A Day of Lisbon Landmarks

Our weekly field trip took place on Wednesday again this week and we spent the day visiting more of Lisbon’s landmarks. We went to Pastéis de Belém and tried their famous secret recipe. It did not disappoint! From there we walked around the Jerónimos Monastery. Afterwards, we walked to the Belem Tower and finished with crossing the Ponte 25 de Abril (Bridge of April 25th) to the Christ Rei (Christ the King).

Pastéis de Belém

After learning about the story of the Pastéis de Belém during our cooking class, Alexis and I really wanted to try the famous secret recipe. Pastéis de Belém was founded in 1837 and is still family owned and operated. It is said that the exact recipe is known by only a handful of people and kept under strict secrecy. They are served warm, and best dusted with cinnamon and powdered sugar. I read that the line is very long, but moves fast. We opted for the take-away line to save time.

We dusted them with cinnamon and powdered sugar as recommended and quickly took a bite while they were still warm. They were delicious! We all agreed they were the best ones we’ve had yet. So so yummy!

Jerónimos Monastery

Built in the 1500s, this monastery is a beautiful example of the Portuguese Late Gothic Manueline architecture. We had planned on only walking around the outside. Tickets to go inside were pricey with a timed entry and we didn’t want to be on a timeline. Unfortunately, most of the exterior was under restoration. We did get a little glimpse of how beautiful and intricate the architecture is.

We also went inside a small part of the church and it was equally as stunning! A gallery of oil paintings from the early 1600s lined the walls.

Belem Tower

We walked about 20 minutes down the Tagus river to visit the Belem Tower. Built in the 1500s, this tower once guarded the entrance to Lisbon’s harbor as a defensive fortress. The tower is another example of Manueline style architecture and was also under restoration so we couldn’t go inside.

We enjoyed the views of the Tagus river and the Ponte 25 de Abril in the distance. Being next to water in any form is always extremely relaxing to me.

Ponte 25 de Abril and Christ Rei

From here we took an Uber across the Ponte 25 de Abril (Bridge of April 25th) to the Christ Rei (Christ the King). The bridge was named after the date of the Carnation Revolution in 1974 that ended decades of dictatorship in Portugal. The same American company that built the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco also built this one, and the resemblance is notable.

The Christ Rei was inspired by Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro. The statue and pedestal together soar over 330 feet tall, built entirely from donations from the Catholic organization — Apostleship of Prayer.

There is an observation deck on top that gives an amazing view of the city of Lisbon and the Tagus River. An elevator takes you most of the way to the top, then you have to climb a winding staircase the rest of the way.

The Best Days are Spent Outside

We took in a lot of beautiful sites today and I loved that we spent almost the entire day outside. The weather was perfect, with the exception of it being windy and cold at the Christ Rei. Even Alexis was cold, so you know it was chilly!