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Lovely Portuguese shop at Lisbon’s fleamarket: ‘Campo Santa Clara ceramics’

There’s a store where you step into Lisbon’s famous fleamarket, ‘Campo Santa Clara ceramics’. Traditional Portuguese, very warm service 🙂

‘Campo Santa Clara ceramics’, at fleamarket Lisbon

‘Campo Santa Clara ceramics’ opened his doors in November 2014, selling traditional Portuguese ceramics from Caldas da Rainha, the ‘capital’ of portuguese pottery, popularized by artist and designer Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro. (also known for his illustrations, caricatures and sculptures).

‘Campo Santa Clara ceramics’ Lisbon, November 2019

People from all over the world visiting Lisbon, usually like strolling through the fleamarket (Feira da Ladra, lit. thieves market), where you can find this lovely little shop.

I heard Chinese, Russian- or French people say: ‘How wonderful, but how do we get all this into our suitcase?’

‘Campo Santa Clara ceramics’, 2019

The shelves are full of crockery, tableware and decorative objects, in an explosion of colors and iconic products such as pumpkins, cabbages, swallows, roosters, frogs, lizards, sardines and hanging codfish.

 ‘Campo Santa Clara ceramics’ & one of the 2 very friendly owners

Designer Bordalo Pinheiro had a great sense of humor..  😉  Many of his designs, for example the collection of cabbage leaf dinnerware, are very funny…. !

‘Campo Santa Clara ceramics’ Lisbon

Swallow nest (andorinha): symbol of loyalty and love 

In 1891 designer Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro decided to produce a set of ceramic pieces that looked like swallows. They integrated into Portuguese homes and became a symbol for a Portuguese house which lives on still today. Why it had such a massive success? It represents family, loyalty and love! 🙂

‘Campo Santa Clara ceramics’ fleamarket Lisbon

The Portuguese adore codfish (bacalhau) and it’s said that are 365 different ways to cook it…one recipe for each day of the year!

 ‘Campo Santa Clara ceramics’ Lisbon 2023

There’s a very long history with Portugal & codfish: shortly after Columbus (about 500 years ago) discovered America, the Portuguese were fishing for cod near NewFoundland. More…….

‘Campo Santa Clara ceramics’ Lisbon 2023

The legend of the ‘good luck’ rooster (Galo de Barcelos): a national symbol of Portugal

If you visit Lisbon you see brightly coloured roosters in all souvenir shops in all kind of variations and sizes. According to the legend, it brings you good luck, but you must receive it as a gift…more: WikiPedia

‘Campo Santa Clara ceramics’ Lisbon

YouTube – The legend of the Galo de Barcelos has been passed from generation to generation and while the stories differ, the ending is always the same.

‘‘Campo Santa Clara ceramics’’ Lisbon & sardines (sardinhas)

Grilled sardines (sardinhas) & party time in June: Feast days of the popular saints

Sardines play an important role in Portuguese culture. In the month of June traditionally millions of big and tasty sardines (sardinhas) are grilled outdoors. The streets of the historical areas in Lisbon are filled with a delicious smell (but also the smoke!) 😉

On the eve of Saint Anthony’s day, June 12, Lisbon turns into one big party!

My favorite 🙂  crockery in beautiful soft colours

‘Campo Santa Clara ceramics’ Lisbon
Campo de Santa Clara, no. 112

Tuesdays and Saturdays (fleamarket days): open from 09:00 – 19:00

www.facebook.com/armazemdascaldas

Fleamarket Lisbon, Alfama district. View from ‘Armazém das Caldas’ more…..

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Lisbon & autumn: smell of roasted chestnuts & St. Martin’s Day traditions

The unmistakable smell of roasted chestnuts (castanhas assadas) is announcing autumn’ s arrival in Portugal. ‘Quentes e boas’! ‘(Get’ em hot!). This cry goes out on the Lisbon streets.

Lisbon city centre in autumn

Much to the chagrin of many, the traditional paper cone made out of the Yellow Papers has been replaced by soulless paper packages, which takes something away from the ritual of chestnuts.

Baixa area, the commercial heart of Lisbon

St. Martin’s Day is celebrated on November 11

It’s called Magusto. This day is the peak of three days, often with very good weather, known as Verão de São Martinho (Saint Martin’s summer).

St. Martin’s Day dinner at home with friends, November 2018

The Portuguese celebrate St. Martin’s Day with jeropiga (a traditional delicious sweet liqueur wine) and roasted chestnuts (castanhas assadas).

Tram Lisbon Feliz Natal and roasted chestnuts

Rossio, Lisbon in December & Christmas trams

Traditions

On St. Martin’s Day traditions dictate that family and friends gather around a glowing hearth or bonfire.

How to roast chestnuts in the oven

Roasted chestnuts

Chestnuts are roasted, traditional alcoholic drinks are served, like água-pé (a watered kind of wine), jeropiga, vinho novo (young wine), or the slow smooth burn of aguardente (‘firewater’, alcoholic drinks between 29 and 60 percent).

Chestnuts and Jeropiga

Tradition: chestnuts and jeropiga

Because this pagan festival is a celebration of life, there is food and drink and plenty of fun: in some regions people smother themselves with ashes, black themselves up and sing around the fire.

Largo do Chiado chestnuts

Largo do Chiado, Lisbon

More….

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Restaurant Clube Naval Lisbon: fresh fish, sailing school & great riverfront lunch

Located on a privileged spot right near the river Tagus, a view at the 25 April Bridge and right next to the Bélem Marina, Restaurant do Clube Naval in Lisbon is a great experience!

Restaurant do Clube Naval Belém Lisbon & children sailing lessons

The bright sunlight of Lisbon floods the terrace on the ground floor. On the first floor there’s Clube Naval’s cosy restaurant overlooking the river through the enormous glass windows.

Restaurant do Clube Naval Belém Lisbon, January 2017

The inside first floor restaurant is a great place during the colder wintermonths.

Especially on Sundays Portuguese families like to enjoy a lunch together. Go early.  Great atmosphere 🙂

Restaurant do Clube Naval Belém Lisbon, January 2017

​Excellent f​resh fish & daily suggestion (prato do dia)

Very friendly waiters! The menu is varied: always fresh fish and traditional Portuguese dishes, like f.i. roasted fish fillet with razor clams, prawns and sirloin steak.

Restaurant do Clube Naval Belém Lisbon & Rinus Broere, 2024

Because the climate in Lisbon is mild all year round, it is often possible to enjoy your meal on the terrace near the river.

YouTube: Loesje, Rinus & Nelson January 2024

Bill for 3 persons: 2 x dourada (sea bream), bife atum  (tuna steak) & delicious bottle of Portuguese white (house) wine € 11 ): € 107

Restaurant do Clube Naval Belém Lisbon , September 2018 & Josephine Lucassen, tourist guide

Daily suggestion (prato do dia).

Octopus salad (salada de polvo), mussels (mexilhões). Ask for the ‘daily suggestion’ (prato do dia).

Lisbon, Belém & Monument to the Discoveries

Restaurant Clube de Naval’s terrace & Monument to the Discoveries

The restaurant is located right next to the Bélem Marina and the Monument to the Discoveries ( Padrão dos Descobrimentos). A visit to this historic city region of Belém is a must for every Lisbon visitor!

Restaurant do Clube Naval Belém Lisbon & river Tagus esplanade

O Clube Naval de Lisboa (Sailing school)

The restaurant is located in a part of a building of a sailing school, founded in 1892, a private non-profit association. The school currently has a paddling tank, various types of boats for learning rowing and sailing. 160 years celebration: YouTube

Building Associação Naval (Sailing Association) & beautiful mural

Restaurant do Club de Naval
Brasília Avenue, Belém Dock, Lisbon Naval Club Building
Open: Wednesday – Monday 12h – 22h (closed Tuesday).
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Website & menu ( in Portuguese and in English)
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Terrace Restaurant Club de Naval Belem Lisbon, June 2023
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From Lisbon by train from Cais do Sodré railway station : stop Belém (Linha de Cascais). Facebook

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Beach Costa Caparica Lisbon, gay Beach 19, famous beach train & how to get there

If you want to escape the hassle and the heat of Lisbon on a hot summer day, try the beaches of Costa da Caparica, just across the Tejo river. Locals swarm to the village of Caparica, but just away from the village, tens of kilometres of white, unspoilt beaches are at your disposal!

Lisbon Costa da Caparica

Costa da Caparica beach in summertime.

Transpraia train

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Transpraia was taken out of service in 2020.

UPDATE August 20, 2024: Famous Transpraia da Caparica was bought by a French investor and may resume connection soon 🙂 🙂

The Costa da Caparica beach train stopped running in 2020 but the business was bought by a French investor. Next year the connection between Costa da Caparica and Fonte da Telha may return, with official authorizations still lacking (SIC NOTICIAS)

Portugal Costa da Caparica train

Little train Costa Caparica YouTube movie

The best beaches are Morena and Sereia, surrounded by dunes and with good bars. At almost every stop there’s a beachclub and the further south you go, the more you have the place to yourself.

Costa da Caparcia trans praia train

The ‘Trans-Praia’ train.

World famous gay Beach 19

Stop (paragem) 19, also known as Beach 19 or Praia de Bela Vista,  is where the nudist beach starts, also world famous for being Portugal’s most popular gay beach.

Gay clubs and parties in Lisbon

Lisbon Costa da Caparica Beach 19 1

Beach 19

As everywhere in the world: where the nudist beach ends, the gay cruising begins and this is the largest in Portugal.

In the vast bushes behind the railway track, guys from all over Europe and beyond, meet for some fun and relaxation.

Lisbon Costa da Caparica Beach 19 2 men near the sea

Beach 19 Costa da Caparica Lisbon

HOW TO GET THERE

From Lisbon to Costa da Caparica: by car, go South to Caparica and south again all the way to the last access to the beaches. When the road goes uphill, you have just passed the access you want to go! Go past Praia do Rei until the parking at the end of the dust road. Upon Bela Vista, walk south, to the left of the restaurant. It’s some 2 miles of white sand beach and dunes!

By bus: from Praça de Espanha take bus 153 to Costa de Caparica busstation. Walk five minutes south along the boulevard and you’ll see the little train, that leaves every half hour (until end of September). The 161 bus from Praca de Areeiro will also take you to Caparica.

Ferry Lisbon Tagus River Martijn Kramers

Ferry to Lisbon Cacilhas

An alternative route includes a mini-cruise (15 min.) on the ferry from Cais do Sodré across the river to Cacilhas. Get on bus 138 (directo) to Costa da Caparica (bus 124 via Almada will provide you with a long detour past 1960 highrise architecture, that’s better avoided).

By train: cross the Tagus river to Pragal railway station and take bus 196 to Caparica. The train may be a good alternative on weekends, it’ll help you avoid the traffic jams on the 25th of April Bridge.

Praia da Fonte da Telha

Beach Fonte da Telha

Beach 19 is just a short walk from the centre of vilage Fonte da Telha. (‘Fountain of the roof’). This little fishermen’s village is the real Portugal, with some trendy beach cafés added to it. Fonta da Telha can also be reached by bus from Cacilhas harbour.

MECO Beach

Even further south, about 10 kilometres from Fonte da Telha: Meco Beach, a real mecca for nudists & surfers

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Cafe restaurant ‘O Corvo’ Mouraria Lisbon: great food & a ‘sweater-wearing’ tree

Cafe/restaurant ‘O Corvo’ (The Crow) in area Mouraria Lisbon is one of my favorites. This part of the city is still quite authentic, although tourism has increased the last few years.

Largo dos Trigueiros, historic area Mouraria Lisbon & a ‘sweater’ wearing beautiful tree 🙂

A bit hidden in Lisbon’s city center there’s a wonderful small square surrounded with colourful old houses, and a small old fountain in the middle. Just lovely!

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Square Cafe/restaurant ‘O Corvo‘ (The Crow)

Wonderful very old fountain.  Largo dos Trigueiros, Lisbon

May 2023: Cafe/restaurant ‘O Corvo‘ (The Crow) Largo dos Trigueiros, Lisbon

Small terrace pleasantly shaded by a tree

Square Largo dos Trigueiros, once forgotten and lined with cars, is nowadays one of the coolest places of Lisbon. In march 2016 cafe/restaurant ‘O Corvo’ opened his doors. 

Cafe/restaurant ‘O Corvo‘ (The Crow), December 2018

Knitted graffiti

In summertime the terrace is shaded by the spreaded branches of a beautiful tree with a colourful ‘sweater’ wrapped around the trunk : knitted graffiti 🙂

September 2017:  Cafe/restaurant ‘O Corvo‘, area Mouraria Lisbon

Menu

The menu offers affordable meals: a variety of dishes, also vegetarian. Opened in March 2016, cafe-restaurant ‘O Corvo’ is a friendly, easy-going place serving homemade foccacia among others, and homemade cakes.

August 2018: Dorade (larded with peppers)  € 12, 50. Delicious!

Mix and match of antique furniture

Inside the restaurant there ‘s a mix and match of antique furniture, vintage pieces, wooden movie chairs, stone-clad tables and sofas from the last century. Everything recovered and in good condition.

Home made chocolate cake  € 3:60

When entering restaurant O Corvo it seems that it ‘s only one space and an open kitchen (very nice people!) but there’s another, greater room. The place is suitable for a group (50 seats).

September 2018:  Cafe/restaurant ‘O Corvo‘ Lisbon & Margriet de Vrieze

Historic area Mouraria

The cobblestoned former Moorish quarter, roughly between the Castle of Saint George (São Jorge) and Rossio square, is a friendly and super-central neighborhood where Fado was born and which today presents a mix of long-time residents and a multicultural community, complemented by artists, students and other young people.

Cafe/restaurant ‘O Corvo‘, area Mouraria Lisbon & nearby street with photos on the walls

Area Mouraria in Lisbon is a muddle of narrow streets, stairs and small squares, which gives the visitor a glimpse of a forgotten age. Houses painted in several pastel colours or covered with antique tiles (Portuguese: azulejos).

Area Mouraria Lisbon & photo printed on wood

Photographer Camilla Watson : fabulous photos printed on wood

Um tributo à Mouraria (‘A tribute to Mouraria): a permanent exhibition of fabulous photos printed on wood on the walls of the streets in a tribute to fadistas or people with a strong connection to the neighborhood. Amazing!

British photographer Camilla Watson has been living in this area for 6 years.

Cafe/restaurant ‘O Corvo‘, area Mouraria Lisbon & one of the spaces

Location & how to get there:

10 min. walk from startingpoint tram 28, square Martim Moniz: walk via Rua da Madalena, then go up the stairs (Beco dos Surradores) until Largo dos Trigueiros , and turn right. 

YouTube: Square Largo dos Trigueiros & stairs to reach the restaurant

Cafe/restaurant ‘O Corvo‘, area Mouraria Lisbon
Facebook  Phone: +351 21 886 0545
Super friendly staff, they all speak fluently English 🙂
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Lisbon & LEME ATELIER/art gallery: Artist Paula Paes Leme’s colourful creations

Last week we visited an art gallery in Lisbon: LEME ATELIER, in the elegant historic Lapa neighborhood. It was worth it!

Atelier Paula Paes Leme & Bicycles series, acrylic on canvas

‘Paula’s Bicycles‘ is a series of paintings that combines collage and acrylic on canvas. Each painting features the black shadow of a bicycle superimposed on a different background or landscape.

Atelier Paula Paes Leme Lisbon

Amsterdam, the city of bikes

The striking and original backgrounds represent well-known landmarks such as the Egyptian pyramids, the Belém Tower in Lisbon, and the canals of Amsterdam, the city of bikes. Each bike has a story to be discovered.

Atelier Paula Paes Leme Lisbon & husband Romulo Cavendish

Paula Paes Leme is a Brazilian artist known for her vibrant, lively
and colorful paintings.

Paula’s work is diverse and includes both figurative and abstract paintings inspired by her Brazilian heritage and travels.

Atelier Paula Paes Leme Lisbon & lovely dog Odette

Paula’ s artistic journey has taken her to the forefront of the fashion and art worlds, and her work has been and is exhibited internationally.

Atelier Paula Paes Leme, Lisbon

Popular place for art lovers in Lisbon

LEME Atelier is a popular destination for art lovers in Lisbon,
and regularly hosts exhibitions and events featuring Leme’s work.
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Instagram designer Paloma Gonzalex-Espejo
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After visiting LEME ATELIER, lunch with members of NV Lissabon
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Restaurant Bondi Bowls, healthy Bowls & Poke
Named after Bondi, the famous beach in Australia. The spicy curry with jasmin rice is lovely!
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Next to Paula’s atelier in this beautiful historic building, owned by Alexandre Jeannot. Co-working space.  Instagram 
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Dogs are welcome!

LEME ATELIER: OPEN Monday to Saturday from 10h00 – 18h00, other times possible on appointment.  Instagram    WEBSITE

Rua Garcia da Orta, 71 – Lojas 4 & 5​, Lisbon

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Contact

Bom dia! My name is Julie, I’m living in Amsterdam and I love this wonderful city, but I also fell in love with Lisbon!

Lisbon & the castle of St John. Square: Martim Moniz 2010

We (together with my son) started a blog in 2008, ‘ a Lisbon guide from the inside’,  with lots of ideas to discover Lisbon.

In 2002, I bought an apartment in Lisbon in the historical area Mouraria.

Room & 3- bedroom apartment area Mouraria Lisbon

 It is not possible to rent this house

3-bedroom apartment Mouraria in Lisbon & lovely patio

Patio (25 m2) & kitchen in summertime

YouTube: 900 years old area Mouraria Lisbon

Apartment Mouraria patio

flowering jasmin (March 2019)

Much more about 900 years old area Mouraria in Lisbon

Rua do Terreirinho, historic area Mouraria, in the heart of Lisbon’s city center, 2019

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Lisbon at Christmas time, students, beggers, traditions & Xmas lingerie

Already in October Lisbon is busy decorating the streets and trees. Thousands of colourful Christmas lights decorate the city.  Christmas light restrictions across Portugal

November 2022: Praça Luis de Camões

Nowadays conventional lights were replaced by LED bulbs to reduce energy consumption.

Christmas lights in Lisbon in December

Planning to see Christmas lights in Lisbon?

Christmas lights in Lisbon will be switched on November 30th and will remain on until January 6 with a reduction in the daily operating hours.

More info: The Portugal News

Lisbon Chirstmas lights church in Mouraria near Praca Martim Moniz

Lisbon, historical area Mouraria, in December

Church near Praça Martim Moniz

A Lisbon shop in December & Xmas lingerie

Children’s choirs sing Christmas carols (Janeiras) in the streets of Lisbon.

The Janeiras are a great tradition.

Lisbon November 23rd children choir Christmas Carols Rossio

Rossio Square, Lisbon in November, children’s choir

Groups, mostly young people, walk through the streets from house to house. With their songs, they wish all residents a good and healthy New Year.

Lisbon, Christmas tree 2017

At the night of December 31, thousands of people gather near the waterfront of the Tagus River at Praça do Comércio, to welcome the new year.

More: Time Out

Christmas time in Lisbon students try to sing and ask or money

Tradition:

students (try to 😉   ) sing a Christmas Carol in the streets and ask for money..

Lisbon Christmas 2008 begging people

A woman, also dressed in black, is asking for money too…..

…..and there’s a lot of poor people begging on the streets of Lisbon, not only at Christmas time….

Lisbon Christmas lights Praca dom Pedro IV Rossio

Praca Dom Pedro IV (Rossio), Christmas decoration and beautiful ‘wave’ pavement

On Christmas Eve , December 24, mosts restaurants are closed from lunchtime.

Families gather around the Christmas tree. Many attend the Midnight Mass (Missa do Galo). After mass they gather around the table and have supper.

Firework Lisbon

Praça do Comércio, Lisbon December 31, 2017

December 31, in the best of Portuguese traditions, a shower of light and colour will flood Lisbon’s most famous square, Praça do Comércio, with a fireworks display to the sound of the twelve gongs.

Fireworks YouTube 2018

Praça do Comércio, Lisbon. December 2019.

Picture: Josephine Lucassen, professional tourist guide 

New Years Eve: From 22:00 there’s a big stage  at this square,there’re live concerts with famous Portuguese names and plenty of entertainment. According to the Portuguese tradition, twelve wishes are made to the sound of the twelve bell tolls, toasting with champaign to the new year.

Also in Parque das Nações there is a fireworks show near the river.

Traditional Portuguese New Years cake ( Bolo Rei). Picture: Britta Frahm

Feliz Natal! Traditional is the Bolo Rei (Kings’ cake). This fruitcake is a typically New Years cake, but is becoming popular during Christmas Holidays. In the cake there are two surprises: one is a little present, the other one is not welcomed: a raw broad bean. Whoever gets this bean has to buy (or prepare) the Bolo Rei in the coming year.

Feliz Natal: Merry Christmas!

Portuguese ‘Farturas‘ can be filled with flavoured jelly ( strawberry, chocolate). Very popular and delicious  🙂

Farturas (picture: Wikipedia).

HAPPY NEW YEAR! FELIZ ANO NOVO!

Recipe

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Restaurant Casa do Alentejo Lisbon & amazing former 17th C. Moorish Palace

A few minutes walk from Rossio Square in Lisbon,  behind a small door in a popular tourist street there’s Casa do Alentejo: suddenly you step in an amazing Moorish palace, with an impressive courtyard! (in 2023 celebrating 100 years)

Casa do Alentejo Lisbon, a former Moorish palace, 2019

‘Casa do Alentejo’ was created 100 years ago, to be a meeting place for people from Portugal’s historical province Alentejo (além Tejo means beyond the Tagus) and to cultivate its unique culture. At that time many people from this region left home in search for a better life in Lisbon.

Casa do Alentejo Lisbon, a former Moorish palace

The palace dates from the last quarter of the 17th C., but its current appearance is a result of considerable alterations carried out in 1918.

Nowadays here’s the headquarters of the association of the Alentejo people.

Casa do Alentejo Lisbon, friend Loesje Broere & ballroom

Ballroom & activities

Many activities take place here: on Saturdays the ‘Alentejo afternoons’ (tardes Alentejanas), with choral groups. On Sunday, dancing begins at 3:30 pm in the beautifull ballroom. Mostly elderley people come here to socialize.

Casa do Alentejo Lisbon & singers, November 2023

Singers waiting for their turn to perform in the ballroom. Cante Alentejano is traditional singing performed by amateur choral groups, without instrumentation. YouTube

There’s also a library and a handicraft shop of typical products of Alentejo (downstairs).

Casa do Alentejo Lisbon, a former Moorish palace & one of the restaurants

Beautiful tiles (ajulejos) & Portuguese history

The dining rooms are picturesque, with open fireplaces and decorated with beautiful tiles (azulejos). The azulejo is a form of Portuguese painted, tin-glazed, ceramic tilework.

Casa do Alentejo Lisbon, a former Moorish palace & one of the restaurants

Tiles: a typical aspect of Portuguese culture.

Azulejo (tile) comes from the Arabic word az-zulayj, meaning polished stone. Wherever you go in Portugal, azulejos are to be found inside and outside cafes, churches, palaces, ordinary houses and even ceilings, train- or subway stations.

Restaurant Casa do Alentejo &  friend Margriet de Vrieze, Nov. ’23

Dinner (traditional dishes from regio Alentejo): Carne de Porco à Alentejana is one of the most traditional and popular pork dishes of Portuguese cuisine. A  combination of pork and clams, with potatoes and coriander. (Wiki ) Average price 3-course meal: € 30 – 35.

Delicious! Sericaia com ameixas de Elvas

One of the most famous delicacies in the Alentejo region!
A conventual sweet, always accompanied by Elvas plum jam (Ameixas Rainha Cláudia), an obligatory presence in Alentejo gastronomy. Recipe

Casa do Alentejo Lisbon: outside place & tavern

Opening hours Casa do Alentejo Lisbon

Restaurant: 12pm – 3pm & 7pm – 23pm, Tuesday – Sunday. Outside taberna  12pm – 23pm.  Area de Alentejo: Tuesday – Saturday 12pm – 23pm.     Facebook

YouTube: Postkarte für Pauline

Reservations: +351 213 405 140

Former Moorish palace Casa do Alentejo Lisbon

Casa do Alentejo 100 years & Fountain of Friendship

Casa do Alentejo inaugurated April 25th 2023 the sculpture commemorating its 100 years. A Fountain of Friendship, designed by the Moorish sculptor Jorge Pé-Curto. The work will be displayed in the Páteo Arabe.

Restaurant Casa do Alentejo, Rua das Portas de Santo Antão 58, Lisbon

Street restaurant Casa do Alentejo, December 2019.

A wonderful exception in this street: no tourist trap!

More about this street….

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Unique bar ‘Pensão Amor’ (brothel) Lisbon: former red light district & pole dance

Bar Pensão Amor nowadays has several new features:  Lisboa Secreta

Rua Nova do Carvalho in Lisbon, located near the river Tagus, was for decades known as a street in the city’s red light district with bars named after European capitals (like Copenhagen,  Oslo or Roterdão (Rotterdam) and Jamaica to attract the sailors who stepped off their boats here.

Bar ‘Pensão Amor’ Lisbon: wonderful drawings on the walls of the stairs

Former red light district In Lisbon

‘Pensão Amor’ is located in a typical Portuguese 18th-century building. Once a cheap pension with rooms rented by the hour to prostitutes and their clients to enjoy a short moment of love 😉

Along the 5 floors of the building you can admire remake copies of old posters from burlesque shows and peep shows.

Drawing artist Mario Belem

Bar ‘Pensão Amor’ Lisbon: burlesque decor & ceilings with frescoes

Wonderful décor

The ceilings of this former ‘guesthouse’ are painted with frescoes, the walls are covered with mirrors, paintings and old posters, and decorative pieces give the space an old burlesque, relaxed atmosphere. Amazing! The wonderful décor is recalling the history of the building.

Bar ‘Pensão Amor’ Lisbon: the pole dance room

Pole dance & YouTube: Marina mey

Now ‘Pensão Amor’ is one of the most popular bars in Lisbon with various spaces for events like concerts, ateliers, a book store (love/erotica), a trendy hair saloon, bars and a bar with Peruvian specialties. The pole dance room is decorated with leopard and gold. Pole dance workshops are held here to learn the tricks of seduction…

Rua Nova do Carvalho, hip and trendy street in Lisbon

Area Cais do Sodré  

Nowadays this area is a hip and trendy region in Lisbon. YouTube

Rua Nova do Carvalho is a street lined with hip bars and clubs that become crowded after 2AM when the bars in the legendary area Bairro Alto start to close.

Rua Nova do Carvalho, hip and trendy pink street in Lisbon

More remarkable bars in this street:

bar/cafe Sol e Pesca, and Bar da Velha Senhora (Old Ladies Bar).

‘Pensão Amor’ Lisbon – Erika Reusens admires the bar in burlesque style

The bar has two entrances:  Rua do Alecrim 19  including an outside café terrace) and on Rua Nova do Carvalho.

YouTube ‘Pensão Amor’ & culture Lisbon

Open:  every day.  More information : Facebook

Bar ‘Pensão Amor’ Lisbon – stairs to the bar

YouTube

Bar ‘Pensão Amor’ Lisbon : drawing stairs to the bar

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