Alfama - a district of Lisbon, named by the Moors as Alhama which means springs or hot bath. An atmospheric area filled with mystery; shady streets built and woven into a web of white washed houses with red tiled roofs. A kaleidoscope of flowers, red, purple white, and the wailing sound of Fado. An interesting but yet dangerous place to visit is what I was told many, many years ago on my first trip to Lisbon. I was instructed not to go to the streets of the Alfama on my own and never to reveal any signs of wealth because this area was a den of iniquity. Being inquisitive and rebellious, I wanted to know why the Alfama had this reputation so I took no notice of any warning and made this Arab quarter the first port of call. To be honest to this day I have no idea why it had this reputation - my guess, it was because it was the Arab quarter and when I was a young traveller these places were out of bounds. Ridiculous as it may sound but it is true.

For readers who aren't sure where the Alfama is situated. It is to the east of the Baixa (lower part of the city) in the city of Lisbon or Lisboa which is the Portuguese pronunciation. It is the oldest quarter of Lisbon and stands at the foot of Castle Hill. The houses here survived the great earthquake of 1755 due to the fact that they were built on rock. This part of the town was inhabited by Romans and ruins of a Roman theatre have been unearthed and can be found on the corner of Rua Sao Marmede and Rua da Saudade. It later became an Arab area and in the 15th century Jews also resided here but were removed in the 16th century.

I always find that the best way to see the Alfama is to walk. You may get lost a few times but that is part of the fun. Apart from the medieval alleyways, wrought iron balconies and rows and rows of flapping laundry there is something else that makes this area quite special and that is the tram system. To see the yellow smiley mechanical faces of the trams as they traverse up the hilly neighbourhood of the Alfama is a treat. The famous 23 tram passes the fountain and the warehoses on its way out of town to the Santa Apolonia station and then on to the Madre de Deus museum. Returning to the city centre, it passes along Rua dios Bacalheiros and the 16th century Casa dos Bicos. This is a wonderful building built in the Renaissance style which was popular at the time. Originally it was built on four floors with a most extravagant 'diamond' facade. The two top floors were destroyed in the earthquake and for many years the bottom floors were used by fishermen to store the daily catch. The whole building has now been restored and houses exhibitions on the lower floor while the upper floors are sadly used as offices. Many people will say well that's progress. I am pleased that the building has been restored but I think it could be used in a more artistic and constructive way but then this is a criticism I have always had of Portugal. I have always thought that the Portuguese people are all for progress rather than making the most out of their fascinating heritage.

The first tram stop is Lisbon's medieval cathedral, the Se. This word comes from the Latin, sedes episcopalis which means Bishop's Seat. It is built on a slope over the site of a mosque and served as a monument to the Christian victory over the Moors. It was badly damaged in the earthquake and then rebuilt. It is still an impressive testimony to the church builders who worked during the early years of the Portuguese monarchy. The tall, dark main nave is predominantly Romanesque while the round walkway encircling the altar is in simple gothic style. Apart from the 18th century nativity crib in the first chapel on the left of the entrance and a number of Gothic tombstones in the circular chapels, there is little of special note, although the Gothic arch and the wrought iron screen in the crossing are worth looking at which I think is Romanesque.

The next stop on the the route is Miradouro de Santa Luzia. Here is a viewing terrace with a shady pergola and brightly tiled benches at the rear of the church of the same name. Views form this point are certainly breathtaking. You can see the patchwork of terracotta tiles that make up the picture of the Alfama's rooftops and you can also see across to the River Tagus. Sadly only a few relics of the miradouro remain.

The Travessa de Santa Luzia oposite leads up to the Castelo de Sao Jorge (The Castle of St. George). The castle and its predecessors have always guarded the mouth of the river, but the ruins that were restored during the Salazar regime show few details of the Alcacova, once the King's residence and the scene of great celebrations after Vasco da Gama's voyage to India. It is, none the less, the finest miradouro in the capital with views over the whole city and the river. From the entrance of the castle you can see the inner city but then if you look further across the River Tagus you can see my favourite view which is the Monumento Cristo Rei which is on the opposite bank of the river. At night this monumet is lit up and once I flew out of Lisbon to the Algarve in a small plane and this view and other views of the ocean and visions of nearby Belem which can be seen from the castle really did take my breath away.

The next stop on the tram route is the church of Sao Vicente de Fora which was once situated on the outisde of the city walls. This is a severe looking building with a dominant twin tower facade in Spanish/Italian style. Dating from the Spanish occupation, it was built on the orders of Philip II and consecrated in 1629. The cloisters in the adjoining monastery are covered with 18th century azulejo frescoes, many of which illustrate La Fontaine's fables. The graves of the Braganca dynasty can also be seen nearby.

On any visit to the Alfama it is worth visiting a fado restaurant. Fado is a nostalgic music, a popular art with a long and mysterious history. Authentic fado has its roots in Lisbon. Once associated with working class neighbourhoods it is now of mixed appeal, with tourists often a primary commercial target. The fadist - a powerful-voiced singer, is usually backed by guitarras - a twelve stringed Portuguese version, and violas. The Portuguese say that it takes more than a good voice to become a fadista - it takes soul as well. I adore fado music and have seen many artistes in Lisbon and other parts of Portugal. The music never ceases to move me and I have just been listening to Madredeus who are a Fado group who I have seeen on several occasions. I can only listen to the tracks for a short while because I get so emotional and always end up in tears. I will leave a link at the bottom of this article so you can check out the singing.

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