São Jorge sometimes known in English as Saint George's Castle, is a historic castle in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon, located in the freguesia of Santa Maria Maior. Human occupation of the castle hill dates to at least the 8th century BC while the oldest fortifications on the site date from the 2nd century BC.^[

The Alfama is the oldest neighborhood of Lisbon, spreading on the slope between the São Jorge Castle and the Tagus river. The district includes the freguesias (parishes) of São Miguel, Santo Estêvão, São Vicente de Fora and part of the two streets, "Freguesia da Sé: Rua do Barão" and "Rua São João da Praça".

The Tagus is the longest river in the Iberian Peninsula. The river rises in the Montes Universales near Teruel, in mid-eastern Spain, flows 1,007 km (626 mi), generally westward, and empties into the Atlantic Ocean in Lisbon.

Facing the Tagus (Tejo) to the South, the plaza is still commonly known in Portuguese as Terreiro do Paço as it hosted the Paço da Ribeira (transl. Royal Palace of Ribeira) until the latter was destroyed by the great 1755 Lisbon earthquake (the subway station located there is still named after the old name of the plaza).

Urban development of the banks of the Tagus river (the Ribeira) was given firm impulse in the early 16th century, when King Manuel I built a new royal residence – the Ribeira Palace – by the river, outside the city walls. The area was further developed with the building of a port, shipbuilding facilities (the Ribeira das Naus), the Casa da Índia and other administrative buildings that regulated the commerce between Portugal and other parts of Europe and its colonies in Africa, Asia and the Americas.

The Jerónimos Monastery is one of the most prominent examples of the late Portuguese Gothic Manueline style of architecture in Lisbon. It was erected in the early 1500s near the launch point of Vasco da Gama's first journey, and its construction funded by a tax on the profits of the yearly Portuguese India Armadas.

Since 1983, the tower has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with the Jerónimos Monastery. It is often portrayed as a symbol of Europe's Age of Discoveries and as a metonym for Portugal or Lisbon, given its landmark status. It has incorrectly been stated that the tower was built in the middle of the Tagus and now sits near the shore because the river was redirected after the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. In fact, the tower was built on a small island in the Tagus river near the Lisbon shore.

The narrow, cobbled streets of Ribeira are dotted with small bars and eateries serving classic Portuguese fare like grilled sardines. Beside the Douro River, Praça da Ribeira square is lined with colorful 18th-century townhouses, while the neoclassical landmark, Palácio da Bolsa, is known for its ornate interiors. Hard Club hosts rock gigs and club nights in a restored market building.

The Douro is the largest river of the Iberian Peninsula by discharge. It rises near Duruelo de la Sierra in the Spanish province of Soria, meanders briefly south, then flows generally west through the northern part of the Meseta Central in Castile and León into northern Portugal.

The historic center of Porto is probably the first place you will want to go! It is the postcard par excellence, in the heart of the most charming cobbled streets, topped with medieval houses intertwined with other more recent constructions and on the banks of the Douro river. The entire districts of Sé de La Ribeira are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

This lovely marketplace is where farmers come to sell their fruit and vegetables. Nowadays you also find butchers and the inevitable souvenir shops.

Have lunch in one of the cafes on the ground floor: six euros for a total immersion experience of the real Porto, it’s worth it.