February 2025.
Lisbon, Portugal.

It was our second visit to Lisbon when our ship slipped quietly into the Tagus River at 6:30 AM. The city emerged in layers, first the glowing silhouette of the 25 de Abril Bridge, then the serene figure of Cristo Rei with arms outstretched, and finally the golden shimmer of Belém Tower, standing watch as it has for centuries. On our last visit to Portugal in 2022, we revisited the same city views from the river, but our excursion took us to the Catralvos Farms and Winery. We also toured Parque Natural da Arrábida (Arrábida Natural Park), a protected area in Portugal, known for its beautiful coastal scenery. On this trip, we confined our excursion to the city of Lisbon.

The sunrise over Lisbon was so beautiful that I had to include it in today’s post, as well as Sunday’s Cellpic Sunday post. It’s easy to forget that this tranquil cityscape once marked the edge of the known world. From the banks of the Tagus, Portuguese explorers like Vasco da Gama and Ferdinand Magellan set sail into uncharted waters, transforming Lisbon into a global maritime hub during the 15th and 16th centuries. Today, the view from above still reminds us of those daring departures.

Spanning the Tagus River with striking red steel and sweeping cables, the 25 de Abril Bridge is one of Lisbon’s most iconic landmarks and a powerful symbol of Portugal’s modern era. Originally named after dictator António Salazar when it opened in 1966, the bridge was renamed following the peaceful Carnation Revolution of April 25, 1974, a date that now marks the country’s transition to democracy.

Designed by the American Bridge Company, its resemblance to San Francisco’s Golden Gate is no coincidence, though its engineering was actually inspired by the Bay Bridge. Today, the bridge connects Lisbon to Almada and the southern coast, carrying both road and rail traffic across its 1.4-mile (2.2-km) span. Sillhouetted beside it, the Cristo Rei monument echoes Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer, watching over the city.

Rising 350 feet (110 m) above the southern bank of the Tagus River, the Cristo Rei monument in Almada gazes serenely across to Lisbon with outstretched arms. This towering statue was inaugurated in 1959 as a national tribute to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and a symbolic expression of gratitude for Portugal’s escape from the devastation of World War II. The 90-foot (28 m) tall figure stands atop a 246-foot (75 m) pedestal. The monument’s pedestal offers panoramic views of the city, the 25 de Abril Bridge, and the Atlantic horizon beyond; however, our tour did not include a trip to Cristo Rei. I had to settle for a hazy view from the opposite bank.

Stretching across the Alcântara Valley with its magnificent stone arches, the Águas Livres Aqueduct (Aqueduto das Águas Livres) is one of Lisbon’s most extraordinary feats of 18th-century engineering. Commissioned by King João V in 1731 to solve the city’s chronic water shortages, the aqueduct carried fresh water from the Caneças springs to Lisbon’s growing population.

The aqueduct’s most iconic section features 14 pointed arches; the tallest of them was once the world’s highest stone arch. Remarkably, the structure survived the devastating 1755 earthquake that leveled much of the city. Though visitors can walk along the aqueduct’s upper path and explore its connection to the Water Museum, our tour confined us to taking photos through the bus windows as we drove by.

Our tour took us on the northern bank of the Tagus. The Belém Tower (Torre de Belém) is one of Lisbon’s most iconic monuments and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built between 1515 and 1521, the tower served both as a fortress guarding the entrance to Lisbon’s harbor and a ceremonial gateway for explorers departing on voyages that would reshape the world.

A short drive along Brazilia Avenue, the guide told us about the Belém Lighthouse (Farol de Belém) as we drove by. The lighthouse was constructed in 1940 for the Portuguese World Exhibition. Unlike traditional lighthouses, it was never intended to serve as a navigational aid but rather as a non-functional architectural folly. The structure was dismantled after the exhibition concluded and was later rebuilt at its current location, where it now serves as a monument. Today, it stands near the Tagus River in Lisbon as a historical landmark, commemorating the 1940 event and its maritime themes. Although it is located near the Tagus River, it was never operational as a lighthouse.

The pinnacle of our tour was the monument to Prince Henry the Navigator and other explorers in the Age of Discovery. Shaped like the prow of a ship slicing through time, the monument rises in a sleek, vertical thrust. Its flanking symbols, an anchor and a laurel wreath, serve as reminders of Portugal’s storied past. Like the ships it honors, it moors Lisbon’s riverside in a legacy of exploration and discovery.

Erected in 1960 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Prince Henry the Navigator’s death, this dramatic riverside monument celebrates Portugal’s pivotal role in the Age of Discovery. The memorial features 33 sculpted figures, including explorers, cartographers, missionaries, and poets who contributed to the expansion of the known world. Prince Henry the Navigator leads the procession, holding a caravel (model of a sailing ship of the era) and symbolizing the intellectual and financial force behind early expeditions. I asked AI to identify the most prominent explorers on each side of the monument. Given AI’s propensity for errors, I consulted three AI sources and integrated their responses, eliminating references that appeared to be incorrect in one or more AI tools. If you find any errors, don’t blame me, <grin>, but let me know in the comments and I’ll edit the reference.

On the east side of the Monument to the Discoveries, five towering figures represent the height of Portugal’s global expansion. Vasco da Gama, who discovered the sea route to India, stands as a symbol of commercial transformation and navigational daring. Bartolomeu Dias, the first to round the Cape of Good Hope, opened the gateway to the Indian Ocean. Pedro Álvares Cabral, credited with the discovery of Brazil, extended Portugal’s reach into South America. Afonso de Albuquerque, a brilliant military strategist and governor of Portuguese India, secured key ports across Asia and laid the foundation for an eastern empire. Ferdinand Magellan, though he sailed under the Spanish flag, was Portuguese by birth and led the first circumnavigation of the globe, proving the vastness of Earth’s oceans. These explorers embody the bold ambition and global vision that defined Portugal’s Age of Discovery.

The west side of the monument features figures who laid the groundwork for Portugal’s maritime rise. Queen Filipa de Lencastre, his mother and the only woman depicted, represents the royal support that nurtured Portugal’s seafaring ambitions. Gil Eanes, the first to sail beyond Cape Bojador, broke psychological barriers and proved Atlantic navigation possible. Luís de Camões, considered Portugal’s greatest poet, celebrated the country’s explorations in his epic poem, The Lusiads. Pedro Nunes, a renowned mathematician and cosmographer, whose work was essential for advancing navigation and cartography. Together, these figures reflect the cultural, spiritual, and navigational roots of Portugal’s global journey.

Located in Lisbon’s Belém district, near the Belém Lighthouse and Belém Tower, the monument stands as a bold tribute to the spirit of exploration and the enduring legacy of a nation that once launched ships into the unknown.

Our last stop brought us to what I thought was a cathedral. The Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, or Jerónimos Monastery, is one of Lisbon’s most revered architectural landmarks. Commissioned by King Manuel I in the early 16th century, the monastery was funded by wealth from Portugal’s overseas expeditions and built to honor Vasco da Gama’s successful voyage to India. The monastery’s grandeur is matched by its historical significance, as it houses the tombs of national icons such as Vasco da Gama and poet Luís de Camões, and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.

Just steps away is the Planetário de Marinha, operated by the Portuguese Navy. This dome-shaped planetarium presents immersive shows that delve into astronomy, celestial navigation, and space science, continuing Portugal’s legacy of exploration in the cosmos. Finally, a nearby souvenir shop and bakery beckoned as much for their wares and baked goods, but also as a rest stop before we boarded the bus again for our return to the ship.

Lisbon’s layered history and vibrant present unfolded across each stop of this excursion, from the shipboard views of Alfama to our visit to the monuments of Belém. The arches of the Jerónimos Monastery celebrated Portugal’s golden age of exploration. Alongside these architectural marvels, modern attractions such as the Planetário de Marinha and nearby cultural institutions offered a forward-looking counterpoint to the city’s storied past. Tracing the stories of navigators and poets, the journey through Lisbon revealed a city that thrives on history and invites discovery.

About the photos: The photos were captured using either my Nikon Z7 II mirrorless camera or my Samsung S23U cell phone. Images were processed with Adobe Lightroom for basic edits and completed in Luminar Neo. Some photos were processed with AI distraction removal tools. There were no sky replacements or compositing in any of the pictures. For those who like to pixel peep or check out the photo metadata, the gallery can be found on my Flickr site here.

John Steiner