Portugal > Getting to know Lisbon

I land shortly after two o’clock in the afternoon at Lisbon’s international airport. I have already set my watch back by one hour; Portugal is one hour earlier. Outside the arrivals hall, I follow the signs to the Aerobus, a shuttle bus to the city center. I’m lucky—just as I arrive at the stop, the Aerobus pulls up. I buy a ticket from the driver. As the bus starts moving, I try to follow the route on the map included with my ticket. It takes a moment to orient myself on the map, and I see the bus turn onto Avenida da Liberdade. At the end of this wide avenue lies Praça dos Restauradores, a large central square in the city center and the stop where I need to get off. I press the stop button. My hotel is just one street behind the square. I walk down the lively street filled with restaurants and terraces. Several waiters try to convince me to sit at their terraces. I politely thank them and continue to my hotel. In the afternoon, I stroll through the center of Lisbon. Passing through various squares, I arrive at Rua Augusta, the city’s main shopping street. This street leads me to the Triumph Arch, the gateway to Praça do Comércio. Unfortunately, both the arch and the equestrian statue in the square are covered in scaffolding. I cross the square and walk toward the Tagus River. With only fourteen degrees Celsius, it’s quite chilly outside. The wind along the river makes it feel even colder. I pull my summer jacket tightly around me. Hopefully it will get warmer in the coming days, because I didn’t account for this in my clothing choices.

Portugal - The typical Lisbon funicular disfigured by ugly graffiti

On the way back, I notice how relatively small the city center is. On one side is the Alfama district with its castle on a hill, on the other side Bairro Alto, and in between lies the central area and the squares. The higher neighborhoods are reached via steep streets and stairways. I buy a tourist-priced cable tram ticket and let myself be carried upward. The little yellow tram steadily climbs the narrow street. At the top, I’m rewarded with a view from the Miradouro de São Pedro. I see the city center lying below me. Across the way, I can clearly make out the castle, and in the distance, a cruise ship sails along the Tagus River. I wander through the old, narrow streets of Bairro Alto. Due to the low temperature, many of the outdoor terraces at restaurants are empty. I find a charming little restaurant with a great menu and order—what else could I choose so close to the river—an excellent fish dish.