Private Tour Fado – Dining Included

We start our Fado Tour for a stroll in Lisbon in the evening, visiting the most emblematic monuments of our city, the Torre de Belém, the Gardens of the Monastery of the Jeronimos, the Terreiro do Paço, with a visit to various points of view where you can enjoy the city and the river Tagus.

Then we will dine at the typical Alfama restaurant with a professional Fado show.

Fado is the result of a historical and cultural fusion that occurred in Lisbon in the second half of the nineteenth century is a song that does not need a language because the sensation is the voice of those who sing along with the Portuguese Guitar. The Fado was elevated to the category of Cultural and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

It is typically Portuguese and sung all over the world, but only feels in Portuguese.

Mosteiro dos Jerónimos

Monuments

On the banks of the Tagus is an apogee of Manueline architecture.

In the spot where the Jerónimos Monastery stands today, next to the old Belém beach, was originally a small hermitage dedicated to Santa Maria that had been built by the Infante D. Henrique, in 1452. At the start of the 16th century King Manuel I’s intention to have a large monastery erected there was acknowledged by the Holy See, and which was donated to the Order of the Friars of St. Jerome. The epitome of Manueline architecture and intrinsically linked to the Discoveries, this monastery is the most remarkable Portuguese monastic ensemble of its time and one of the main European churches.

Construction on it began in 1501, lasted for a hundred years and was spearheaded by a remarkable group of architects and master builders both national and foreign. With an initial design by Frenchman Boytac, the work was continued by other Masters, namely João de Castilho and, in the middle of the century, Diogo de Torralva. After the arrival of the Portuguese in India, the Portuguese crown was able to fund the venture with money coming from trade with the East. King D. Manuel I channelled much of the so-called “Vintena da Pimenta” (a ‘Spice Tax’, approximately 5% of revenues from trade with Africa and the East, equivalent to 70kg of gold per year) to finance construction work.

In this monument, classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, it is worth noting the facades, the church and the cloisters. On the south facade, one can admire the portal painted by João de Castilho, where the figures are arranged according to a specific hierarchy: below, Infante D. Henrique guards the entrance, the Virgin of Bethlehem blesses the monument, and Archangel Saint Gabriel, the protector of Portugal, completes the arc. The western portal, through which one enters the sacred space, is the authorship of Nicolau Chanterenne. To the left, protected by St. Jerome, is the statue of King D. Manuel, which is said to be a realistic portrait, and to the right is that of Queen D. Maria, his wife, protected by St. John the Baptist.

Inside there is the church-hall, a Manueline masterpiece by João de Castilho. Note how, in a remarkable architectural achievement, the beautiful vault of the transept is not supported by any columns. At the entrance, after the lower-choir, are the cenotaphs of the poet Luís de Camões, author of the epic poem “Os Lusíadas”, and of Vasco da Gama, commander of the armada that in 1497 went to India. The kings, princes and descendants of D. Manuel I are buried in the side chapels. In the main chapel, later reconstructed by Jerónimo de Ruão, are the tombs of D. Manuel I, his son D. João III and their wives. Worthy of special mention is the solid silver tabernacle, a work of Portuguese silversmithy from the mid-17th century.

Torre de Belém

Monuments

The harmony and delicate ornamentation of the Tower of Belém suggests a finely cut jewel to all laying eyes on her. However, its contemporaries took a rather different perspective: a formidable and imposing bastion defending the entrance to the Tagus and capable of combining firepower with the St Sebastian tower on the other bank of the river. Its construction was ordered by king Manuel I (1495-1521) and it was built by Francisco de Arruda between 1514 and 1521. The tower was built on a basalt island that was close to the right bank of the Tagus in front of Restelo beach. However, with the gradual change in the course of the river, the tower has ended practically swallowed up by the bank.

The tower takes on a quadrangular shape reminiscent of medieval castles and has a polygon bulwark, a defensive feature that meant it could withstand heavy bombardment from out at sea. The watch posts, complete with burgeoning cupolas and located on each corner, demonstrate the influence of Moroccan fortifications. Apart from such Moorish influences, the decoration otherwise takes on the Manueline style in the surrounding stone layouts, the heraldic designs and even the famous rhinoceros, the first stone statue of the animal in Europe.

The most highly decorated side of the Tower is south facing, with its narrow balcony. On the cloistral wall that rises above the bulwark, there is a sculptured image of the Virgin with Child dating back to the 18th century, forming the prow of the tower.

The interior is worth a visit simply to get up to the top floor with the effort paid back many times over by wonderful views over the river Tagus estuary and the western side of a city that is still able to evoke the Era of Discovery in Portuguese history.

In 1983, the Tower of Belém was classified World Heritage by UNESCO.

Padrão dos Descobrimentos

Monuments

The imposing Monument to the Discoveries stamps its mark on the riverside at Belém. It was designed in 1940 to commemorate the “Exposition of the Portuguese World”, promoted by the Salazar government to celebrate the eighth and third centenaries of the founding and restoration of the Portuguese nation (1140 and 1640 respectively). However, it was only built in 1960 for commemorations marking 500 years since the death of Prince Henry the Navigator. Designed by architect Cottinelli Telmo, it features the work of sculptor Leopoldo de Almeida.

52 metres in height, the monument symbolises a caravel, headed by the figure of Prince Henry the Navigator followed by a cortege of 32 leading figures from the Era of the Discoveries including, for example, king Afonso V (1432-81), the driving force behind the first discoveries, Vasco da Gama (1460-1524) who discovered the maritime route to India, Pedro Álvares Cabral (1467-1520), who discovered Brazil and Fernando Magellan, who completed the circumnavigation of the globe in 1522, among others.

The façade facing down to the ground takes on the form of a cross decorated by the Sword of the Order of Aviz, the main financial sponsor of the voyages.

The Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology is a contemporary art museum in Lisbon, Portugal that crosses three areas in a space of debate, discovery, critical thinking and international dialogue.

Parque Eduardo VII

Gardens, Parks and Forests

The Eduardo VII Park lies in the Parish of São Sebastião da Pedreira, north from Avenida da Liberdade, and offers panoramic views over the city. Originally known as Parque da Liberdade, the gardens were rechristened with the name of the British King Edward VII on his visit to Lisbon in 1903.

Since their earliest times the gardens have been a stage for fairs, exhibitions and various types of entertainment. Their design, with a central swathe of lawn flanked by Portuguese cobbles pavements, was by Keil do Amaral, and form one of the landmarks in the development of Lisbon.

Here we can find a Sports Pavilion built in 1932 in the João V style, renamed the Carlos Lopes pavilion as a tribute to the famous Portuguese athlete, a Greenhouse with an enormous variety of plants from all over the world, lakes, and various statues including a bust of King Edward VII and a monument to the 25th April Revolution by João Cutileiro.

There is also a children´s playground, a viewpoint, a bandstand, a picnic area, the Club VII sports complex with tennis courts, gymnasium and swimming pool, and a restaurant.

Praça dos Restauradores is located in Baixa de Lisboa, at the southern end of Avenida da Liberdade, a few meters from Praça Dom Pedro IV (better known as Rossio).

The square is characterized by the high obelisk, 30 meters high, called Monument to the Restorers and inaugurated on April 28, 1886, with the cost of 45 contos de reis [1], which commemorates the liberation of the country from the Spanish dominion in 1 of December 1640.

The floor of the sidewalk in the central plate of the square is Portuguese sidewalk.

Praça do Rossio

Other

Reborn out of the wreckage of the 1755 earthquake, this lovely Lisbon square marks the northern reach of the Pombaline Downtown. It stretches out in a quadrilateral form dominated by the neo-classical harmony of the D. Maria II Theatre, built on the site of the former House of the Inquisition.

According to the Marquis of Pombal, the Praça do Comércio would be the centre-point of the city and symbol of the new social order he wished to create for the Nation.

However, as time moved on, it was Rossio, a bright and welcoming square, which established itself as the bourgeois forum for Lisbon.

The square took on life with its hotels (now disappeared) that were filled with travellers, stores and tobacconists. There was also no short supply of that very Portuguese institution – the café. These would be the forums for talk, conspiracy, politics and the arts.

Life has long since changed, but Café Nicola (on the western side) and the Pastelaria Suíça (the eastern) remain to bear testament to times gone by.

At the centre is the 28 metre high column that was erected in 1870. On top is king Pedro IV who holds the Constitution in his right hand.

Two monumental fountains were added in 1889, where florists now set out their wares.

To the south, observe how the gracious arc forms the connection with the Rua dos Sapateiros. It is a fine piece of Pombaline architecture from the end of the 18th century with ornamental embellishments including a fine window with its veranda opening out onto the Square. Its construction was paid for by businessman Pires Bandeira and later became known as the Arch of Bandeira.

The entire square recently underwent a complete makeover restoring the splendour of the original Portuguese cobbling with the central area featuring a combination of blue and white stones tracing the waves of the sea.

Praça do Comércio

Other

This is one of the most beautiful squares in all Europe, opening southwards onto the huge Tagus estuary.

Until the era of mass aviation, this was Lisbon´s great reception hall for visitors arriving by sea even better able to enjoy its beauty from their vantage points on slowly docking vessels.

It was at the dock here that the Kings and Heads of State would disembark when visiting Portugal.

Prior to the 1755 earthquake, it was called the Terreiro do Paço (Royal Yard). The Royal Palace had been sited on the western side of the square since the 16th century when king Manuel transferred the court down from the Castle of São Jorge (St. George).

In 1580, Filipe I of Portugal ordered the building of a new square with the work the responsibility of Filippo Terzi and Juan Herrera (the architect responsible for the Escorial).

Everything was destroyed by the earthquake. The name Praça do Comércio (Commercial Square) belongs to the Pombal era and represents the new social order that the minister to king José I wanted to favour and promote: the trading, financial and bourgeois classes that had contributed so much to rebuilding the city.

In the geometric centre of the Square, and facing the river, there is a statue of José I, mounted on his horse Gentil, the work of sculptor Machado de Castro.

It was unveiled with all due pomp and circumstance on 6th June 1775, the king´s birthday. He discreetly viewed the event from one of the windows in the Customs building. The celebrations lasted three days and included a gigantic banquet for all the people of Lisbon.

On a pedestal by the riverside, there is a likeness of Pombal (removed when the minister fell into disgrace but replaced by the Liberals in 1834) raised onto the royal shield. The sculpted figures on either side represent Triumph, with a horse, and Fame, with an elephant, in a clear allusion to Portugal´s overseas possessions. On the rear side of the pedestal, in low relief, there is an allegoric representation of royal generosity towards a city in ruins with Commerce opening up a chest full of money that is placed at the disposition of this royal generosity.

Underneath the northern arcade, right by the entrance to Rua do Ouro, make sure you stick your head into the Martinho da Arcada café-restaurant. This is a reference for the city and a most cultured destination.

Before heading up Rua Augusta, which leads onto Rossio, take a moment to look at the Triumphal Arch which overlooks the thoroughfare.

We start our Fado Tour for a stroll in Lisbon in the evening, visiting the most emblematic monuments of our city, the Torre de Belém, the Gardens of the Monastery of the Jeronimos, the Terreiro do Paço, with a visit to various points of view where you can enjoy the city and the river Tagus.

Then we will dine at the typical Alfama restaurant with a professional Fado show.

• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Specialized infant seats are available
• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels

• Private Tour Fado – Dining Included
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• This Tour is Provided by Fantastic Ride.
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