Portugal 2024: Lisbon - Alfama, Cais do Sodré, Cachilas

Located on the eastern border of Baixa, Alfama is the oldest neighbourhood in the city.  Rising almost 60 metres from the Tagus River to Saint George’s Castle, Alfama’s most famous historic attraction, the area includes many churches, restaurants, cafes, shops, lookout points (miradouros), a maze of steep, narrow cobblestoned streets and flights of steps, as well as the remnants of a Moorish walled city.  While there are several routes to get to Alfama, the way to get closest to St. George’s Castle is to take the historic Tram 28.

The tram system in Lisbon has been in existence since 1873.  One of the most famous trams is Tram 28 which runs between Martim Moniz Square and Campo de Ourique, hitting several popular tourist sites along the way including the Lisbon Cathedral (Se de Lisbon) and St. George’s Castle.  Operating since the 1930s, Tram 28 has been refurbished back to its original design with polished wood interiors and brass fittings. Today, it serves as both a functional public transport line and a popular tourist experience, offering a journey through historic neighborhoods like Alfama, Graça, and Baixa.  Riding the tram checked off one more mode of transportation supported by our Navegante cards at a zapping cost of €1.61. We boarded the tram at Praça Luis de Camões and got off at Miradouro Sta. Luzia, then walked 300 metres up hill to get to St. George’s Castle.

Located atop Lisbon’s highest hill overlooking the city and the Tagus River, St George’s Castle (Castelo de São Jorge) was built by the Moors in mid 11th Century. Because of its strategic location, the site has been occupied since the 6th century BC, with fortifications dating back to the Romans, Moors, and other civilizations.  During the Moorish era, an Islamic Settlement known as the “Islamic Quarter” resided within the fortress, with residential structures and silos carved into rocks for food storage.  After it was captured by King Alfonso Henriques in the siege of 1147, the settlement turned into a Medieval town occupied by Christians and included the Royal Palace and gardens.  At the time, there were 11 towers for defence and administrative purposes.  Much of St. George’s Castle was destroyed in the 1755 earthquake.  Today after significant renovation, the remaining ruins are available for exploration as well as a museum.

A sculpture of King Henriques sits in the Praça d'Armas, the main square at the base of the castle that was a central gathering and ceremonial space.  There is also a map of the sites of Lisbon that can be spotted from this lofty perch. St. George’s Castle gets extremely busy during high season and prime times.  It is conveniently open from 9am-9pm daily and we have found the best way to avoid crowds is to get to such an attraction either first thing in the morning, or later in the day after group tours are done.  We arrived at the castle around 4:30pm and found it was not that busy at all.

Miradouro de São Jorge is an observation point within St. George’s Castle that offers stunning panoramic views of Lisbon and the Tagus River.  From here, we could see many of the sites that we had visited or planned to visit within the next few days.  These included Praça do Comércio, Elevador Santa Justa and even the giant Cristo Rei sculpture across the river at Cachilhas, where we would visit the next day.

The miradouro is part of the castle’s terrace area which includes the Lovely Castelo Restaurant with an outdoor patio where you can sit and admire the view while you dine.  A modern bronze sculpture of a kneeling nude female created by Portuguese sculptor António Duarte in 1948 is also found on the grounds.  Most fascinating to watch were the parade of Indian peacocks, with vibrant blue necks and stunning plumage, that strutted along the top of walls and perched on rooftops and in trees.  The exotic peacocks were brought to Lisbon as trophies during the 15th Century Age of Discoveries, symbolizing Portugal’s wealth and global reach.  Today around 40 peacocks live, sleep, and mate among the trees and bushes within the castle grounds.

The ruins of the limestone and granite castle include sturdy walls fortified with eleven quadrangular turrets or towers (ten are still accessible).  Each tower played a specific role in defence, administration or storage. Tower of the Keep (Torre de Menagem) was the main defensive tower due to its height and strategic location, serving as a stronghold and observation point.  Tower of Riches/Tumbling Tower (Torre do Haver ou do Tombo) was used for storing treasures or archives, including the royal archive.  Tower of the Palace (Torre do Paço) was part of the royal palace.  Tower of the Cistern (Torre da Cisterna) housed a cistern for water storage during sieges. Tower of Ulysses (Torre de Ulisses) was originally used for archives but now houses a camera obscura projecting 360º live images of Lisbon.  The towers are connected by ramparts and it was fun scampering between them.

Back on the grounds, there is an archaeological site where excavations have uncovered artifacts from Portuguese Royal Houses of the 16-18th centuries, Moorish and even Iron Age settlements.  An archaeological museum, located in the remains of the old palace, displays some of these artifacts.

Before heading home for the evening, we took a quick look at the surrounding areas of Alfama close to the castle and were charmed by the cobblestone streets and street art.  While we took the 28 Tram to get here, we decided to take a bus home, which might have turned out to be a mistake since we waited for the bus (along with a huge crowd of people) for over an hour.  We were using Google Maps to advise us of when the next bus was scheduled no bus appeared.  This was similar to a situation we had in Porto and we started to realize that “bus schedule” was not a real concept.  In some cases, we had no choice, but we made a note to use the metro whenever possible, even if it meant a longer walk afterwards.

We made good on this strategy the next day when we returned to Alfama to attend the weekend Flea Market.  We got there by taking the metro from Baixa/Chiado to Santa Apolónia.  We accessed the Baixa/Chiado station at Largo do Chiado and descended 148 feet via multiple long escalators to get to the platform.  This is one of the deepest stations in Lisbon.   The area in Alfama around the Santa Apolónia station offers a mix of “old world charm and modern vibrancy”. Cool street art and sculptures can be seen all around as well as parks and historic sites.

The Feira da Ladra is Lisbon's oldest, most iconic flea market, dating back to the 12th century. It is held on Tuesdays and Saturdays at Campo de Santa Clara, a large square that is also home to Mercado de Santa Clara, which is a covered market building that holds other events on top of the flea markets.  In addition to the Mercado, open-air stalls and tents cover the campo and even extend out onto surrounding streets. A large 188 metres-long mural consisting of almost 53,000 tiles covers the wall separating Campo de Santa Clara from the adjoining Botto Machado Garden.  Painted by artist André Saraiva and installed in 2016, the vibrantly colourful and whimsical work reinterprets Lisbon landmarks including recognizable images of St. George’s Castle, Monument to the Discoveries, 25th of April Bridge and Santa Justa Elevator.

The Flea Market offers a place for vendors and local artists to sell their wares, which consist of a mix of antiques, vintage goods, handcrafted items, collectables, souvenirs, trinkets and bric-a-brac.  We saw stalls selling painted vests, t-shirts and printed shirts, socks and underwear and more.  There were books, comics, records, watches and costume jewelry, posters, ceramics, and miscellaneous items often found in a yard sale.  When we were there, the Mercado building was hosting what seemed to be a special exhibit on hand-painted print and poster exhibition including a few lithographs.

Next, we visited the nearby Botto Machado Garden, which is a charming, peaceful green space that offered respite after the bustling market.  In addition to walking paths and benches, we were amused by the series of “doggie obstacle course” equipment consisting of ramps that the dogs could play on.  Along the wall of the park which extends beyond Campo de Santa Clara are more tiles by André Saraiva including his signature character “Mr. A”, with its round head, mismatched eyes and long limbs flailing as he dances and prances in various poses.

There are various historic churches and museums in Alfama including a military museum, Fado music museum, decorative arts museum, and the archaeological remains of a Roman Theatre.  As we had a packed day planned, we did not have time to see any of these places but we did pass by the outside of the National Pantheon, which is a domed church housing the tombs of noted historic Portuguese figures, and the Lisbon Cathedral (Sé) which is Lisbon’s oldest building from 1147.  As we had already toured many churches during our stays in Porto and Sintra, we decided to skip entering these two buildings.  I regretted it afterwards when I saw photos of how beautiful the interiors were!

Instead, we wandered the streets of Alfama en route to the Tagus River and the Cais Sodré area, soaking in the local atmosphere along the way.   We found a door decorated with Spiderman themed dolls and a skateboard, a self-service laundromat with Azulejo tiles depicted how women did laundry by hand in the past, and a balcony with two mannequins dressed as Fado musicians.  But most interesting and touching were the plaques honouring past residents in an installation called Alma de Alfama ("The Soul of Alfama").  Created by London artist Camilla Watson, the plaques feature photographs of long-time residents accompanied by inscriptions detailing their lives and contributions to the area.

Exiting the Alfama district, we traversed west through Baixa, staying close to the river until we reached Cais do Sodré.  In the 19th century, this area was a bustling port area close to Lisbon’s harbour and then a social hotspot for artists and intellectuals.  By the 20th century, Rua Nova do Carvalho gained notoriety as a red-light district filled with brothels, seedy bars, and gambling dens.  Today it is a popular cultural and nightlife destination.  Rua Nova do Carvalho is nicknamed “Pink Street” due to a 2013 urban renewal project that painted the pathway, lined with rows of trendy bars, clubs and restaurants, a bright pink shade to “symbolize rebirth”.  Still on the Pink Street is the former brothel Pensão Amor, now turned into a bar and event space with an erotic bookshop called Madam’s Lodge.  Some of the buildings are painted or decorated with pink accents and towards one end of the street is a canopy of colourful umbrellas hanging overhead.  This makes for a fun tourist attraction with great photo opportunities.

Also in the area is the Cais do Sodré Railway Station, a major transportation hub that connects Lisbon to resort towns such as Cascais, Estoril, and Oeiras, known for their stunning beaches.  Open since 1895, the building went through many renovations with the current Art Deco style designed by Nuno Teotónio Pereira in 1928.  There are ornate features both on the façade and in the interior.  The building serves as the terminus of the suburban Cacais line and offers connections to both the Lisbon metro and ferry services.

In the 17th Century, Cais do Sodré was known as the "Port of Vessels," where ships departed for Portuguese colonies.  The pier that runs along the Tagus River is a vibrant area lined with restaurants, bars and night clubs.  People sit along the edge of the water watching sailboats and ships go by.  The area by the pier and ferry terminal is known for its street art, graffiti and murals and is in fact, a stop on most graffiti tours of Lisbon.

The Cais do Sodré Ferry Terminal is the launching point for ferry rides to neighbouring destinations across the Tagus River.  As part of my goal to take every mode of transportation supported by Lisbon’s Navegante card, I wanted to take a ferry ride.  The closest location is Cacilhas, a historic district is part of the greater Lisbon area and takes 10 minutes one way to get to by ferry with boats departing every 15-20 minutes.  There is no open air seating on the ferry but if you are lucky enough to get a window seat with the window half open, there is a nice breeze and an excellent view of either Lisbon or Cacilhas depending on which side of the boat you are sitting.

Cacilhas boasts rich maritime history as represented by its naval museum, as well as several churches, seafood restaurants offering fresh fish, riverside views of Lisbon’s skyline and the historic 25th of April Bridge (named for the Carnation Revolution), graffiti walls and historic sites.  It is home to between 5000-8000 people who enjoy a cheaper cost of living than those in Lisbon.  Cacilhas hosts annual cultural events including the Sea Festival and Autumn Cultural week, celebrating music, traditional cuisine and art.

Cacilhas once had a strong industrial presence centered around maritime activities. The Lisnave shipyards were a major industrial site in the area from 1960s-80s, specializing in shipbuilding and repairs, employing over 10,000 workers at its peak.  Today the buildings facing the water appear rundown and deserted with broken windows and peeling paint. There is talk about plans to revitalize the area but hopefully there is not too much gentrification which would change the cool vibe of the area.  Historically, Cacilhas also played a role in ancient fish processing during Roman times with archaeological evidence of a salting factory dating back to Roman times.  Today, the wharfs are used for local fishing off the piers to source fresh fish for the restaurants.

Cais do Ginjal , the stretch of buildings on the Cacilhas Pier along the Tagus River, is known for its large-scaled vibrant graffiti, murals, stencils and street art that span the entire height of old abandoned warehouses.  Walking along the pier, you feel dwarfed by the size of the works that range from rudimentary drawings to elaborate works of art.  Even the few storefronts and restaurants that seemed to be operational were covered with artworks.

As we walked along the pier, we also checked out the graffiti painted on the small break walls of the many wharfs that jutted out into the river and watched fishermen trying to make their catches.  Some street artists were adding new works on the walls using paint and spray cans.

At the far end of the pier on a cliff 133 metres above sea level is the monumental sculpture “Christ the King” (Cristo Rei) which can be seen from miradouros (lookout points) in Lisbon.  An iconic Catholic statue inspired by Rio de Janeiro’s “Christ the Redeemer” sculpture, Cristo Rei was inaugurated in 1959 as a tribute to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, in gratitude for Portugal being spared from destruction during World War II.  The 40,000-ton concrete statue is 110 metres high, with a 28 metres figure of Christ with outstretched arms standing on an 82-metre pedestal.  The open-armed gesture symbolizes love and protection.  It costs €6.00 to climb up to the top viewing platform and surrounding gardens, chapel and visitors’ centre.  We were pressed for time, so we settled for looking up at it from the wharfs.  It is said that on a clear day, you can see all the way to Sintra from the platforms.

While waiting for the ferry to return to Lisbon, we admired the 1866 cast-iron Cacilhas Lighthouse that guided ships traversing the Tagus River until it was deactivated in 1978.  We also peeked through a fence to look at two magnificent vessels on display as part of the Almada Naval Museum.  The Barracuda Submarine S164 is a former Albacora-class diesel electric attack submarine that was part of the Portuguese Navy.  It was built in France in 1968 and served for 42 years on missions including patrols, intelligence gathering, special ops and anti-trafficking collaborations before it was retired in 2010.  The Barracuda could dive down 300 metres and remain submerged for up to 31 days.  Next to it is the Dom Fernando II e Glória, the last wooden sailing warship of the Portuguese Navy that was originally launched in 1843. Over 33 years, the ship traveled more than 100,000 nautical miles, the equivalent of five rounds around the world. Its name is a tribute to the Queen of Portugal, D. Maria II, and her husband, D. Fernando II.