Exploring the courtyards
of Lisbon’s Alfama
You may recognize the enormous arch,
which was featured in the 1996 miniseries
“Gulliver’s Travels.”
The main pedestrian street, Rua Augusta,
is filled with cafes, restaurants, shops, local
department stores and international retail-
ers like Zara and H&M. Ten minutes up
the street from the Arch and Square, we
sampled pastel de nata (egg custards) at
Manteigaria, where they make the pastries
by hand—right in front of you—as they
have for more than a hundred years.

Just a few minutes further stands one
of Lisbon’s most iconic tourist attrac-
tions: Elevador de Santa Justa. At the top
of the Elevador, you’ll find some beautiful
views of Lisbon—safely behind decorative
iron gates.

Next to the Elevador and panoramic view
are the gothic ruins of Igreja do Carmo, a
church that was partially destroyed during
the big earthquake. Today, graceful arches
stretch over the ruins like the rib bones.

This was once the largest church in Lisbon.

Kids will feel like adventurers exploring
these ruins.

AN OCEAN OF FUN
Lisbon Oceanarium is one of the larg-
est aquariums in Europe, home to 8,000
marine animals from the world over. It
is located in the Parque das Nações, a
modern waterfront district built for the
1998 World Expo.

The aquarium is divided into five differ-
ent zones, each representing a different
ocean. Residents include sharks, rays, col-
orful fish, coral reefs, sea otters, penguins
and even piranhas.

BÉLEM’S BEAUTIFUL
MONASTERY, MONUMENT
AND MORE
One of the highlights of Portugal is
Jerónimos Monastery in Lisbon’s Bélem
area. It’s easy to get lost for hours in the
two-story cloister—perhaps the best in
Europe—with its richly carved images and
decorative arches. Look closely—the kids
will see faces carved in nooks and crannies
16 Washington FAMILY JUNE 2023
throughout these outdoor walkways: peo-
ple, animals and mythical creatures.

Next to the monastery is the National
Archeology Museum, featuring sculp-
tures, fragments and artifacts from the
ancient world.

Across from the monastery is the iconic
Monument to the Discoveries with Henry
the Navigator standing at the front, fac-
ing the water, ship in hand and flanked by
other explorers like Vasco da Gama.

Nearby, Bélem Tower erupts from the
water. Built in the 16th century, this was
a starting point for navigators setting out
to discover new trades routes. The mas-
sive tower became a symbol of Portugal’s
expansion and wealth.

A LESSON IN
PORTUGUESE MUSIC
No stay in Portugal is complete without
experiencing fado—the Portuguese ver-
sion of the blues. The songs originate from
a time when women sang of sailor hus-
bands who never returned from sea.

The Fado Museum offers a glimpse of
fado’s history. However, the best way to
learn about fado is to experience it in the
air around you, in an authentic setting.

Be wary of unsolicited invitations to step
into a fado establishment without looking
it over first, or you may find yourself wail-
ing a fado-esque tune about the loss of your
money. For a rustic, folksy experience, we
enjoyed Tasca do Chico. For a pricier, glitz-
ier show-club experience, Clube de Fado is
a good choice.

OKAY KIDS, WHAT WAS YOUR
FAVORITE PART OF PORTUGAL?
No doubt, the best part of a trip to Lisbon
is the trip itself. But there can also be a
lot of fun in anticipation and reflection.

Prepare the kids by sharing pictures and
travel stories (like this one) so they can
anticipate some of the adventures ahead.

On your return flight, or back home, spend
a little fun time reflecting with the kids.

What was each person’s favorite parts of
the voyage? It may be something discussed
during your planning, or something com-
pletely unexpected.

In more ways than just the sights you
see, that’s the wonder of travel: not the
things you expect to find, but discovery of
the unexpected. T
Eric D. Goodman is author of six books and more
than 100 published travel stories and other stories.

Learn more about his travels and his writing at
EricDGoodman.com COAX THE KIDS INTO
THESE MUSEUMS
Trying to include all of the
marvels of Lisbon in one short
article (or visit) is like trying
to discover a new spice route.

Here are a few museums worth
navigating. The National Tile Museum, or
Museu Nacional do Azulejo, contains
one of the largest collections of
ceramics in the world.

Alfama’s Museum
of Decorative Arts
has been preserving
the traditions of
Portuguese decorative
arts since the 1950s.

Here, we took in ceramics,
textiles, porcelain and tile panels, and
enjoyed a demonstration of how to
apply gold leaf to woodwork.

Portugal’s National Museum of
Ancient Art, one of the most visited
museums in Portugal, includes forty
thousand items, including paintings,
sculptures, gold, furniture, textiles,
tapestries, ceramics and prints.

Lisbon’s Military
Museum showcases
cannons, weapons
and military items from throughout
the ages. The building, a 16th century
cannon foundry and weapons
storehouse, is beautifully embellished
with coats of arms and crests.

The Maritime Museum explores
the history of the Portuguese
Navy and sea explorers, with
countless model ships and nautical
paraphernalia. The Calouste Gulbenkian
Museum is the most impressive art
museum in Portugal and one of the
best private art collections in Europe.

The National Coach Museum
houses the most impressive
collection of carriages
in all of Europe. The
opulence of some
of these gilded
carriages puts
today’s luxury
vehicles to shame.