The lounge area of Portas do Sol, September 2010

Amazing views overlooking the Alfama rooftops and the river Tagus! After visiting the nearby  São Jorge Castle (the Castle of St. Jorge),  this is a place where you can sit down, chill out and enjoy the beauty of Lisbon.

Entrance Porta do Sol cafe, bar/cafe and restaurant, 1000 m2 terrace

This cafe/bar and restaurant is located just near the famous Portas do Sol Miradouro (viewpoint). above a public car park. It has direct access on the tram 28 which is the more touristic of the Lisbon trams.

Enjoy a drink and the spectacular views.

It’s a lovely spot to sit down and relax with sofas and soft lounge-music, a place during the day where you can hang out and have coffee and snacks. They serve wines, cocktails, champagne and menu’s. Live music with a DJ on Fridays and Saturdays. Beautiful bar with crystal chandlers and chairs in art deco and romantic style (250m2).

Open daily from 10am to 12pm. Fridays, Saturdays and nights before a public holiday until 2am.

Website Portas do Sol. Cultural agenda? email to: mailto:ola@portasdosol.biz . Address: Largo das Portas do Sol, Beco de Santa Helena, Tel: 218 851 299

Portas do Sol ‘s  terrace/lounge area

Seen from the nearby famous viewpoint with the same name, a very popular place for locals and a famous tourist attraction. One of the most beautiful places in Lisbon!

Viewpoint (Miradouro) Portas do Sol Alfama Lisbon, by night

The Belvedere Portas do Sol is a balcony space that all people of Lisbon are proud to have at their disposal. Magnificent view of Lisbon and the typical Alfama district that spans several narrow, winding streets to the river Tagus.

View from the nearby small terrace

Located in between several highlights of Lisbon (like the viewpoint of Santa Luzia) , the Portas do Sol miradouro is the terrace that every person living in Lisabon would like to have at home…..

Statue of São (Saint) Vincent, Portas do Sol

There is also a statue of Saint Vincent holding a boat with two ravens, the symbols of Lisbon. Saint Vincent of Saragossa, better known locally as Saint Vincent of Fora, is the patron saint of Lisbon.

Largo das Porta do Sol, and the former city palace, Museum of Decorative Arts

In this wonderful 17th C. former city palace of the Count of Azurara, currently houses the Museum of Decorative Arts. Anyone interested in decorative arts in general and the Portuguese Empire in particular will find this collection fascinating. Beautiful azulejos (tiles)!

The popular tram 28 (video) stops near the Museum and the viewpoints

If you wanna get a good impression of the historical city of Lisbon, a very good idea is taking this typical little trolley, ‘eléctrico 28′. This legendary tram 28 is a tourist attraction in itself. It goes all around town. Of course you can hop on and hop off.

The nearby viewpoint Miradouro of Santa Luzia

Various small gardens along the edge of the walkway are filled with beautiful local flowers during the spring and summer months.

Viewpoint Miradouro de Santa Luzia by night

This is a very popular look-out point from the Alfama area of Lisbon, next to the Santa Luzia Church.

Viewpoint (miradouro) Santa Luzia

On the wall of the church are two beautiful tile panels (azulejos): one of Lisbon’s majestic Square Praça do Comércio before the earthquake in 1775, and another one showing the Christians attacking (the nearby) Castelo de São Jorge (Saint George’s Castle) in 1147.

Miradouro Santa Luzia

Azulejos (tiles) have become a typical aspect of Portuguese culture. This place is a wonderful tile treasure!

Restaurant ‘Miradouro Sta Luzia’ near the viewpoint, a very popular tourist place.

Authentic 3-bedroom apartment for rent in the historical part of Lisbon

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March 2010. Fábulas is showing the latest wonderful works by a Polish artist, Joanna Latka (r), currently living in Portugal, actively integrated in the Lisbon art scene with a Masters in Fine Art.

The stone arches give this space a unique characteristic. Antique furniture where some tables are old sewing machines.

Our choice: Cuzcus Prince (€ 7), soup (€ 2,60), glass of wine (€ 2,40). The atmosphere is very relaxed, it’s also a great place for lunch or just lounging.

The menu honors the fables (Fábulas means fables in Portuguese), like Cinderela, a delicious warm pumpkin salad, spinach and chevre foam…or Figaro, (chickpea, pumpkin, eggplant, cherry tomato and goat cheese….)

The exhibitions are organized by Galeria das Salgadeiras 

Joanna Latka, fine art printmaking – illustration – drawing

Continually producing for exhibitions, presently incorporating unique variations of contemporary ink techniques in illustration and etching – inspired from personal life-experience and autobiographical interpretations.

Fábulas, Calçada Nova de São Francisco, 14, (00351) 213 476 323, open from 10:00 – 24:00, Saturday from 10:00 – 01:00, Sunday from 11:00 – 19:00. Highly recommended!

In summertime it has a pleasant terrace on the sidewalk.

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The location, right next to the river Tagus, is an ideal place to take just a coffee or a beer after a walk in the center of Lisbon, a typical Portuguese lunch or a romantic night and dinner for 2….

The very old wooden building of the restaurant has a long history.  It was built in 1904, used by the Fiscal Guards (Guarda Fiscal) as an observation post to watch the ‘contrabando’ (smugglers) who arrived by boat from overseas.

Inside the restaurant you can see a picture of the original building.

Three times a fire destroyed parts of the building. In the 30′s it was rebuilt and during the second World War, it was used for operations in support of Jewish people, trying to catch a boat to America. (Portugal was a neutral country).

José Carlos Viejas, the owner of Restaurant ‘Guarda Rio‘ since 1994, and the very friendly waiter Carlos Antunes.

My lunch; a delicious grilled dorado (also known as dolphin-fish) 9 euro, a glass of white wine (um copo de vinho branco) 2,00, small bottle of water (agua) 1:00.

José Carlos Viejas: “in 1994 I bought this place. Due to the fire that destroyed the building it was rebuilt from scratch, going to host a nice coffee house/restaurant with two floors and large windows to show how beautiful the Tagus is”.

September 2008

There are 2 terraces just above river level, one is covered.

Restaurant Marisqueira Guarda Rio
Rua da Cintura Armazem 22, Cais do Sodré, Lisbon
Antigo Pavilhão da Guarda Fiscal
Thursday, Friday and Saturday open from 11:00h/02:00h
Monday – Wednesday from 11:00/ 24:00h
Sunday from 19:00

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In 1836, by order of Queen D. Maria II, Almeida Garrett (famous author and poet) was charged with creating a conservatoire for the dramatic arts. The site chosen for this colossal task was the finest in the city at Praça Dom Pedro IV, commemorates Portugal’s first liberal king. The square is usually simply referred to as Rossio (big square).

The theatre opened to the public on April 13 1846, the date of the anniversary of the queen it is named after, but the acoustics were poor and the theatre closed the very next day for improvements. It reopened several years later to notable success. In late November 1964, the theatre staged Shakespeare’ Macbeth. A strange superstition, or more appropiately a curse, hangs over theatres that perform this play: one week after the first show the whole building burned down except for its outer walls. It was reopened in 1978. Since then, countless plays, by the finest playwrights of the past and of today, have been performed and staged.

Today, Teatro D. Maria II is not merely a concert hall. Besides its majestic Garrett room, it also has a smaller room, while the great hall has been turned into a theatre/ studio, covering a whole world of activities that very often burst out from behind its venerable walls.

On the other side of the theatre you’ll find the unique Rossio train- and metro station (Estação do Rossio)

You can discover the theater (or take the time to enjoy a good show). From Monday to Friday 10:00 am to 13:00/ 15:00 to 17:00 there are guided tours, in several languages, to the backstage of the theater. A journey that reveals the secrets and stories of Teatro Nacional D. Maria II. Price 6 euro.

Christmas 2008. Café Garrett, beside the theatre’s foyer, one of the most perfectly located cafés in Lisbon, facing the lively Rossio Square

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They serve delicious Spanish dishes like gaspacho and tortilhas, Italian (lasagna, spaguetti, also vegetarian) and Portuguese dishes inspired by the French cuisine.

The charismatic owner David García González was born in Spain, lived in France and about 3 years ago he moved to Lisbon.

Besides: trendy 2 bedroom apartment for rent in this area . After going out on an evening, you won’t need to think about organising transport home. 

Our choice: salada salmão e chevre (salad with salmon and chevre, 11 euro) and tourte au canard (10.50). Glass of wine (2.00) , Caipirinha (6.00).

The cafe in the afternoon. You can relax in the deep leather armchairs, or bring your laptop (wi-fi internet connection). Try their Portuguese cakes: tarte de maçã com gelado de baunilha or bolo de dois chocolates.

Les Mauvais Garçons (the bad boys). Rua da Rosa 39, open from 12:00 to 24:00. Les Suites Du Bairro Alto

Rua da Rosa in the afternoon. Lisbon’s nightlife in Bairro Alto

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The Bicaense bar is split into two rooms, the first is a smoking permitted lounge area.

Cheers! Laura’ s (second right) midnight birthday surprise: champaign.

Caipirinhas and champaign: we had a great time that night!

In the second room the resident DJs pumping out hip house to really get people in the mood for dancing. 

DJ Paulo

This bar is a great spot to hit before visiting Lisbon’s clubs like the legendary ’Blues Cafe’ (open till 04:00 am), Rua Cintura do Puerto do Lisboa 3-4, Docas de Alcantâra, or world famous club Lux , Website

In case the bar is too crowded: you can always take your drinks outside!

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Mercearia Castello Cafe

A bit tucked away on a tiny street, Rua das Flores de Santa Cruz behind the Castle, Mercearia Castello Cafe opens in summertime a small outdoor seating  just around the corner. Quiche and salads, coffee and toast, this cafe is a great place to stop for a snack or a light meal after visiting the Castle.

Rua Bartolomeu do Gusmão, just near the Castle. The neighborhood is very charming, it’s really nice to walk through the cobbled small streets. Costa do Castelo features some of the most spectacular viewpoints of Lisbon.

A 10 minutes walk away from this street is a great cafe/bar overlooking the river Tagus, 25 April bridge and the city, ‘O Terraço‘, spectacular views!

Rua do Espírito Santo….

Normal life is going on, quietly, nobody takes attention to the tourists. This hilly part of Lisbon, located in the highest hill of the historic centre,  is one of the main historical and tourist sites.

Travessa do Funil A rainy day, February 2009. Guests of Boutique Hotel ‘Solar do Castelo’   are picked up.

 more…..  an idea to walk up the hill to the Castle of St George

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Definitely one of the coolest bars of the city! You can get there from Rua da Costa do Castelo, the neighborhood of The Castle of St. Jorge (Castelo de São Jorge).

Sergio Curto: ‘O Terraço’ opened about two years ago, the building belongs to the government. We also serve some snacks, toast and ’2 plates of the day’. Opening times: daily from 12:00 – 24:00, Saturday and Sunday 10:00 – 01:00.’  Caipirinha: € 4, Mojito € 5 , a secret recipe

Update September ’09: ‘O Terraco’ , one of Lisbon’s beloved terrace cafés, has just closed and in a few months a new restaurant will take its place. More….

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Bica funicular & partytime in June

Partying in the small street around the famous Bica funicular, near Bairro Alto , one of the best spots in Europe for a night out. In June, the month of the Festas dos Santos Populares (Feast Days of the Popular Saints), the Lisbon nights are filled with lively festivities that take over the city’s historical center. On the eve of Saint Anthony day, June 13th, Lisbon turns into one big party! A mix of religion and sex… More….

The most photographed street in Lisbon and Bica funicular Rua Loreto. 

Lisbon has three working street funiculars: Lavra, Gloria and Bica, which allow its citizens and visitors to move to and from its hilly districts more easily. All are operated by Carris, (including timetables and funicular’s history) the Lisbon city transport undertaking.

Five minutes walk from here is a beautiful viewpoint over the River Tagus: ‘Adamastor’, a popular gathering place in Lisbon, which is officially called the  ‘Miradouro de Santa Catarina’ .

Just below the small Adamastor square, you will find the fantastic terraces of cafe/ bar Cafe Noobai , certainly one of the favourite places of many Lisbon locals and visitors of the city!

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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 the 18th C.

Passing through the arched gateway on Rossio you see one of Lisbon’s remaining examples of Art Nouveau: this old movie house, the Animatógrafo , is a strip club nowadays. Lisbon’s earliest cinema hall opened in 1907, by brothers Ernesto and Joaquim Correia Cardoso. It has remained unaltered since then. The beautiful facade is adorned with a highly detailed Art Nouveau style, which consists of Azulejos tiled panels, which depict Edwardian styled females surrounded by fruits and flowers.

It was not easy to make a picture without snapping visitors going in and out, because this beautiful house is rather popular…..

Restaurant ‘Adega da Mo‘, a typical Portuguese restaurant . Almoçar (lunch): Picanha, (meat from Brazil) is generally considered to be the number one cut, even better than beef fillet. Picanha (pick-ahn-yeh) is much better than a steak, meltin-in-your mouth…. € 7.50, a glass of red wine (€ o.50)

Restaurant ‘O Arco‘, Rua dos Sapateiros 161. Every day a new buffet menu for only € 6. Traditional Portguese food including soup, chicken, meat, fish, vegetables and salad.

Joao Paulo Antunes in front of Restaurant ‘O Arco’.

Another beautiful example of Portuguese Art Nouveau in this street is Leitaria ‘A Camponeza’

Rua dos Sapateiros, February 2009.

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