"To the winch, wench." ("Neverending Story")…read more The Arco da Rua Augusta/Arch of Triumph is a stone memorial arch at the end of Rua Augusta street that majestically connects Lisbon to the Tagus River. Passing through the arch gateway from Rua Augusta street, one can confidently enter Praça do Comercio square without fear of being annihilated by lasers shot from giant, angry sphinxes. The arch was built to commemorate the reconstruction of Lisbon following the 1755 earthquake and tsunami that leveled the city and took the lives of an estimated 70,000 people. As per "The Neverending Story", "Nothing is lost...Everything is transformed." Lisbon was thereafter beautifully transformed and rebuilt with the world's first anti-seismic architecture, perhaps aided by a little boy's magical wishes. The arch is beautifully crowned by three sculptures that symbolize Glory, Genius, and Valor. The remaining statues are historical figures that include the Marquis of Pombal and Vasco da Gama. Visitors can reach the top of the arch via spiral staircase or elevator for stunning 360° views of the city, including Praça do Comércio and the Tagus River. No need for wenches to be winched up! This arch is a must see landmark when visiting Lisbon--I give it five flying Falkors! *Entrance is free with the Lisbon Card

The arch leads to Praça do Comércio. There are six columns with statues of various historical…read morefigures. The figures at the top represent Glory rewarding Valor and Genius. People can also visit the top for views of the city and the river.

Monument to the Discoveries This was a really cool spot for…read moreme! It might seem random, but for me it was really cool to see because learning about some of the most famous world explorers is something I remember most from elementary school. Do I remember the facts I memorized? No, lol, but I remember learning and studying about them!! And I didn't know/remember that Portugal played such a big part in a lot of this until this came up as something to see, but as soon as it did I wanted to make sure to see it! Aside from that connection, it's a cool structure. It has a perfect location right on the water for the meaning of the statue. And the details are just fun to look at with all the different people carved in it. I don't know why, maybe the school connection is carrying more weight here, but I really enjoyed it. You can also go up to the top of it. The view is interesting, but I wouldn't recommend going up FOR the view, if that makes sense, just for a little extra fun. There is also a museum below. I don't remember/know if it is always the same exhibits or if it rotates, so if you're wanting to do that double check what's in the lower levels at the time you plan to go. Both of these are available together for a small price. Otherwise, seeing it from the outside is free.

1 of 2 Yelp reviews…read more Cut and pasted from the internet: "The monument celebrates the Portuguese Age of Discovery (or "Age of Exploration") during the 15th and 16th centuries." Quality/Quantity - A must visit, but we have been here so often and only stopped by because we had an all day train pass; see other reviews. So much history, just "Google" it and read. Kid friendly, so many field trips. Ambiance - Beautiful monument. Beautiful surroundings. Other tourist sites to visit. An easy train ride and a short walk. Service - Self service. Price - Free. Owner Comment - Congrats on all your success since 1939.

Jamie W and I knew this historic neighborhood was a bit off the beaten track for rookie tourists…read morebecause we needed an Uber to guide us through the labyrinth of narrow hillside roads to get us here. When we arrived at the foot of Caracol da Graça, we were immersed in a succession of street art as we climbed the stairs (review: https://yelp.to/FyeWqG0P2X). This was only the beginning because the neighborhood as a whole felt like an open-air museum. Striking murals are scattered throughout on the sides of buildings. They reflect specific chapters in local history, an appreciation of an artist, impassioned political memories, or some intersection of those elements. Two miradouros bookend the 1-1/2-mile self-guided stroll: Miradouro de Graça and the highest viewpoint in Lisbon, Miradouro da Senhora do Monte. Rua da Senhora da Gloria is where we found murals by renowned street artists. The standout was a dramatic collaborative piece by two of the most famous, Shepard Fairey and Vhils (Photo 5). Half painted and half carved, this mural vividly evokes the discrimination against women's rights in Arab countries. Of particular interest was an intimate piece by Bordalo II, the artist well-known for his gigantic installations made of trash (Photo 8). On Rua Josefa de Obidos, portraits honor classic Portuguese writers and poets like Natalia Correia (Photo 2). Three of the most striking murals can be seen on this residential street. There is "Tropical Fado in RGB Tones," an explosion of bright colors painted in 2021 by Lisbon-based muralist OzeArv, who specializes in nature and portraits (Photo 6). Artist Isa Silva produced "Once upon a time", a more fanciful mural featuring characters from famous fairy tales (Photo 9). Perhaps the most famous mural is Fairey's 2017 "Peace Guard" (Photo 7). It features a girl holding a gun with a red carnation, a symbolic reference to the 1974 Carnation Revolution. Fairey is the same artist who created Obama's "Hope" poster. There was much more to see on various side streets including a long wall of discrete graffiti works (Photo 10). All these works create a visual dialogue between Lisbon's rich cultural heritage and audacious contemporary expression, and it doesn't require a separate admission fee to see. RELATED - Exploring Lisbon? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/BDqfSvTJxK

Avenida da Liberdade is a tree-lined boulevard that was built in the late 1800s and is modeled…read moreafter Paris's Champs-Elysees. It is famous for its luxury hotels, designer stores, upscale restaurants, fountains, and statues. When my husband and I were on vacation, we passed through these blocks. I enjoyed looking at the tree-filled park and cobblestone pavement. We saw stores such as Burberry, Cartier, Furla, and Gucci. In addition, I read that some countries' embassies are located here.

The Avenida da Liberdade where Lisbon pretends she's Paris and mostly pulls it off. Think wide…read moreboulevards, designer stores no one's actually buying from, overpriced cafés with excellent people-watching potential, and tourists loudly mispronouncing bacalhau or miradouro. Come here to stroll like you have generational wealth, grab a €6 espresso, and silently judge other Americans for wearing flip flops or 5 inch heels.

One of the more important squares in Lisbon, Praça Dom Pedro IV is also known as Praça do Rossio…read more Surrounded by the Teatro Nacional D. Maria II, the Rossio train station, the Rossio metro station, the plaza includes two beautiful fountains and the massive statue of Coluna de D. Pedro IV. It has been the setting of a number of popular revolts, celebrations and today is a meet up spot, COVID test center and many different retail shopping and eateries. It's definitely tourist central. The centerpiece is the 23 meter tall (75 feet) column topped by King Peter IV of Portugal who was also Peter I of Brazil. The mosaic cobblestone is worth a look - it covers the entire central plaza. [Review 16646 overall - 160 in Portugal - 158 of 2022.]

Our first day in Portugal we met our guide in this amazing plaza. Gorgeous...beautiful archway,…read moreamazing statue

When Jamie W and I arrived in Lisbon, the first thing we did was take a long walk on the…read morecobblestone streets to Alfama, the city's historic center. This spot was the destination I had in mind as I knew the sunset view from here would provide the ideal introduction to Lisbon for Jamie. Alfama's rustic cityscape is full of red rooftops and whitewashed buildings, which provides ripe Instagram material. As you'd expect, the wide terrace gets crowded during magic hour when selfie-itis reaches epidemic proportions. There's an open-air cafe, but we didn't bother trying it since we realized edible temptations awaited us after our obligatory stop here. The adjacent Miradouro de Santa Luzia is just a few steps below and offers a terrace colonnade where buskers play their music for tips. RELATED - Exploring Lisbon? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/6UdREADBcP

The viewpoint is steps away from the more popular Santa Luzia viewpoint. The big balcony above…read moreAlfama gives you views of the red tiled rooftops. Honestly, you can find this view in many locations around Lisbon so I didn't feel as if it's a must stop.

Lisbon apparently has 20 miradouros, gathering spots with vista points from which panoramic views…read moreof the city can be found and savored. This one is in the historic Graça district on Lisbon's highest hill and offers a breathtaking panorama of the city. Jamie W and I wrapped up our Graça street mural walk here (review: https://yelp.to/sOE0B7X6gL). It turned out to be ideal timing because it was close to sunset and views of landmarks were unobstructed. We could see the Castelo de São Jorge, the Tagus River, the 25 de Abril Bridge, and the terracotta roofs of both the Alfama and Baixa neighborhoods. So significant was this viewpoint that Portugal's first king, Dom Afonso Henriques, built his fortress here and the Chapel of Our Lady of the Mount was erected. It still stands here. It's imperative to be here during witness the sunset hour because the otherwise white stone is bathed in orange and pink hues. CORRESPONDING REVIEWS Graça Murals: https://yelp.to/sOE0B7X6gL Miradouro das Portas do Sol: https://yelp.to/5snB5Xau8U Miradouro de Santa Luzia: https://yelp.to/dosoL9mFbD Miradouro de Santa Catarina: https://yelp.to/X3AgM3QM0j RELATED - Exploring Lisbon? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/Kn-CxzlTze

4.5 stars. Miradouro da Senhora do Monte or "Viewpoint of Our Lady of the Mount" is the highest…read morepoint in the Graca neighborhood and offers beautiful panoramic views of Lisbon. It is named after its statue of Nossa Senhora do Monte, the Virgin, which is in front of a chapel that was built in the 1700s. When my husband and I were on vacation in Lisbon, our tour guide drove us here on a tuk tuk. We spent many minutes viewing the surrounding city--the 25 de Abril Bridge, the Sanctuary of Christ the King, Sao Jorge Castle, the Tagus estuary, the orange rooftops of buildings, and much more. The only negative aspect of this area was two women who were pressuring us to purchase jewelry, and they refused to accept our no's. Our tour guide, however, intervened and told them something in Portuguese to get them to leave us alone.