[ lifestyle ]
Finding Old-World
Charm in Portugal
RACHEL COFFMAN
Lisbon’s yellow cable car system.
Photo by Rachel Coffman.
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WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE
Meet any native of Lisbon, Portugal, and they will quickly
recall November 1, 1755. Known as All Saints’ Day, that is
the day Lisbon experienced a sequence of three earthquakes
ranging from 8.5 to 9.1 in magnitude, one of which was one
of the deadliest in history. While the earthquake brought
destruction through both a tsunami and fires, one area
remained untouched from the devastation: Alfama.
With its labyrinth of cobblestone alleyways and medieval
charm, the Alfama district is where my 10-day Portuguese
excursion began. I arrived shortly after 7 a.m. as the morning
haze rose from the Tagus River, exposing the beautiful colors
painted across the city. From the pastel walls and terra cotta
roofs to the intricate hand-painted Portuguese tiles, every
corner of Lisbon is a work of art.
There are four things one must experience in Lisbon: pas-
tries, vinho verde, fado and getting lost. The Portuguese are
probably most famous for their pastries, and the pastel de nata,