Archive for the 'Azulejos' Category

Portas do Sol Alfama Lisbon: lovely lounge terrace, cool and stylish cocktail bar & Santa Luzia, famous Tagus river viewpoints (miradouros)

Terrace ‘Portas do Sol’ (Gates to the Sun) has opened his doors in October 2009, in Lisbon’s historical center, close to the famous viewpoint (miradouro) with the same name, at Largo das Portas do Sol.  A new terrace coffee , cocktail bar and restaurant, designed in a way to make full use of its exceptional location. The lounge [...]

Portuguese gastronomy: Restaurant ‘Chaminés do Palácio’, great Portuguese lunch & 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 [...]

Visit the ‘Palace of Independence’ Rossio Lisbon & the conspiracy against the Spanish occupation in 1640

The beautiful Palácio da Independência (Palace of Independence), 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 [...]

Museum of Decorative Arts Lisbon, a former 17th century Palace near Portas do Sol viewpoint: fascinating collection & lovely azulejos (Portuguese tiles)

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 [...]

Café ‘Leitaria A Camponeza’ near Rossio Square Lisbon, once a milkshop & wonderful Portuguese ‘Art Nouveau’

If you look for a nice and quiet café apart from all the noise and traffic after walking around in the Rossio area in Lisbon, this 100 years old cafe is really worth it to sit down and admire the place while enjoying your drink. Leitaria ‘A Camponeza’ is located at Rua dos Sapateiros, 155/157, [...]

Restaurant Casa do Alentejo Lisbon, former Moorish Palace, spectacular courtyard & a Portuguese tiles (azulejos) treasure

A few minutes walk from Rossio Square, a little bit hidden behind a small door in a popular tourist street in Lisbon Rua das Portas de Santo Antão, there’s Casa do Alentejo: suddenly you step in an amazing Moorish palace, with an impressive courtyard! Casa do Alentejo was created 85 years ago, as a purpose to be [...]

Lisbon shopping: ‘Santos Ofícios’, a shop exclusively dedicated to Portuguese Folk Art

In 1995, three friends gathered efforts and determination to build a project which was at that time a pioneering but also a risky one: the opening of a place exclusively dedicated to the promotion of the Portuguese Folk Art. They named it ‘Santos Ofícios’, located Rua da Madalena no. 87, in Lisbon’s Baixa Pombalina. This [...]

Impressing Cabo da Roca, ‘where the land ends and the sea begins’ (a quote from Camões, Portugal’s Prince of Poets)

If your Portugal vacation takes you to Lisbon, don’t miss Cabo da Roca (Roca’s Cape), in the municipality of Sintra, 40 km from Lisbon. The magical atmosphere of the westernmost point of mainland Europe (at 9° 29.8′ W), the nearest point between the European Continent and the USA, is really worth a visit! In summertime there’s lots [...]

Walking around Lisbon: Rua Barros Queiróz near Rossio Square, a real Portuguese atmosphere

Close to the famous Rossio Square, just off Largo de São Domingos, you will notice a lively street called Rua Barros Queiróz, where the locals as well as the tourists meet. Largo de São Domingos: ‘Lisbon, City of Tolerance’. What you’ll find here is a real Portuguese atmosphere: a variety of little shops, a typical [...]