Visions of Portugal: Liking Lisbon!

Thanks (many!) to my wife Alesia I had the golden opportunity to visit Lisbon, Portugal where Alesia was on a two-week business trip. My trip, from last Thursday to Tuesday (Jan. 30-Feb. 4), was a wonderfully enriching experience.

We stayed at the Sheraton Lisboa Hotel and Spa, which is centrally located in the city. Our room on the 25th floor had a great view of Lisbon, the Tagus River, the red 25 de April Bridge and the majestic Christo Rei (Christ the King) monument (seen at the top of this first photograph).

My one-word impressions of Lisbon and Portugal, in no order: ports (as in wine), tiles, mosaics, friendly (as in the Portuguese people, many of whom speak English), historic, cod (fish), discoveries, fishing, navigation, churches, monuments, and steep (streets).
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To follow are my visions of this ancient city, one of Europe’s oldest and most historically influential.

Castelo de Sao Jorge (Castle of St. George)

Torre da Igreja do Castelo de Sao Jorge
(Church and Tower of St. George’s Castle) 

Atlantic Ocean Coastline 

Parc et Palais Pena (Pena Park and Palace) 

The Arch of the Triton Gargoyle- doesn't exactly say "Welcome"! 

Catholic Churches 

On my last full day in Lisbon, with Alesia returning to work, I ventured out on my own, back to the area neighborhoods near the Tagus River. I wanted especially to see old churches, and old churches I saw, at least six. Each one was open to tourists and photography. 

Nossa Senhora do Loreto (Our Lady of Loreto) 

Current church dates to 1676; a fire in 1651 destroyed part of the original structure 

Baroque Architecture 

Portal da Nossa Senhora da Conciecao Velha (Church of Misericordia)

Commissioned 15th Century, Destroyed, except for this entrance by 1755 earthquake 

Manueline Style Design 

Lisbon Cathedral 

Built 1147 (Lisbon’s Oldest Church)

Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque Architecture 

Ingreja de Santo Antonio (Church of St. Anthony)

Saint Anthony is Portugal’s Patron Saint

Opened 1767 on the site where St. Anthony was born in 1195

Baroque Architecture 

Basilica dos Martires (Our Ladies of the Martyrs) 

Consecrated 1784 (the original temple was destroyed in 1755 earthquake)

Baroque Architecture 

Igrega de Sao Roque (Church of St. Roch) 

Earliest Jesuit Church in the Portuguese World 

Dedicated 1515 (survived the 1755 Earthquake) 

Baroque Architecture 

Random 

Sheraton Lisboa Hotel 

Food! 

The Sheraton Hotel's Panorama Restaurant on the 25th floor offers breathtaking views of Lisbon. And the food and service are excellent too! 

Sessenta restaurant in Lisbon- very good!

Hot, tasty risotto lunch outside- delicious!  

Gelato snack hit the spot!  

Birds

Black Redstart (above and below) spotted near the Pena Palace. This is a lifer bird for me, meaning the first time I’ve seen or photographed this type. 

Another lifer! The White Wagtail seen along the Atlantic coast by the Cabo Raso Lighthouse at Caiscais, Portugal.   

Ruddy Turnstone on he rocks near Coastal Cascais

Common or Eurasian Blackbird

Terminar (Finish) 

Loved being in Lisbon and Portugal! A rainy first couple days gave way to pretty weather that helped make this visit even more successful and wide-ranging.

Obrigado Lisboa!  Thank you Lisbon!  Oh, and we hardly left empty-handed!