The Ferry Across the Tejo Cacilhas Elevador Panorâmico da Boca do Vento

Christ Statue (Cristo Rei)

To the west of Almada stands the Cristo Rei statue, a dominant feature in the Tejo estuary. Construction was completed in 1959. The idea to build the statue occurred over 20 years previous. The prophecy of Our Lady of Fátima had foretold a period of ungodliness, war and suffering for the people of the world. In the years after the second world war and the beginning of the nuclear arms race, there was a desire to protect Lisboetas against this forewarning. A solution presented itself after the Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon, Manuel Gonçalves Cerejeira visited Rio, Brazil during the 1930s. There he saw a way to consecrate the religious strength of the Portuguese people against the perils yet to came. Inspired by the statue of Christ the Redeemer in Corcovado, Rio, the Cardinal returned to Lisbon to seek approval from Portugal's bishops to recreate something similar to on the south bank of the river Tejo (Tagus).

Cristo Rei at sunset

The Cristo Rei statue stands 100 metres tall on elevated ground that is already 82 metres above sea level. There is a lift that whisks you up 80 metres to the viewing platform, where incredible views over Lisbon await your eyes and camera. There's also a souvenir shop here selling the usual tat. For those who don't consider themselves religious, it the amazing views that draws them to this monument. It's worth checking the weather forecast at the start of your day to avoid disappointment.
Weekdays: 09h30 – 18h00 | Weekends: 09h30 – 19h00

€5.00
Santuário de Cristo Rei, 2800-058, Almada, Portugal. | 38° 40' 40.7" N | 09° 09' 52.4" W
+351 212 751 000 | info@cristorei.pt | Website

The Ferry Across the Tejo

The most adventurous way to get to the Cristo Rei statue is by taking the ferry that leaves Cais do Sodré. It is ideally located on the green metro line and terminates at Cacilhas. The ferries are regular. The trip takes about 15 minutes. The white and orange boats are known as Cacilheiros locally.
Weekdays: 06h00 – 22h45 | Weekends: 7h30 – 22h45

Each Way: €1.20 | Timetable

Rua da Cintura do Porto de Lisboa - Terminal Fluvial do Cais do Sodré, 1249-249 Lisboa, Portugal.
38° 44' 46.05" N | 09° 05' 50.8" W
+351 210 139 287 | Website

Once you reach Cacilhas you can catch the number 101 bus from the bus stop opposite which drops you off at the Cristo Rei monument (buy ticket from driver). Timetable

Cais do Sodré - Cacilhas ferry

TOP TOURS OF THE CRISTO REI STATUE

Cristo Rei Tuk Tuk Tour With River cruise

This tour will start from your hotel or at the initial meeting point, then we will cross the downtown Lisbon and see some secret sights of this part of the city. We will make our way to the Cristo Rei either by crossing the 25 of April bridge or by ferry boat. Once at the Cristo Rei you will have around 40 minutes to enjoy the views and go to the highest point of the statue before returning to Lisbon. On this tour, there is an added option of lunch on the rierside at a seafood restaurant.

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Santuário Cristo Rei-Sesimbra-Castle Palmela-Bacalhoa Winery with wine tasting

Cristo Rei, Sesimbra. Palmela & Bacalhõa Winery

Following the visit to the Cristo Rei monument we head off to the Arrabida National park stopping at Palmela and it's amazing castle along the way. Onwards to Azeitão and to the most beautiful 15th century farmhouse in Portugal. At the Quinta da Bacalhoa you'll enjoy a glass of wine as well as admiring the wonderful gardens and mansion. We then go off to Sesimbra and the Arrabida coast to marvel at the amazing vistas oer the atlantic.

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Private Tour for 1 to 8 people: Cristo Rei, Palmela, Setúbal, Arrábida, Sesimbra

Private Tour: Cristo Rei, Palmela, Setúbal, Arrábida, Sesimbra

After picking you up from your hotel we'll head straight to the Santuario Nacional de Cristo Rei where we'll spend 45 mins taking in the amazing views oer Lisbon on the opposite bank of the river Tejo. Then we'll travel onto Palmela to visit the town's incredible 9th century castle. From its vantage point you can marvel at the views across the Arrabida National Park. Then off to Setúbal where you'll have an hour and a half to explore the marina and enjoy a spot of lunch. Then we return to the Arrabida National Park and end up in Sesimbra and its fine castle.

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Cacilhas

Alternatively, you may wish to hang around Cacilhas and enjoy some of the best fish and seafood restaurants in the region. These restaurants have a huge array of dishes on offer, which will go well with a refreshing pint any time of the day. The cafés and restaurants are located alongside the promenade where there are amazing views over the river to Lisbon. The variety of dishes available here is extraordinary. The dish that stands out is Cataplana, a stew cooked in a copper vessel of the same name.

On the water's edge is the former Lisnave Shipyard, which is now a permanent home of the Fragata D. Fernando II e Glória wooden-hulled, 50 gun frigate. It was Portugal's last sailing warship, a lasting legacy of Portugal's maritime history. Manufactured in India, it traversed the oceans between Portugal's Indian colonies and Lisbon, with a crew of 400. Sadly in 1963, it caught fire and lingered unattended. In 1993 it was restored to its 19th-century glory, in time for the World Expo '98. Today, the fully restored ship is a museum and sits in a quay at Cacilhas docks, just a few steps away from the ferry station. The ships neighbour in the dock is the Barracuda submarine. Both vessels are open to the public as part of the Almada Naval Museum.

Elevador Panorâmico da Boca do Vento

A short walk along the old riverside promenade and along the Cais do Ginjal, past disused warehouses and derelict docks, is the base of the Elevador Panorâmico da Boca do Vento cliff elevator at the Jardim do Rio (River Garden). Constructed in 2000 this panoramic elevator whisks you up to old town Almada. At the top is a viewing platform that displays amazing vistas over the Ponte 25 de Abril bridge and Lisbon, especially when the sun is setting. The town of Almada has its own charm. However, you'll need your graffiti blinkers. There are plenty of viewpoints in the town, but most people will walk right through to get to the Cristo Rei statue on the town's western edge.

Daily: 08h00 – 00h00
Each Way: €1.00
Largo da Boca de Vento 2800, Almada, Lisbon, Portugal. | 38° 41' 05.2" N | 09° 09' 32.4" W