Lisbon Blog

Have you ever wondered what incredible places you missed after leaving a city? Here we try to figure out what you missed during your last holiday in Lisbon, a beautiful city with many hidden sides.

Santa Justa Elevator

This is a historic elevator in Neo-Gothic style, from which you will have an amazing view. The ride (€1.40) only takes a few minutes, but once you reach the terrace you will have a nice view over the rooftops of Lisbon, the Castle of San Giogio and more importantly the Tejo river. 

Santana Windmills

Up until the first half of the 20th century there were 75 windmills in Lisbon. Most of them were situated in the Ajuda Hill, but after the massive urbanization of the area there are only four left today. Two of them are located and preserved in the Parque dos Moinhos de Santana. The other two are hidden in Rua do Casalinho da Ajuda in the courtyard of an elementary school.

Casa do Fado e da Guitara Portoguesa

Fado is a great part of the cultural heritage of Portugal. A trip to Lisbon is unthinkable without visiting the “Casa do Fado.” It’s the perfect place to understand something more about the history of this music, audiovisual displays will help you discover the authentic sound of Portugal. Remember, in the Alfama district many of the venues are quite expensive, but you can easily find an alternative around the Bairro Alto neighbooud.

Feira da Ladra

The Feira Da Ladra is a street market and attracts people since the 12th century. You will find there all kinds of products, from new to old, second hand and vintage. The market takes place every Tuesday and Saturday in Via Campo de Santa Clara, near the charming Alfama district.

Chapito, School for performing arts

A former women´s prison turned in to a school for circus entertainers placed in the heart of Castelo district, Chapito offers fantastic views of Lisbon and the river, with many indoor and outdoor spots. At Chapito you will also be able to enjoy live shows and it is definetely a nice place to have a drink after a long walk around the city.

Mouraria´s

The Mouraria was known as one of the most crumbling areas of Lisbon but things are changing. The neighborhood has been renovated over the past two years rediscovering the charm of one of the oldest parts in the city. Today it ´s a mix of Chinese and Indian shops, but the soul of the place is truly Portuguese, it is said that the Fado was born here. This area is known for narrow streets and little squares. One of the major attractions is a house in gothic style right behind the church of  São Cristóvão, one of the oldest buildings still standing in Lisbon. 

Explore the city

From Cais do Sodre catch a ferry to Cacilhas and talk a walk to go and find Cais do Ginjal. Along the river you will discover how Lisbon is changing, but, most importantly, you will enjoy one of the best views of the city. The area is full of cheap restaurants with Portuguese delicatessen.

Gianluca Petrillo

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The first thing to do to ensure the best trip of your life, is to find a great apartment that makes you feel at home, because with it, you will get rid of many annoyances that usually show up when we prepare trips to other cities.

Find and compare prices of apartments in Lisbon, so you can save some money and time,

Taking into account that the best trip of your life, not only consists of where you´re going to stay, here are some tips you can keep in mind when visiting the beautiful city of Lisbon.

 
What are the best dishes to try in Lisbon

Most dishes in Lisbon consist of one of the products which more often comes to port for consumption by residents or visitors to the city:  Fish. That is why most dishes you´ll find in the city, are composed of this nutritious food.

The first one is Calderaida of Bacalhau, Bacalao Guisado. The dish is composed mainly of fish cooked in varied vegetables that often give it a unique flavor, typical of the region. It has potatoes, tomatoes, garlic, green pepper, white wine, among other products that make it exquisite

Another of these dishes that you must try is the Bacalhau. This simple but impressive dish  consists of Cod with slices of ham, making the dining experience in Lisbon an attractive complacency.

It is always recommended before consuming each dish, to look at the products, as some people are allergic to some of these famous ingredients.

 
Best places to visit in Lisbon

To ensure the best trip ever to the city of Lisbon, we recommend you visit the Tower of Belem and the Jeronimos Monastery.

Belem Tower is one of the biggest tourist attractions that the city has, its grand architecture and beauty is worshiped throughout the capital. This tower shines in history, as years ago it served as a tower of protection against enemy invasion.

Finally, the second place of great beauty that should be taken into account for the best ride of your life, is very close to the Tower of Belem. This wonderful site, an architecture and unfathomable structure was built in 1501. This palace was built in the vicinity of a church whose name was Ermida do Restelo. an attractive Monastery that you can not miss if you are passing through the city.

Escritores De Articulos

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As you stroll through the streets of Lisbon, along the Tagus River waterfront, you may come across one of the most unique buildings you’ll ever see. The Casa dos Bicos, (“House of the Pointed Stones” or “House of the Spikes”) is one of Lisbon’s most original structures.

When you see the building, you’ll understand its name immediately. The entire façade of the building is covered in diamond-shaped, protruding stones. In fact, 1,125 of these stones cover the front of the building, giving it a uniquely textured look.

The History of Casa dos Bicos

The Casa dos Bicos is one of Lisbon’s many historic landmarks, and was built around 1523. The 16^th century house was the brainchild of Bras de Albuquerque, son of Alfonso de Albuquerque, who was the first governor of Portuguese India.

Bras de Albuquerque spent a number of years living in Italy, studying Italian Renaissance architecture. He was instantly enamored with the spike-studded facades of palaces like the Palazzo dei Diamanti in Ferrara, that he determined to build a similar structure of his own.

He returned to Portugal and began work on the Casa dos Bicos, combining the spiked stone facades that he had seen in Italy with Portuguese Manueline style windows along the two upper floors.

In 1755, the great Lisbon earthquake struck, destroying vast swathes of the city. Much of the Casa dos Bicos was destroyed, including the main façade and half of the façade facing the Bacalhoeiros street. Nonetheless, the palace came through comparatively unscathed as one of the few survivors of the earthquake.

The damaged house remained in the Albuquerque family for a time before it was sold to a codfish trader in the 19^th century. The lovely structure wasted away, serving as a store house for Bacalhau, until the 1960s, when it was acquired by the Lisbon Municipality.

The Restoration of Casa dos Bicos

Recognizing the historical significance of the structure, the city of Lisbon began restoration of the house in the 1980s. Using drawings and paintings dating to the building’s earliest days, the two upper stories of the façade were painstakingly reconstructed. Closely following the drawings, the Manueline windows were restored, and a Renaissance loggia (or corridor) was rebuilt.

As construction progressed, the city also carried out archeological excavations inside. These excavations revealed fascinating remnants dating back to Roman and Moorish periods.

Casa dos Bicos Today

Today, the interior of Casa dos Bicos has been completely renovated, and currently houses the Jose Saramago Foundation. The edifice is home to the extensive library of the Nobel Prize-winning author and hosts numerous cultural and literary events. A number of rooms have been turned into exhibitions spaces, and a small auditorium is regularly used for lectures and sociocultural debates.

Casa dos Bicos was reopened to the public in June 2012, and visitors are welcome to browse the halls and rooms of this fascinating Lisboan landmark.

Hans

No matter if you are coming with your entire family, on a romantic adventure or even alone, self catering apartments in Lisbon for days are by far the best way of accommodation, if you value comfort and privacy. 

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Competition is fierce, but perhaps it can be said without much fear of error that there are more and greater misunderstandings, often intentional ones, about the Middle Ages than in any other period of Western History. Uncertainties, multiplied infinitely by misleading representations conveyed through film and television, are responsible for the existence of a vague collective imagination of the medieval that while not very reliable is extraordinarily rich in imaginative possibilities surrounding a series of archetypes of the era that marked European identity decisively one way or another.

Of these one of the most popular is that of the troubadours, which is the theme and name of a lively medieval tavern in Lisbon that is conveniently located in the center of the old city, at number 27 on the street of São Julião, quite close to the cathedral.

Next to the name, Trobadores, the tavern is inscribed with a date, 1147, referring to the year that King Alfonso, after a siege of three months, was able to conquer the city with the help of Crusaders from northern Europe that had up until then been in Muslim hands. This event was the cause of a mass celebration and the consumption of popular beverages of the era such as mead, which is made by fermenting a solution of honey and water, and homemade beer drunk Viking style in large horns, thus demonstrating once again the fertile syncretism that constitutes our vision of reality and the past.

Reality is, of course, more complex but between these crusader conquerors of Lisbon it is not impossible to find descendants of William of Aquitaine (1071-1127), the first of the troubadours and grandfather of Eleanor of Aquitaine, the then queen of France and best promoter of the troubadours, romance and courtly love at the time. As a result, not only new literary and musical forms swept over Europe, and a new spirituality outside the influence of the Arabic Sufi poetry, but also a new vision of women, one where they must also submit to the propagation of devotion to the Virgin Mary inherent in the Gothic.

Not surprisingly perhaps his grandfather William had learned to sing as a child by listening to quiyan, women singers of Islamic culture who continue the tradition of the ancient Gades dancers who his father had brought with him to Aquitaine after a brief campaign Barbastro in 1064.

It is this extraordinary melting pot which between drinks, a variety of toasts, baked sausage and folk music with a mostly Celtic strain, that the Tavern Trobadores seems to aspire to recreate, even if unconsciously.

Paul Oilzum

In addition to the live concerts and good atmosphere, this tavern also holds jam sessions open to anyone. If you want to take a step back into history, don´t miss the opportunity to visit when you rent accommodation in Lisbon .

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The MOVE is located in the heart of Lisbon, in the Baixa area, next to Praça do Comercio in the building that was formerly the headquarters of the Banco Nacional Ultramarine.

The museum is designed as a continuous changing environment, a dynamic and experimental zone, as a draft project with openness and innovation in order to be closer to this collection of fashion history in the last century.

The design is understood as a concept supported by its many expressions throughout the twentieth century without forgetting the historical context looking toward the future of new trends of the present century.

Visitors are invited to reflect on the relationship between design, art and craft, with the socio-economic, cultural, environmental and technological challenges that affect both the concept, sometimes ambiguous that design and fashion can become.

 
Different collections show the evolution of design over the twentieth century, revealing fashion through thematic exhibitions which could not otherwise highlight the works of certain authors, with an undeniable weight in the path of fashion and design.

The MUDE collaborate and form a network with different cultural institutions, universities and shops involving a community of artists, designers and architects. They have all contributed to the renovation of the historic areas of Lisbon from the hand of buildings and flagship projects such as this.

This collection consists of more than 1200 pieces. We have small side furniture and everyday objects that reflect the major movements and design trends while at the same time we can enjoy couture pieces, sportswear and accessories that are paired chronologically. From this collection we highlight the famous Jean Desses dress that Renee Zellweger wore in the Oscars  in 2001

Beside the  Francisco Capelo collection in the museum it has more than 1000 objects of about 230 designers that show trends in design worldwide, with icons like Phillipe Starck, Arne Jacobsen, Charles Eames, George Nelson, Masanori Umeda, Paul Henningsen, Henning Koppel, Tom Dixon and Vener Panton.

It also houses some 1,200 pieces of clothing from designers such as Jean Paul Gaultier, Yves Saint Laurent and Vivienne Westwood

unquestionably this museum collections is a leading one in art and design in Europe and contains one of the best collections of the genre.

For more information you can check the official website of the museum: http://www.mude.pt/

Ara

To get there we suggest you to take the subway and get off at the Baixa-Chiado stop. Then be sure to stroll beside the sea and lose yourself in the beautiful center of this wonderful city and find apartment accommodation in Lisbon .

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Paris, Rome and Venice have always been considered as the cities of love, but there are other places just as romantic and charming as these to celebrate Valentine’s Day with our loved ones. A clear example of such kind is the city of Lisbon. Yes, Portugal´s capital has much to offer to couples looking for a special place to celebrate their love. The most romantic restaurants, the best views of the city, and a passionate session of fado music (Portuguese traditional music) are some of the elements that make Lisbon a city of love; a place to fall in love again and again.

Barrio Alto e Doca de Santo Amaro

Love isn’t just kissing and cuddling, you have to do other fun activities apart of that, like going out for a drink and even dance a little. When we dance we release endorphins, which make us feel better, happier and more active. Dancing is a fun activity that can strengthen our relationships. Where to go dancing? Well, in Barrio Alto, there are plenty of bars, pubs and discos for all ages and tastes. Another option is the Doca de Santo Amaro, which is an area that hosts many vibrant discos.

Viewpoints

Love reigns over the whole city. This is the feeling you will feel once above Miradouro de Santa Luzia, a viewpoint that offers incredible views of the entire city, as well as Miradouro Sao Pedro de Alcantare.  From these two viewpoints you’ll feel like the protagonists of Titanic, but with solid ground under your feet, which is much safer.

Fado Houses

The word “fado” means “destiny” in Latin, so if fate has let you find your soul mate, you should definitively come to a fado performance, “songs to life, love, heartbreaks, joys, mishaps and melancholy. ” Cafe Luso in Travessa da Queimada 10, Bairro Alto is one of the best places to enjoy a fado performance in Portugal. Book a table before 22:00, because thanks to the magic of fado, you will leave this place with your eyes heart-shaped and eager to be alone with your loved one. Whatever comes after, just keep it for yourselves.

Valentine´s Day is just an excuse. Love should be celebrated every day of the year, and not on a specific date like an item on sale. With this clear in mind, Lisbon, or any other city in the world, will be the perfect place to show our couples all the love we have got inside.

Lidia M.

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If you want to have a meal in a very unique place in Lisbon, let us recommend you to visit a pharmacy, not because you’d feel sick, but because this is a new and different concept. Pharmacia Restaurant is, undoubtedly, one of the most original places I´ll ever visit.

Pharmacia is located in what was formerly the Santa Catarina Pharmaceutical Museum in Lisbon. Probably when the current owners bought the place thought … “What do we do with all this facilities”? In any case, the end result has been a great success. The architects of this project are Susana Felicidade and Tania Martinez, two successful Portuguese restorers.

The restaurant is decorated like an old pharmacy. Everything here will remind us the pharmacies that our grandparents used to visit. The decor includes original items as: scales for weighing newborns, the screens that used to separate hospital beds, wheelchairs and even stands filled with medical supplies. But don’t worry; this is all just part of the decor. You even have a wait in a waiting room while your table is getting ready.

Waiters wear white coats. Before they tell you the menu, they’ll as you if you have any allergies to food, which for sure will make you smile. The place has a special charm. Even many of the menu items are related in some way to the world of medicine and pharmacy. You can take shots in test tubes and cool your wine in first-aid kits filled with ice.

On the menu we’ll find interesting dishes. For example you can try a ” ibuprofen cocktail “. We don’t know exactly what the dosage of this seductive medicine is, but we are sure, we shouldn’t take more than one every eight hours.

Dishes boast great originality. This experimental and fun food will be difficult to forget. I always recommend choosing the surprise menu. For less than 30 € you’ll taste many dishes, which will really surprise you. Do not panic when you see the waiter arriving with a potty, it is just for tips. Here you can also bring your own wine from home, you’ll just pay a bit extra, but you will save some Euros.

Sure, Pharmacia Restaurant will be one of your favorite places in Lisbon. After visiting hundreds of hypochondriacs will agree with you.

The place in which is housed the restaurant has fabulous views. When you come it is well worth getting a spot near the window to enjoy the Mirador de Santa Catalina.

The address is Rua Marechal Saldanha 1. Don’t miss the opportunity to enjoy a nice and different a meal in Lisbon.

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Visiting Lisbon is always a pleasure, even on cold winter days. Its streets, the sea, and especially the neighborhoods always hold an adventure that is both surprising and seductive.

Among the many neighborhoods that make up the city, a very special one is the Alvalade neighborhood, referred to as one of the “new neighborhoods”. It’s not far from downtown.

Alvalade, like the Arriero neighborhood, was a project of 1940s design in what was called the Soft Portuguese style, where concrete and clear forms, simple and practical designs were markers in the search for modern urban spaces.

Among its landmarks is the old Cinema Imperio, which is still considered as one of the highlights of the late 1940s architecture. It was turned into a cafe and restaurant and restored to the glamour of the golden age about six years ago.

The building was designed by Cassiano Branco in 1947. Currently, its interior is decorated with black and white photos of movie stars and film objects that pay homage to the golden age of cinema.

To start a tour of this neighborhood, first walk down the Avenida da Igreja, where it’s quite fun to shop. Then follow the Avenida Roma to find somewhere for a bite or a drink. At number 45 of this busy avenue, you’ll find Frutalmeidas, which offers delicious juices made from fruits like mango, strawberry or melon, Requeijãa or Maçã pastries, and a dish of the day. Frutalmeidas is open Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 8 pm.

Here you can easily find old ladies dressed in haute couture alongside musicians, poets, anarchists and punks, whose first expressions in Portugal were once in this same area.

If you enjoy parks, the great outdoors, and sports, you won’t want to miss visiting the park 1º de Maio, located in the northern part of the district. Built in 1959, it’s a space for thousands of regular football matches, tennis, mini-golf and basketball games. Cultural activities and fairs such as the Alternative Festival of the Earth are also held here.

Alvalade Stadium is home to the Sporting Club of Portugal and one of the largest stadiums in the country, which you probably would want to see.

A nice quiet place to live, Alvalade is also a lively area. There are new and old pubs, parks and convenience stores as well as stylish shops and cafes.

A great place to spend the afternoon is the salón de té Ó Chá, located in a privileged area near the main avenue and has Chinese motif and ambiance. You can find more than seventy different varieties of teas produced in Asia, Africa and Latin America. I would recommend the Portuguese tea from the Azores as well as the delicious cakes and scones.

And lastly, when we speak of Bars, Grog is the place you won’t want to miss. This small, pleasant venue is located near the Plaza de Santo Antonio, but is still somewhat of a secret and very popular with its neighbors. The decor is from the 70s, with black walls and red vinyl seats. Their shakes are famous, especially the one with Gooseberries, and the toast with cheese and pickles, salmon or chicken is also good.

Nancy Guzman

Take a break this winter in one of our apartments in Lisbon city center , and don´t forget to check out the active Alvalade neighborhood.

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The Alfama district of Lisbon is a place full of surprises and secrets. Not only is it probably the most emblematic neighborhood of the Portuguese capital but its unique landscape and old houses aligned and mounted on the Hill added to its steep, cobbled streets, make the Alfama in a fascinating place to explore.

Among the many places to eat and drink there are in the Alfama, there is one that is a bit different from the others. Why? Because besides being a bar and restaurant it is a cultural center and a clown school. Chapitô was founded more than 25 years ago as a cultural center seeking social integration through the arts. This nonprofit organization has won many awards for their good work and commitment to the community, and all thanks to the organizer, Teresa Ricou, more popularly known as Tete.

Tété decided to found this place to help underprivileged children due to the little help that the authorities were contributing to this problem. Ricou was a female clown that with the help of her friends and intellectual clowns brought this project forward. Thus, the project began to gain popularity and became a great center combining pedagogy and education in the arts. Today, there is a circus school in place that shapes and develops young people for the world of performing arts.

For those new visitors to the Portuguese capital or those who have already repeated, Chapitô offers much more. On site there is a bar and a restaurant offering delicious international cuisine. One would think that such a place would rather offer  homemade food but the reality is that you eat awesome food here. For about 18 €, you can eat two dishes plus drink and dessert. Among the dishes you can try its delicious and juicy steak with potatoes au gratin and mushroom sauce, duck in orange sauce, smoked salmon, salads like grilled octopus and mango ice cream to finish. In addition, all accompanied by fine Portuguese wines and the region.

As if that were not enough, the terrace offers stunning views of the city and the Tagus River. If you decide to come here for dinner, to dine on the terrace in the candlelight is a truly spectacular experience. Its lively and charming waiters are also part of the school, so do not be surprised if upon arrival you are greeted people dressed announcing their next role.

When you finish your meal, you can head down to the bar , take a drink and chat with the artists while enjoying one of their works or live music, a great way to end the evening and know the most authentic and caring face of Lisbon.

For more information about its features, design, history and its bar and restaurant, visit their official website: http://www.chapito.org/

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“The use, mode or custom that is in vogue a period of time, or in a particular country, especially in relation to outfits, fabrics and adornments, principally those recently introduced” is the description you will find when you look up the word “fashion” in the RAE (Real Academia Española). A very simple definition to define what is primarily an industry, a business, which as such aims to generate sales and increase their capital and value. If I had the chance to rewrite the definition, it would be something like “Use, mode or custom driven by the fashion industry for a period of time, or in a particular country, heightened by major marketing techniques and mass persuasion, primarily involving the diffusion of superficial and consumerist thoughts/behavior.” Unfortunately, I doubt I will ever be asked to rewrite the official definition of “fashion”, which is a shame. But at least those of you reading this will know my new definition.

The street is a location that can’t be topped in terms of the variety of styles, personalities, and strange and bold mixes. This is why the very smart fashion industry takes note of what is worn on the streets in order to determine what the newest trends to prevail in the market will be. For this reason, if you suddenly decide to take to the streets in your pajamas and after a while you see that fashion magazines feature cool people in pajamas, it’s because the fashion industry was watching you. Its researchers, the coolhunters, saw you and thought, “That is hot!”. So a new trend, a new fashion, and a new line of outdoor pajamas is spawned. It’s that simple.

Just like anywhere else, fashion, style and being in fashion are important to many in Lisbon, but especially to the fashion bloggers. The more influence you have as a blogger (the more visits to the blog, the higher the degree of influence), the more brands will be interested in appearing in a particular blog to advertise their creations.

After looking for some references in the field of street fashion in Lisbon, I have come across two pages. There’s a Facebook fanpage titled Portuguese Fashion Bloggers and another blog called Style It Up.

These Fashion Blogs talk about fashion and style, beauty and cosmetics. The “about” tells us that they are available for collaborations with fashion brands, cosmetics, etc.

The two friends who have created Style It Up write about the Looks of the Day, how to replicate the styles of famous people, and tell us their experiences as customers in beauty salons, barber shops and places like that in Lisbon. A hard life, yes.

I think if you really want to understand what Lisbon street fashion is about, however, you have to go there and observe what happens on the street just like the coolhunters. Observe yes, but never let fashion dominate your life. Whether in Lisbon or elsewhere, please keep in mind that the trends and fashions need us to exist, and not vice versa.

Lidia M.

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