We were very lucky to see the Monument to the Discoveries following its renovation, which was accomplished a few years ago. This shot was taken during a winter sunrise; when the sun was rising just behind the monument, softly enlightening the limestone statues. You could almost imagine the Portuguese discoverers, setting sails early in the morning and leaving the safe Lisbon shores to explore the new lands.
Lisbon delicacies always test the health of our bodies – in particular, our liver. With so many quality bottles of wine and cheese, it’s very difficult to survive just even a day, without trying one of these or better yet – the duo combination…
Have you ever wondered what MAAT is and what it stands for? This is an abbreviation of the Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology. The purpose of this modern building is to be a space for international dialogue, critical thinking and debate. Located on the coast of Lisbon in Belem, it is easy to reach and is a must-see!
Did you know that Port wine does not originate from Porto? It actually comes from Vila Nova de Gaia in Portugal, a town across Porto on the Douro river. A more interesting fact though, is that the Port wine is only stored, not produced.
The stone part of Krämerbrücke was built in 1325 but the houses located there have continuously been inhabited during the past 500 years – longer than any other bridge in Europe! If not for the modern outfits of passers-by, you could actually feel a little like you are still living in traditional medieval German city.
The 25 de Abril Bridge connects the city of Lisbon with the municipalities of Almada. It is the 32nd largest suspended bridge in the world. During the day, you will see that it appears as a dark red colour and it reminded me so much of the Golden Bridge in San Francisco. Just behind 25 de Abril Bridge in the municipality of Almada stands a statue of Jesus Christ – as its name emphasises – “Sanctuary of Christ The King”.
The Ponte Vecchio “The Old Bridge” replaced the Roman Stone Bridge of Florence in 1345. Today it is impossible to be in Florence and not pass by it on foot, enjoying the marvellous jewellery shops that have situated on Ponte Vecchio for centuries. It is also one of the most interesting bridges that I have ever seen because of its construction and the history it carries.
Exhausted, but still in the best of moods after photographing London, we sat on a bench on the bank of the Thames and enjoyed the moment. There weren’t any pedestrians yet, so everything seemed so peaceful… For a moment, I realised that this would be a great composition, to capture The Shard under the Millennium Bridge. Unbeknownst to us, we were following the famous “Quins walk” in a big part of our route, to capture the greatest London landmarks.
Many of such colorful boats, as you see in the photo, are docked along the Douro River in Porto. Most of these boats are now just touristic attractions, but back in the day, the Port wine was transported with them. Aside from these small boats owned mostly by Porto wine producers, there are many others in the harbor, which are used now for visiting the Douro valley nearby Porto.
Did you know that the architect who began the construction of the D. Luis Bridge was Gustav Eiffel? The same architect that constructed the Eiffel Tower. The interesting thing however, is that he didn’t actually finish this task. It was his apprentice, Theophile Seyrig who completed the construction.