Almada Audioguides

Almada clings to the south bank of the Tagus River with one of Portugal's most dramatic views: from the cliff of Almada Velha you look directly across the water at Lisbon's skyline, with the 25 de Abril Bridge framing the city to the right. Afonso I took Almada from the Moors in 1147 with the help of English crusaders, an act that helped establish control over the Tagus estuary and enabled Lisbon to function as a capital. The cliff where that medieval fortification stood is still occupied today, now by restaurants and a small historical quarter with a quiet, slightly faded grace.

On a promontory above the river, the Cristo Rei statue was inaugurated on May 17, 1959, built as an act of gratitude for Portugal being spared the direct destruction of World War II.

The figure stands 28 meters tall on a pedestal that lifts the whole ensemble to 79 meters above the cliff, placing it 192 meters above the Tagus and visible from vast areas of Lisbon. The traditional cacilheiro ferries still cross between Cacilhas and the Ribeira waterfront in Lisbon, a journey of about ten minutes that many commuters have made every working day for their entire lives, watching the city come into view across the water.