Lisbon Diary - Pastel de Belém, Yellow Trams and a Historic Bridge in One Day

Hello friends. We only had one day in Lisbon and we used that time to explore the city. We arrived early in the morning. Our first stop was the historic pastry shop in the Belém district. It wasn’t crowded yet, but long queues form in the afternoon because the famous Portuguese dessert, Pastel de Belém is sold here.

The story of these pastries goes like this: In the early 19th century, there was a sugar cane processing plant near the Jerónimos Monastery in Belém. After the liberal revolution in the 1820s monasteries were closed and one of the workers suggested this dessert recipe. The treat which gave its name to the region, gradually became beloved by all visitors and gained popularity. The recipe remains a secret, known only to the masters here.

Inside the pastry shop, there are different rooms, some decorated with azulejos. If you’re curious like me, you can explore the original atmosphere. Additionally, the historic Belém tower is nearby.

Later we boarded Lisbon’s iconic yellow trams. Riding the tram through the city is both fun and romantic. We also took the Glória Funicular. The views from here are stunning. The funicular opened in 1885 and is still in operation today.

We visited the Clock Tower Square and then moved on to Rossio Square. Here souvenir shops with sardine-shaped decorations catch the eye. Throughout the city, buildings covered with traditional azulejo tiles stand out.
At one point, we entered a church we found in the side streets. Its interior was adorned with azulejo tiles as well. Later, we descended into the Rossio metro station. The design of the metro stations is quite modern and organized. The seats made from cork oak trees were particularly interesting.

During the day we also saw the 25th of April Bridge. This bridge spans the Tagus River and stretches towards the Atlantic Ocean. It opened in 1966 and was initially named the Salazar Bridge. However, after the Carnation Revolution in 1974, its name was changed.

At the end of our tour we climbed to the rooftop of a museum. From there, the city and the bridge offered an incredible view. Lisbon’s historical texture and architecture fascinated me.

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