Exploring Lisbon on our Own
Exhausted from a week of constant movement, we took the opportunity to have a slow beginning to our day. After breakfast, a couple of us struck out to visit a couple of landmarks not on our agenda for the last week.
Lisbon boasts a museum district which makes visiting them quite accessible on foot. A short train ride dropped us by our first stop, Torre de Belem. Built under King John, the tower served both as a defensive structure and a ceremonial gateway to Lisbon. Visitors line up to enter the tower, but we opted for just an outside view. The nearby Monumento aos Combatentes is a lovely photo opportunity as well.
At this point, we split up, with my friend heading to one of the many museums in the area while I headed to the Jeronimos Monastery. A person could easily spend the day in the area with the variety of offerings.
After we were finished with our museum/monastery tour, we decided to check out another Lisbon institution: Pasteis de Belem. Those wonderful little custard filled bites we've seen throughout our stay in Portugal supposedly were created here. The recipe is top secret and fresh ones come from the oven all day long. A line forms on the sidewalk outside for take away, but if you head on into the restaurant you'll find table service where you can order fresh made sandwiches and the pasteis that will be brought to your table. I will say that the fresh ones do have a crisper shell. It was worth the walk of a few steps to check it out.
Since this was one of the warmest days we had experienced during our trip with temps reaching close to ninety, a nice, cool indoor location seemed smart for an afternoon excursion. Oceanario de Lisboa is one of the largest indoor aquariums in Europe. Build on the grounds of the Parque das Nacoes, the site of the 1998 World Expo. Surrounded by modern apartments, shopping areas and an active boardwalk, this was a perfect place to be for an afternoon outing.
The main attraction is a large circular aquarium holding a large variety of ocean life. Alongside the tank are smaller exhibits highlighting ocean life. The place was full of adults and children alike, but it easily held the crowd and still provided unobstructed views of the tank. Plan to spend at least a couple of hours here, longer if you want to roam the surrounding areas.
For dinner, we were all hungry for steak. The concierge recommended La paparrucha right up the street from our hotel. It was delicious and had a beautiful view over the water. Outside a very hip and happening bar scene with music and dancing was quite different from the restaurant. We weren't really feeling hip or happening so we returned to the hotel for an early night.
Lisbon boasts a museum district which makes visiting them quite accessible on foot. A short train ride dropped us by our first stop, Torre de Belem. Built under King John, the tower served both as a defensive structure and a ceremonial gateway to Lisbon. Visitors line up to enter the tower, but we opted for just an outside view. The nearby Monumento aos Combatentes is a lovely photo opportunity as well.
At this point, we split up, with my friend heading to one of the many museums in the area while I headed to the Jeronimos Monastery. A person could easily spend the day in the area with the variety of offerings.
After we were finished with our museum/monastery tour, we decided to check out another Lisbon institution: Pasteis de Belem. Those wonderful little custard filled bites we've seen throughout our stay in Portugal supposedly were created here. The recipe is top secret and fresh ones come from the oven all day long. A line forms on the sidewalk outside for take away, but if you head on into the restaurant you'll find table service where you can order fresh made sandwiches and the pasteis that will be brought to your table. I will say that the fresh ones do have a crisper shell. It was worth the walk of a few steps to check it out.
Since this was one of the warmest days we had experienced during our trip with temps reaching close to ninety, a nice, cool indoor location seemed smart for an afternoon excursion. Oceanario de Lisboa is one of the largest indoor aquariums in Europe. Build on the grounds of the Parque das Nacoes, the site of the 1998 World Expo. Surrounded by modern apartments, shopping areas and an active boardwalk, this was a perfect place to be for an afternoon outing.
The main attraction is a large circular aquarium holding a large variety of ocean life. Alongside the tank are smaller exhibits highlighting ocean life. The place was full of adults and children alike, but it easily held the crowd and still provided unobstructed views of the tank. Plan to spend at least a couple of hours here, longer if you want to roam the surrounding areas.
For dinner, we were all hungry for steak. The concierge recommended La paparrucha right up the street from our hotel. It was delicious and had a beautiful view over the water. Outside a very hip and happening bar scene with music and dancing was quite different from the restaurant. We weren't really feeling hip or happening so we returned to the hotel for an early night.
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