although I had walked by the Jerónimos Monastery yesterday, we were able to go inside today. I’m not sure if we were scheduled to do so, but our guide told us that it would be okay since there was no line. The Church of Santa Maria was impressive, and I admired the Gothic vaulting. We were also able to see the tomb of explorer Vasco da Gama.

Jerónimos Monastery

Church of Santa Maria Inside Jerónimos Monastery

Like many cities, Lisbon is full of monuments and statues, and we passed by many of them on our tour. I don’t remember the names of those so honored, but I did enjoy the designs.

The Many Monuments of Lisbon

One thing that really caught my attention was the interesting street art throughout Lisbon. We saw many examples of large decorative murals covered in traditional Portuguese Azulejo tiles, including one of the underpasses that featured a brilliant tile rainbow. Others tile murals were more impressionistic in feeling. 

Azulejo tile has been an essential medium for Portuguese artistic expression for more than 500 years, and it was so interesting to see how contemporary artists have reinterpreted these tiles for the twenty-first century. In addition to the tile murals, we also saw great examples of graffiti art.

Incredible Street Art Throughout Lisbon

After making our way to Lisbon’s downtown, we had time to explore the area on our own. I was drawn to Rossio, the main central square of Lisbon and what is said to be the heart of the city. I wasn’t interested in the Christmas market, but I did enjoy the fountain and the tilework.

Scenes Around Rossio Square

Nearby, a few interesting buildings caught my eye, including the Rossio train station, with its two horseshoe-shaped archways and elaborate stone carving. Also of note was the former Teatro Éden, the most famous Art Deco style building in Lisbon.

Rossio Train Station

Teatro Éden

On our way back to the ship, we drove through tree-canopied streets decorated with red and white hearts dangling from the trees. Here was another creative and colorful display for which Lisbon is famous. I love installations like these that add a touch of whimsy to the urban landscape.

A Whimsical Street Display

Back on Viking Neptune, I spent some time checking out the Christmas displays that the crew had put together. As I was admiring the gingerbread village, one of the chefs walked by and insisted on taking my photo. What a great job he and his cohorts have done to put all of us in the Christmas spirit.

In the Christmas Spirit

After an early dinner, Tim and I were not finished. We attended a great lecture by Dr. Michael Fuller, this time on “Explorers – The Age of Discovery,” and then a destination performance – “An Evening of Fado,” a type of Portuguese singing that is renowned for its expressive and profoundly melancholic character.

The Age of Discovery

An Evening of Fado

This melancholy singing was certainly in contrast to how upbeat I was feeling after two wonderful days in Lisbon. Even though I only touched the surface of what this city has to offer, I can’t wait to return to Portugal and Spain, two countries that I’ve fallen in love with during this cruise.

I Love Lisboa