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

Quality Restaurant Café Martinho da Arcada Lisbon & poet Pessoa’s table

Opening in 1782, Restaurant Café Martinho da Arcada, located in the corner of the Praça do Comércio 37 near the Tagus river, is one of the oldest restaurants /cafés in Lisbon.

Lisbon Restaurante da Arcada Praca do Comercio 37

The restaurant’s terrace under the beautiful arcades, Praça do Comércio

YouTube about this square Praca do Comercio. Situated downtown, this cafe was once the ideal setting for the so called tertúlia’s‘ (café talks). Well known names from Portuguese life, such as Bocage, Amalia Rodrigues and Portugal’s most famous 20th C. poet Fernando Pessoa, were some of its usual customers.

Lisbon Restaurante Martinho da Arcada Antonio Barbosa de Sousa

Owner of café/restaurant ‘Martinho da Arcada’, senhor Antônio Barbosa de Sousa.

Portugal’s famous poet and writer Pessoa

Pessoa (1888-1935), worked and lived in the Baixa area in Lisbon, he wrote pieces of his work in this restaurant after closing time.

Lisbon Restaurante Martinho da Arcada table Pessoa

Restaurant Martinho da Arcade Lisbon: Pessoa’s table is still there…

Fernando Pessoa’s favorite dish: juliana soup, cod and fried eggs with cheese. Until the autumn of 1989 the cafe was retained in the style in which Pessoa enjoyed it. Meeting him for coffee….

Lisbon Restaurante Martinho da Arcada interior1

The inside dining room

These days mainly employees of the surrounding ministries and business people meet here for lunch. The staff is very friendly. Prices: not cheap, but the quality is excellent.

Lisbon Restaurante Martinho da Arcada staff

Café/restaurant ‘Martinho da Arcada Lisbon

Beautiful antique tiles (azulejos)

Café/restaurant ‘Martinho da Arcada’Lisbon 2016, senhor Antônio Barbosa de Sousa & my good friend Margarethe de Vrieze

In the afternoon this wonderful traditonal Portuguese place is worth a visit for tea and applepie ( 7.50 euro).

Clam stew 17.00 euro, veal medallions 18.50 euro, small bottle of Rimor  white wine euro 9.00.

The menu lists regional Portuguese cuisine; try a amijoa cataplana (clam stew)!

More about Fernando Pessoa on this website

restaurant Martinho da Arcada friendly waiter

Café/restaurant ‘Martinho da Arcada Lisbon & very friendly waiters 🙂

Restaurant Café Martinho da Arcada, located in the corner of the Praça do Comércio 37 near the Tagus river .     Website 

Open: Monday to Saturday 7am – 11pm (not open on Sundays)

Lisbon Praça do Comércio Feb 2011

Lisbon Praça do Comércio , February 2011

Are you a wine lover? You can taste a selection of fine Portuguese wines for free at Sala Ogival, also located at Praça do Comércio, Lisbon

 

Lisbon Praça do Comércio: Sunday flea, coins, (eco) handicraft market & erotic art

Do you enjoy flea market shopping? Every Sunday morning there’s a small market at Lisbon’s famous square Praça do Comércio (‘Commerce Square’) , where you can find antiques, books, collectioner’s items, vinyl music albums, stamps, coins and (eco) handicraft. In summertime this market also take place on Saturdays.

Flea market Praca do Comercio Sundays2

Sunday market at Praça do Comércio  Lisbon

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.

Sunday flea vintage market Lisbon 3 erotic handicraft

Sunday market at Praça do Comércio  Lisbon

Carlos Lages – erotic fantasy art ‘Father of the Humanity’ : 8 euro

Sunday flea vintage handicraft market Lisbon2 eco bags

Sunday market at Praça do Comércio  Lisbon

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

Lisbon Sunday flea handicraft vintage market Lisbon5

Sunday market at Praça do Comércio  Lisbon

Fernando del Pretti – video on his blog with a wonderful vintage magnetic collection (from 2 euro) and 20th Century Portuguese magazines.

Sunday flea vintage handicraft market Lisbon6 Praca do Comercio Lisbon

Sunday market at Praça do Comércio  Lisbon

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

Sunday flea handicraft vintage market Lisbon1

Sunday market at Praça do Comércio  Lisbon

This outdoor market is held every Sunday from 9am to 3pm (summer hours are 8am to 2pm)

Flea market Praca do Comercio Lisbon Sundays5

Lisbon seen from the Tagus River : 3 hours river cruise & traditional ‘Cacilheiro’ boat

When you visit Lisbon for a few days a boat trip on the Tagus River is a good dea! This short cruise (from April 1st – October 31) departs every day from Terreiro do Paço, just near Praça do Comércio (‘Commerce Square).

Cruise trip Tagus 3 hrs river Lisbon Cacilheiro Praca do Comercio

Tagus river mini cruise: ticket is € 20 for adults and € 10 for children.

These Tagus river boat trips are onboard of a renovated, traditional ‘Cacilheiro‘, the boats that, in former times, ferried the local population across the river. This type of ferry is called “cacilheiro” because it connects Lisbon to Cacilhas (Almada) on the south side of the river.

Cruise trip Tagus river Lisbon Cacilheiro Praca do Comercio June 2009

Praça do Comércio (renovation) & ferry terminal

The trips are organised by Transtejo, starting at Praça do Comércio ferry terminal, at the foot of the hill dominated by the Castle of São Jorge (Castle of Saint George) and the historical neighborhood Alfama.

Cruise trip Tagus river Lisbon traditional boat Cacilheiro Alfama Pantheon2

River Tagus 3 hours boat trip: the Pantheon & Alfama

Alfama and The National Pantheon (Panteão Nacional) in which important Portuguese personalities are buried, like Amalia Rodrigues, the very famous fado singer. Alfama is one of the oldest areas in Lisbon, famous viewpoint: Portas do Sol (miradouro)

Lisbon 3 hrs Cruise trip Tagus river traditional boat Cacilheiro Expo

River Tagus 3 hours boat trip: São Rafael ‘twin towers’

Parque das Nações (Park of the Nations) is a modern, commercial and residential area. The architectural style of most buildings is unique in Lisbon. The Vasco da Gama is a multi-story shopping centre, around 200 stores selling a full range of products. Many attractions built for the Expo ’98 remained and keep drawing visitors, such as the Oceanarium, one of the world’s biggest aquariums, a must-see for children.

Lisbon 3 hrs Cruise trip Tagus river Lisbon traditional boat Cacilheiro April Bridge 4

Ponte 25 de Abril (25th of April Bridge) and Cristo Rei (Christ the King) Statue

The enormous Cristo Rei monument is built in 1959 in thanks to God for having spared Portugal during World War II, inspired by the famous statue in Rio de Janeiro. ‘God opens his arms to the city’. How to get there

Lisbon 3 hrs Cruise trip Tagus river traditional ship Cacilheiro captain2

Chef máquinista (engineer) João Celestina Silva and Antonio Duarte (captain)

The boats have a capacity of 279 people. Two of the four saloons are open air and all have a bar (one free drink) and tourist information available in various languages, provided by the stewards on board.

Lisbon Cruise trip Tagus River traditional Cacilheiro Belém Tower

River Tagus 3 hours boat trip:Torre de Belém

The Belém Tower was built in the early sixteenth century in the Portuguese late-Gothic style, the Manueline. This defensive, yet elegant construction has become one of the symbols of the city, a memorial to Portuguese power as it was during the Age of Discovery. In 1983, it was classified, together with the nearby Mosteiro dos Jerónimos (Jerónimos Monastery), as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Lisbon River Tagus Cruise Monument to the Discoveries

River Tagus 3 hours boat trip:  Belém, Monument to the Discoveries

Padrão dos Descobrimentos, the famous monument that celebrates the Portuguese who took part in the Age of Discovery of the 15th and 16th centuries, located on the estuary of the Tagus river where ships departed to their often unknown destinations. More………(wikipedia)

SCHEDULES

Departure from Terreiro do Paço  : 11h00 / 12h30 / 15h00

More information about Tagus river tours & tickets

2 hours Tagus river sunset sailing trip

Historical red tramcar tour ‘7 hills’ Lisbon & Hop on Hop Off

Although public transport (tram 28) is much cheaper, this historical red tramcar tour allows you to know the most picturesque neighborhoods of Lisbon in a friendly and comfortable way, while listening to the commentary available in several languages or melancholic melody of fado music.

Lisbon red tourist tram 7 hills Praca do Comercio

Historical red tramcar tour &Praça do Comércio Lisbon

Tickets

Red tram tour, leaving from one of the most beautiful squares in the world: Praça do Comércio where you can buy a ticket. From around € 17-20 p.p. Child (4-9) around € 10

Online tickets

You will pass the narrow and steep streets of the city’s traditional quarters. You will see chatting people on doorsteps and feel the village atmosphere of Alfama and Mouraria and reveal a sharp contrast to the elegant, noble buildings of Chiado and Lapa. You will certainly fall in love with Lisbon and sooner or later you will come back……

Lisbon historical Red tram tour driver Paulo Dias starting point Praca do Comercio

Red tram driver Paulo Dias historical red tramcar tour Lisbon

HOP ON HOP OFF

“You can take advantage of the ‘Hop On Hop Off” system. This allows tourists to get off at each stop (20 min.), visit the surrounding area, and then get back on the tram or wait for the next one.

Tickets & prices

The ‘ 7 Colinas‘ (hills) route (about 1 1/2 hour, ) departs every 30 minutes, from 10:00-20:00 (from June-Sept), from 10:20-17:40 (Oct-May).

Lisbon historical red tram tour tourists

Historical red tramcar tour Lisbon

“The ‘Carristur’ company has faithfully restored the interior of the trams dating from the thirthies and fourties, preserving their charm and original character.

Lisbon church Mouraria

Historical red tramcar tour Lisbon

Little church in Mouraria. More about this old neighborhood, home of fado music…..

This ‘ 7 Colinas’ (hills) route goes through the oldest and most traditional districts, giving its passengers a real taste of the city. Mouraria, Alfama, Chiado, Sao Bento and Estrela are just some of the districts that can be seen in the tram.

Lisbon historical red tram tour Alfama near flea market Feira da Ladra

Historical red tramcar tour Lisbon

Alfama. This street is close to the legendary Feira da Ladra (‘thieves market’) and the castle of São Jorge (Castle of Saint George)

Lisbon historical Red tram tour Pessoa statue girl

Historical red tramcar tour Lisbon

Chiado, Rua Garrett. Famous cafe ‘A Brasileira’ with the statue in bronze of the poet Fernando Pessoa, mobbed by lots of tourists, all day long! And of course you will pass the Bica funicular

Lisbon historical Red tram tour Rua de Sao Paulo Rua Boa Vista stairs

Historical red tramcar tour Lisbon

Rua Sao Paulo/Rua da Boa Vista

Lisbon Red tram historical tour tourists see other tourists

As a tourist you will see a lot of other tourists waiting for tram 28

TRAM 28 (eletrico) is very popular . The number of tourist has been increased (2016), which means that tram 28 route is mostly fully packed.

Lisbon Red tram tour sightseeing little streets Pastelaria

Historical red tramcar tour Lisbon

Aura Restaurant Lisbon: glamour, great terrace & Portuguese cuisine

Lisbon is well known for its good food and beautiful terraces.  Praça do Comércio , facing the Tagus river and surrounded by the most stunning architecture, is a magical meeting place for both its population and visitors.

Famous Praça do Comércio  , one of the most majestic squares in Lisbon

Terreiro do Paço (or Praça do Comerçio, Palace Square) is a favorite tourist place and one of the largest historical squares in Europe. Now this monumental riverside square also offers a combination of cultural and culinary enjoyment, here you’ll find the Portuguese Tourist Office and besides it’s a wonderful location for events and exhibitions.

Lounge area restaurant Aura, square Praça do Comerçio Lisbon

Integrated in Pátio da Galé , restaurant & lounge cafe Aura with it’s open air terrace is a very attractive place surrounded by the ‘ Palace Square’ in Lisbon. It has a glamorous inside dining room, and a lounge area to enjoy a cocktail or a tasty gourmet snack (petiscos Portuguesas).

Restaurant Aura Lisbon outside dining area Praça do Comerçio

The Portuguese cuisine is prepared by Chef Matias Duarte and gourmet stylist Fabrice Marescaux. The menu is inspired by favorite dishes of the Portuguese people.

A lot of Portuguese restaurants in Lisbon are closed on Sundays, but restaurant Aura is open 7 days a week from 7:30 AM to 02:00 AM. Website restaurant Aura

Our small table outside: Restaurant Aura Lisbon, June 2011

Our choice: salmão croustade de camarão (salmon crusted shrimp), pato (duck), salad, a small bottle of good Portuguese white wine, bread, 2 bicas (strong coffee) and 2 bottles of water. The bill came to around € 60.

Restaurant Aura Lisbon: glamourous dining room

The inside dining room of restaurant Aura has an ‘aura of glamour’ . Most Portuguese people prefer to enjoy their lunch or dinner inside while the majority of tourists like to enjoy their dinner outside. In case it’s too cold outside, this place is really worth a visit: delicious food in an elegant surrounding.

Restaurant Aura Lisbon ‘ Apéritif à la française’, June 8, 2011

In June 2011, the ‘Apéritif à la française’ in Portugal (Lisbon and Porto), teamed up with Portuguese wines to toast just how well the two countries’ culinary traditions go together. Journalists, industry professionals and opinion leaders enjoyed samplings of French products paired with a range of Portuguese wines in a lounge-style atmosphere.

Entrance Restaurant Aura  – ‘Apéritif à la française’ June 2011

Apéritif à la française’  is a multi-country event, where lovers of French-style ‘art de vivre’ and those curious to learn more about it come together . Delicious French snacks were served.  Unfortunately, also ‘foie gras’….. 🙁  🙁

ViniPortugal, Maria João Menezes – Managing Director Lisbon: free Portuguese wine tasting & tourist information Praça do Comerçio, Lisbon

Are you a wine lover? Just three minutes walk from restaurant  Aura there’s ViniPortugal, where you can taste a few wines. A very pleasant and interesting way to learn more about history and culture of Portuguese wines! Some wines available for tasting can also be purchased and the very friendly and professional staff is always on hand to provide information of the wines currently available.

ViniPortugal Lisbon: taste a selection of fine Portuguese wines & wine regions map

A very interesting way to learn more about history and culture of Portuguese wines! Free admission. Tasting 2-4  different wines: € 2

ViniPortugal free wine tasting Lisbon Praça do Comércio Maria João Menezes

Maria João Menezes – ViniPortugal Managing Director Lisbon

ViniPortugal in Lisbon is located in the Ministry of Agriculture premises in Terreiro do Paço (Praça do Comerçio), one of the most majestic squares of Lisbon.

Lisbon Praça do Comércio Feb 2011

Praça do Comerçio, Lisbon February 2011. Picture: Martijn Kramers

In elegant surroundings, you can taste fine Portuguese wines offered by producers through their respective regional wine growing commissions.

ViniPortugal free wine tasting Lisbon Praça do Comércio3

ViniPortugal, wine tasting & tourist information Portuguese wine regionsSala Ogival, Lisbon

A selection of wines from three different regions changes every month and allows visitors/tourists to taste wines from all over Portugal. Some wines available for tasting can also be purchased and the very friendly and professional staff is always on hand to provide information of the wines currently available.

ViniPortugal free wine tasting Lisbon Praça do Comércio4 Pascale Dubé

ViniPortugal in Lisbon: wine tasting: a branco (white) wine and a rosado (rosé) wine

In comfortable chairs you can take the time to enjoy the wines. Every visitor receives a ‘tasting sheet’ (English/Portuguese) and more information about the three regions. To fill in she sheet you have to give your opinion about your ‘wine emotions’, like ‘aos olhos’ (eyes), ‘no nariz’  (nose) and ‘ na boca’ (mouth). The tasting notes are used for market research.

ViniPortugal free wine tasting Lisbon Praça do Comércio wines

ViniPortugal in Lisbon: selection of wines from three different Portuguese regions

The huge space is separated by large panels decorated with a variety of pictures showing parts of a human body like beautiful lips (In Love), a belly (Mysterious) and a woman’s brest (Relaxed), accompanied by stories about wine

ViniPortugal free wine tasting Lisbon Praça do Comércio1

Descontraída – Relaxed

“The Portuguese, according to the French, are always having a party. We are cheerful whenever events are happy. That’s normal, is it not? Whenever we feel happy, we drink a toast to the hapiness and joy of those we love. Good wine – be it red, white, rosé or generous – cheers the heart. Cheerful soul? Cheerful wine? Let us celebrate whenever there is a festive occasion”

ViniPortugal free wine tasting Lisbon Praça do Comércio6

 ViniPortugal in Lisbon: Isabel Rebelo

The Lisbon Sala Ogival  is the first permanent space devoted to promoting Portuguese wines, preceding its sister location in Oporto, which opened on February 7, 2007 in the Palácio da Bolsa in the historic area of the city.

ViniPortugal free wine tasting Lisbon Praça do Comércio7

ViniPortugal in Lisbon: Sala Ogival wine tasting

From Tuesday to Saturday, between 11.00 and 19.00, ViniPortugal‘ s Sala Ogival de Lisboa is open to the public, located at Praça do Comércio 

Tel. 00351 213 420 690. Mail: sala.ogival@viniportugal.pt

ViniPortugal free wine tasting Lisbon Praça do Comércio VP

ViniPortugal, wine tasting & tourist information Portuguese wine regionsSala Ogival, Lisbon

Map of Portuguese wine regions. Source: Sunvil

Lisbon Arraial Pride 2010, the biggest Gay & Lesbian event in Portugal (LGBT)

Lisbon Pride information

Arraial Pride has been, since its start in 1997, the biggest and most nationwide participated lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) event in Portugal. Arraial Brides, Queer games, a welcome center, Gay Village and Expo Arraial.

Gay Pride Lisbon June 2010 Praca do Comercio

Famous Palace Square Praça do Comércio  (Terreiro do Paço) Lisbon, June 26, 2010

A free-access fesitivity with diverse events, activities, music performances, (video), happenings, delicious food and bars.

Gay Pride Lisbon June Praca do Comercio 2

Feijão Preto – restaurant in Lisbon

Following in the footsteps of five other European countries — Belgium, The Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, and intensely Catholic Spain — Portugal recently legalized gay marriage (January 2010). Two Portuguese women, Teresa Pires and Helena Paixão, were the first couple to wed in Lisbon.

Gay Pride Lisbon June 2010 Praca do Comercio3

Labyrinto Lisbon, Gay cruising club

More than 20 party tents filled the enclosure and defined the space for public performances. About 25 bars, restaurants and terraces offered a wide range of catering services to its customers and visitors.

Gay Pride Lisbon June 2010 Praca do Comercio4

Website Lisbon Arraial Pride 

Arraial Pride is a free party open to all people, no matter their sexual orientation or gender identity, that see themselves as a part of a more democratic and non-discriminating Portugal; an ‘open mind night’ with no homophoby, in the heart of a Lisbon free of prejudices and willingly to integrate and respect all kinds of people and recognizing their rights and full citizenship.

Gay Pride Lisbon June 2010 Praca do Comercio7

Finalmente

This popular gay nightclub in the Bairro Alto, caters to the late night. Finalmente (video) opens at 1am.  Drag performances on the small stage and dance until dawn

Gay Pride Lisbon June 2010 Praca do Comercio5

Designed to please a veried audience, the Arrial Pride festivities started at noon and ended at dawn, after a party set list with the best dance music in charge of well-known DJ’s, like Lara Soft, Nuno Galopim and Rui Murka.

Gay Pride Lisbon June 2010 Praca do Comercio6

A celebration of diversity, alike what happens in the main European capital cities and which could also put Lisbon along with the other destinations in the LGBT travel routes.

Gay Pride Lisbon queer Lisboa

Queer Lisboa is, for the first time, present at the Arraial Pride. Lisbon’s Gay and Lesbian Film Festival is in this way associated with Lisbon’s oldest LGBT party. The profits from the Queer Lisboa Bar will revert to the Festival’s film programme

Gay Pride Lisbon June 2010 Praca do Comercio9

The Memorial Bar in Bairro Alto is also a well-known entertainment center for the gay and lesbian community of Lisbon. Women patrons outnumber the men here. The bar features a wide variety of live entertainment acts twice a week – including comedy, cross-dressing, or live Portuguese musicians.

Gay Pride Lisbon June 2010 Praca do Comercio11

The beautiful welcome center’s entrance of the Pride Festival, available for all information concerning the event like maps, accreditation, registration for games and activities, the program, a bar, exhibitions and a store.

Associação Ilga Portugal          Facebook
Rua de São Lázaro, 88
1150-333 Lisboa – Portugal
Phone: [351] 218 873 918

Portugal’s most popular gay beach: Beach 19 Costa da Caparica & how to get there

Lisbon Mercado da Ribeira: Sunday morning coin & stamp collectors

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

Lisbon Mercado da Ribeira Coin Collectors Market1

Mercado da Ribeira Lisbon – 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 is worth a visit!

Lisbon Mercado da Ribeira Coin Collectors Market2

Mercado da Ribeira Lisbon – coin and stamp collectors

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 market Mercado da Ribeira, Lisbons biggest open food market , is selling fom fresh fish to fruit, from ‘hot’ piri-piri to funeral flowers waiting for a dead body….

Lisbon Mercado da Ribeira Coin Collectors Market4

Mercado da Ribeira Lisbon – coin and stamp collectors

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.

Coins collectors Feira da Ladra

Feira da Ladra Lisbon

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

Lisbon Flea market Praca do Comercio saturday3 coins Joao

Flea market Praça do Comércio. Lisbon

….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!

Lisbon Flea market Praca do Comercio saturday3 coins Joao and Jack

Praça do Comércio. – Sunday morning & coin collectors

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