Azores Bravos Trail

7/10/24 Whirlwind Lisbon Panoramic Tour

Having visited these main sites over nine years ago, I was happy to revisit them again, especially the monuments from Portugal's Golden Age.

The Belém Tower, formerly the Tower of Vincent,
is a 16th-century fortification located in the civil parish
of Santa Maria de Belém.
Jennifer and I welcomed a newer monument discovery.
The Monument to the Discoveries.
Jeronimos Monastery
Jeronimos Monastery
We decided to skip the massive line entering the monastery.
Instead, we chose the longer line for the 500-calorie tarts.

Pastéis de Belém on Rue de Belém makes the best Portuguese custard tart worldwide as verified by Barb, Pam, and Jennifer. (Especially with extra powdered sugar that clung to my nostrils for hours).

(Photo courtesy of Catia.)

When I heard we were visiting the National Coach Museum, I thought we were going to a retail center for Coach high-end purses (ho-hum). Once I saw this horse and its carriage, I breathed a sigh of relief that we wouldn't spend hours shopping. Instead, we were fixated on a unique collection of vehicles from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, including coaches, berlins, sedan chairs, and more.

There was a space below the shared floor
for those who needed frequent potty breaks.

An exceptional collection of ceremonial coaches

and other ornate horse-drawn carriages.

One of Lisbon's most visited sights.

Ponte 25 de Abril, the 32nd largest suspended bridge in the world, crosses the Tagus River and connects Lisbon with Almada.

Just behind the bridge is a statue of the Sanctuary of Christ the King (built to resemble Rio de Janeiro's Christ the Redeemer), which was built in gratitude for Portugal's being spared from destruction during the Second World War.