Sunny Day Ruins Hiking Route

Lisbon—Listening to the Echoes of the Age of Discovery at the Edge of the Earth The first time I heard the waves crashing against the Tagus Riverbank, I suddenly realized: the story of this city is hidden in this salty sea breeze. Standing on the battlements of Belém Tower looking west, it feels as if you can see the silhouettes of Portuguese sailors setting sail five hundred years ago. 🌊 This city built on seven hills tells the glory of the Age of Discovery at every corner. The Belém district is like an open history textbook; the granite walls of Jerónimos Monastery are carved with sea gods, sea monsters, and navigational instruments, still narrating Vasco da Gama’s heroic voyage to open the sea route to India. 🏰 Climb up to São Jorge Castle, where the walls left by the Moors still stand tall. In 1147, Portugal’s first king, Afonso I, watched from these battlements as the Crusaders reclaimed the city after four centuries of Moorish rule. The cannons on the current walls still face the city’s most spectacular sunsets. 🚎 Getting lost in the Alfama district is a pleasure. The yellow Tram 28 jingles as it winds through steep streets, sounding like a vintage record playing Fado ballads. Every cobblestone here remembers the 16th century when Lisbon was Europe’s wealthiest port, piled high with Indian spices, Brazilian gold, and Chinese porcelain at the docks. 🎶 When night falls, be sure to visit a Fado bar. When the singer croons "saudade" (longing) with a hoarse voice, you suddenly understand why the Portuguese created this untranslatable word. The best Fado performances are said to be in unassuming alleys, where the elderly with stories etched in their wrinkles will show you what it means to "sing with life." 🍮 Don’t forget to buy a steaming Portuguese custard tart at the century-old Pasteis de Belém. Founded in 1837, this shop still uses the secret recipe passed down by nuns. The first bite of the creamy custard will remind you of sailors from the Age of Discovery, who carried this flavor on their voyages and returned home with longing. This is probably the charm of Lisbon. She proudly displays her scars and glory, just like the stone monument at the mouth of the Tagus River engraved with "Here the land ends and the sea begins." When the sea breeze tousles your hair, what you hear is always the heartbeat of the explorers.