Alfama, Castelo

The no. 28 is a little treasure on rails.

The small yellow trams beg to be photographed as they travel through the prettiest historic and residential quarters of the city.

Opening the windows and letting the parade of buildings covered in azulejos pass you by, glimpsing the sudden ascents and marvelling at the winding route between hills, miradouros and squares that take your breath away, is one of the things you have to do while in the city.

The no. 28 shuttles between Graça and Prazeres, on a route that slips between historic bairros, passed palaces, visits the cathedral, crosses Baixa, climbs up to Chiado and Estrela and ends in Campo de Ourique.

The comforting sound of its bell ensures that, even if you get off to see the attractions along the way, the no. 28 will always return to take you home.

Come and discover the final resting place of Portugal’s most illustrious figures. Built in the 16th century as the church of Santa Engrácia by Princess Dona Maria, daughter of King Manuel I, the church never fulfilled its purpose.

It is thanks to her that the saying “like the construction of Santa Engrácia” came into being to denote something which is never completed. In fact, it was finished in the mid-20th century, 350 years later.

You’ll thus discover the legend of the secret love of Simão Pires and Violante, a novice from the neighbouring convent of Santa Clara.

It was the curse uttered by Simão that gave rise to the expression when unjustly burned alive for suspicion of stealing some relics when in fact he was just going to meet his lover.

Come and discover the grand stage for such a tragic love story, considered the most beautiful Baroque building in Lisbon.

Built in the mid-11th century, this fortification still retains eleven towers displaying various architectural features characteristic of military fortifications from the Moorish period. The steps leading up the sides of the curtain walls provide access to the ramparts and towers enabling visitors to explore the entire perimeter.

This is undoubtedly one of Lisbon’s most beautiful miradouros. Factors which contribute to this are the trams which pass by and sound their bells, the magnificent decorative tiles, the garden and the pond. At the Miradouro de Santa Luzia, you can set your compass by the domes of the surrounding churches. Because you’ll need to get your bearings in the tangle of Alfama’s streets. Discover the dome of Santa Engrácia, the church of Santo Estevão and the two towers of the church of São Miguel. Enjoy the café and the kiosk to observe the panels by António Quaresma, which show what Praça do Comércio was like before the earthquake and the taking of the castle from the Moors. With the Tagus always In the background and a huge desire to keep on wandering.

The Museu do Fado (Fado Museum) is a must while in Lisbon. Besides representing one of the region’s most important cultural legacies, it explores a musical genre classified as intangible cultural heritage.

It has a permanent exhibition and holds temporary shows, alongside a document centre and an auditorium with a very interesting programme and regular events.

Examining the artistic and bibliographical careers of dozens of artists and displaying an emblematic painting by the artist José Malhoa, amongst many other references and figures, the Museu do Fado is a place all visitors must see.

Technology is used to take a more in-depth look at history via the interactive information points that document the history of fado throughout the museum and the audio guides which allow you to listen to dozens of fado songs composed and sung down the decades.

The time and notes fly, in a refurbished building of historical interest close to the neighbourhoods where you can find fado being sung at night.