Category: Activities

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Sightseeing Lisbon: Pasteis de Nata in Belém in a toy-like GoCar & hilly streets

A new, different and unique way to explore Lisbon: these tourist cars look like toys and if you’re driving one they make you laugh, sometimes out loud! People who see you driving start smiling or say ”Whow!”

GoCar Lisbon Rob and Julie

My friend Rob Plews (r) and I (I’m Julie Kruijs), December 2008. V

ery surprising is this car can talk, but not with a monotone voice. The unique GPS-system with a lovely lady (blond?) voice is really smart: she gives directions, cracks jokes and tells stories in English, Portuguese and French. Soon it will be available in Spanish and German. But you can turn it off if you like and listen to music. Car top-speed is 50km/h

GoCar office Lisbon Leonel Santos Soares and Joao Paiva Mendes

GoCar office Lisbon

Leonel Santos Soares and João Paiva Mendes in their office, Rua dos Douradores 16.

” When we started with GoCar Tours in September, 2 tourists told us after their tour that the police stopped their car. “Oh my God, did we do something wrong?” they wondered. “Are they going to fine us?” But no, the policemen simply wanted to know where they could rent one for themselves. Another GoCar customer, middle-aged, trundled back after his experience and said – “You have just knocked twenty years off my age!”

GoCar Lisbon Rob Plews near Park Principe Real

Rob Plews enjoys the little car 🙂

You can stop wherever you want for photos, grab a coffee or break for lunch. Or you can blaze your own trail and explore the city streets, neighborhoods and parks on your own.

GoCar Lisbon December 2008 hilly streets

Hilly streets of Lisbon

We decided to try out some hilly streets in Lisbon with this small car (it made it!), then we drove to Belém, where we enjoyed a few of Lisbon’s most celebrated custard tarts: Pasteis de Belém. No parking problems! We locked our cute little helmets up in the boot.

Lisbon Belem Pasteis

Pastel de Nata (portuguese egg tart pastry), delicious and famous!

Pasteis de Belém, Antiga Confeitaria, Rua de Belém 84-92. The recipe of Lisbon’s most celebrated custard tarts is still a well-kept secret….

As part of the GPS Tours Network, several exciting tours in Lisbon are available: one for the Central Baixa, for Belém, the Sao Jorge Castle or to the Expo. Rental rates: see Website GoCar Tours

GoCar Office Rua dos Douradores 16 Lisbon

GoCars, Rua dos Douradores 16. Open from 9AM to 6PM. Tel: (00351) 21 0967926 or (00351) 914275341. Email: reservation-pt@gocartours.com

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Walking around Lisbon: from viewpoint Santa Catarina to the waterfront of the Tagus river

Don’t miss the wonderful views from Miradouro de Santa Catarina or ‘Adamastor‘, a popular gathering place in Lisbon. From this vista point you have the most breathtaking views of the Tagus (Tejo) river, the 25th of April Bridge and the Cristo Rei monument.

Santa Catarina Adamastor September 2009

‘Adamastor‘ or Miradouro de Santa Catarina ( More information on this website) is one of the favourite places of many Lisbon locals and visitors, and also the nearby cafe/restaurant Noobai.

Lisbon Rua de Santa Catarina

Close to Miradouro de Santa Catarina you can go for a walk to the waterfront of the Tejo river. Rua de Santa Catarina in the afternoon, a typical Lisbon street.

Lisbon Rua de Santa Catarina smart parking

A very smart way to park your car in the narrow streets of Lisbon!

Lisbon Rua Fernandes Tomas

View on the Tagus River from Rua Fernandes Tomas

Lisbon Rua Boa Vista

At the end of Rua Fernandes Tomas towards the river you cross Rua Boa Vista (street named after an island of Cape Verde, former colony of Portugal), a lively street with lots of shops, typical Portuguese restaurants and bars.

Mercado da Ribeira Avenida 24 de Julho

Avenida 24 de Julho, just in front of the river Tejo. The beautiful building of the Mercado do Ribeira (market near the river, since 1882) is topped with a Moorish-style dome. This market is worth a visit! ‘from hot ‘piri-piri to funeral flowers’

Cais do Sodre Womean

On the waterfront, near Cais do Sodré. Women are selling fresh fruit.

Lisbon Cais do Sodre ferry

The river Tejo, Cais do Sodré , Lisbon’s major bus, metro, trainstation and ferry terminal to Cacilhas, Seixal, Montijo and ferries to Trafaria and Porto Brandão (near the white and unspoilt beaches of Caparica).

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Sightseeing Lisbon: eco friendly RedTour segways, 2 and 4 seat buggies or electric bicycles

Eco transport is new and available to tourists who visit Lisbon. The vehicles are equipped with a talking GPS guide, which provides directions and acts as your tour guide.

Buggies and segways Praca do Commercio

Praça do Comércio Lisbon, RedTour instructors meeting point. RedTour offers tours in Lisboa’s historical neighborhoods on electric vehicles: segways, 2 and 4 seat buggies and electric bicycles.

LisbonTourists with segway steps near Casa dos Bicos

Tourists are making pictures of tourists on Segway steps near Casa dos Bicos, 9 R. Afonso de Albuquerque Lisbon.

Lisbon police on segway steps

Be prepared to become a tourist attraction by yourself, like Portuguese policemen, Lisbon 2008.

Lisbon Buggies Praca do Comercio 2

Praça do Comércio Lisbon. RedTour operates everyday, from 09:00 to 19:00 (April-October) 09:00 to 17:00 (November-March), except Holidays. Meeting point Praça do Comércio /Terreiro do Paço or Largo dos Stephens (near Rua das Flores nº12). For reservations and further information call 00351 21 346 6259 or mail: info@redtourgps.com. Prices start from 6€ per hour, depending on the chosen vehicle. http://www.redtourgps.com/

Lisbon Red Tour car Mouraria

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Lisbon Walker: guided walks through historical Lisbon

Lisbon has steadily built up an image of one of the world’s most interesting cities to visit. Its stunning location and historic significance is generously complemented by remarkable aesthetics, making it stand out as one of the few capital cities still human in pace and in scale.

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To discover Lisbon in the company of friendly and knowledgeable tour guides is the whole point of Lisbon Walker, overtaking the limitations of guidebooks to unveil the real personality of this unique location. All walking tours are in English.

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If you want to join one of the tour guides for a walk through Lisbon, just choose one of the historical tours on the Lisbon Walker Website and all you need to do is show up at the meeting point near Praça do Comércio, according to the timetable of the walks. Regular walking tour ticket (2008) – €15.00 per person/tour. Under 26, over 65, holders of Lisboa Card or valid tickets from TAP, CP or Sightseeing tours: €10.00 per person/tour. Children under 12 free tour. Each walk takes between 2 and 3 hours.

Lisbon Walker Fish Market

Fish Market

Lisbon Walker Bairro Alto

Bairro Alto

Lisbon walker Carmo Square

Square (Praça) do Carmo

Lisbon Walker Alfama

Alfama

 

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Market Mercado de Arroios Lisbon: fresh fish, flowers, fruit & friendly people

If you like browsing through local markets, go to Mercado de Arroios in Lisbon!

Lisbon Shopping: Mercado do Arroios fresh food & fish market

Mercado de Arroios in Lisbon

The always very nice Portuguese people are proud to show you the fresh fish…

Lisbon Shopping: Mercado de Arroios fish

Mercado de Arroios in Lisbon

…..and take their time to make a friendly neighbourly talk.

Lisbon Shopping: Mercado de Arroios vegetables

Mercado de Arroios in Lisbon

This lively fresh produce & fishmarket is open from Monday-Saturday 07-00 till 14:00.

Lisbon shopping: Mercado de Arroios building

Mercado de Arroios, Rua Ângela Pinto, near the Arroios metro station, close to Estefania.
Selling locally sourced fish, meat, fresh fruit, vegetables and flowers.

Mercado da Ribeiro, famous market near the Tagus river

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Historic Alfama Lisbon: the Pantheon, marvelous river views & the remains of Amalia Rodrigues

You can find the Pantheon (Panteão Nacional) on Campo de Santa Clara, near Lisbons’ most famous flea market ‘Feira da Ladra’ (Thieves market)

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The Pantheon is opened daily, from 09:00 – 13:00 and 15:00-19:00, a ticket cost 2 euro. Address:  Campo de Santa Clara Lisbon.

It is possible to walk around the inside of the dome, you can climb the 169 stairs (I did it, pfffffff!) or use the elevator. From the exterior of the dome the view on the Alfama area and on to the Tagus river is marvelous!

Pantheon view 25 april bridge

View on the historic Alfama area and the Tagus river

History: the Church of Santa Engrácia (Igreja de Santa Engrácia) is a 17th century monument. In the 20th century the church has been converted into the National Pantheon (Panteão Nacional) in which important Portuguese personalities are buried, like Amalia Rodrigues, the famous fado singer.

Alfama Pantheon Amalia Rodrigues

Amalia Rodrigues

Its construction took 284 years and gave origin to the Portugese expression “Santa Engrácia works“, a Portuguese synonym for long unfinished works…..

Building work proceeded from 1682 through 1712. Eventually a dome was added, whereupon the church was reinaugurated in 1966. The magnificent 18th-century baroque organ was brought from the Lisbon Cathedral.

Alfama Pantheon organ

The magnificent 18th-century baroque organ

In 1966, during the government of the dictator Antonio de Oliveira Salazar, the Church of Santa Engrácia was turned into a National Pantheon. There are cenotaphs to f.i. Luís de Camões (famous Portugese poet), Pedro Alvares Cabral (Portuguese explorer), Vasco da Gama (commander of the first ships to sail directly from Europe to India) and Prince Henri The Navigator, an important figure in the early days of the Portugese Empire.

Alfama Pantheao Vasco da Gama

Vasco da Gama, his remains are elsewhere….

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Rob Plews’ (teacher and writer) favorite places in Lisbon: Botanical garden & Tapada das Necessidades

Rob-plews-lisbon-writer-teacherI set foot in Lisbon back in 2001 after 9/11, and how refreshing not to understand a word as I went from café to café drinking galão, with TVs blaring in the background. I overheard an eager tourist trying to sum up this city as he scrunched his eyes under the vivid Atlantic light and scanned his vocabulary for words that fit. Faded elegance, he said.

I worked as an English teacher, moved to the Bairro Alto, opened a café, wrote two books, closed the café, and now I’m writing a third and learning to surf. For me, Lisbon is a living city. She’s female, she’s choosey, she’s testing, but if she likes you she’ll open up and share her secrets. Best thing to do is leave the guide book at home and take to the streets with an open mind. It still amazes me how people here so easily strike up conversations, and they’ll happily tell you their life story in a nutshell before giving you directions.
Lisbon is a small city, but so rich in nooks and crannies that, after almost seven years, I’m still upturning new stones. Here are two of my favourites:

Lisbon botanical Garden 3 Bairro Alto

Botanical gardens

Rua da Escola Politecnica 58 in Principe Real. Trees from all over the world, a family of squawking parrots, tiny terrapins, leafy shade, abandoned observatory and boundless inspiration.

Tapada das Necessidades.

Guarded secret even the Lisboetas don’t know about. Beautiful grounds and palace peeling pink paint, with an incredible cactus garden and a setting for a picnic you usually only see in films. Take the 28 tram to Prazeres.

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Pink painted Palace  &Tapada das Necessidades