Alfama to Torre de Belém

An absolute classic Lisbon route, this run hugs the banks of the Rio Tejo for a juicy half-marathon to the famous historic harbor fortress, the Torre de Belém. It passes many of Lisbon’s major sights crossing the hilly, picturesque Alfama and Bairro Alto districts, the heart of the city center, and along the river. In contrast to my other Lisbon routes, this one sticks to pavement and is shared by a myriad of joggers, but it’s a great way to take in the city’s vibe in the early morning.

Cobbled streets and stairs in Alfama lead to several of Lisbon’s most famous viewpoints – Portas do Sol shows off the best sunrise in the city. Passing the Catedral Sé narrow lanes descent into the heart of Lisbon, the pedestrian area around the Rua Augusta with the Arco da Rua Augusta looking out to the Praça do Comércio square. On the other side, the route skips the impressive Elevador de Santa Justa for a steep ascent.

Bairro Alto is a wonderful, quiet district well worth exploring. The Elevador da Bica cable railway is one of its best known sights and the route follows its steep descent to meet the Tejo close to the Ponte 25 de Abril – eerily similar to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco (it was built by the same company). The modern MAAT – Museum of Art, Architecture, and Technology, a futuristic structure by British architect Amanda Levete, is home to the most impressive collection of contemporary Portuguese art.

The circuit turns at the Torre de Belém, a 16th-century fortification that served as a point of embarkation and disembarkation for Portuguese explorers and as a ceremonial gateway to Lisbon, and follows the river for 10 km back to the lower parts of Alfama passing the Cais das Colunas on the opposite side of the Praça do Comércio to end at the Pantheon, the Church of Santa Engrácia.