Wow, I did not expect such crowds in April. I know it's Easter weekend, but still...We'll be there mid-Oct, hopefully quieter then, but I'm a little bit worried now. Glad to see you found some quieter spots, and got to enjoy The Jerónimos cloister before the crowds.

Mel, loving your photos, as usual! Thank you for your wonderful photo essays!!

s

xyz99,
In mid-October, I think you'll be ok. Here are more photos of our Jerónimos visit at 10 am w/o crowds-


Quiet and peaceful




The refectory


Identifying all the gargoyles

Oh, my. This was not our experience at all, but it was 2015 and October. The only huge crowds we dealt were the 28 tram which we didn't use, and the line in Belem for the pastries which we passed on (at least in that location).

Chin up, Mel. I've read your trip reports countless times and cloned many of your itineraries. What a bummer to have a trip that isn't connecting the dots for you and your fellow traveler.

Phew! Glad to hear that, Maribel! Jerónimos is truly stunning, I expect I'll spend quite some time there.

Mel, hopefully things will calm down after this weekend. Do they have Monday off in Portugal?

xyz99,
I just read an eye opening report about a recent Pena Palace visit on the Rick Steves Portugal forum---it appears that an entry ticket for the Palace at 5 pm is fairly sure way to go (if you're not too tired by then). And be sure to purchase the transfer ticket on the shuttle bus as well as the Pena Palace ticket to avoid the very long climb up to the Palace gates.
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/portugal.

The post is "Report: (Trying to) Visit Pena Palace in April 2022"

A hot sticky Easter day - we were all over the place and I'm having trouble even figuring out what all we covered - the neighborhoods are confusing here and it's not clear to me where one changes to another.

We made it to Belem; some sort of horse-mounted band parade was underway when we arrived. We logged countless miles - took bus 728 and 714 and then walked up (and then back down) the crazy steep hill that runs alongside Elevador da Gloria. We saw a few massive cruise ships...the source of my near melt down yesterday, but managed to avoid them somehow... Perhaps their passengers were all in Belem with us (monastery closed today, not that we'd planned on visiting it anyway).

We strolled along the posh Avenida da Liberdade, lined with it's luxury hotels and shops and briefly popped into the Tivoli Hotel there, which has a 250 euro cover charge for something - not clear what.

We're finding Lisbon very difficult to navigate and less friendly than other areas we've visited this trip...probably tourist burn-out, which I can completely understand.


Lisbon

Lisbon

Belem

Belem


Belem

Belem

Belem

Found it odd that the Avenida metro station was closed today - the gates were chained shut. Any idea why Maribel?

I don't know Mel.
The military parade you saw in Belém was the Royal Changing of the Guard that happens every 3rd Sunday of the month.

We went to the rooftop of the Tivoli SEEN for a sunset drink but found no cover charge. Just a (pricey for Lisbon) 7 euro glass of Soalheiro alvarinho but great views, blankets and some complimentary nibbles.

Gorgeous photos, Mel, thanks for the ongoing photo report. It looks like you’re managing to cover a lot even if it’s a bit confusing and overwhelming. I think most large cities are often hard to navigate and Lisbon does seem more confusing with its many hills. It’s hard to get a sense of the city from just looking at the map. But the weather looks glorious, even if it’s getting warm (note to self here!).

Wishing you an enjoyable remainder of your trip.

I am coming to this thread late....obviously.

Very beautiful pictures Melnq8. It was nice to just scroll along.

It was a pleasure reliving my trip there.

How in the world did you get that Seagull picture in Porto. !!

Portugal has architecture that you do not see in Europe.

Thank You for posting your adventure Melnq8 .

Happy Easter to you.


thrusdaysd:

Thanks for your pictures of Amarante

Isn't this the place where can buy penis cakes in June !!

I don't know, Maribel....sounds tempting, but the palace closes at 6 pm. I think it's still better to be there when they open in the morning (probably before that), and stay as long as you want.

Mel, I love your photos, keep them coming!

I actually agree with you, xyz99, but I'm the early bird type. I'd rather be at the door when it opens (and be first in line rather than risk doing it at 5, and by then, I know I just wouldn't have any more energy after visiting the other Sintra sites, and you make a good point that you'd only have an hour for the Palace and look out points (forgot that it closes at 6).

Mel,
I checked the Lisbon metro web page for Avenida and that station closes on weekends and holidays (didn't know that...)

Mel -
Agree that Lisbon's topography can be a little difficult at times. Not sure if it is all the steep hills, my deficiency in Portugese language, or what but it took me a couple days to feel comfortable. Both times i was in Lisbon I experienced what maribel described - the further north up Av Liberdade, the more serene the area.
Do extract yourself from the crazy busy location and explore some other parts of town. Have you been to the Gulbenkian museum? Def worth a visit.

Mel,
I think you'd love Seamus' (great!) idea of getting up to the Gulbenkian. It's a really pleasant, serene museum surrounded by pretty gardens and an "easy see". It could then be combined with time at the top of Eduardo VII park, then the walk from the park to your square is all downhill!
Just a note that the Gulbenkian is closed on Tuesdays (and was closed today, Easter Sunday).

A much calmer day thanks to the sage advice above...thank you!

Train from Rossio to Sao Sabastio - changed at Alameda. Then walked to the Gulbenkian, which is currently under renovation, so not all rooms are available - Modern Art Museum is also being renovated.

We're not really museum people (although very much looking forward to the Tile Museum tomorrow - I do love Portuguese tile). A nice walk through the gardens, followed by Leonidas across the street for the chocoholic.

Then walked to Parque Eduardo VII - thoroughly enjoyable despite the very windy day – the flying pollen from the trees on Liberdade wreaking serious havoc on noses and contact lenses - lots of sneezing and coughing from ingested tree bits and dust. We eventually worked our way back down Liberdade (again) - revisited the posh Tivoli Hotel for clarification on that 250 euro cover charge (still baffled).

Mojito break on the way back to hotel.

Soon we'll head out for dinner - Indian (again).


Gulbenkian

Gulbenkian - what can I say, this one stood out.

Gulbenkian

Parque Eduardo VII

Parque Eduardo VII (theater?)

Parque Eduardo VII


Parque Eduardo VII (theater?)

Base of Parque Eduardo VII

Mojito!

250 euro coverage charge at Tivoli Hotel on Liberdade

Do you like house "museums"? If so, consider: https://fronteira-alorna.pt/en/home/#pll_switcher

There are some interesting smaller museums in Lisbon, too: https://www.golisbon.com/sight-seein...ts-museum.html and https://www.golisbon.com/sight-seein...gn-museum.html and https://www.golisbon.com/sight-seein...es-museum.html and https://www.visitlisboa.com/en/place...eum-of-costume (the last was short on English language labels when I visited, but that was over a decade ago). I wouldn't expect any of them to especially crowded.

Mel,
So glad that the Gulbenkian and Parque Eduardo VII provided you with a much more enjoyable day!

When we were at the Tivoli rooftop terrace of its SEEN restaurant, everything could be ordered a la carte. Their SKY BAR wasn't open in March--that's where they have the (gulp!) cover charge. I admit that the SEEN terrace wasn't our "scene", as it was filled with a international tourist crowd (not unexpectedly) rather than locals.

Of all the roof top terraces we visited, we most enjoyed the quirky, whimsical INSOLITO, the terrace of the Decadente hostel, right above the Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcántara, reached by the Elevador de Gloria (or by climbing up as you did). We enjoyed it because it attracts a young and mostly local crowd, has very reasonable prices and darn good food, amazingly good in fact, for a roof top terrace, from a very well trained chef. And the fun part was reaching it via the teeny, tiny, ancient elevator smaller than a W.C and draped in the original wallpaper. Must be one of Lisbon's very first elevators.

I hope you enjoy the Tile Museum and its elaborate, Baroque gold encrusted chapel.
If you do enjoy house museums, or private collections housed in the former mansion of a magnate like Calouste Gulbenkian, I can highly recommend this one--

Casa Museu Medeiros E Almeida
Rua Rosa Araújo, 41, across from the Vincci Liberdade and Port Bay Marqués hotels and two blocks above the Avenida da Liberdade, set in the former mansion of an art collector and industrialist, one of Portugal’s wealthiest men, and gives the visitor a glimpse of the opulence of this elegant district in the 19th-century.This museum is an unsung gem. Displayed here are Medeiros e Almeida’s priceless collection of European paintings (including a Ribera, a Rembrant, a Delacroix, two Brueghels, a Gainsborough and a Tiepolo), Flemish tapestries, one of the world’s finest collections of clocks, watches, fountains from Versailles, English and Portuguese silverware, a tea set used by Napoleon, ceramics, furniture and 18th-century azulejos. Medeiros e Almeida and his wife lived here until 1970, and the twenty-five rooms have been kept exactly as they were used on a daily basis. Open Monday-Saturday from 10:00 pm to 5:00 pm with last entrance at 4:30. Admission is 5€ or 3€ for seniors, but free on Saturdays from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm.

I posted a few photos of its art on one of the threads. It is never crowded and another "easy see".

Yo Mel, will you be buying any tiles to bring home? They can be loosely placed (i.e. without glue) atop existing tabletop surfaces with ease and would serve as a permanent reminder of your trip.
I am done. the interior decor

zebec - no, hadn't planned to bring any home, but I think they'd make a great kitchen backsplash...