Archive for the 'Architecture' Category

MUDE museum in Lisbon: an ode to art, design & fashion, full of extraordinary pieces

MUDE Museum is really worth a visit! Opened in May 2009 in Baixa, it has already received more than 75,000 visitors. The fashion collection contains work by famous designers like Balenciaga, Pierre Balmain and Paco Rabanne. The Collection results of the Francisco Capelo’s work and dedication, started in the 1990s, with more than 1,200 design [...]

Portuguese gastronomy: ‘Chaminés do Palácio’ & the Independence Palace Lisbon

There are a lot of high quality restaurants crowding the downtown streets of Lisbon, but if you like to enjoy a great Portuguese lunch located in the heart of Lisbon in a pleasant and historic environment, I can recommend ‘Chaminés do Palácio’ (’the chimneys of the Palace’).

The restaurant’s entrance and the beautiful patio of the Palácio da [...]

The Palace of Independence & the conspiracy against the Spanish occupation in 1640

The Palácio da Independência (Palace of Independece), located in Lisbon close to the Rossio Square (just near national theatre D. Maria II ), on the north side of the Largo de São Domingos , is known by two names.

It was given its original name of Palácio de Almada in honor of its former owner, the Count of [...]

The strange history of National Theatre Doña Maria II, Lisbon

Teatro Nacional Doña Maria II has a strange history, like a lot of historical buildings in Lisbon. It was built on the ruins of one of the city’s finest buildings, the Palácio dos Estaus, which had burned down and which had housed the court of the Holy Inquisition. The liberal revolution and the end of the [...]

Saldaña, Estefania & Arroios: wonderful areas to discover in Lisbon

If you like to walk around outside of tourist areas go to Saldaña , the fashionable Avenidas Novas (a part of Lisbon built in the 1950s), with department stores, cinemas, museums, supermarkets and libraries.

Avenida da República near Saldaña square. A must-do is to have breakfast or lunch in the wonderful old tea- and lunchroom Pastelaria Versailles (opened in 1922) which has [...]

Rua dos Bacalhoeiros: terraces, Casa dos Bicos, fish, tourist shops & lots of restaurants

Quite close to the historic Alfama neighborhood, a very nice street to walk around at Lisbon’ city center is Rua dos Bacalhoeiros (street of the cod fish sellers). The buildings that face the Tejo River look lovely, but if you take a closer look, they mostly are in a worse condition.

Walking from Praça do Comércio in the direction to Alfama, you will get to Rua dos [...]

Lisbon Museum of Decorative Arts, a former 17th century Palace & beautiful azulejos

In this wonderful former Palace in Lisbon (Museu-Escola de Artes Decorativas), Museum and school, it’s forbidden to make pictures. After taking a few ones a guard warned me. Suddenly, walking from room to room, 4 guards kept an eye on me. Portugal’s most important furniture collection can be viewed here: valuable wooden Portuguese, French and English furniture dating from the 15th to [...]

Charming Rua dos Sapateiros in Lisbon: traditional cafes, cheap restaurants, Art Nouveau & peep shows

In the 19th century, Baixa was Lisbon’s commercial heart, with streets named according to their trades. Rua dos Sapateiros means ‘the shoemakers’ street.

The entrance to the Rua dos Sapateiros is spanned by the decorative arch Arco do Bandeiro. This bears the name of the wealthy sponsor Pires Bandeiro who commissioned it at the end of [...]

Tea and lunchroom Pastelaria Versailles: elegant atmosphere, outstanding service & quality

If you like visit one museum make it the Gulbenkian. It’s the collection of the Armenian oil billionaire who made Lisbon his home. It covers everything from Egyptian to 20th Century art
After visiting the Gulbenkian Museum a must-do is to go to the nearby and wonderful old tea and lunchroom Versailles (1922) at [...]

From beautiful Rossio train- and metro Station (Estação do Rossio) in Lisbon to Sintra

Rossio train- and metro station (Estação do Rossio) is located between Rossio and Restauradores. This train station is incredibly unique, formerly known as Central Station (Estação Central) and that designation still appears in its façade. The station has beautiful neo-manueline architecture designed by architect José Luís Monteiro, completed in 1887.

The Neo-Manueline façade dominates the northwest [...]