Category: Walking around

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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Much to the chagrin of many, the traditional paper cone made out of the Yellow Papers has been replaced by soulless paper packages, which takes something away from the ritual of chestnuts.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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Artist/designer Alberto Gourgel Lisbon: unique pieces, atelier & shop

Close to tourist attraction fleamarket Feira da Ladra in Lisbon there’s the studio of artist/designer Alberto Gourgel.

Where? Rua Salvador 83 , Lisbon

January 2023

Designer Alberto Gourgel’s atelier in Lisbon

January 2023: atelier Alberto Gourgel in Lisbon & Fernanda Vasconselos

Alberto Gourgel was born in Angola, a Portuguese colony from the 16th century to 1975. ” I studied in a boarding school in Angola, but due to economical problems my brother and I moved to Lisbon in 1983. Being a kid, I already had a lot of creative ideas”.

Feira da Ladra Flea Market Lisbon Alberto Gourgel designer

2008: Market ‘A Feira da Ladra‘  (Lisbon’s famous flea market)

Original Portuguese magazines

Alberto Gourgel & vintage suitcases decorated with original vintage Portuguese magazines.

Atelier Alberto Gourgel and Spanish photographer Lluís Salvadó Icart

Atelier Alberto Gourgel and Spanish photographer Lluís Salvadó Icart

You can find Alberto and his beautiful creations in his atelier/shop quite near the market:

Rua Salvador 83 , Lisbon

Feira da Ladra Alberto Gourgel old fashioned suitcases

Legendary market in Lisbon: Feira da Ladra

Alberto ( in 2008): ”The last years, I’m in to ‘vintage’, and I’m fascinated with the beautiful 20th Century Portuguese ‘vogue’ magazines. It’s not easy finding them, sometimes I’m lucky in a small museum or in very old bookshops”.

Feira da Ladra Lisbon Alberto Gourgel6

Alberto Gourgel

Alberto: “The vernis is made by hand, an ancient procedure. It takes a lot of time because it’s very important to keep the original colors”. Besides Alberto decorates posters, walls, doors and room separators.

Visit Alberto’s weblog

Feira da Ladra Alberto Gourgel3

Alberto Gourgel

Tourists from all over the world

Flea market “Feira da Ladra”  (Campo de Santa Clara) is visited by lots of tourists from all over the world. The market in Alfama dates back around 800 years, though it may have been named ‘Feira da Ladra’ as late as the 17th century.

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2009: Alberto Gourgel , Feira da Ladra Lisbon

‘Biombo’ ( a room separator) created by Alberto Gourgel.  Prices from 75- 125 euro.

 famous market Feira da Ladra

Alberto Gourgel lamp bedroom Mouraria

A creation of Alberto Gourgel in my house in Lisbon

Alberto’s work is also for sale in some antique shops in Lisbon and in loja (shop) ‘A Vida Portuguesa’. Owner is Catarina Portas. She has a passion for Portuguese identity, and everyday Catarina brings objects of the past back to life to inhabit modern-day homes.

Lisbon A Vida Portuguesa Alberto Gourgel

Shop ‘A Vida Portuguesa’,

Rua Anchieta 11, Chiado Lisbon

Fleamarket Feira da Ladra, January 2019

Alberto Gourgel & friend Margaretha de Vrieze

March 2021: unique lamp in my apartment in area Graça Lisbon

Alberto Gourgel Atelier / vintage shop
 Rua Salvador 83 , Lisbon       Facebook

algourgel@gmail.com – (00351) 962480996

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Lisbon’s unique Aqueduct (from 1731, 65 m tall) & aqueduct serial killer Alves

Really worth a visit!

Water was in scarce supply even for Lisbon’s earliest inhabitants. In 1731 Portugal’s King João V (John V) decided to build an aqueduct (Aqueduto das Águas Livres, ‘free waters’). The project was paid by a special sales tax on beef, olive oil, wine and other products.

Aqueduct Lisbon (Aqueduto das Águas Livres), October 2022

Magnificent construction & misunderstandings

The magnificent construction caused constant misunderstandings between the royal power, engineers, architects and municipal institutions; abusive clerical interference found its way into the fray.

Aqueduct Lisbon (Aqueduto das Águas Livres, October 2022

Water Museum

Today, what the Portuguese think of as the Lisbon Aqueduct is that gigantic set or arches spanning the Alcântara valley, ending at the Mãe d’Água das Amoreiras Reservoir (Water Museum) of Amoreiras..

View from the Aqueduct Lisbon, October 2022

The main course of the aqueduct covers 18 km, but the whole network of canals extends through nearly 58 km. Its source is known as Águas Livres and is located in Caneças.

Aqueduct Lisbon (Aqueduto das Águas Livres, October 2022

important sources of water supply

The aqueduct consist of a complex series of underground galleries, arches and skylights linked to the visible principal body, known as the General Aqueduct. These are scattered all over the city, giving rise to numerous fonts which, in times gone by, were important sources of water supply for the city.

Entrance Water Museum Lisbon, Calçada da Quintinha, 6, Lisboa

Concluded in 1834 (although it began to supply water to Lisbon in 1748), displays visible Gothic influences in a period dominated by the Baroque style.

More information about architects and engineers

Water Museum (Mãe d’Água), Lisbon

Video Museu da Água  YouTube

After the earthquake of 1755, architect Custódio Vieira was granted pardon for the profligacy for which he had been accused owing to the amount of iron he used to strengthen the arch’s structure, for, despite being located on a seismic faultline, it had resisted the quake.

Water Museum (Mãe d’Água) Lisbon, October 2022

Diogo Alves, the ‘Aqueduct serial killer’

The public walkway along the interior gallery, named Arches Walk, which once offered a wonderful panoramic view to pedestrians, has been closed since 1844 due to the large number of suicides and murders, including those committed by the famous bandit Diogo Alves , the ‘Aqueduct serial killer’.

Aqueduct Lisbon. Picture:  Paulo Juntas (Wikipedia), Aqueduct arches (65 m tall) over the Alcântara valley.

‘ Water Museum‘, Calçada da Quintinha, 6, Lisboa, in charge of the aqueduct, organizes guided visits and tours.

Opening Hours | Open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 5:30 pm (closed for lunch from 12:30 to 1:30 pm). More: Wikipedia     Facebook 
Useful information

October 1st 2022: Aqueduct Lisbon & members of NV Lissabon

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Lisbon’s legendary flea market Feira da Ladra & Ronaldo’s sexy underwear

‘Feira da Ladra’ in Alfama at Campo de Santa Clara , is Lisbons legendary flea market, held on Tuesdays and Saturdays. More or less it means ‘market of thieves’. You should take this quite literally and keep an eye on your wallet .

Fleamarket ‘Feira da Ladra’ in Lisbon & ceramics shop ‘Armazem das Caldas‘ 2022 (worth a visit!)

If you are looking for buying ‘opportunities’, or things that fell of a lorry, make sure you go there early, cause like on all flea markets, the good stuff is sold first.

Lisbon Shopping Feira da Ladra

‘Feira da Ladra’ in Alfama Lisbon: famous fleamarket

Don’t be afraid to negotiate the price. It’s part of the game and if you don’t you’ll pay far too much. The market is held every Tuesday and Saturday, from dawn to dusk.

Lisbon Shopping Feira da Ladra woman

‘Feira da Ladra’ in Alfama Lisbon: famous fleamarket

This nice Portuguese lady speaks French and English. Good stuff!

‘Feira da Ladra’ in Alfama Lisbon: famous fleamarket, January 2019

Alberto Gourgel , designer & Margarethe de Vrieze

Dogs on Feira de Ladra Lisbon flea market

‘Feira da Ladra’ in Alfama Lisbon: famous fleamarket

December in Lisbon: 18 degrees and these dogs wear hand-knitted sweaters 😉 More about Dogs in Lisbon

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Esta e do Ronaldo (‘This one is Ronaldo’s’)  and ‘this one is Eusebio’s’.

Cristiano Ronaldo & underwear

Maybe Portugal’s famous soccer star and sexy sportsman Cristiano Ronaldo has swapped his hotpants here for something more erotical than Armani’s underwear 😉

Feira da Ladra Lisbon Michael Jackson March10

‘Feira da Ladra’ in Alfama Lisbon: famous fleamarket

Michael Jackson‘s bestselling album of all time, ‘Thriller’. Price 50 euro, but you can always try to negotiate 😉

Feira da Ladra legendary market Lisbon Michael Jackson thriller album

‘Feira da Ladra’ in Alfama Lisbon:

Fleamarket with lots of second hand stuff: it’s always fun to stroll around 🙂

Friend and tourist guide Josephine Lucassen & children Frederico and Alicia, February 2016

For a small fee anyone who wants can offer his stuff on this market.

Fleamarket Feira da Ladra Lisbon: Loek Polack & Ans de Graaf 🙂

Fleamarket easy to reach by tram 28

The best way to enter Feira de Ladra is through the arch ‘Arco de São Vicente’ where tram 28 stops.

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Feira da Ladra and the nearby National Pantheon

Important Portugese personalities are buried in the National Pantheon , like f.e. Amalia Rodrigues, the famous fado singer.

Cafe/terrace ‘O Panteao’ near the fleamarket June 2018

Popular restaurant with a sunny terrace near the fleamarket ‘O Panteao’ : cheap and good!

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Breathtaking views Lisbon: Restaurant ‘Ponto Final’ & short ferry trip river Tagus

The south bank of the river Tagus is my favorite place in Lisbon: views on downtown Lisbon and the 25 April Bridge are amazing!

Riverfront terrace restaurant ‘Ponto Final’, Cacilhas, amazing view downtown Lisbon. September 2017

Take the ferry from Lisbons’ Cais do Sodré (every 10 minutes, weekend every 20 min.) to the other side of the river Tagus: Cacilhas,  a 10 min trip. (Return ticket : cheap)

Time table ferry from Lisbon Cais do Sodre to area Cacihas and vice versa

As you get off the ferry,  it takes about 15 minutes to walk along the river to Restaurant ‘Ponto Final’, after passing lots of ruinous warehouses.

Abandoned and ruinous warehouses, Cacilhas (Almada), Lisbon

Picture: Svetlana Borodina

Cacilhas used to be a bustling area for a long long time when shipping and fishing were still major economic activities in Portugal.

Abandoned and ruinous warehouses, Cacilhas (Almada), Lisbon

Picture: Edith Bering, February 16, 2022

Reasonable prices

You will love the typical Portuguese menu. Fish, meat and great Portuguese wines.

Restaurant Ponto Final Lisbon, September 2019

Great location

€25/30 a person incl. wine. Quite reasonable prices if you consider the view! If you’re not in the mood for food, just relax, order a coffee or a glass of wine (bottle from € 7.50) and enjoy the scenery.

Restaurant ‘Ponto Final’ & lunch with friends Svetlana and Sergy Borodin from Prague

We enjoyed olives, ripened cheese from Alentejo, cod salad with chick-pea, octopus salad, dogfish soup, a delicious bottle of restaurant Ponto Final’s housewine, sweet rice and a custard dessert.

Bill for 3 persons  € 58.50.

Lisbon Ponto Final Restaurant Sophie en Jurre 2015 2

Restaurant ‘Ponto Final’ Lisbon May 2015: Sophie Lever and Jurre Schöttelndreier

Very good Portuguese cuisine. Especialidade da Casa (specialty of the house): arroz de Tamboril (rice with monkfish), Entrecosto Assado no Forno (roasted ribs) and Peixe Fresco Grelhado (grilled fresh fish). The wine list has a quality assortment of Portuguese wines.

Great lunch in Restaurant Ponto Final, Lisbon together with Edith Bering and Anita van Zadelhoff, February 16, 2022

Romantic location

Restaurant ‘Ponto Final’ is a perfect location for a great dinner overlooking Lisbon by night. Make sure that you book a table outside in advance.

Restaurant ‘Atira-te ao Rio’, splendid view old town Lisbon

In caserestaurant ‘Ponto Final’ is closed, the neighbor restaurant ‘Atira-te ao Rio’, Portuguese and international cuisine, is also a great place to enjoy your lunch or dinner!  🙂

Cacilhas Lisbon view Restaurant Atira-te-ao-rio’ and Cristo Rei statue

Cacilhas and the famous Cristo Rei statue

The elevator to reach the Cristo Rei statue (free) is situated quite close to restaurant Ponto Final .

Svetlana & Sergy from Prague

Stunning views! Close to the elevator.

Several possibilites how to travel to the Cristo Rei Monument

Ferry-Lisbon Cacilhas

Ferry from Cais do Sodre , Lisbon to Cacilhas, the other side of the river Tagus

Time table ferry from Lisbon Cais do Sodre to area Cacilhas and vice versa

During winter season in Lisbon this place is also worth a visit 🙂 !  But it can be rather cold and very windy!

Wintertime Sunset video.

Cristo Rei Statue, Cacilhas, Lisbon

The 82m (270ft) high pedestal (by elevator). This enormous 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’.

Restaurant Ponto Final February 16, 2022 : Anita van Zadelhoff, lovely dog Nelson 😉 and Edith Bering

You can go back to the Cacilhas ferry terminal by bus # 101.

Lunch July 3, 2021, friend Margriet de Vrieze & delicious pataniscos de bacalhau (salt codfish cakes, recipe in English) 🙂

Restaurant Ponto Final, Cacilhas Cais Ginjal 72, Cacilhas / Almada,

Phone: (00351)  936 869 031 (WhatsApp also). Mail:  pontofinalrest@gmail.com.       Facebook

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Portugal’s long history with codfish & recipe favorite Bacalhau á Gomes de Sá

The Portuguese have a very long history with codfish: shortly after Columbus (about 500 years ago) ‘discovered’ America, the Portuguese were fishing for cod (bacalhau) near NewFoundland. They were the first Europeans to do so. The nickname of bacalhau is ‘fiel amigo’ (faithful friend).

Fish bacalhau codfish Manteigaria Silva

Lisbon luxury food shop Manteigaria Silva , Rua D. Antao de Almada 1 Lisbon

365 different ways to prepare codfish

When you stay in Lisbon or in the wonderful country Portugal, a must-try is bacalhau (dried and salted cod).  The Portuguese adore it and it’s said that they know at least 365 different ways to cook it…one for each day of the year!

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Lisbon luxury food shop Manteigaria Silva , Rua D. Antao de Almada 1 Lisbon

The smell of dried and salted bacalhau is odd and penetrating……pfffffff… but the taste is absolutely delicious when cooked!

Bacalhau traditional dish in Portugal

Bacaolada, traditional Portuguese bacalhau dish.

Bacalhau deserves a good wine: green (Vinho Verde) or mature wines, from Alentejo, Dão or Douro.

History

For at least 500 years ago the Portuguese learned how to salt cod at sea and sun-dry it. It keeps for many months this way without refrigeration. And then it requires being soaked for 24 hours in changes of water before being used to prepare a dish. The soaking reconstitutes the fish and gets rid of the excessive salt also.

Lisbon luxury food shop Manteigaria Silva , Rua D. Antao de Almada 1  Lisbon

Even today, where refrigeration isn’t a problem, the Portuguese have not lost their love for bacalhau. Dishes based on this main ingredient are sure to be a part of most holiday and other celebrations.

Jose Maria & Paula & bacalhau à Brás, a very popular dish

Recipe bacalhau à Brás

One of the reasons for the popularity of bacalhau in Portugal and other catholic countries, was because of the many days on which the Church forbade the eating of meat.

Codfish Gomes de sa

Bacalhau á Gomes de Sá, cooked in a casserole with thinly sliced potatoes and onions,  garnished with hard-boiled eggs and black olives.

This recipe was invented by Jose Luis Gomes de Sá  Jr., the son of a rich nineteenth century merchant (apparently he dealt in cod) in Porto. The family fortune dwindled and the son had to find a job at the famous restaurant Lisbonense in downtown Porto. It was there that he created the now well known recipe.

Pasteis de Bacalhau

Besides: Pastéis de Bacalhau (codfish pastry), croquetes.

A delicacy and a good idea with a cold glass of Portuguese white wine or beer on tap(imperial)!

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Beautiful Avenida da Liberdade Lisbon, luxury brands & Prada’s window dressing

Beautiful Avenida da Liberdade (Liberty Avenue) is located between Restauradores Square and Marquis of Pombal Square. The Avenue was built between 1879 and 1882.

Lisbon shopping Avenida da Liberdade pedestrial center kiss

Avenida da Liberdade Lisbon

This broad boulevard, with a pedestrianised centre in the middle, is the Portuguese equivalent of the Champs Elysees.

Lisbon shopping Avenida da Liberdade trees

Avenida da Liberdade, Lisbon

It’s a lovely avenue to wander down, with cafes where you can take a break.

Lisbon Shopping Avenida da Liberdade Luis Vuitton boutique

Avenida da Liberdade, Lisbon

If you are looking for luxury international brands you will find here f.i. Luis Vuitton, Emporio Armani and Escada fashionable boutiques.

Shopping in Lisbon Avenida da Liberdade

Avenida da Liberdade, Lisbon

Be prepared: the prices are the same as in any of these shops in London or Paris.

Avenida da Liberdade Lisbon new Prada shop 2010

PRADA boutique Avenida da Liberdade, Lisbon

Prada opened a store in Lisbon in 2010 . It was a long search for the location, because Miuccia Prada did not want just any shop. It eventually became a building on the Avenida de Liberdade, one of Lisbon’s main shopping streets.

Avenida da Liberdade, & autumn, September 2021

Many of the original buildings of the avenue have been replaced in the last decades by tall offices and hotel buildings. Nowadays it boasts several interesting buildings that reflect Portuguese architecture from the late 19th through the early 21st centuries and the Moorish influence.

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Popular Cafe/restaurant ‘O Panteao’ Lisbon: terrace, good local food & fleamarket

After browsing Lisbon’s famous flea market  Feira da Ladra, it’s a good idea to enjoy a lunch in Restaurant ‘O Panteao’ (Pantheon), located above the market. One of my favorite places in Lisbon 🙂

Terrace cafe/restaurant ‘O Panteao (Pantheon) de Santa Clara’  Lisbon

Legendary fleamarket Lisbon

From the terrace you can see a part of Lisbon’s legendary fleamarket, and the Pantheon, in which important Portugese personalities are buried, like f.e. Amalia Rodrigues, the famous fado singer.

May 2021: no lockdown anymore in Lisbon! & friend Margriet 🙂

This popular restaurant serves real Portugese food for a good price (less than 15 euro).

Lisbon restaurant O panteao near Feira da Ladra terrace

Restaurant ‘O Panteao de Santa Clara’ near the legendary flea market

Former palace & conspiracy

The beautiful building is a former palace. About 300 years ago a well-to-do and important Italian diplomat, marquis Polucci di Calboli, and his family lived here. The story tells about a conspiracy, the fact is that the family disappeared and a lot of beautiful art, collected for generations, was robbed.

Lisbon Restaurant O panteao near Feira da Ladra

Cafe/restaurant ‘O Panteao (Pantheon) de Santa Clara’ Lisbon

Traditional Portuguese cooking – excellent food for a good price

If you are not too hungry ask for “meia dose” (half serving). Traditional Portuguese cooking – excellent food. Price: less than 15 €. From the restaurant you can see the dome of  The Pantheon.

Cafe/restaurant ‘O Panteao (Pantheon) de Santa Clara’ Lisbon January ’17

Ths place is one of my favorites. Our lunch (almoço):

Gambas com alho (prawns with garlic) € 9.50, copo de vinho branco (glass of white wine) € 1.00. Caril de frango (chicken curry) € 6.90. Agua (small bottle of water) € 1.10, espresso/cafe € 0.80

Cafe/restaurant ‘O Panteao (Pantheon) de Santa Clara’ Lisbon June 2018

It’s really fun enjoying a lunch on the terrace overlooking the hustle and bustle of the fleamarket, or a quick nap 😉

Lisbon Feira da Ladra man asleep near restaurant O Panteao

Near the restaurant: legendary fleamarket Feira da Ladra Lisbon

If you are looking for buying ‘opportunities’, or things that ‘fell of a lorry’, make sure you go there early, cause like on all flea markets, the good stuff is sold first

Lisbon Feira da Ladra owners restaurant O Panteao

Cafe/restaurant ‘O Panteao (Pantheon) de Santa Clara’ Lisbon

Restaurant owners Armando Pereira Antunes, his wife Maria Guilherina and the very friendly waiter Celso. Campo Santa Clara 146-A, Lisbon , easy to reach with the legendary tram 28, a ´must do´ Lisbon attraction

The former palace near the fleamarket in Lisbon

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Restaurant ‘Zé da Mouraria’: hidden gem in Lisbon’s historical city center

A little bit hidden in the former Moorish quarter Mouraria, in a small street of one of Lisbon’s oldest districts, there’s Restaurant ‘Zé da Mouraria’. Open for a typical Portuguese lunch (almoço) from 12:00 till 16:00. Closed on Sundays.

Restaurant ‘Zé da Mouraria’ & very friendly staff, June 2019

Great typical Portuguese food and, also important, very nice people and an informal atmosphere  🙂

Lunches only. One of my favorites! (Air-conditioned in summertime).

Restaurant ‘Zé da Mouraria’, street Rua João do Outeiro 34, Lisbon, June 2019

In the month of June, all the streets in the historical center of Lisbon are decorated with garlands and lights. Party time! (Festas de Lisboa in Mouraria).

Chef Ricardo & codfish (bacalhau) a very popular dish in Portugal

Large food portions meant for sharing

The menu varies every day. Restaurant Zé da Mouraria serves large food portions, meant for sharing. If you go to this restaurant with 2 people order for 1 person instead of ordering for 2 !  🙂

Vimeo & restaurant ‘Zé da Mouraria’

Restaurant Zé da Mouraria Lisbon deliscious meat1

Restaurant ‘Zé da Mouraria’, Lisbon December 2017

Delicious almoço (lunch)! Bifinhos ao alinho (garlic steak), 4 pieces (meio dose! half serving). Bill for 2 persons, including wine, water and coffee: € 22,50.  Desert (sobremesa) from €  2.50

June 2019: Restaurant ‘Zé da Mouraria’, Lisbon & Artur Domingos 😉

On the wall in this restaurant there’s lots of portraits of famous fado singers, born in this neighborhood: Mouraria.

Restaurant ‘Zé da Mouraria’, Lisbon June 2019

Fado music

No neighborhood in Lisbon is praised more in Fado music than Mouraria. It is said that the melancholic sounds of the music and singing of the Moorish people was at the base of Fado (meaning fate) music, often described as the Portuguese blues. More…..

Restaurant ‘Zé da Mouraria’, Lisbon June 2019

Together with Alfama, the Mouraria area is a muddle of very narrow streets and small squares, which gives the visitor a glimpse of a forgotten age. Nowadays it is a trendy area.

Restaurant ‘Zé da Mouraria’, Lisbon, June 2019

Delicious: codfish (bacalhau). When you stay in Lisbon a must-try is bacalhau (dried and salted cod).  The Portuguese adore it and it’s said that they know at least 365 different ways to cook it…one for each day of the year!

Restaurant ‘Zé da Mouraria’, Lisbon

Lunch is almost always fully booked; We waited for about half an hour in the street. Go early ( around 12:00 o’clock) or around 15:00. One of the best Lisbon restaurants!  🙂

Restaurant ‘Zé da Mouraria’, Lisbon. Picture: Margaret Schöttelndreier, July 2019

Rua João do Outeiro 24
1100 Lisbon, Portugal
00351 218 865 436
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Only open for lunch, dinner is possible  for groups. Closed on Sundays, no creditcards. 
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Popular Rua das Portas de Santo Antão Lisbon & avoid restaurant Torremolinos

Lisbon is probably the best place in Europe to enjoy seafood. There are a couple of very popular ‘tourist restaurant’ streets,  such as Rua das Portas de Santo Antão where you will find a wide selection of options.

Lisbon Rossio near Restauradores

The lively street just behind the National Theater Doña Maria II at Largo de São Domingos, near Rossio Square and Restauradores, is a real mecca for seafood lovers, and a very popular tourist street.

Lisbon restaurants R. das Portas de Santo Antão 2

Rua das Portas de Santo Antão: rather touristy and aggressive waiters

The street name dates from the 15th C. when a gate in the former town wall stood here. There’s also some very interesting buildings to be seen. The restaurants are well positioned for people-watching, prices are not really cheap, but the quality is good. In general, this street is rather touristy and the waiters are sometimes a bit aggressive in their approach to tourists.

Shrimps and lobster window restaurant

One of the restaurant windows, with fresh lobsters and shrimps.

Rua das Portas de Santo Antão , just north of Rossio, is one of the few streets in Lisbon where you’ll be approached by waiters in the street trying to entice you to eat in their restaurant.

Lisbon popular tourist street Rua das Portas de Santo Antão 11

‘Free’ starters

Be prepared: in the more expensive and touristical restaurants in Lisbon you have to pay for starters like bread, cheese and often olives or shrimps (camarão). They are not a part of the meal! You won’t pay for them if you don’t eat them, and often the waiter will take them away (não, obrigado), ‘no thank you’. More ……

If you don’t speak Portuguese, make sure you’ve got your dictionary handy!

restaurant-cervejeria-inhaca-rua-das-portas-de-s-antao.jpg

Restaurante Cervejaria Inhaca

Cervejaria means ‘beerhouse’, where beer is produced (or used to be produced) and where you can eat as well. There are many Cervejaria’s in Lisbon (like the well known restaurant Portugalia).

Restaurante Cervejaria INHACA

Finger licking good, but expensive

Shrimp and lobster dishes for 2 persons, about € 55, except drinks. Restaurant Inhaca, R. das Portas de Santo Antão 8.

Avoid restaurant Torremolinos, a tourist trap, 🙁    read this

( 2020: the name Torremolinos on the facade has recently been removed)

In general: make sure you are aware of what you are being charged for. Most of the restaurants in this area are tourist traps.

A few great restaurants in this street: former palace Casa do Alentejo (a hidden gem!), or restaurant Gambrinus .

Restaurant Solar dos Presuntos, R. Portas de Santo Antão 150, YouTube

A good idea is to walk around and eat in a restaurant where there are no tourists in sight…….

For seafood lovers, go to one of Lisbon’s best seafood restaurants ‘RAMIRO’, also open on Sundays (Intendente).