Elevador da Gloria: A Magical Hill Tour
The Gloria elevator, in fact, is part of Lisbon’s public transportation system. It may sound incredible that a transportation system can attract so many tourists, but the truth is that the touring experience you get is simply unique!
The elevator travels up and down a steep hill in the city. The whole journey is 265 meters long, connecting the Restauradores Square in the downtown area with the Sao Pedro de Alcantara belvedere. Yes there are only two stops, one at the bottom and the other at the top of the hill!
The Sao Pedro de Alcantara belvedere is one of the most famous tourist destinations in Elevador da Gloria Lisbon area. From there you can get a bird’s eye view of the whole city and enjoy the gentle breeze coming from the Atlantic. You can see the legendary St. George Castle (Castelo de Sao Jorge), a cultural heritage that dates back to the Middle Ages. Also, you get to see a panoramic view of the pleasant daily life of the city. If you walk across the road, you will find to your right the famous Instituto do Vinho do Porto. There you can have a free taste of a wide variety of Portuguese wines and if you care to, you can purchase a few bottles as souvenirs.
Opened on October, 24th, 1885, the funicular system was originally constructed as a water-powered system. Later in 1915 it was electrified and that is how Elevador da Gloria Elevator came into being. Due to its popularity, at times the elevator can be rather crowded, especially in busy hours of working days. Each year it transports more than 3 millions passengers according to statistics. So if you are planning a tour on board of the elevator, remember to avoid the rush hours.
When you get to the elevator stop at the foot of the hill, do not forget to visit the biggest local tourist information office. It is located just next door to facilitate tourists. A travelling manual there can offer you a better knowledge of the elevator, for example about its route and history of construction.
February, 2002 was a significant time for the Elevador da Gloria Lisbon funicular system. It was proclaimed as a National Monument in Portugal. This is indeed a great honor. Since then greater care has been taken to ensure a wonderful and comfortable touring experience for passengers from all over the world.
