Saint Anthony Lisbon party time in June: parades, sardines & Fado music

In June, the month of the Festas dos Santos Populares (Feast Days of the Popular Saints), the Lisbon nights are filled with lively festivities, parades and live music that take over the city’s historical center.

Lisbon Santo Antonio June garlands Mouraria

Mouraria

The main Saints’ days are for Santo Antonio (June 12-13), John (June 23-24) and Peter (June 28-29). Program Festas de Lisboa’ (also in English)

All the streets in the historical center are decorated with garlands and lights.

Lisbon Santo Antonio 2 women Alfama

Historic Alfama, in June 2008.

Santo Antonio festivities & Portuguese flags (EFC) football

Lisbon craziest night of the year in area Alfama, nearby Mouraria (YouTube)

Lisbon Santo Antonio June restaurant A Tasquinha

Restaurant ‘A Tasquinha’,

Largo Contador Mor, Castelo area, really good sardines!

Lisbon Santo Antonio June Fado Restaurante A Tasquinha area Castelo

Eating sardines while listening to the fado singers.

Fado came long after Saint Anthony, but its major theme is nostalgia and longing-for what is lost and for what has never been gained. Anthony fits right into this scene!

Lisbn June Santo Antonio Faso Alfama

Live fado music in Alfama

The streets are filled with the delicious (strong) smell of sardines being grilled. It’s not a good time for the sardines 😉 though as everywhere in Lisbon you see people grilling sardines outside their homes and the narrow streets fill up people in party mood.

Lison Santo Antoinio June sardines

Sardines & Saint Anthony festivities belong together

On the night of June 12 you can enjoy the famous yearly Santo Antonio costume Parade. All the clubs and associations of Lisbons’ neighbourhoods descend on Avenida da Liberdade to compete for the best parade, music, costume and choreography.

Santo Antionio costume Parade Lisbon

More…..

Santo Antonio (Saint Anthony) Mouraria 2 girls

Restaurant São Cristóvão Lisbon: Cape Verdean African dishes & owner Maria Levy

Restaurant São Cristóvão  is a tiny place in Lisbon’s historical city center Mouraria, one of the oldest areas of Lisbon .

Tiny Restaurant São Cristóvão Alfama Lisbon Owner Maria Levy

Owner Maria Levy in her restaurant São CristóvãoMouraria Lisbon

This small family-run restaurant is famous for its Cape Verdean- and other African dishes. The menu also includes typical Portuguese cuisine such as codfish (bacalhau) and sardines (sardinhas)

Restaurant São Cristóvão Alfama Lisbon2

Moamba de Galinha (Angolan chicken stew), a very popular dish: € 6

Restaurant São Cristóvão is a favorite place among locals, with great food. You never pay more than € 7 for a dish. Mufete, a typical dish from Angola with fried fish, sweet potatoes, beans, peppers and cassava: € 6. Drinks: Super bock beer € 1.  Ginja , liqueur made by infusing ginja berries, a  favourite liqueur of many Portuguese: € 1,50.

Restaurant São Cristóvão Alfama Lisbon3 owner Maria Levy

Restaurant São Cristóvão in Lisbon owner Maria do Livramento Levy

Maria Levy: ” I was born in Cape Verde , Santiago,  the largest, greenest, most African island of Cabo Verde, one of Portugal’s former African colonies. 43 years ago I moved to Portugal and around 30 years ago I opened this restaurant in Alfama”. “We can provide seating space for up to 32 people”. And, after dinner: “You must try a ponche (punch) de Cabo Verde” (€ 2).

Restaurant São Cristóvão Alfama Lisbon pastel starter

Pastel de Milho (corn), starter 1.80 euro, originally from Cape Verde

History: the Cape Verde archipelago was uninhabited when the Portuguese discovered it in 1456. African slaves were brought to the Cape Verdian islands to work on Portuguese plantations. As a result, Cape Verdeans are mulattos (mestiços in Portuguese), who have mixed African and European origins.

Restaurant São Cristóvão Alfama Lisbon Maria Levy grandchildren

Maria Levy and her grandchildren. The walls in the restaurant are covered with paraphernalia from the Cape Verdian Islands and pictures.

Cape Verde split away from Portugal in 1975, nowadays Lisbon is home to most of the Cape Verdean diaspora, although large communities are also to be found in Senegal, the north-east United States, Holland, France and Italy.

Restaurant Sao Cristovao Lisbon Febr 2013 dancing

Restaurant São Cristóvão: Ans de Graaf, a friend and owner Maria Levy

Maria loves the Afro-Portuguese music that fills her eatery and she invites people to dance after their dinner.

Popular singer Cesária Évora, “the Barefoot Diva’, has made Cape Verde famous all over the world. She generally performed in bare feet, as a sign of solidarity for the large number of women and children back home in the Cape Verdean Islands who cannot afford shoes. Cesária Évora: ‘Saudade’  (youtube).  More (wikipedia)

Restaurant São Cristóvão Alfama Lisbon street

Restaurant São CristóvãoRua de São Cristovão 28-30,  Mouraria Lisbon. Phone (00351) 914752102. Open from 12:00 to 24:00, also on Sunday.

In case you visit Lisbon for the first time: this restaurant is not easy to find. From the city center walk to Rua da Madalena and climb the stairs from Escadinhas de São Cristóvão

Restaurant São Cristóvão Alfama Lisbon how toreach

Stairs to restaurant São Cristóvão from Rua da Madalena, Mouraria Lisbon

District Mouraria ( ‘where the Moors live’) is one of the oldest areas in Lisbon. Nowadays the Moorish influence is still present, like the tiny streets and stairs. You feel like walking in a kasbah in the Middle Ages!

Restaurant São Cristóvão Alfama Lisbon street 10

Rua de São Cristovão  Lisbon, wall picture of Joaquim, a man who lived in this street. Created by British photographer Camilla Watson , who has been living in this area for 6 years.

Former Palace Santa Catarina Lisbon: ‘Pop Up’ 2010, Tiago Chagas & kissing nuns

UPDATE 2017: this former palace is now a hotel

Right next to one of the most popular viewpoints (miradouros) ovoer the river Tagus (Tejo) in Lisbon Adamastor,  you’ll find Palácio Verride, a former 18th- century Palace, better known as Palácio de Santa Catarina.

Viewpoint Adamastor Lisbon Tagus River Santa Catarina Palace POP UP kissing nuns

‘Pop Up’ 2010 Art Gallery Santa Catarina Palace: Artwork Tiago Chagas

The municipality of Lisbon is the owner of the former Palace, and excellent art exhibitions are regularly held here, like in December 2010: ‘Pop Up’ Art Gallery, a urban culture international festival that challenges creators of multiple areas of artistic expression to intervene in vacant or abandoned urban spaces, giving them new life through art.

Cultural agenda Lisbon

Viewpoint Adamastor Lisbon Tagus River Santa Catarina Palace POP UP art entrance

‘Pop Up’ art 2010: the former Palace’s stairs in the hall

Youtube video ‘Pop Up 

‘Pop Up’ started in 2009 in Lisbon city, but intends to become an international platform of urban culture exchange, bringing together artists and talents from different cities around the world, aiming to promote Lisbon cultural identity in and out of doors.

Viewpoint Adamastor Lisbon Tagus River Santa Catarina Palace1 POP UP

Palace Verride (known as Santa Catarina) Palace Lisbon. This year, ‘Pop Up’ had “Urban Nomads” for a theme and pigeons as their icon.

The 18th- century Santa Catarina Palace’s history dates back to the first half of the 18th century. The Palace has seen various uses, a number of different owners and successive work campaigns. The Baron and Viscount of Moledos, Francisco de Paula Silva Tovar, deputy to the constitutional courts, resided there in the 1820s.

Recently the MUDE museum (art, design & fashion) housed here, nowadays located in Baixa area, really worth a visit!

Viewpoint Adamastor Lisbon Tagus River beautiful Santa Catarina Palace POP UP

Beautiful ornamented ceilings and azulejos (Portuguese tiles)

Happily many of the original rooms of the old Palace are still preserved, such as ornaments in the ceilings and beautiful tiles. In the 1980s, the well-known architect and painter João de Almeida, made several changes.  The Lisbon City Council purchased the palace in 2003.

Viewpoint Adamastor Lisbon Tagus River Santa Catarina Palace POP UP1

Popular river Tagus viewpoint right next to the Santa Catarina Palace:  Adamastor viewpoint and Moorish kiosk (quiosque) cafe.

‘Adamastor’  is a popular viewpoint (miradouro) and gathering place in Lisbon ovelooking the river Tagus, which is officially called the Miradouro de Santa Catarina.

Viewpoint Adamastor Lisbon Tagus River Santa Catarina Palace POP UP Don't Panic Lisboa

‘Pop Up’ 2010 Palace Santa Catarina: artwork Tiago Chagas,  ‘Don’t Panic’ Lisbon

‘Don’t Panic’ is a unique free publication directed towards young people and emerging artists in areas like music, design, fine arts, cinema, theater, literature, graffiti, dance, fashon, clubbing and many others

YouTube video ‘Don’t panic’ Lisbon

Viewpoint Adamastor Lisbon Tagus River Santa Catarina Palace POP UP nuns 2

‘Pop Up’  2010: Santa Catarina Palace Lisbon: artwork Tiago Chagas

‘FlowerPower’ Lisbon: restaurant/cafe, cool flower shop & owner Carlos Filipe

One of Lisbon’s coolest flower shops, ‘FlowerPower’, is nowadays also a café/restaurant . A unique concept of healthy eating amid the hustle and bustle of Lisbon’s bohemien haunt of artists and writers: the legendary Bairro Alto  district.

Flower Power food and flowers Bairro Alto cafe restaurant Lisbon2

‘FlowerPower’ cafe/restaurant & vintage interior design

As soon as you enter the place you feel the relaxed atmosphere,  perfect for a light meal. You can choose a dish of the day, salads, a soup, a slice of chocolate cake, sandwiches, or go for just a glass of wine or a cool glass of rosé, accompanied by Portuguese cheeses.

Flower Power food and flowers cafe restaurant Bairro Alto Lisbon 3

The cafe/restaurant with beautiful flower arrangements

Of course the café space is lovely decorated with plants. My choice for lunch: soup (sopa: creme de gourgettes) € 2; prato do dia (menu of the day) hachis parmantier € 6,50.

Flower Power food and flowers Bairro Alto Lisbon gourmet products dog Suki

Christmas time, dog Suki is always very curious…

A small area in the cafe/restaurant with gourmet products allows you to take the finest ingredients to cook at home, or take away ‘dishes of the day’ (fusion food at low cost), salads, cakes and organic juices.

Flower Power food and flowers Bairro Alto Lisbon1

‘FlowerPower’ is sitated close to the most photographed spot in Lisbon, the famous Bica funicular

It’s also nice to watch the people on the street through the open door. Tram line 28  also passes this street, highly valued by tourists. The nearby Bairro Alto disctrict is posssibly one of the best spots in Europe for a night out.

Flower Power food and flowers Bairro Alto Lisbon Carlos Filipe owner designer artist 3

Next-door ‘FlowerPower’ shop  & Carlos Filipe, owner and designer. ‘You are from Holland? I love tulips!

The ‘FlowerPower Food’ is an extension of one of Lisbon’s coolest flower shops with the same name, created by Carlos Filipe and João Vasconcelos for over 10 years, very well-known in Lisbon for its unique and artistic flower arrangements for all types of events. Now the huge space is split into flowers and food, and customers can buy flowers, eat in the cafe-restaurant next door or buy take-away dishes.

Also available for a private party  (youtube video belly dancers), at minimum 15 people to participate)

Flower Power food and flowers Bairro Alto Lisbon dog flower shop

Dog Suki in the flower shop… ‘Natal A chegar’…. (Christmas is coming)

Carlos Filipe: “Before I came to Lisbon I lived 20 years in France (Lyon), and 5 years in Italy. I studied ‘Artes Plásticas’ (Plastic Arts) ; my atelier is in Sesimbra (30 km from Lisbon) ” . Carlos Filipe’s blog  and paintings

Flower Power food and flowers Bairro Alto Lisbon street

‘FlowerPower’ Food & Flowers

Calçada do Combro, 2 (Bairro Alto).  Open: Mon-Sun 10:00 to 21:00. mail@flowerpower.com.pt  , tel. + (351) 213 422 381

Flower Power food and flowers Bairro Alto Lisbon flowers window dressing

Beautiful Christmas window dressing

Happy New Year! Feliz ano novo!

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’s famous funiculars: Bica, Gloria, Lavra, spectacular viewpoints & ‘Art in movement’

The funiculars Bica, Gloria and Lavra in Lisbon taking you up to spectacular viewpoints (miradouros).

Bica funicular silver tourist information

The (normally yellow) and famous tourist attraction funicular in Bica  (YouTube)

Artist Alexandre Farto  covered the outside of the funicular with mirror-acrylic, called it ‘Espectro’  (Spectre) and pays tribute to the neighbourhood that is reflected in the lift during the journey, as if it were a film…. (From January – June 2010). Amazing!

Bica funicular silver March 2010 3 street

Bica funicular Lisbon

This project  ‘Art in movement’  (“Arte em Movimento”) is part of a Cultural Program for the promotion of Public Art, which CARRIS  (bus & tram services including timetables) intends to carry out in some vehicles of its public service fleet. In 2010, the chosen vehicles were one lift (the Santa Justa) and the 3 funiculars, all of them are national monuments since 2002.

Bica funicular March 2010 hanging laundry

Street view Bica funicular

Typical Portuguese:  hanging laundry, drying in the wind.

Bica funicular silver March 2010 2 street

View from Bica funicular

It climbs the Rua da Bica de Duarte Belo for 245 metres from the Rua Sao Paulo.

Bica funicular March 2010 restaurant cafe

Largo de Santo Antoninho, right next to Bica’s funicular downhill starting point.