Alameda: the monumental city and the great fountain

Stops along the way

Things to notice.

1. 01

   1

   Alameda metro station

   Start underground. Before you climb out, look at the platforms — the green and blue line interchange here is one of the city's great tiled stations, the *azulejo* panels worth a minute before daylight.

   01

   Alameda metro station

   Start underground. Before you climb out, look at the platforms — the green and blue line interchange here is one of the city's great tiled stations, the *azulejo* panels worth a minute before daylight.

   ◉Street View
2. 02

   2

   Alameda Dom Afonso Henriques

   The long ceremonial avenue, gardens down the middle, climbing gently toward the fountain at the top. This is 1940s Lisbon at its most deliberate — walk up the centre and let the perspective do its work.

   02

   Alameda Dom Afonso Henriques

   The long ceremonial avenue, gardens down the middle, climbing gently toward the fountain at the top. This is 1940s Lisbon at its most deliberate — walk up the centre and let the perspective do its work.

   ◉Street View
3. 03

   3

   Fonte Luminosa

   The great stepped fountain at the head of the avenue, all sculpted figures and cascades, built in the 1940s to be lit at night. The water shows isn't always running by day — but climb the steps beside it anyway for the view back down the whole axis.

   03

   Fonte Luminosa

   The great stepped fountain at the head of the avenue, all sculpted figures and cascades, built in the 1940s to be lit at night. The water shows isn't always running by day — but climb the steps beside it anyway for the view back down the whole axis.

   ◉Street View
4. 04

   4

   Instituto Superior Técnico

   The engineering university's main campus, a severe symmetrical block of *Estado Novo* monumentalism from the 1930s. You can walk into the central courtyard; the architecture is the lesson, ideology cast in stone and stairs.

   04

   Instituto Superior Técnico

   The engineering university's main campus, a severe symmetrical block of *Estado Novo* monumentalism from the 1930s. You can walk into the central courtyard; the architecture is the lesson, ideology cast in stone and stairs.

   ◉Street View
5. 05

   5

   Olaias metro station

   A brief detour, one stop south on the red line, for the most spectacular station in Lisbon — a riot of coloured glass, steel and light from the 1998 Expo era. Ride down, look up, ride back. Worth the ten minutes.

   05

   Olaias metro station

   A brief detour, one stop south on the red line, for the most spectacular station in Lisbon — a riot of coloured glass, steel and light from the 1998 Expo era. Ride down, look up, ride back. Worth the ten minutes.

   ◉Street View
6. 06

   6

   Areeiro metro station

   End at the handsome Praça Francisco Sá Carneiro and its metro entrance. Green line home — or stay above ground for the symmetrical 1940s apartment blocks that ring the square, more of the same monumental century.

   06

   Areeiro metro station

   End at the handsome Praça Francisco Sá Carneiro and its metro entrance. Green line home — or stay above ground for the symmetrical 1940s apartment blocks that ring the square, more of the same monumental century.

   ◉Street View