The Alfama Walk as described in the Rick Steves Portugal book offers that the Castelo de Sao Jorge is skippable, we found it to be the most enjoyable part of the walk. It has great city views and provides a shaded tree walk along the entire perimeter of the castle and within the interior plazas. The Alfama walk from the Castelo de Sao Jorge to the Santa Luzia Largo and its viewpoint is thoroughly enjoyable as many of the Rick Steves walks are. We even bought canned fish from Miss Cann. However, descending below Santa Luzia is entering a significantly different situation.
1. The map included for the Alfama walk is misleading and lacking significant detail. Get a city map with specific detail concerning how to get from Santa Luzia Largo to Largo Sao Miguel. We descended Rua Norberto Araujo to find Largo Sao Miguel.
2. Rua Norberto Araujo has no confirmation signs to assure you that you are on the same street as you descend assuming that you are on the same street and going in the right direction. It is a dingy area and mostly deserted in mid-afternoon. It gives a feeling of isolation and a little bit creepy. It takes longer than I thought to reach Rua De Sao Pedro, which splits to Rua De Sao Miguel.
3. Rua De Sao Miguel is a bar street but not the happy-hour kind of bar street. Bar proprietors are yelling at other bar owners on the other side of the street as you walk between them. One proprietor scolded a pedestrian for not stopping to buy a drink from his bar. A real fun place. Not!
4. When we reached Largo Sao Miguel, the Sao Miguel church is beautiful inside like hundreds of other neighborhood churches throughout Europe. A small tour group was at the church steps receiving a history lesson about Alfama.
5. Rua De Sao Pedro was as unpleasant as Rua De Sao Miguel leading to Largo Do Chafariz De Dentro, which actually turned out to be lively with a busy flea market going on the day that we were there. I don't know if the flea market is every day.
6. Catching bus 759 on Avenida Infante Dom Henrique is accurate information and we rode it back to Fraca da Figueira as described in the Portugal book.
Conclusion: The Alfama Walk is a true split personality. The top part enjoyable, the bottom part not. A history buff specifically interested in the area should get a custom tour of the area and its history.
Recommendation: Get a detailed Lisbon map. At Santa Luzia Largo, trolley lines 12 & 28, plus the Mini Bus 737 go back to Praca da Figueira through Baixa. If you walk the trolley tracked street at Largo Santa Luzia or take a short trolley ride, you go directly to the Se Cathedral, which is Lisbon's main cathedral. From there, take the trolley 12 or 28 or mini-bus 737 down through the Baixa work day section on the way back to Praca da Figueira. Or if there is enough time, start the Baixa walk when you enter the Baixa. Bottom line: the lower Alfama Walk was a very unpleasant experience and we were happy to get out of there.
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