April 10, 2023
Brent toured Lisbon and Sintra todtay. I stayed back on the ship as I had blisters and was giving my toes a break to heal up. Lisbon was a beautiful city which featured many magnificent city squares with monuments, fountains, cafes, shops, and other attractions. The one above is Rossio Square. The one below is Restauradores Square which was built to commemorate the restoration of Portugal as a separate country from Spain rather than sharing a king with Spain.
The Marquis of Pombal Square is a central square for city transportation with 18 bus lines. It is named after an important Portuguese prime minister.
The Praça do Comércio is a popular tourist destination in Lisbon. It is an impressive plaza with a statue of King Joseph I and the Rua Augusta Arch which was they symbolic entrance to the city. This plaza was an important trade center in Lisbon.
Once in Sintra, he visited the Sintra Royal Palace, a medieval palace which was lived in by the ruling families of Spain from the 15th through the 19th century. The ceilings were exquisite with different themes, the rooms featured many beautiful furnishings, and the view of Sintra from the palace was amazing.
After Sintra, they stopped at Cape Roca, one of the most famous viewpoints in Portugal. It is the westernmost point in Europe.
In Belem, they visited the Monument of the Discoveries, built in the 20th century to honor the explorers and other significant people who helped Portugal develop its great seafaring reputation. It was inaugurated in 1960 on the 500th anniversary of the death of Henry the Navigator.
Beautiful Portugal! I hear that it is a great place to retire!