THE DOOR OF EUROPE: LISBON

Hello friends of Steemit!, today I want to tell you about one of the cities that stole my heart with just arriving: Lisbon. It is the capital of Portugal and in turn the gateway to Europe because of its strategic location that connects Europe with the Atlantic Ocean, not in vain this city has been named as the world capital of commerce twice: in the 12th century and in the 15th century . To talk about Lisbon I would have to write a complete book, because it definitely has plenty of material for it, but let's start by telling how was my visit to this beautiful city. 

I met Lisbon in 2013 on a very unplanned trip that I did while in Madeira -of which I´ll do another post - I traveled to the continent with the objective of knowing the Sanctuary of the Virgin of Fatima, you can imagine where the inspiration came from when my parents choose my name :) but from the visit to Fatima I will speak to you in a following post. My trip was planned to be 5 days in continent of which only 2 days I was in Lisbon! Very little to know her but what is necessary to fall in love with her.

 I arrived in Lisbon on a direct flight from Funchal, Madeira of the airline TAP, the airport is beautiful, huge and what I liked the most is that it is connected to all types  of transport: bus, train, taxi, subway, it's very easy to get to the airport or to leave the airport, I went directly by subway, it was a novelty for me to leave the airport by subway directly to the station closest to my hotel, I stayed in one of the many hotels in the “Marques do Pombal” area, a very nice area, full of life and things to see in the heart of the city.    

I walked down into a beautiful avenue, called “Avenida da Liberdade”, I was impressed by the number of luxury brand stores that sported their perfect showcases, such as Cartier, Miu Miu, Prada and many more, it is a very long and pleasant avenue to walk in the fall season, season that I was there. 

Walking I passed through several monuments and squares, I was amazed during all the time I was there, Lisbon has a special, different and very unique atmosphere. I was in the beautiful  “Praça do Comercio” and “Arco da Rua Augusta”, I could appreciate the beautiful trams with years in operation and surely as beautiful as a few years ago, I ended the long walk resting at the edge of the Tejo River contemplating the “Ponte 25 de Abril” with the “Padrao dos Descobrimentos” next to me. 

The tour did not end there, I went through the Tower of Belém which is very close to where I was and I could see why it was proclaimed a World Heritage Site by Unesco, it is a very beautiful Tower, full of history since its construction in the XVI century, however I did not have the opportunity to enter, from there pass by the famous place where they make the “Pasteis de Belém”, a delicious sweet typical of this area and the same Portugal, sweet that they have to prove obligatorily if you pass through Portugal. 

                                                

In Lisbon go prepared to walk and with enough time to enter the multiple museums that are in this beautiful city full of history, not only of Portugal but of entire Europe. Near the area of Belém where I was there is the Jerónimos Monastery where there are the tombs of prominent Portuguese figures such as the poet Fernando Pessoa, Luis Camoes, among other personalities, and this imposing monastery has two museums inside: National Museum of Archeology and the “Museu da Marinha”, if you have the opportunity to enter, do it, you will not only appreciate the museums also  the architecture of this beautiful monastery. Lisbon is a must stop for those who want to get to know Europe, if you  visit it, you will not regret it and you will even want to return and learn more about its fascinating history.

Tell me, have you been ever been in Lisbon? Tell me your recommendations for my next trip, which will undoubtedly have to be longer to know everything that the beautiful Lisbon has to offer.

Kisses!

@fatimacarolinablog   

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My blog: https://fatimacarolinablog.blogspot.com/2017/09/la-puerta-de-europa-lisboa.html   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fatimacarolinablog/