Fodor's Expert Review Arco da Rua Augusta
Baixa
Notable Building
Capping the post-earthquake restoration of Lisbon's downtown, Lisbon's answer to the Parisian Arc de Triomphe offers a splendid viewpoint from which to admire the handsome buildings around the Praça do Comércio. Access to the arch is via an elevator and then up two narrow, winding flights of stairs. Once at the top, children delight in ringing a giant bell, while the grown-ups can admire views of the Tagus River in one direction and the shopping, drinking, and dining strip of Rua Augusta in the other. The red-roofed houses and grand religious buildings that climb up the surrounding hillsides complete the dramatic scene.
