Welcome to day 3 of the itinerary! Today will take you off the coast and right to the other side of the river Tejo to see the Christo Rei statue. In order to get to Alameda you need to go on a ferry. This you can actually also pay with your usual public transport ticket. So head to the Cais do Sodre station from where the ferries depart every 15 minutes and enjoy the fantastic views form the boat on the coast of the city centre of Lisbon as well as the bridge Ponte 25 de Abril and the coast of Alameda you are heading to. This old industrial area is much more relaxed than Lisbon, even though it is not even very hectic here either, and you can still see lots of traces of the areas past.
Arriving on the other side in Alameda there are probably a number of people offering you to bring you up to the statue, but simply deny and make your way up yourself. Obviously you have the possibility to walk the entire way, but I`d recommend walking only a bit to see a little of the inside of the city centre here and then catching a bus. You can ride a few stops and then walk the last 5 minutes through really picturesque alleys framed by beautifully decorated houses.
And then, finally, you will reach the top. It is a plateau with the massive statue right at the front. It is actually even so big that you can barely capture it in a photo when you stand right in front of it. From the very front of the space up here you have the most fantastic views over Lisbon and the iconic red bridge. Turning around you see the incredible statue of Christ watching over it. You can also go up the statue, but we decided not to do it as we didn`t expect the views to get any better than they already were and it was more impressive to actually see the statue itself.
One thing to mention: It does get quite windy up here, so even on a nice and sunny day, bring a jacket and maybe a hat!
When you have finished admiring the incredible view and taking photos, make your way down to the ferry pier again. Either walk, or take the bus, which starts pretty much directly at the statue and terminates at the ferry. You can either stroll around here a little longer or go back to head towards Belem now, as we did it.
Back on the northern side of the Tejo, catch a bus or tram from the Cais do Sodre station towards Belem, but get off a little earlier. There are beautiful things to see around the MAAT. The museum for modern art has a spectacular building which offers perfect views on Alameda`s coast, where you have just been.
Then make your way towards the west, meaning towards Belem, along the water. At some point, however, you might want to use one of the pedestrian bridges to get into the city a little. On the first bigger street you can find the Pasteis de Belem. This is the oldest and most popular of the pastry shops in Lisbon. Every bakery has its own recipe and thus they all taste a little different. And obviously, the Pasteis de Belem are the most delicious ones you will find! And this without being any more expensive even!
After you stocked up on Pasteis, head further on this road. Immediately the huge Mosteiro dos Jeronimos will come into sight. It is a significant monument in Lisbon and you can visit both the museum and the inside of the monastery. From the outside the building is impressively big with its incredible length and the several little towers. Just across the street viewing the water is a beautifully arranged garden with a fountain as its centre piece. And again across another street (you actually need to go underneath the street to reach the other side) is a big plaza with an amazing artwork incorporated in the ground: the Rosa dos Ventos. It is a kind of compass right there from where the famous explorers started their sails around the entire planet in olden times. Directly at the edge of this plaza at the waterfront, or actually even leaning a little over the water, is the appropriate monument: The Padrao dos Descobrimentos. It is possible to up this very special stone monument, which looks like a cross from one side and like the front of a ship from the other. On its not very big top you will have a wonderful view over the famous bridge, the monastery, the entire water front and the coast of Alameda again. In case you followed our itinerary it is probably in the late afternoon now with the sunset beginning very soon.
So before it actually starts to set, head further towards the west to reach the world famous Torre de Belem. This old tower was part of a defense system on Lisbon`s coast. It is not very big, but one can go inside, if you wish to do so. I would actually say the money is not worth it and it is much more beautiful to actually see it from the outside with the rocks of Alameda`s coast in the background.
And now comes a real secret tip: If you still have energy, walk a little further. In order to do so you will ned to walk a little away from the water first, but then you get the most spectacular sunset you can imagine in Libson!
The area of the Fundacao Champalimaud is not very busy around this time. In fact, you will probably be the only ones around here. The building is very futuristic and might look a little intimidating from the water. Look carefully to make sure you don`t oversee the entrance! First you come into some little amphitheatre, then into some courtyard with a water installation framed by two gigantic columns. My current profile picture is actually from there. The sun sets right behind this and you can enjoy the fantastic view from this slightly higher point and take as many photos as you wish without any rush and other people around you staring at you! This is simply one of the best places I know to fantastically end a day of city sightseeing.
You want to know what you can do on your last half day in Lisbon? Read the Lisbon - 3,5 days itinerary - day 4 to find out!