Michael Powell's Blog, page 21
February 27, 2018
The Museu Nacional do Azulejo
One of Lisbon’s most popular museums is the Museu Nacional do Azulejo, which introduces visitors to the history of Portuguese tiles within the confines of 16th century convent. Tiles feature in just about every one of our pictures of Lisbon, so we were excited to learn more about them.
You wouldn’t think that “tiles” would be a topic which sparks so much interest, but this museum is weirdly popular. It might be the proximity to the cruise ship port, or the fact that it was the holiday season...
February 25, 2018
Campo de Ourique
Lisbon’s most attractive residential neighborhood might be Campo de Ourique, found to the west of Estrela. Centered around a lively market hall, the block-shaped streets hide a wealth of restaurants and shops, and make the area feel like an independent village hidden within the capital city.
We started our exploration at the Mercado do Campo de Ourique, which dates from 1934. We had arrived around lunch time, and found the market completely packed with locals perusing an eclectic mix of regu...
February 20, 2018
LX Factory: The Discerning Hipster’s Consumerist Dream
Set inside the sprawling confines of a former manufacturing complex in Alcântara is the LX Factory: a collection of almost painfully cool shops, galleries, restaurants, and offices. We spent an entertaining afternoon poking around the merchandise, browsing a stunning bookstore, and grabbing drinks at a bar on top of the factory.
The LX Factory occupies the former “Companhia de Fiação e Tecidos Lisbonense”, established in 1846. The 23,000 square meter site sat for years in disuse, until its i...
February 18, 2018
Lisbon’s Cathedral, the Sé
The oldest and most important church in Lisbon is its cathedral, the Santa Maria Maior. The Sé, as it’s commonly referred to, was built in 1147, immediately after the city was conquered by the Christians. We checked it out after having visited the National Pantheon in the nearby church of Santa Engrácia.
Friends had warned us that the Cathedral wasn’t very impressive, despite its age and history. And upon entering, we decided that they were probably right. The church is dark, and doesn’t pac...
February 15, 2018
The National Pantheon at the Santa Engrácia
Ever since arriving in Lisbon, we had been aware of the Igreja da Santa Engrácia, with its massive dome capping the skyline of Alfama, and wondered how beautiful the church inside must be. Upon visiting, we immediately realized that, while beautiful it is… a church it isn’t. At least, not anymore. Today, the Santa Engrácia holds the National Pantheon, which honors some of the country’s most prestigious historical figures.
Work began on the Santa Engrácia in 1682, but construction wasn’t fini...
February 11, 2018
The Hills of Alfama
Lisbon is the oldest city in Western Europe, and the oldest district of this very old city is Alfama. Planted just beneath the Castelo de São Jorge, Alfama was the seed from which the rest of Lisbon sprung.
Alfama has become the gate through which many tourists enter Lisbon, because it’s here that the cruise ships disembark. For this reason, we had come to associate the neighborhood with slow-moving swarms of umbrella-following zombies, and had been immune to its considerable charms. It’s ha...
February 9, 2018
A Ride on the #28 Tram
Trams have been a way of life in Lisbon since 1873, with the installation of the first cars, powered by horse. Unlike the city’s remaining funiculars, which have primarily become tourist sights, the trams are still useful and popular with locals. Though… they’re touristy, too. We took a ride on the #28, which is known for its breathtaking route past some of Lisbon’s most iconic sights.
You might wonder why slow, small, jittery trams would still be running in a city that has both a metro and...
February 3, 2018
After One Month in Lisbon
One month in, and Lisbon was already starting to feel like home. We had adjusted to the culture almost immediately, and our legs were starting to adjust to the hills. Almost every day of our first month was spent outside, exploring some corner of Lisbon, so we had plenty of opportunity to build some solid first impressions.
Mike: On our second day in the city, we took a tram to Belém and visited the Jerónimos Monastery. Built in the 16th century, when Lisbon was among the mos...
February 1, 2018
The Vasco da Gama Bridge and the Teleférico
In 1998, Portugal honored the 500th anniversary of Vasco da Gama’s historic journey to India by constructing the longest bridge in Europe. A gondola provides incredible views over the bridge, the Tagus estuary which it spans, and the former pavilions of the 1998 World Expo.
After having walked around the Parque des Nacões, we hopped on the Teleférico, found near the Oceanarium. Despite the large number of people in the park, there was no line at all for the gondola… which wasn’t too surprisi...
January 27, 2018
The Parque das Nações
If you’ve spent enough time among the cobblestone streets and 19th-century architecture of Baixa and central Lisbon, the Parque des Nacões might come as a shock. This area which stretches along the Tagus estuary northeast of the city center, was totally redeveloped for Lisbon’s 1998 World Expo, and is defined by its modern pavilions, parks and attractions.
After disembarking the metro at the Gare do Oriente, we needed two seconds to identify the train station as the work of Santiago Calatrav...
