You can mix with creative locals at the bustling fair Ladra Alternativa, a treasure trove of original articles of jewellery, arts, crafts and fashion accessories, clothing, bags and much more, under the theme of recycling.

Rosa Lourenço shows one of her original handmade bags…..”All created with love!” . You can buy or just admire unique pieces here, the atmosphere is very relaxed.

..or maybe you prefer this one? (120 euro).Visit Rosa’s website for more creations (todayifeel) or send her an email for more information and prices rosalouren@gmail.com

Where to buy in Lisbon? OMLET exclusive artists productions,  in the center of Lisbon, Rua Garrett 19 and gift and souvenir shop AMATUDO, Rua da Madalena, nº76-78.

More about this fair on this blog & Christmas decoration made from used Nespresso caps

Check the website when the next fair will be held at the Dr Magalhães Lima Cultural Centre, Rua do Salvador, 2A, Lisbon

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March 2009

This outdoor market is held every Sunday from 9am to 3pm (summer hours are 8am to 2pm) at Lisbon’s most famous square, near the Tagus river, with imposing arcades, close to the majestic Triumphal Arch (Arco do Triunfo), the gateway onto the interior of ‘downtown’ Lisbon.

June 2009 Carlos Lages - erotic fantasy art ‘Father of the Humanity’ , 8 euro

Manuela Nunes creates hand made jewellery (website Bijutaria Artesanal) and very beautiful recycled shopping bags (10 euro)

Fernando del Pretti - video on his blog with a wonderful vintage magnetic collection (from 2 euro) and 20th Century Portuguese magazines. Mail: ffcc15@hotmail.com

You can also see Fernando del Pretti’s work on Saturdays at the legendary flea market ‘Feira da Ladra’

June 2009

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Famous poster ‘the kiss’. As the couple leans together for a kiss, playful cupid offers them a glass of Ramos Pinto Port instead. ‘The kiss’ is one of the most recognized wine posters in the world. Founder of this Port House, Adriano Ramos Pinto, strongly believed in promotion both in Portugal and his primary market, Brazil. He backed his product with well-planned sales drive based on artistic advertisements.

The Napoleão wine shops, existing for more than 50 years in Lisbon, are specialised in the best Portuguese wines and Port wines. They can explain you all about the best Vintage years of the 20th Century.

You can taste the Port Wines for free and appreciate an exemplary service.

”Of course, all the vintage years are very good, but some years are exceptional compared with the others”.

Website Napoleão, Rua dos Fanqueiros, 70, Lisbon, world wide delivery. A new store of the Napoleão family (in the same street). Besides: they also sell Portuguese wines like Vinho Verde, Aguardentes (similar to Cognac, Schnapps or Grappa) and the legendary wild Cherries Liqueur Ginja or Ginjinha. Famous small Ginjinha bar in Lisbon, Rossio 

If you wish, you can order via their website.

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All creations have in mind the reutilization and recycling of materials. At this Fair in Alfama, the Ladra Alternativa, you’ll find very creative Portuguese designers showing their work like jewellery, arts, crafts and fashion accessories.

You might have been visited Lisbon’s legendary ‘Feira da Ladra” flea market. Although this flea market has slightly the same name, “alternativa” (alternative) points to a different way of approaching this kind of market.

A few years ago (2006) a group of young creators came together to present their work. The market started out as an experiment, but it has really become a great success.

This alternative flea market introduces local Portuguese creators in jewellery, painting, fashion, photography and others. It’s an informal interpretation of art and you will be impressed with the very creative designs!

I bought Christmas decoration made from used Nespresso caps, price: 3 euro.

Alexis’ website , mail: alexis7218@gmail.com

You’ll have the chance to talk to the person who created what you’re buying, change ideas, thoughts and experiences.

The initiators of this Fair are Antonio Azevedo (l), and Patricia Brizido,

Ladra Alternativa, email ladralternativa@gmail.com

(See website).Opening hours: Sat 9am-9pm; Sun 10am-7pm. Price: free, there’s no ATM machine, so bring cash.

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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 it’s own bakery.

Praça Duque de Saldaña. Monument of the great liberal Marshal who gives the square its name. Designed by Thomaz Costa and Ventura Terra, unveiled in 1909. The base of the monument contains a bronze figure of victory. At Saldaña Square there’s the highly frequented cinema Monumental where many young Portuguese meet in the bar of the cinema, ‘Movies’ .

Famous restaurant Galeto, a classic spot. Avenida Da República, 14. Open from 07.30 am – 03.30 (!). Delicious food and quite cheap (dinner and snacks). Galeto is well known in Lisbon for its friendly and courteous service.

Market mercado de Arroios , fresh fish, flowers and fruit. Arroios is a very atmospheric working class neighborhood with great markets and very good prices in restaurants and shops.

Estefania: a nice and very quiet area, with lots of typical Portuguese small business ‘mom and pop’ and food shops.

Rua Ilha da Terceira, Estefania. To eat out, try the pastelerias (cheap small restaurants, great Portugese food). Not one tourist in sight…..Chiado, Baixia and Alfama are easily reached by public transport, and even at night a taxi isn’t more than 5 euros.

The bill? Grilled salmon 5,50 euro, soup 0,90. A glass of wine 0,75.

Luxury shopping center Saldanha, quite near Avenida da Liberdade, (Liberty Avenue). This broad boulevard is the Portuguese equivalent of the Champs Elysees in Paris with lots of luxury boutiques selling international brands. 

Marquis of Pombals’ statue , a despotic marquis….more…..The Rotunda, or, officially, Praça do Marqués de Pombal

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Maria de Jesus Silva. The shop opened in 1930 under the name ‘Mercearia do Minho’and changed it’s name to Conserveira de Lisboa in 1942. In the beginning days the company sold all kinds of alimentation, concentrating on canned foods.

Luís Vieira. In 1942 the company applied for the registration of the first two brands of conserves: TRICANA and PRATO DO MAR. Tricana was registered in 1948 and Prata do Mar in 1956.

Macquerel (filetes de cavala), tunny (atum), squid (polvo) and cod (bacalhau).

During the second world war the industry of conserved fish products developed rapidly and it helped the company to evolve quickly, reaching it’s peak with the colonial war in ‘74. After this period, the conserves market shrinked steadily, frozen food became a more common way of conservation.

Confronted with this perspective of a further declining market, the Conserveira chose to remain operating on this niche market and offer only quality products. This way the shop also survived the agressive low prices by the supermarkets.

 Two nice ladies in the shop are wrapping the various preserves: Manuela Pereira….

…..and Maria Manuela Henriques Nunes

I bought 4 cans: 2 fillets macquerel (€ 4,54) and 2 tummy fillets (€ 3,63). Happily no plastic bags! If you like you can write a nice note in the guestbook.

In June 2004 Armando Jose Cabral Ferreira and Regina Maria da Silva Monteiro Baptista Cabral Ferreira became the owners of the shop.

Conserveira de Lisboa,  Rua dos Bacalhoeiros, 34 (’street of the cod fish sellers’……). More…

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The interior of ‘Santos Ofícios‘ was submitted to a very careful work of reconstruction, which made possible to show arches of an old brick that draw a cross and also to preserve an entire wall of tiles made at that time in the ‘Rato’ factory.

Inside this historical place handworks made of different materials are displayed: stone, clay, metal, corn, wood,  cork, wool, cotton, paper, jute, straw…. Traveling all over the country, from the North to the South the owners of the shop, mrs. Louisa Cruz and mr. Homero Cardoso, visited hidden villages and they have been able to meet dozens and dozens of folk artists.

Not only the famous artists like Irmãs Flores and the descendants of Rosa Ramalho, Mistério and Ana Baraca, but also those who have never left their villages and were completely unknown. Website shop ‘Santos Ofícios‘ with more art items including a list of  Portuguese folk artists.

Unfortunately some folk artists are already deceased and couldn’t leave followers, but thanks to a continous work of research the owners of Santos Ofícios have been able to meet and divulge other ones. In this branch of the Portuguese culture – the Folk Art – that is displayed with dignity in ‘Santos Ofícios’, the only place in Lisbon that insists on keeping, in this area, a standard of rigour intimately tied to the concept of ‘tradition’.

‘Santos Ofícios‘, open 10 am to 8 pm daily, except on Sunday. Rua da Madalena no. 87, Lisbon, opposite Madalena church

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On every Sunday morning from 09:00 – 13:00 the second floor of the old market Mercado da Ribeira (Market near the river, since 1882), near train station Cais do Sodré, is reserved for coin and stamp collectors.

A good Dutch friend of mine is a coin collector, he asked me to browse the markets in Lisbon.  I'm not really interested in coins, but this market is worth a visit!

It seems that mostly men are interested in coin collection.........and they are trading furiously! On the background you see covered market stalls: on the other days of the week the market Mercado da Ribeira, Lisbons biggest open food market , is selling everything: from inky octopus and fresh seafood to fabulous fruit, from real Portuguese products like ‘hot’ piri-piri to funeral flowers waiting for a dead body….

It’s really nice to walk around here, even if you are not looking for coins or old stamps. They sell more, like calendars, very old postcards and paper money. The 2nd floor of the market has also been converted into a touristy cultural center, selling locally produced items such as port, honey, and handicrafts.

Also at Lisbon's famous flea market Feira da Ladra, you can find all kind of coins....

....and on every Sunday there's a small flea market at Praça do Comércio. This is João, don’t be afraid to negotiate the price!

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Praça da Figueira, view from Rossio (Praca Dom Pedro IV)

The square is also an important traffic hub, with bus and metro stops. In 1971 a bronze equestrian statue representing King John (1357-1433), by sculptor Leopoldo de Almeida, was inaugurated in the square. In 1999/2000, during the last renovation of the square, the statue was relocated from the middle to a corner of the square, in order to make it visible from the Praça do Comércio.

Ola (hello), you’re welcome! The very friendly waiter Marcelo Brito. Pastelaria ‘Tentacao (’Temptation’)', Praca da Figueira, for lunch (or breakfast, delicious pastries!) I enjoyed roasted salmon, vegetables and boiled potatoes (salmão grillado) € 7.

It’s nice to enjoy the sun and to view the hustle and bustle of the square.

Not too many tourists here….

Another nice place to sit outside for lunch: ‘Pastelaria Videirinha‘ (’little vineyard’), owner Filipe Barbosa is preparing the tables outside.

Pratos do dia (menu of the day) from  € 3.80 – 5.00

Very tasty bean soup (sopa de feijado verde), a cheap replacement for a full meal (€ 0,95). Don’t be too surprised to see a Portuguese ordering a soup to finish the meal. Soups made from a variety of vegetables are commonly available, one of the most popular being caldo verde made from moderately thin potato purée, thinly chopped collard greens and slices of chouriço.

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Philippe Do Rosario and his wife Marie-Aude give personalized advices. You can try a free taste of different Port Wines and of a white, rosé or red wine every day including information about the Portuguese vineyard (20-45 min). Also for groups (with reservation).

Update: this wine store closed definitively on Oct. 24, 2009. Philippe Do Rosario and Marie-Aude decided to move to France. The website will stay online in order to ship wines all over Europe.

Philippe Do Rosario in his shop ADIVINHO with wines of every Portuguese region. The wines are kept in the best conditions (air-conditioned and ideal luminosity).

During the presentations, several subjects will be evocated like the Portuguese viticulture history, the weather, the soils, the grape varieties, the different denominations and also the viticultural sector’s importance for the Portuguese economy. Languages spoken: Portuguese, English, French, Spanish, Deutsch and Italian.

Tasting of wines, Port wines, Moscatel, Ginja… with Portuguese cheeses and ham.

Marie-Aude, whose parents are wine producers in a wine region in France, studied agronomy and oenology, developping very early a real passion for the wines. Philippe studied economy, worked in a bank and discovered the wines with Marie-Aude.

ADIVINHO is open from Monday to Saturday from 10.30 am to 7.30 pm.
info@adivinho.com.  (00351) 218 860 419.

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