Lisbon - Sun-Bleached Monuments and Charming Neighborhoods, Lisbon, Portugal

Lisbon is the capital city of Portugal and the westernmost European urban conglomerate along the Atlantic coast. It is one of the oldest cities in the world and one of the most-visited cities in southern Europe. It is home to majestic cathedrals and monasteries, a colorful city landscape and charismatic neighborhoods.

Once again we were blessed with a very warm welcome to the city when we arrived at Lisbon airport. The sun kissed us a good morning when we departed the aircraft and headed towards the subway, en-route to the city center of Lisbon. A short ride and we arrived at one of the main stations in the city named Rossio, which is also known as the center of Lisbon. We chose to stay at the Lisbon Travellers House, a very nice and central place to stay while discovering the town.

Staying on the Rua Augusta, a main pedestrian street of the city, we had a nice view downtown towards the Praça do Comércio (Commerce Square) with the famous Arch leading you towards the sea which was just infront of the square.

The weather was great, the vibe of the town very inviting and we just wanted to head out and discover it. We chose to do so with a small walking tour that started just around the corner and headed towards the center of the Rossio square. From there we explored the neighborhood of Alfama, one of the most traditional neighborhoods of the city and famous for its narrow streets. It is located on the foot of the Castle of São Jorge and is an old fishing district and birthplace of the Fado, a musical expression of Lisbon’s soul, usually very melancholic and nostalgic. This atmosphere can be experienced when passing through the small side streets on the way up to the castle. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).