Lisbon is built on top of seven hills, so there’s a lot of up and down in the city (and in the whole country, really). As a result, there are a few elevators in steep, high-traffic areas; one is an actual lift while the other two are funiculars.
The Santa Justa Lift is particularly useful for its connecting the districts of Baixa and Barrio Alto, though from what I understand, locals use funiculars more regularly than they do this elevator, which is namely a tourist attraction. It’s a beautiful piece of engineering, but to ride up not only involves a wait in line, but also a fee of €5. So rather than check out the view from above by paying to ride up, we hoofed it.
To be honest, we weren’t actually aware of where to find the awesome views. Instead, we wandered up the streets of Barrio Alto to get a feel for the area, with a vague idea that we might find a great vista. And so when we ended up on Rua Taipas, a narrow and nondescript street, we weren’t even expecting the view and around a slight bend, there it was, laid out before us. As it turns out, a public square, the Jardim de São Pedro de Alcântara, was above us, and from there the view on the city is incredible. I dare say ours was just as nice, and with significantly less people. Definitely a fantastic, secluded, and free spot to look out over the city.
