Baixa and Chiado, Lisbon - A walk through the elegant center of Lisbon

On our walking tour, we explore Lisbon's elegant and vibrant city center. The Baixa Pombalina and the cultural district of Chiado are connected by the historic Elevador de Santa Justa. Magnificent squares like the Praça do Comércio and exquisite shopping streets like the Rua Augusta form the historical and cultural heart of Lisbon. We begin our tour at the Praça do Comércio, one of the most beautiful squares in Europe. After the devastating earthquake of 1755, not only this square, but the entire lower town of Lisbon, the Baixa, was rebuilt in strict symmetry under the direction of the then Prime Minister, the Marquês de Pombal. In the center of the square stands the statue of King José I. Behind it, the magnificent Arco da Rua Augusta triumphal arch forms the monumental gateway to the elegant Rua Augusta and the Baixa. The vast square opens wide to the banks of the Tagus River, and it's particularly impressive when one of the gigantic cruise ships sails past on its way to the port! You can climb the Arco da Rua Augusta and enjoy the beautiful view of the city. We continue along Rua Augusta, a bustling pedestrian street, towards Rossio. The artful, traditional cobblestone streets, Calçada Portuguesa, made of white and black limestone, are particularly interesting. The 18th-century architecture is very harmonious. By the way, the Marquês de Pombal had the buildings constructed using the then-revolutionary, earthquake-resistant timber frame construction method! We reach Rossio, the vibrant heart of public life. A spring market is currently taking place, offering handicrafts and delicious specialties such as Ginja, the traditional cherry liqueur. After another look at the magnificent Rossio train station, we continue on to the Igreja de São Domingos. Inside the church, we see traces of the city's eventful history: soot on the columns and cracked walls bear witness to past disasters and give the church a very special atmosphere. We continue our walk across Praça da Figueira, which offers a fantastic view of the castle. A technical masterpiece awaits us at the Elevador de Santa Justa. This neo-Gothic iron elevator has connected the Baixa district with the higher Chiado district since 1902. We bypass the long queue, climb to the top on foot, and enjoy the panoramic view over the city's rooftops. Next to the elevator's upper station rise the skeletal ruins of the Convento do Carmo. The Gothic arches, standing roofless against the sky, are another poignant reminder of the destruction by the 1755 earthquake. Before continuing, we treat ourselves to a short break. We enjoy Pastéis de Bacalhau, small fried balls made of potato and salted dried cod. Delicious! We now delve deeper into Chiado, the district of intellectuals and writers. In front of the historic Café A Brasileira, a bronze statue of Fernando Pessoa, one of Portugal's most important poets, sits sipping his coffee. We continue along Largo Luís de Camões, where the monument to the national poet watches over the scene. We now leave the heights of Chiado and descend again towards the Tagus River. Along the way, we cross the famous Pink Street. This bright pink street in the Cais do Sodré district is the heart of the city's nightlife. After a short walk, we reach the Time Out Market in the historic Mercado da Ribeira. A huge food court with delicious regional specialties—unfortunately, there's no seating for us! So we continue on, walking along the banks of the Tagus back to Praça do Comércio. For more information, please turn on the video's subtitles! If you enjoyed this, please like and subscribe to the channel so you don't miss anything. You can find the GPX track for the circular route through Baixa and Chiado here: https://www.komoot.com/de-de/tour/283... You can find the complete channel playlist for our stay in Lisbon here:    • Lissabon   Visit in May 2025 Chapter: 00:00 Intro 00:47 Praça do Comércio 03:41 Arco da Rua Augusta 05:11 Rua Augusta 06:43 Rossio / Praça de Dom Pedro IV 09:15 Church of Sao Domingos de Lisbon 10:23 Praca da Figueira 10:59 Elevator de Santa Justa 12:31 Convento do Carmo 13:09 Chiado / Praça Luís de Camões 13:57 Pink Street 14:23 Mercado da Ribeira / Time Out Market 16:09 Promenade on the banks of the Tagus River 16:38 Outro