Lisbon Riverside – Self Drive In Electric Vehicles With GPS Audio Guide

Lisbon Riverside itinerary

LX FACTORY

A factory complex from 1846 was reborn in 2008 as a "factory" of creativity and experiences. It kept the industrial spaces and invited companies related to the arts, which later brought shops, cafés and restaurants. Today there’s a little bit of everything, from fashion to books, to vintage furniture and contemporary design, next to dining options that include pizza, sushi and burgers, in addition to the more creative cuisine. The interiors maintain many of the old pieces, while most of the façades are covered in street art

BELEM DISTRICT

Lisbon's most monumental and historical area is Belém. It was from here that many of the great Portuguese explorers embarked on their voyages of discovery: Prince Henry the Navigator and the first overseas expedition to conquer Ceuta in Morocco, Bartholomeu Dias to round the Cape of Good Hope, the first voyages of Ferdinand Magellan, Vasco da Gama to discover the sea route to India, and Christopher Columbus stopped here on his way back to Europe after discovering the New World.

BELEM CULTURAL CENTER - CCB

Lisbon's most important cultural center was originally built to host Portugal's presidency of the European Union in 1992. Today it regularly presents world-class performances and has the city's largest auditorium.

It's also home to the Berardo Musuem for Modern and Contemporary Art, and has cafés and restaurants looking over the river.

Its biggest annual event is the springtime "Dias da Música," a classical music festival.

JERONIMOS MONASTERY

This 16th-century monastery is Lisbon's must-see marvel, flashing back to the days of the Age of Discovery, when the spices of the East paid for the impressive architecture that has given it the status of World Heritage Site.

Riches from all over the world poured into Lisbon thanks to Vasco da Gama's discovery of the maritime route to India, and the explorer's tomb is found in the church, a space filled with carvings of sea motifs. Another tomb is that of poet Luís de Camões.

Coral, sea monsters and ropes are also represented in the even more magnificent cloisters, which are unlike any other in the world. They are sometimes used as a backdrop for major events, such as the signing of the Lisbon Treaty between all 27 European Union countries in 2007.

BELEM TOWER

Lisbon's most famous landmark stands in the middle of the Tagus River as it reaches the Atlantic, where it once protected the city in the 1500s.

Built in 1515, the Belem Tower is a beautiful fortress that also served as the departure point for many of the voyages of discovery, and due to its architecture and historical significance it has been declared a World Heritage Site.

The highlight of a visit is admiring the façade facing the river and the views from its loggias and windows. You'll see stonework relating to the Age of Discovery, including Our Lady of Safe Homecoming who was believed to protect sailors at sea, as well as a stone rhinoceros which inspired Dürer's depiction of the animal. See more details below.

MONUMENT TO THE DISCOVERIES

Inaugurated in 1960, the year of the 500th anniversary of the death of Prince Henry the Navigator, this waterfront monument in the shape of a caravel heading into sea evokes the Portuguese Age of Discovery. Fifty-six meters high (184ft), 20 meters wide (66ft) and 46 meters long (151 ft), it shows a 9 meters-tall (26ft) Prince Henry leading 32 other personalities of the time, measuring 7 meters (23ft).

The monument is made of concrete, but the sculptures are in limestone and were created by prominent sculptor Leopoldo de Almeida.

The interior presents temporary exhibitions, and has an elevator that takes you to the lookout terrace at the top, offering a beautiful view of the several ??monuments nearby, such as the Jeronimos Monastery and the Belem Tower.

Before entering, you may walk all over the world, following the routes of the Portuguese explorers. That's a map in marble on a huge compass rose, measuring 50 meters in diameter (164ft), with caravels and dates marking the main routes of the Portuguese in the 15th and 16th centuries. It's surrounded by the traditional Portuguese cobblestone pavement, with the famous wavy design which can be admired from the top of the monument.

MAAT

The Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology (MAAT) is a project of the EDP Foundation, and is spread over two buildings, a former power station and a modern building designed by British architect Amanda Levete. It has almost 3000 square meters for exhibitions and events, and is directed by the former curator of contemporary architecture of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, Pedro Gadanho, who says that this museum in Lisbon is unique in the world, since no other crosses the disciplines of art, architecture and technology. It presents the relationship between art and new technologies, through contemporary and international exhibitions.

It will also have a restaurant looking out to 25th of April Bridge, and it's possible to walk over the new undulating shell-shaped building of curved lines. The exterior staircase descends into the water, creating a large public space.

BELEM CUSTARD TARTS

The official name is "Antiga Confeitaria de Belém" ("Belem's Old confectionery") but everyone simply calls it "Pasteis de Belém" ("Belém Pastries"). Its pastries have become famous around the country and even the world, known internationally as "Portuguese custard tarts" or "pastéis de nata." "Pastel de Nata" is the name of the very same tart when not made at this shop, and those from here are not only the originals but also the best, made from a secret recipe since 1837. They come recommended in every guidebook, which explains the long lines outside the door. You may grab some to go, but also try them oven-warm in the beautifully tiled rooms inside.

NATIONAL PALACE OF AJUDA

The National Palace of Ajuda was built in 1795 and was the last official residence of the Portuguese royal family. The first one in Lisbon was St. George's Castle, until the construction of Ribeira Palace on the waterfront in 1498. When that sumptuous palace was completely destroyed in the 1755 earthquake, the king decided to move to the hilltop of the Ajuda district. The royal family lived in a temporary residence until the construction of the new palace, which was never finished due to Napoleon's invasion of Portugal. The neoclassical building you see today is only a small part of the original plan, which was to be one of Europe's largest palaces, with gardens cascading down to the river. However, it still presents a magnificent interior, with several rooms with an extravagant décor. The most impressive are the Throne Room, the Banquet Room, and the Audience Room.

Two floors of the palace are open for visits, formimg a large museum of decorative arts from the 15th to the 20th century. It has a remarkable and varied collection of clocks, and a dinner service that is one of the few European royal services that remained completely intact.

After the palace, be sure to visit the Botanical Garden.

The palace's western façade is finally being built, and once completed in mid-2020, it will have a permanent exhibition of the Portuguese Crown jewels, one of the world's largest collections of its kind

25th OF APRIL BRIDGE

At first sight, the 25 de Abril Bridge seems to have a curious resemblance to the Golden Gate, but it was actually inspired by another San Francisco bridge, the Bay Bridge. It was, however, built by the same company as the Golden Gate, and inaugurated in 1966. It was called Salazar Bridge but was renamed after the 1974 revolution.

Its central span is longer than that of the Golden Gate, and it links the capital to the south of the country, especially to the beaches of Caparica coast, to which all of Lisbon seems to escape to in the summer.

Below the bridge are the St. Amaro Docks, with a marina and several restaurants in former warehouses, and that's where you can get up close to the monument. To see it from above, the best spot is the terrace of the Monument to Christ. The Monsanto Forest Park, the lookout points of Santo Amaro and Necessidades, the Ajuda Botanical Garden and the Prazeres Cemitery also offer good views.

A sightseeing cruise is another opportunity to see it up close, by going under it.

To reach the Santo Amaro docks, take the Cascais train from Cais do Sodré to Alcântara-Mar (a 4-minute journey; exit to the left, riverside part of the station).

An observation deck ("Pilar 7 - Bridge Experience") was inaugurated in September of 2017 by one of the bridge's pillars, which includes a museum explaining the history and the construction techniques behind the monument. An elevator goes up 80 meters to the top by the road, offering a beautiful view over the river and the city.

COMMERCE SQUARE

Lisbon's grandest square faces the river, and was originally designed to welcome those arriving in the city by boat.

What you see today is the 18th-century version, as the original square, named "Terreiro do Paço" and home to the royal palace, was destroyed in the 1755 earthquake. It was rebuilt with a triumphal arc facing the Tagus, and the surrounding arcaded buildings held government offices for many years.

At the center is a monument to King José I.

The square is also home to the city's oldest café, "Martinha da Arcada", and to the monumental Pousada Hotel.

There is also a tourist office, while across from it is the Lisboa Story Center, which presents the history of the city.

Under the arcades are cafés and restaurants with tables outside.