We drove back to Lisbon to drop off the rental car. We’re spending our last 2 nights at a cute boutique hotel right on Rua Augusta, a pedestrian street. Michael and I are both feeling under the weather so we’re spending a low key day and a half.

Speaking of weather – we’ve had nothing but sunshine with temps in the high 70s and low 80s. There were a couple of cooler spots, I needed a sweater and leggings in Aveiro and could have used a jacket and scarf at the Torre, the highest point in Serra de Estrela. I’d read that October can be rainy in some parts of the country.  So it’s been an unexpectedly dry, sunshine-filled trip; great for us, not so great for the country.

After checking in and having lunch, we walked down Rua Augusta, through the Arch and out onto Praça de Comércio. What a sight to have this wide open plaza bordered by the Tagus River stretched out in front of you. I couldn’t take a picture that would convey the awesomeness of this plaza, so I borrowed somebody else’s drone photo (see below.)

The Augusta Boutique House Rooftop

Breakfast was served in the Library/Terrace on the roof top of the hotel. It had rained overnight – the first time it’s rained while we’ve been here – so it was too wet to sit outside. But I was delighted by the view – our own private miradouro.

It rained on our final day in Lisbon. It was a light rain and didn’t last through the afternoon. We pulled out our raincoats and ventured out to visit the Igreja de São Domingos and find lunch.

Igreja de São Domingos

Built in the 13th century, Igreja de São Domingos/Church of St. Dominic, at one time the largest church in Lisbon, survived the earthquake of 1755 and a fire in 1959 that destroyed its interior. The interior was never fully restored and evidence of the fire remains. The church was the location of royal ceremonies, like funerals, baptisms and weddings. 

The church and its square, Largo de São Domingos, was the site of the start of the Lisbon Massacre of 1506. On Easter Sunday that year, a mob of church goers turned on the New Christian population murdering thousands of people, many of them burned alive. The killing spree spread to other parts of the city and lasted three days, from April 19 to 21, 1506.

We left Largo de São Domingos and took a farewell stroll through the Baixa district. We walked by Praça Martim Moniz and Praça da Figueira and back to Rossio Square.

Évora, a city of about 54,000, is the historic capital of the Alentejo region, a largely rural part of the country dotted with cork and olive groves. The first inhabitants arrived in the area about 4000 BCE. A Celtic tribe founded the city in the 8th century BCE and named it ‘ebora‘ – “of the yew trees.” The Romans conquered the town in 57 BCE and expanded it into a walled city. In 715 CE, the city was conquered by the Moors. It then came under the rule of the Portuguese king Afonso I in 1166.

When we arrived in Évora it was time for lunch. We headed to a restaurant called ‘A Bruxa d’Évora’, the Witch of Évora. The food was tasty and healthy. 

As delicious as traditional Portuguese cuisine is, it’s not very healthy. Portuguese cooks use olive oil and salt liberally. And they’re not big on vegetables. I’ve ordered a salad at most meals to get something green.  Here, a salad consists of lettuce, sliced tomatoes and raw onions. Yesterday afternoon’s salad included shredded carrots which was a treat. And I’m always amused when I’m served a salad that’s already swimming in olive oil, but they bring vinegar and more olive oil to the table. And the Portuguese love their sobremesa/dessert and espresso which is drunk throughout the day into the evening.

The best food I’ve had this trip was in Lisbon and Porto. There seems to be a growing interest in vegetarian and vegan cuisine in the big cities. In Porto we ate at three great vegan or mostly plant-based restaurants that deserve to be named: Espécie, Kind Kitchen and NOLA (NO LAbels); we ate at NOLA twice.

After lunch we took the short walk to check out the Roman Temple and Jardim Diana.

The Roman Temple faces the Jardim Diana, a pretty little park with a miradouro looking out over the city and a kiosk – Quiosque Jardim Diana – with tables and chairs for relaxing and enjoying a snack.

The Sights of Évora

Portuguese churches seem to all have beautiful side chapels of varying degrees of opulence. Igreja de São Francisco took a slightly different, macabre turn with its Chapel of Bones.

The Chapel was designed and built in the 17th century by three Franciscan monks who salvaged the bones buried in nearby cemeteries. The cemetery land was taking up too much space and was going to be used for other building projects. They built the Chapel to preserve the bones of more than 5,000 skeletons and as a reminder of the fragility of life.

A sonnet by the prior of the Church written in 1848 is at the entrance to the chapel. In part it reads:
Where are you going in such a hurry, traveller?
Stop…do not proceed any further;
Among the many concerns of the world,
So little do you reflect on death;
If by chance you glance at this place,
Stop…for the sake of your journey,
The more you pause, the more you will progress.

Jardim Público de Évora

The garden was designed in 1863 in the garden area of the former Royal Palace of Évora built in 1468. The palace was used by several monarchs. It was abandoned in the 17th century. The building was renovated in 2021 and now houses an Interpretive Center.

Wildlife in Jardim Público

A town of about 3,000, Castelo de Vide is located in the Upper Alentejo region, close to the Spanish border. Alentejo, which means “beyond the Tagus River,” is one of the largest regions in Portugal. The region stretches across southern Portugal and sits above the southernmost region of Algarve.

It was mostly just a stopover to break up the drive to Évora, our last stop before returning to Lisbon,  then home.

The town has one of the best-preserved Jewish quarters in Portugal, consisting of a series of narrow streets near the castle’s main gate. Dating back to the 13th century, the Judiaria is considered one of the best examples of the Jewish presence in the country. The synagogue is now a museum.

Castelo de Vide’s newest museum is Casa da Inquisição, House of the Inquisition, which takes museum visitors through the different phases of an inquisitorial process. The information is partly based on the documentation of the arrest and trial in 1662 of a New Christian.  (The Portuguese Inquisition was established on May 23, 1536 and ended on March 31, 1821.)

We decided to skip the Inquisition Museum – I feel like I know more than I want to about it – and planned to go to the Jewish quarter and synagogue museum. Michael made it to the museum; he plans to write about it. It sounds like it was a powerful experience. I wasn’t feeling up to powering through the hilly, cobblestoned lanes, so I stayed behind in the hotel lobby.

Then it was on to Évora.

After our museum visit we walked through Belmonte center.

Some pictures from our walk through Belmonte

After our stroll, we headed out of town and drove to the nearby village of Sortelha.

Sortelha

In 1991 a government program called the Historic Villages Program was established to restore, preserve and promote a series of ancient villages – located near the Spanish border – that are important to Portugal’s heritage. Sortelha and Belmonte are classified as Historic Villages.

The oldest part of the village of Sortelha is contained within its 12th- century castle walls. The landscape surrounding the village is the rugged hills with large boulders. Within the walls the houses are all built of granite stone and follow the contours of the terrain. The cobblestone lanes are narrow and irregular stone stairs are everywhere. A charming place, but challenging for me to get around, but I managed.

We stopped for lunch at a taberna and grocery store within the village walls called Cardo. The owner was working and filled us in on the history of the place. He and his wife spent 2 years renovating an old barn. They use local resources as much as possible; the table and chairs were salvaged from unused houses in the village, the plates and cups are handmade by a local organization that employs disabled individuals, they use a local butcher, a local woman bakes the bread and desserts. They’ve been opened for a year and it’s clearly a passion project. The place was charming and the food was delicious.

Castelo de Belmonte

Back in Belmonte we had to check out its castle.

The Belmonte Hotel Sinai

We’re staying at the Belmonte Sinai Hotel. It’s a modern hotel close to the center of town. The hotel is designed to accommodate obervant Jewish visitors. It’s walking distance to the synagogue, it has a kosher kitchen and the staff are prepared to help guests with the requirements of Shabbat observance.

We went back to Coimbra and spent 2 nights there.  We were able to explore the city, including ending the night with dinner and Fado at the áCapela Fado house located in a former Medieval Jewish synagogue in the old Jewish quarter.

Coimbra sits on the banks of the Mondego River, the longest river that flows entirely in Portugal. The city of 144,000 was the first capital of Portugal chosen for its central location. Afonso I lived out his life in Coimbra and is buried in the Monastery of Santa Cruz. A castle once sat at the top of what’s referred to as the Upper Town, now dominated by the University, and the Lower Town built outside the medieval walls.

The interior walls of the church are covered in azulejos depicting religious scenes

The Streets of Coimbra

Known popularly as “Arcos do Jardim” due to its proximity to the University’s Botanical Garden, the aqueduct was built between 1568 and 1570 during the reign of King D. Sebastião. Spanning over half a mile, the aqueduct has 21 arches and is an example of Renaissance engineering.

The aqueduct is down the street from our hotel. A bronze statue of Pope John Paul II stands in front of this part of the aqueduct, a tribute to the Pope’s 1991 visit to the city.

Universidade de Coimbra

We got a 20 minute tour of the Joanina Library. You need to buy a ticket for the limited and highly regulated tour; too many old books and precious decor – lots of gold leaf – to allow tourists to roam freely. And no photography allowed.

The Joanina Library, built between 1717 and 1728, was named for King João V who ordered its construction during the Age of Enlightenment. The library received its first books in 1750. Today, almost three centuries later, it has more than 70,000 books and is one of the richest European libraries.

The library is home to two colonies of bats who’ve lived in the building for more than two centuries. They help keep moths and other pests from feasting on the books.

Students of Coimbra

The kids flew back on Saturday. Michael picked up a rental car and Sunday morning we set out on the road trip part of our travels. We’re making our way back to Lisbon, stopping at a few places along the way.

Guimarães – “Aqui Nasceu Portugal” (Portugal was born here)

Our first stop was the city of Guimarães, about 42 miles north of Porto. Ancient documents indicate this medieval town was founded in 1096. The city of about 40,000 is considered the birthplace of Portugal. Afonso Henriques, the 1st king of Portugal, was born in the Castle of Guimarães and it was from there that he launched his military career. In 1139, following successful military campaigns against the Moors, he declared Portugal’s independence and named himself king, Afonso I.

Guimarães is an exceptionally well-preserved and authentic example of the evolution of a medieval settlement into a modern town. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Castelo de Guimarães/ Guimarães Castle

The castle was built in the mid-tenth century to defend the Monastery of Saint Mary and provide refuge to the villagers from the frequent attacks by the Moors and the Normans.

Paço dos Duques/Palace of the Dukes

Built in the early 1400s for the Duke of Bragança (a ruling family in the Northern region.) It continued to be used as a residence into the 1500s, then was abandoned and fell into ruins. In the 1940s, the Estado Novo regime undertook a long process of reconstruction and it opened as a museum in 1959.

Sights of Guimarães

We walked the narrow alleyways in search of a place for lunch and found ourselves in Praça de São Tiago (St Thomas Square), a charming plaza fille with tables and chairs and ringed by several eateries. Once considered the “neighborhood of prostitutes” the square is surrounded by medieval houses once described as “sloppy and unsanitary.”

After lunch we continued on to our next stop, Coimbra, where we’ll spend 2 nights.

Lisbon

I stopped to listen to this musical group playing near where we were staying in Lisbon. They were playing traditional music that felt so familiar. I chatted with a couple of them and learned they were students at the School of Pharmacy at the University of Lisbon.

They were members of a ‘Tuna Académica’ a university based musical ensemble that performs traditional songs played on traditional instruments. The tradition originated in Spain and Portugal in the 13th century as a means for students to earn money or food.

More tiles from Museu Nacional do Azulejo

A Kitchen in the Museum

Visual artist Querubim Lapa (1925-2016) is recognized as one of the most important Portuguese ceramists. In 1988/89, he designed a kitchen for an apartment in Lisbon. To commemorate the artist’s centenary, the Tile Museum mounted a temporary exhibit of the kitchen it acquired and reconstructed in 2023.

Rossio Square

Tomar

Obidos/National Museum Machado de Castro

Isabella of Aragon, also known as Saint Queen Isabella, was born in 1271 in Zaragoza, Spain. At the age of 12, she married King Denis of Portugal. A deeply religious person, she is known for her charitable works and promotion of peace. She founded hospitals, hostels, and other charitable institutions. After retiring from public life following her husband’s death in 1325, she continued her charitable work and peacemaking. She died in 1336 while attempting to broker peace  between her son Alfonso IV and the King of Castile. In 1625, Isabella was canonized by Pope Urban VIII, officially recognizing her as a saint by the Catholic Church.

Aveiro

Porto

We stayed in a lovely 2 floor apartment in an apartment hotel near Praça Dom João I. The kids had bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs and we had the downstairs to ourselves. It was a great setup, better than the apartment in Lisbon where poor Aaron had to sleep on the pullout sofa in the living room.

Cockburn’s Port Lodge

We took a tour of Cockburn’s (CO-burn) Port Lodge, the largest wooden Port cellar in the Porto area. Started in 1815 by two brothers from Scotland, today Cockburn’s is a collective of 5 wine houses. It has one of the biggest collections of oak barrels and wooden vats of any Port cellar. Port wine lodges are all located across the river in Gaia.

The Douro River, the longest river on the Iberian Peninsula at 557 miles, is the border between the city of Porto and the city of Vila Nova de Gaia, referred to simply as Gaia. All along the river is the picturesque Douro Valley, Portugal’s winegrowing region. The Douro Demarcated Region is the world’s oldest demarcated wine region, established in 1756, to regulate Port wine production. Under the European Union Protected Designation of Origin guidelines, only wines from Portugal are allowed to be labeled “port”.

Port wine is produced from a blend of grapes, typically a combination of 5-6 red grape varieties. The wine is then fortified by adding a neutral tasting spirit called “aguardente” to stop the fermentation. This leaves residual sugar in the wine and boosts the alcohol content. Port wine is typically 20% alcohol. The wine is aged for a minimum of 3 years, but is often aged much longer.

Porto sights

The McDonald’s Imperial in Porto is often cited as the most beautiful McDonald’s in the world

This McDonalds opened in 1995 at the location of the former Imperial Café of the 1930s. It kept much of the of the original Art Deco features including ornate ceilings, chandeliers, and a large stained-glass wall behind the counter.

It’s a popular tourist stop. The first time we walked by there was a long line of people at the door and we couldn’t get in to take a peek. Later that day when I walked by the line was gone and I did get in to look around, but couldn’t get a good picture. So I borrowed the picture below.

Mercado de Bolhão

We checked out the historic 2-level market, Mercado de Bolhão. The main floor has traditional food markets ranging from produce to meat markets and everything in between, including a large flower stand. The upper level is ringed with stalls selling jewelry, clothes, perfume, handcrafted items all made by local artists and craftspeople. I bought a lovely pair of Portuguese filigree earrings and a pretty silver bracelet with a red gemstone.

Igreja de Santo António dos Congregados

Built in 1703, the church was built on the site of a chapel dedicated to St. Anthony and is known for its beautiful baroque façade demonstrating the artistic craftsmanship of the time.

In 1917, 3 cousins reported a luminous lady had appeared to them while they were tending their sheep in a village outside of Fatima in northern Portugal. They believed it was the Virgin Mary who appeared to them 6 times over several months and delivered messages they were to share with the world. I’m amazed that I recognized the names. It’s a little weird that I did.

São Bento Station

The São Bento Railway Station is a major transportation hub for trains as well as the Metro. Built in 1916 on the site of a former Benedictine convent the interior is decorated with 20,000 tiles depicting historic events as well as scenes of ordinary Portuguese life.

São Bento station is a popular tourist attraction and like all of the historic sights in Porto is overrun with tourists, particularly tour groups. It’s hard to appreciate the beauty of the place while dodging hordes of people taking their Instagram pictures.

The Porto Cathedral/Sé do Porto

Built in the 12th century on the highest point in Porto, the Cathedral is one of Porto’s oldest monuments. The Cathedral is the seat of the Diocese of Porto. I was really hoping to tour the inside as it’s supposed to be beautiful, but again, the lines were long. So, we hung out on the Cathedral terrace looking out on the city.

Porto is Portugal’s 2nd largest city about 200 miles north of Lisbon.  It was once a Celtic settlement on the Douro River named ‘Cale.’ The Romans recognized the strategic importance of the area with its access to the Atlantic Ocean and added a port calling it ‘Portus Cale.’ In 711, Portus Cale was invaded by the Moors. It later came under the control of the Kingdom of Galicia, in what’s now Spain. In 1139, the Galicians were defeated by Afonso Henriques (Afonso I) which led to the founding of Portugal as an independent country. Porto is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage city due to its rich cultural history.

We hired a driver to take us from Lisbon to Porto, a 3 hour drive. We traveled over 2 days, stopping at several towns along the way and spending the night in Tomar.

Obidos

Obidos, Latin for ‘walled city’ is one of Europe’s best-preserved medieval villages.

Nazaré

Nazaré, once a fishing village, is now a popular surfing destination and seaside resort town. In 2011, a well-known Hawaiian surfer surfed a 78 foot wave putting Nazaré on the world surfing map. The high breaking waves form due to an underwater canyon named, Nazaré Canyon. Surfers, wearing wet suits designed for safety, are jet skiied to the canyon area to catch their waves.

Tomar

Founded in 1160, the city of Tomar sits along the Nabão River. It was the seat of the Knights Templar in Portugal. It was designed by Gualdim Pais, the most famous master of the Order of the Temple. The city contains the 12th century castle of the Knights Templar and the convent of the Order of Christ.

We stopped in Tomar to check out its synagogue museum. There’s evidence that a Jewish community lived in Tomar in the late 1300s, but a synagogue wasn’t built until 1460. A rare example of a medieval Jewish temple, it’s the only one of its kind preserved in Portugal.

We spent the night in Tomar and explored a little bit of the city

Charming streets and decorative tiles in Tomar…

Coimbra

Coimbra, built on a hill by the Mondego River, is the 4th largest city in Portugal. It was once the capital of the Portuguese kingdom. It’s the home of the University of Coimbra founded in 1290, one of the oldest universities in Europe.

We visited the Museu Nacional de Machado de Castro in Coimbra. Coimbra was the birthplace of de Castro, a noted 18th century Portuguese sculptor.

The museum stands on the site of a Roman forum of the ancient city of Aeminium (1st century). Underground is a cryptoporticus, a covered passageway, that is part of the museum. The ruins are well preserved and you can wander the long hallways, looking down on cells (the purpose of the cells is unknown) and viewing artifacts scattered throughout the halls.

Much of the museum was closed for renovation,  but in addition to the cryptoporticus there was an exhibit of sacred art.

Aveiro

Aveiro, once a sea port, sits along the Atlantic Ocean and the Ria de Aveiro (Aveiro lagoon.) Dubbed “the Venice of Portugal” it’s surrounded by salt-flats, beaches and lagoons and dominated by the Central Canal running through town.

The network of canals was created in the 1800s to facilitate the transport of salt in work boats called moliceiros. Today, the canals are used by tour boats.

By 5:00 our lovely driver Rui dropped us off at our hotel and we’re on to exploring Porto.

October 5th is a national holiday in Portugal. It commemorates the overthrow of the monarchy in the 1910 revolution and the establishment of a republican government.

Palácio de São Bento

We honored the holiday by heading over to the Portuguese Parliament building. Across the street is the House of Parliament-Interpretive Center. It’s main goal is to educate the public on the history and workings of Portugal’s government and to encourage citizen participation in civil society. Sadly, the Center was closed, so we had to settle for exploring the outside of the Parliament building.

Palácio de São Bento (Palace of St. Benedict) started out as a Benedictine monastery with construction beginning in 1598. It was close to completion when the building was damaged by the 1755 earthquake. In 1834, the Portuguese monarchy disbanded monasteries taking control of the property and redistributing the land and property to the poor.

The building was then remodeled and used for the legislative assemblies of the new constitutional monarchy. It has continued to be the seat of government of the various iterations of Portugal’s governance.

The new constitution, following the Carnation Revolution of 1974, established the current unicameral Assembly of the Republic, which meets in the Parliament building.

We had a delicious lunch at a place called O Jardim (the garden) right on Rua de São Bento in view of the Parliament building. They served mostly pesticos, what we know as tapas. Sitting in a courtyard, on a pleasant sunny day, sharing tasty food and drink with good company-life doesn’t get much better.

Cascais

Twenty miles east of Lisbon is the seaside town of Cascais. Originally a fishing village, it caught the fancy of King Luís I and the royal family in the 1870s and they quickly made it their annual September vacation spot. Other nobility from across western Europe followed suit and Cascais soon became a summer resort for the rich and famous.  Later it attracted artists and crafts people and became an art community.

This small, sandy beach, tucked away in a cove between cliffs, was chosen as the private beach of Queen Amélia in 1889. Today, houses are built along the cliffs and it’s proximity to the center of town make it one of Cascais’ most popular beaches.

We took a taxi to Belem. The taxi took the roadway that follows the coast. We got to ride by all the beaches that line the shore from Cascais to Estoril. Dozens and dozens of surfers were riding the waves at Praia de Carcavelos. It was quite a sight.

“In 1837 we began making the original Pastéis de Belém, following an ancient recipe from the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos. That secret recipe is recreated every day in our bakery, by hand, using only traditional methods. Even today, the Pastéis de Belém offer the unique flavor of time-honored Portuguese sweet making.” – from their website

We spent the day in the Alfama neighborhood. Arabic for “baths” Alfama lies just outside the Castle’s walls and is one of Lisbon’s oldest neighborhoods. One of the least affected areas in the 1755 earthquake, it’s still a tangle of winding, narrow streets snaking up and down its hilly terrain. Once the heart of Moorish Lisbon, it later became the Jewish quarter, until the Jews were expelled.

The streets of Alfama

We first headed to the National Tile Museum (Museu Nacional do Azulejo.) Founded in 1965, the museum is located in the former convent of Nossa Senhora da Madre de Deus (founded in 1509.) It presents the history of Portuguese tiles (azulejos) from the mid-15^th century to the present day.

Azulejos, Arabic for “small polished stone” are the decorative tiles that are ubiquitous throughout Portugal. The use of simply colored glazed tiles began in Egypt, but once introduced to the Portuguese they’ve been used more imaginatively and consistently in Portugal than in any other culture. They became an art form, and by the 18th century no other European country was producing as many tiles for such a variety of purposes and in so many different designs. They remain an important part of the country’s architecture. Today, Portuguese tile factories export azulejos all over northern Europe.

A few examples

St George Castle

The history of Castelo de São Jorge goes back to the 8th century BCE when the hilltop where it sits was settled by ancient tribes they built a fort to defend against invaders. A strategic location, the highest hill in the area, provided a clear view of the surrounding area. In the 2nd century BCE, the Romans, calling the hilltop Olissipo, expanded the fort by adding towers and additional walls.

The Moors made additional fortifications in the 11th century as part of its defensive system. They named the imposing fortress Alcáçova, the citadel. It was captured by Afonso I in 1147 who turned it into the royal residence.

As a gift to his English wife, King John I dedicated the castle, known simply as the Lisbon Castle, to Saint George, the patron saint of knights and England. The name also honored the close relationship between the two countries.

The Castle was neglected for many years and fell into disrepair. A major restoration project in the 1940s completely rebuilt it.

Miradouro de Santa Luzia

This viewpoint on the terraces of Igreja da Santa Luzia looks out over Alfama and the Tagus River.

In the evening we had dinner reservations at Velha Taberna, a traditional Portuguese restaurant with nightly Fado performances. Fado is a style of Portuguese music and singing dating back to the early 1800s. A singer, accompanied by 1 or 2 guitarists, sings songs of longing with a sense of melancholy.

Miscellaneous Pics

The kids arrived Friday morning, safe and sound. After they showered and relaxed a bit, we headed out on our first adventure.

We had lunch reservations at the Carmo Rooftop, an open-air restaurant and bar, near the plaza, Largo do Carmo, behind the Carmo Convent ruins. The restaurant had a great view overlooking Lisbon. The Convent was built on a hill opposite São Jorge Castle, so it’s a steep uphill walk on cobblestone sidewalks to get up there.

The Santa Justa Lift was built to make it easier to get from Baixa to Largo do Carmo. It’s become a huge tourist attraction. I’ve read that people stand in line for over an hour to take the 3 minute ride up. We had no plan to take the Lift; too touristy for my taste. Good thing, since the Lift is currently closed due to the Elevador da Gloria accident.

The Carmo Convent, Convento do Carmo, was founded in 1389 and was dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel. A monastery and church was added later and by 1423 it was the largest church complex in Lisbon. On November 1, 1755, a holy day on the Catholic calendar (All Saints Day), the church was filled with parishioners. When the earthquake struck that November morning, the roof and arches collapsed and later fire destroyed much of the complex and killed most of the worshippers. The convent was never rebuilt and today only the outer walls remain as a memorial to the disaster’s destruction.

The uphill walk to Largo do Carmo left me needing a break, so I took a Bolt back to the apartment. I relaxed while everyone else walked down to Praça do Comércio to explore. Praça do Comércio (Commerce Square) is Lisbon’s largest square. It sits along the Tagus River. It was the site of the Ribeira Palace, the royal residence which was destroyed by the earthquake of 1755. Following the earthquake the area was rebuilt as part of Lisbon’s new downtown.

We ended the night with a lovely meal at a plant-based restaurant called Organi Chiado