Sunset at Castle of São Jorge

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We are heading back towards downtown to visit Castle of São Jorge. We save this for our last stop of the day because this is the perfect place to enjoy sunset. The cobblestone street near the Castle ground is narrow and ascending steeply. It passes the ancient quarters of this town where time seems to stay still. Fado, Portuguese melancholic singing, from patio restaurants, can be heard softly as we drive slowly with the windows down. The houses in the ancient quarters are made of stone and they are small compared to the relatively newer ones at the bottom of the hill. Castle of São Jorge is a Moorish castle and it was once a home of the Portuguese royal family. Since the Portuguese revolution, the abandoned castle decayed into ruin, and many of the complex buildings within the walls were destroyed. In the late 20th century, archeological restoration was performed on many significant foundations of the Moorish structures. Today, tourists, families, and couples come here at dusk to watch the romantic sunset.

From this vantage point, one has a panoramic view of Lisbon’s rolling hills fully covered by variety of ornate buildings in varying scales, the wide Tagus river, the very long red “25 de Abril Bridge” suspension bridge, and the iconic Cristo Rei statue across the river. At dusk, lights glitter from the buildings below. We soak this ambiance; we let our eyes float from one neighborhood to another and towards the water. The orange light of the distant sun over the horizon bounces of the red suspension bridge and makes the bridge’s red color glows. At the opposite end, deep dark blue sky set as a perfect background for a crescent moon to appear...@driving-vacation

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