June 16, 2022

Stunning views over Lisbon

Our second day in Lisbon was filled with more walking and some shopping.

Funiculars and Bairro Alto

After breakfast, we headed out to find the Elevador da Bica. This funicular or tram connects Largo do Calhariz to Rua de São Paulo and is one of the most photographed attractions in Lisbon. It was deemed a national monument in 2002 and has been in operation for over a century. On our way to the funicular, we came across a magnificent lookout over the city. Unfortunately by the time we reached the Elevador da Bica, we realized it was under renovation so we did not get to ride the tram. Thus, we decided to continue walking towards Bairro Alto. We eventually ended up at Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara with magnificent views over the city. After admiring the views, we realized there was another funicular right next to the garden, the Elevador da Glória, which was in operation. So now we decided to ride the tram down the hill to Praça dos Restauradores. Our public transport ticket was also valid on the funicular. The ride down was a fun experience.

The hill that Elevador de Bica runs along

View from Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara

Yours truly at Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara

The World Expo 1998 site

Next, we hopped on the metro and headed to the World Expo 1998 site. The Expo site is right next to a shopping mall so we had lunch at the mall and explored some of the stores before heading out to the actual Expo site. The biggest point of interest for me was actually a sculpture from much later than the Expo itself. The Iberian Lynx by Bordalo II was made from discarded materials in 2021. The statue is really impressive and beautiful. We also went for a ride on the cable car built along the boardwalk. From the cable car, you could really appreciate the Vasco da Gama bridge, which is the second-longest bridge in Europe, after the Crimean Bridge, and the longest one in the European Union. The bridge is 12.345 km (7.671 mi) long and was inaugurated for the 1998 Lisbon World Expo.

Dinner with sunset views over the Tagus

For our second night in Lisbon, I had booked a table at a riverfront seafood restaurant called Monte Mar. The restaurant offered a wonderful terrace with stunning river views. We kicked off dinner with some drinks and were served bread and olives. For starters, I picked a local cheese (Queijo de Azeitão) that was simply to die for and hubby opted for Melon with Smoked Ham. For my main I had Grouper served with a Butter & Lemon Sauce and hubby had a classic Sole with Meunier sauce. The food was excellent, the service was friendly and attentive and the view of the sun setting over the Tagus was beautiful. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone visiting Lisbon during the terrace season but the food is worth a visit also in the winter.