Authentic, Affordable,
Family Friendly
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY
BY ERIC D. GOODMAN
neighborhood in Lisbon to survive
the big earthquake of 1755.

LET THE KIDS STORM
THE CASTLE
In the middle of Alfama stands the
Castelo de São Jorge — more fortress
than palace. (Think Baltimore’s Fort
McHenry.) After retaking this mountaintop
from the Moors in 1147, the Portuguese king
transformed the citadel into a royal res-
idence. Little remains of the original
castle, restored in the early 1900s to its
medieval likeness.

We walked along the battle-
ments, climbing the towers for
great views. Gardens populated with
trees and peacocks made for a fun,
lazy afternoon.

Walking the walls of Alfama’s Castelo de São Jorge.

The Cloister inside Belém’s Mosteiro dos Jerónimos.

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LISBON’S “MODERN” CENTER
One of Lisbon’s most recognizable
meeting places is Praça do Comércio,
commonly known as Commercial Square or
Palace Square. In 1755, the palace and its library
of 70,000 books were destroyed in the earth-
quake-resulting tsunami.

The city and square were rebuilt
in Manueline style: wide roads and
sturdy houses to withstand subse-
quent disasters. Today, the square is
lined with restaurants, cafes, shops,
the Tejo River and Rua Augusta Arch.