Castelo de San Jorge: Start your visit to Lisbon here! From here, the city is yours!

Lisbon is an amazing city — but not so much for the sites, but more for the place and atmosphere, people and food. One exception is the Castelo de S. Jorge.

This highly intact castle sits atop the highest hill overlooking the city and the mighty Tejo river. The walk to the castle is fun, small winding streets, not too steep.

Once there, past the hawkers and souvenir shops, the castle ramparts are the best part to explore — and easy to walk nearly the entire length of the castle.

The central courtyard with its uneven bricks holds spectacular views of the cascading hills of red stucco roofs and the neighborhoods of the entire city. You can almost plan your day by starting here.

A statue of a lone warrior who warned of the Moors attack holds the center of the main courtyard. He stands alone, but seems to represent the thousands of years of battles over control of this castle.

Almost entirely absent of any plaques to explain the history or the design of the castle is a demerit. But in some ways, it is a magical absence of knowledge that adds to the majesty of the views and mystery of the ruins.


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2 responses to “Castelo de San Jorge: Start your visit to Lisbon here! From here, the city is yours!”

  1. Stephanie Klein Avatar
    Stephanie Klein

    Alfred! Stephanie Klein, here (back from Y&R/ Wunderman) days. So fun to see your post about Lisboa, and specifically your photos of Castelo de San Jorge, as I stayed right there when I was in Lisbon… and took photos similar to yours… https://stephanieklein.com/envira/lisbon-portugal/

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    1. Hey Stepanie,I apologize for the timelapse I can only excuse myself from the deep grief I was in when you wrote your lovely comment. My wife, having had late-stage cancer for three years, passed in April, actually on the anniversary of when we first met.You are an unforgettable human being, and occasionally over the past three years, I have poked around the digital landscape looking to see what you were up to.In my grieving, I wrote two love story/thrillers with a social commentary angle, working on the third now. Self-published, but hoping for an agent.Thank you for the comments…I hope you and your family make the best of every day.Alfred

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