Elevador da Glória

Elevador da Glória is a bright custard tart yellow funicular tram that takes you up the steep climb from Baixa’s Praça dos Restauradores to neighbouring Bairro Alto. Far from being a gimmicky tourist attraction, the steep tram ride is an essential form of transport for many local residents on their downtown shopping trips. Inaugurated in the eighteen eighties, this funicular is the busiest in Lisbon, covering a 265 metres run up or down the 20% gradient hill. The elevador was built by Portuguese engineer Raoul Mesnier de Ponsard, who originally designed it to be powered by gravity using water and counterweights. By 1914 the funicular became steam powered and today runs on electricity in the same way as the rest of Lisbon’s trams.

Until the end of the 19th century candles lit the interior of the tramcar at night. Unless you are sturdier than a mountain goat this is the recommended form of transport. Fortunately, at the top of the ride you can visit the Casa do Vinho do Porto, which offers tasting sessions of some of the country’s finest Port wines in a suitably stately setting. Very close is the beautiful view from the Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara.