Lisboa

Today our travels took us to Lisboa, city centre. It was busy, lots of tourists. We first made our way to Praca do Comercio. One of Lisbon’s most emblematic squares is Praça do Comércio. Better known by locals as Terreiro do Paço, since it was once where the paço, or palace, used to stand before the earthquake in 1755, it is one of the largest squares in Europe. There you will find King José I and the imposing horse Gentil, a statue sculpted by Machado de Castro which so well illustrates royal power.

We walked the cobble streets, did a bit of shopping, stopped at the popular Ginjinha Bar. The bar is tiny, enough room to purchase

your shot and drink outside. The A Ginjinha Bar originally opened in 1840 and has been ran by the same family for five generations. A shot of Ginja cost 1.20 euros, tastes like sweet cherry liqueur. Rui purchased a small bottle to bring back home.

From there, we went on the hunt for a restaurant. I had been craving octopus since I landed in Portugal. OMG it was delicious!

After lunch, we walked up the Avenida de Liberdade. Avenida da Liberdade is one of the main avenues in the city of Lisbon, Portugal, which connects the Restauradores square to the Marquês de Pombal square. With about 90 m wide and 1100 m long, it has

several lanes and wide sidewalks decorated with gardens. Its scenic qualities, prestigious shops, hotels, theatres and historic buildings make it a tourist landmark of the city. It is considered the 35th most expensive avenue in the world.