Oktoberfest on the Tejo

In English, the name means "Square of Commerce" and is one of Portugal's most famous and popular venues. From the Tagus River, you can enjoy direct views of the equestrian statue representing King Dom José I, and just beyond it, the Arc de Triomphe facing the Rua Augusta. Framing everything are opulent arcades, built in place of the historic Royal Palace when it was destroyed in an earthquake in 1755. The construction is u-shaped opening up to the water.

The spectacular suspension bridge over the Tagus River, called "Ponte", has a length of 2,278 meters. This makes it the world's third-largest among suspension bridges over which trains can pass, in addition to cars. An interesting fact: The trains cross the bridge on their own level below the vehicles. In addition, the bridge extends even further into the country and comes to a total length of a remarkable 3.2 kilometers – an absolute must-have on our trip.

The futuristic building was opened at the end of 2016 and features exhibitions by contemporary artists and architects from all around the world. Covering an area of 3,000 square meters, the art gallery also offers space for debate, new discoveries and critical questioning.

Even from the water, the architectural masterpiece is impressive, as the façade with its reflective tiles conveys different lighting moods depending on the time of year and day. You could say it is a modern interpretation of the tile images so typical of Lisbon, the azulejos.

In English, the name means "Monument of the Discoveries" and once you see the sight, you will understand where the name originates from immediately. It was built 500 years after the death of Prince Henry the Navigator in 1960 and has a total height of 56 meters. His statue is directly facing the water as he financed many voyages of discovery that gave Portugal importance as a historical maritime power. Similar to an iceberg, however, only the top of the building can be seen from the outside: Inside, there is also an auditorium for about 100 people and an exhibition hall.

Built in 1940, the next sight on our route, the Belem Lighthouse, stretches 8 meters into the air on the banks of the Tagus River. This makes it smaller than the Monument to the Discoveries and a bit inconspicuous, but from the water it forms a beautiful splash of color in Lisbon's promenade. The lighthouse was built for the World's Fair on the occasion of the 800th anniversary of the founding of Portugal, but interestingly never really functioned as a lighthouse.

The Tower of Belém is one of the most famous sights of Lisbon. Even from a distance you can see the 35-meter-high tower, on top of which there is now an observation platform. The structure survived the 1755 earthquake – unlike its twin tower on the opposite shore – and thus has an impressive birth date of 1521. The king at the time, Manuel I, had it built to emphasize Portugal as a major maritime and trading power.

Not to be overlooked is the last attraction of our trip: the statue of Christ, which faces the Ponte 25 de Abril and Lisbon with its arms spread wide open. The pedestal on which it sits has an impressive height of 75 meters, and the figure itself another proud 28 meters. This puts it in seventh place among the tallest statues of Christ in the world and makes it a popular observation platfrom. It can be easily reached from land by elevator. The structure is modeled after the famous Jesus statue in Rio de Janeiro and was inaugurated in 1959.