World traveler Clown Tom Bolton
Adventure stories & photos
Tom’s travels in Portugal
Funchal, Madeira
Late 2023 I went on a cruise ship trip invited by my friend John Nations who was hired as a comedy juggler. We both flew to Funchal the capital city of island of Madeira where we spent 2 days before getting on the British ship the Ventura. This was right befoe Christmas, so there were Christmas markets and decorations all over. Not quite beach weather but warm and mostly sunny. The island is very mountainous and green but we had no time to check out any of the many hiking trails.Just wandered around Funchal and took a cable car up to the Madeira tropical gardens area.
Lisbon, Portugal
On my trip from Madeira to the Canary Islands at Christmas time 2023 I ended up in Lisbon where I spent 2 days. I had actually been in Lisbon for a day or two back in the early 1980’s but remember nothing about it. On the earlier trip, I had met 2 Brazilian doctors in Italy, went briefly with them to Athens, Greece before going overland to Lisbon. But as I didn’t speak Portuguese but some Spanish, I left to go to Spain and never made it back again to Portugal. The first photos are from the port upon arrival in Lisbon.
Terreiro do Paço – Praça de Commercio
From the harbor area it is a short walk to the Terreiro do Paço – Praça de Commercio or territory of Paço, commercial plaza which has some modern and old statues, including the equestrian statue of Dom Jose I in the center or monuments. It is surrounded by old building including some museums and a large archway, Arco da Rua Augusta that leads to a major pedestrian shopping street.
Lisbon is very hilly and it has many winding, often narrow streets often laid with mosiacs of stone.
Sé Catedral de Lisboa
Heading up from the harbor area I came to the cathedral known as Sé de Lisboa. I did not enter although it apparently has lots of things to see but I had little time in Lisbon and like many churches there had an entrance fee.
Castelo de Sao Jorge or Saint George’s castle
At one of the highest points in the old city is the Castelo de Sao Jorge or Saint George’s castle. It seemed to be an extensive complex with good views over the city center but again I had little time and it was rather expensive. I wandered the winding streets around, often finding my self at dead-ends. An interesting sight was a guy playing music, busking from his upper window with a basket on a rope to collect donations. And he wasn’t bad.
Igreja de Santa Cruz do Castelo
Not far from the castle complex was a interesting looking church called Igreja de Santa Cruz do Castelo. It also had an admission but also samll musuem that what is supposed to be one of the better viewpoints in the area.
Miradouro das Portas do Sol – Miradouro de Santa Luzia
From the castle complex area I had to backtrack a bit back towards the Sé Cathedral and up the hill. Near the tram stop Portas Sol one find the Museu de Artes Decorativas or Decorative Art Museum. Nearby are some good view towards the harbor known as Miradouro das Portas do Sol and Miradouro de Santa Luzia. On the Parça Julio de Castilho one finds the statue of Saint Vincent.
Igreja de São Vincente de Fora and Panteão National
Continuing up to the west from the multiple outlook points were 2 impressive buildings that are standout on the skyline of Lisbon. The Igreja de São Vincente de Fora – or church of Saint Vincent of Fora. The other being the Panteão National – or national patheon.
Praça de Espanha –Spanish Plaza Traffic lights
Near the Praça de Espanha is a major intersection where many performers do quick shows at the traffic lights. This was popularized in Argentina and spread throughout South America and to some cities in Europe that allow it. The artist will wait for the red light and go out in front of the cars and do a quick number and then try to collect money through the car windows. Tough way to make money but my friend John had done it while on an extended stay in Lisbon and seems to like it despite being successful on cruise ships. John went out to show me how it is done.
From there we walked to the large Corte de Ingles shopping mall passing this large but kind of dreary looking building that was being renovated. Not sure if it was a castle, or possibley a former prison or hospital. Will update if I find out what it is.
Parque Eduardo VII – Jardim Amalia Rodrigues , Pavihao Carlos Lopes
We then waked down towards the center/harbor area through the Parque Eduardo VII, containing the Jardim Amalia Rodrigues. On one edge was the Pavihao Carlos Lopes pictured here. In the center of the park was another fairgrounds set up for Christmas which we avoided. At the bottom of the park is the impressive Marques de Pombal statue in a roundabout.
Praça do Municipio, Cãmara Municipal, Museo do Dinheiro
Having returned down near the harbor to the Praça Comércio, I went west to the Praça do Municipio – or municipal plaza. On one side one has the Cãmara Municipal or city hall and next to it the Museo do Dinheiro or money museum.
Igeja de Nossa Senhora do Loreto, Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Encarnação, Praça Luis Camoes
Going north there is an area known as Baixa Chiado witha pedestrian shopping street called Rua Garrett. Going west on comes to two large churches right across from each other; Igeja de Nossa Senhora do Loreto, Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Encarnação.
Praça Luis de Camõas, Estátua a Luis de Camõas
Just farther west is the Praça Luis de Camõas with the statue Estátua a Luis de Camõas. They had some interesting Christmas decorations here. Unfortunately, it started to rain and the sunlight was fading so I could not continue taking pictures.
Lisbon, Portugal redux
I made another trip to Portugal in August 2025. The end of the trip was spent in Lisbon but by then my camera batteries had run out and I did not have a recharger and just took some photos with my cell phone. Mostly we saw some of the highlights of the center where I had been before. This time I spent more time in the “Alto Barrio” neighborhood to the west of the center. We also took the old tram through historical center a couple of times. Soem notable places were the Rossio train station and Praca do Rossio or Rossio plaza. The day after we got back to Germany, a similar tram known as a funicular there crashed and killed 16 people. This section is kind of a photo dump of images throughout the city.
Cascias, Portugal
Cascias is a small town about an hour slow train-ride west of Lisbon with a quaint center and a number of nice beaches. There is a fortress overlooking the main beach near the main plaza. There are some beaches closer to the center of Lisbon we pasted on the way but Cascais was worth the trip. Some historical buildings, shopping, lots of eateries and relaxed beaches with much less rougher waves and undertow than many Portuguese beaches.
Sintra, Portugal
Palacio Nacional, Fonte Mourisca, Museu Anjos Teixeira
One of the most popular day trips from Lisbon is to Sintra, about an hour train ride northwest. The area is hilly and green, which made it the ideal place to build a royal summer residence around which the town is centered. There are many elaborate villas here and overlooking it are the remains of an old Moorish fortress. One arrives in the train station and is immediately swarmed by dozens of people offering transportation around the town in vehicles from full sized city buses to Asian style Tuk-Tuks. We went by foot, quickly reaching the Camara Municipal or town hall. From there a 15 minute walk up and down and around to the Palacio Nacional or National Palace. On the way passing one of the towns multiple decorative fountains the Fonte Mourisca and a stuatue showing the entrance to the museum Museu Anjos Teixeira. We walked around the grounds but did not pay to go inside.
Igreja de Sao Martinho, Torre do Relogio
Near the palace is the Igreja de Sao Martinho or St. Martin’s church, which was one of the only churches open and without an entry fee we found in Portugal.Next to it is the Torre do Relogio tower that is part of a building now housing the post-office. The neighborhood there is a maze of small winding cobbled stone pedestrian streets. As anyone would expect near a major tourist attraction there are many cafes, restaurants, souvenir and antique shops.
Quinta da Regaleira, Fonte dos Pisoes, Palacio de Seteais
From the St. Martins church one goes down to the west passing one of the most beautifully designed villas in Sintra. Didn’t see a sign or figure out what it is called or its history. Down the hill one comes to a fork in the road. We took the way to the right going NW past the Fonte dos Piscos fountain up to the Quinta da Regaleira castle complex. Including its gardens, it is more elaborate and likely larger than the National Palace. It is one of multiple extensive properties in Sintra built by wealthy landowners rather than royalty. Some other Sintra villas are also open to tourists for a hefty price but Quinta da Regaleira had a long line of at least an hour so best to book entrance online for a specific time.
A couple of hundred meters up the road on the other side is the Palacio de Seteais which is now a 5 star hotel. The buildings themselves are not so impressive as the extensive gardens in front and on the backside where one has a sweeping overview of the valley below.
Villa Sassetti
Retracing our way back down the hill to the fork in the road below St. Martins, we took the other way zig-zagging up to the Villa Sassetti. After the gate it is a walking path through lush semi-tropic gardens with views back over the National Palace area. The villa itself is rather small but the nature spectacular. By this time we had had enough and declined to continue another 30 minutes up the steep inclines to the Moorish Castle fortifications. That would best be reached with motor transportation but one would should not miss the walk through the Sassetti grounds.
Porto, Portugal
Se do Porto cathedral, Paco Episcopal, Igreja de Sao Lourenco, Convento dos Grilos
We actually started our Portugal trip in August 2025 with a week in Porto. It is the second largest city in the country. It is quite hilly and is spread along the Douro River where it runs into the Atlantic. Among its many historical gems are many churches and religious buildings and monuments. On a high hill in the historical center is the Se do Porto cathedral. Next to it is the Paco Episcopal or former bishop’s palace that now houses the Museu do Tesouro museum. Just below is the Igreja de Sao Lourenco or St. Lorenzo church and Convento dos Grilos convent.
Porto, São Bento train station, Campanhã station
In the center is the historical São Bento train station. Much of the exterior was being renovated while were we there but the inside is a gem of tiled artistry. One side of the building is also an upscale food court with numerous restaurants and cafes. Although many regional trains still connect to São Bento station, the Campanhã station a few kilometers east, shown at the bottom of this section, is now the main transportation hub. It combines historical with modern architecture with long distant and local trains and long distance buses.
Porto churches
In addition to the cathedral there are numerous beautiful old churches scattered throughout Porto. Included here are Igreja de Carmo, Igreja de Clerigos, Igreja de Sâo Francisco, Igreja de Sâo Jose das Taipas, Igreja de Paroquial do Bonfim, Igreja de Santo Antonio dos Congregados, Igreja de Saint Lawrence, Igreja de Paroquial de Sâo Nicolau, Igreja Santa Almas Catalina, Igreja da Misericordia, Igreja de Sâo Pedro de Mirangaia, Igreja de Corpo Santo de Masarelos, Igreja da Santissima Trindade and Igreja de Paoquial de Santo Lidefonso.
Porto fortresses, beaches
Forte de Sao Fransisco Xavier, Forte de São João Baptista, Farolim de Feigueiras, Praia do Carneiro, Praia do Castelo do Quijo, Praia de Matosinhos, Jardim do Passeio Alegre
To the west of Porto, north of where the Douro River meets the Atlantic are a number of good beaches. One of the biggest is Praia de Matosinhos. Nearby is the Forte de Sao Fransisco Xavier fortress , which has a small museum with a small entry fee. Farther back south is the Forte de São João Baptista fortress that houses a private club. Nearby is the beach Praia do Carneiro and the light tower Farolim de Feigueiras. There is a sizable park there called Jardim do Passeio Alegre that had a festival on Saturday including performances, bands and an artisan market.
Balháo Market, Mercado Ferreira Borges
There is a large covered market in the Balhao neighborhood worth visiting. It is an upscale place to find regional and national specialties rather than a place for cheap local produce. By the Infante dom Henrique square is a red building that was formerly the Mercado Ferreira Borges maket but it is now used for various events. Part of it was a temporary artisants market
Ponte Dom Luis I, Vila Nova de Gaia, church + monastery Serra do Pilar, Jardim do Morro, Muralhas Fernandinha
South of the hill where the Porto cathedral is located is an iconic bridge, Ponte dom Luis I for pedestrians and trams. It connects Porto to the separate municipality of Vila Nova de Gaia. Just north of the bridge is a fortress wall called Muralhas Fernandinha. Southeast of the bridge is the circular church Igreja de Santo Agostinho da Serra do Pilar with its adjacent monetary. Southwest of the bridge is the Jardim do Morro park with its Miradouro or lookout point. It is a popular spot for people to gather at sunset and there were drink vendors and musicians taking advantage of this. Just below the park is the Teleférico de Gaia cable lift that carries people down to the riverbank.
Porto Museums, plazas and parks
Although we didn’t go into any of them there are multiple museums in Porto including Antiga cadeia da relacao, Museu do Centro Hospitalar, Museu de Historia, museum Portuguese photography, Portugal Palacio da Bolsa, justice ministry + conflict museum, Museu da Cidade (city museum). Some central plazas and parks included Praça de Carlo Alberto, Praça de Lisbon, Jardim da Cordoaria, Praça do Infante Dom Henrique. One of the most photographed places in Porto is now the large Porto sign in front of the Cámara Municipal (city hall) on the Praça General Humberto Delgado
Ribeira neighborhood
West of the Ponte de Luis along the riverbank is the area called Ribeira. The heart of Ribeira is the same named plaza and fountain. It is characterized by steep, narrow cobbled stone streets. Its historical old buildings house many restaurants, wine-bars, café and boutiques. One can take boat torus here or just stroll and look at the Douro River landscape.
Porto, Portuguese style architecture
These are photos from around Porto showing the typical style of historical architecture, usually using ceramic tiles and wrought iron balconies.
Scenes of Porto, Portugal
Photos of Porto that didn’t really fit in other catagories.
Aveiro, Portugal
Aveiro was a day trip by train south of Porto. It has some historical buildings and a smaller town feel than Porto. The hype is that they call it the Venice of Portugal. They have lots of boat tours here but the few canals are relatively uninteresting and one can see the town better by foot. Some notable sites are the historical train station next to teh modern one and the Praça da República where one finds the Igreja da Misericordia and the Monumento a José Estevão Coelho de Magalhães monument. Igreja de São Joao church across from the judicial building is also noteworthy.
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Praia Costa Nova do Prado
To the west of Aveiro are some nice beach areas. We went to Costa Nova as it was the easiest bus connection. The town promenade has plenty of shopping and eateries for tourists, often housed in unusual pin-striped buidlings. The beach was extensive white sand and very clean. It clouded up a bit and was breezy while we were there so not the best beach day. And while the waves were not high, it seemed to have a pretty rough surf and strong undertow. Potentially dangerous unless one is a strong swimmer.
Braga, Portugal
Praça da República, Jardim da Avenida, Igreja de Lapa, Torre de Menagem
Braga was another day trip about 80 minutes northwest from Porto by Flixbus which was cheaper than the train. The area is mountainous, although not extremely high peaks but the center itself is relatively flat with some historical buildings and a lot of cobbled stone walking streets. It has a long history back to Neolithic and Roman times but there are few remnants left from the as far back as the middle ages. Like one would expect, there are numerous churches and chapels throughout the city. From the bus station we saw the Igreja do Carmo and headed along the shopping street Rua dos Chãos to a central plaza known as Praça da República. From here where one sees the Bank of Portugal, the Jardim da Avenida Central park to the east and Starbucks, the Igreja de Lapa church and nearby Torre de Menagem tower to the west.
Braga, Rua do Souto, Sé cathedral do Braga, Largo do Paço plaza
From the tower we went west into the walking street of Rua do Souto passing majestic buildings in the Rue do Castelo. One finds the Largo do Paço plaza with its historical buildings belonging to the university and a museum on the right. This was orginally a sprawing residence for the Archbishops and farther on the left a cluster of religious buildings including the Sé cathedral do Braga, Igreja da Misericórdia church and Glória and São Geraldo chapels. The walking street ends at the Arco da Porta Nova archway and just beyond is the Campo das Horta gardens
Braga, Praça Municipal, Paços do Concelho, chafariz do Largo do Paço , Antigo Paço Arquiepiscopal, Jardim de Santa Bárbara
Swinging back east a bit north of the Arcos one comes to the Praça Municipal or municipal park. In the middle is the Fonte de Pelicano fountain. To the west is the Paços do Concelho (city Hall). To the east is a back wing of the Largo do Paço building and farther west one sees the Antigo Paço Arquiepiscopal (Archbishops court with gardens archway) and adjacent Jardim de Santa Bárbara – St. Barbara gardens.
Braga, Basilica dos Congregados, Capela de Nossa Senhora a Branca, Igreja de São Victor
Continuing east we returned to the plaza Republic and Jardim do Avenida Central or garden of the central avenue. There was a musical festival being set up on the plaza and farther one sees the Coreto da Avenida gazebo and south of the parkway the extensive Basilica dos Congregados church. This green section ends after about 500 meters but we continued on approximately another 800 meters, passing the Capela de Nossa Senhora a Branca chapel, as far as the Igreja de São Victor church. There were many interesting tiled buildings along the way.
Braga, Avenida da Liberdade, Theatro Circo
We returned from Saint Victor church to the far western edge of the Plaza Republic again and strolled a few blocks south down the Avenida de Liberdade. It has extensive flower beds, multiple monuments like the ao maestre jose veiga memorial and some classic buildings like the Theatro Circo or circus theater building and a nearby bank. We ended our trip here before returning to the bus station. I’m sure there were many additional places worth seeing but we didn’t have the time and energy. In particular there is a church called Bom Jesus do Monte on the top of a mountain overlooking Braga to the east that one always finds pictures of if Googling Braga. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and should have spectacular views and is at the top of a stairway with over 500 steps, or one can pay for the elevator. There should be city buses but it is 6 kilometers away and would have been a few hours effort to see it and getting back and forth from the center.
So, those were just a few tales from my many travels over the last thirty and something years. I hope you've enjoyed another side of a traveling clown! If you want, write me an email or better yet, book my show or set a link to this website or just state me as the beneficiary of your will!
To book or see more information about Tom's clown show and entertainment, visit one or both of his clown websites:
Clown Stuttgart www.clowntombolton.com
Clown juggler Stuttgart, Gremany www.clown-event.de