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

Facebook

World famous club Lisbon ‘Lux Fragil’, unique location & John Malkovitch

Many experts say this is one of the best clubs in Europe. A three floor building on a unique location along the river Tejo, near train station Santa Apolónia.

Unfortunately the last few years there are some bad experiences to enter this Club: please read the comments below

Lux_Fragil_Lisbon_clubs

After his succes with the Bairro Alto club Fragil, Manuel Reis used his experiences in creating this trendy hot spot together with associate John Malkovitch (yes, you are right, the actor). This club is certainly still one of the top clubs in town, but the glory days were the opening year 1999 up until about 5 years ago (I’m sorry, but we have to be honest). Still worth a visit though, not in the last place for the top musical attractions you will find here. The view from the gigantic balcony also remains unbeatable.

The place is divided in three floors. On ground floor you will find the club area, a rectangle and dark room with two bars and a stage. First floor is a bar and lounge, with a smaller open space in the middle for dancing. But go to the balcony first and take your time to enjoy the riverview. The decoration of the bar/ lounge changes at least every half year (my personal favourite was the era that the whol place was filled with enourmous beenbags and ‘pouffes’). The second floor is a roofterrace, only open in summer.

Lux_Club_Lisbon_nightlife

Lux fragil open it’s doors for clubbers usually around midnight, but the best time to arrive is from 3.00 till 5.00. As most bars in Bairro Alto close around 2:00 am, all barowners, DJ’s and nightflies choose where to go. Doors close at 5:00. But the club stays open till about 08:00 or 09:00.
There’s many concerts in Lux as well, starting earlier. For an agenda of the clubnights and the concerts visit the luxfragil website.

Resident DJ’s

All major DJ’s from Europe play in Lux, but there are a few Portuguese stars that made their way to the top behind the desks in Lux Fragil.

Probably the most famous of them all is DJ Vibe. Check out some of his mixes on his myspace page. Facebook. He’s one of the residents in Lux and of course a well-known producer.

Rui Vargas is no doubt one of the Lux Fragil dinosaurs. You can see him in Lux almost every week.

Noobai rooftop bar restaurant Lisbon, nightlife & amazing Tagus river views

What a view! One of the favorite places of many Lisbon locals and visitors.  Cafe Noobai is located on Miradouro (viewpoint) de Santa Catarina, also known as Adamastor.

Renewed Cafe Noobai, overlooking the Tagus River, March 2018

Relaxed ambiance & nice people

Cafe /restaurant Noobai is certainly worth a visit because of the wonderful view over the Tagus (Tejo) river side, the relaxed ambience and the nice people. One of my favorite places!

Cafe Noobai, 2015

Noobai Rooftop Bar Restaurant is located at the trendy Santa Catarina Belvedere , Lisbon

Cafe Noobai, 2010

Situated on a Lisbon hilltop Noobai has a panoramic view over the old town houses, the modern buildings, the Tagus river, the harbor, the “25 de Abril” bridge and the amazing sunset .

Rooftop Cafe Restaurant Noobai Lisbon:  delicious tuna: € 7, march 2018

Salades, sandwiches and soups, special teas and fresh juices. And of course caipirinha’s 🙂

Noobai cafe bar Adamastor

Noobai, 2010

In wintertime there’ re fleece blankets available on the terrace. There’s also an indoor room 

dede-noobai

Noobai ,  2005

‘We go’

The name Noobai comes from ‘Nu bai’ which means ‘we go’ in the creole dialect from Cabo Verde, a former colony of Portugal.

dj-noobai

Sometimes on Sundays there are DJ’s playing relaxed tunes

Nightlife

Noobai is good fur a lunch or to get things started before moving on to nearby bars in Bica or Bairro Alto

Lisbon Noobai hotspot Adamastor great Tagus River views

Cafe Noobai, area Santa Catarina Lisbon

 Sunset Video 

Near Adamastor Lisbon & view Tagus river March 2018

Monday – Sunday 10 AM > 12 AM

Website 

Location:Noobai, Miradouro de Santa Catarina (Adamastor) Lisboa‘ 

Café Noobai, Lisbon. April 16, 2016

A lovely place in Lisbon 🙂 Cecile Joyce and Cristine van Haalen

Cafe Noobai Lisbon in February, near Adamastor, popular gathering place

Lisbon’s Tagus river terrace Portas do Sol, exceptional location & viewpoint Santa Luzia

Terrace ‘Portas do Sol’ (Gates to the Sun) is located in Lisbon’s historical center, close to the famous viewpoint (miradouro) with the same name, at Largo das Portas do Sol.  A coffee , cocktail bar and restaurant, and an exceptional location.

Portas do Sol terrace Lisbon Tagus view 5 lounge sofas

The lounge area of Portas do Sol, September 2010

Amazing views overlooking the Alfama rooftops and the river Tagus! After visiting the nearby  São Jorge Castle (the Castle of St. Jorge),  this is a place where you can sit down, chill out and enjoy the beauty of Lisbon.

Portas do Sol terrace Lisbon 2

Entrance Porta do Sol cafe, bar/cafe and restaurant, 1000 m2 terrace

This cafe/bar and restaurant is very easy to reach. It has direct access on the tram 28 which is the more touristic of the Lisbon trams.

Portas do Sol terrace Lisbon Alfama Tagus view 4 lounge sofas

The lounge area of Portas do Sol Lisbon

Portas do Sol is  a lovely spot to sit down and relax with sofas and soft lounge-music, a place during the day where you can hang out and have coffee and snacks.

The lounge area of Portas do Sol Lisbon, in love! 🙂

They serve wines, cocktails, champagne and menu’s.

Live music with a DJ on Fridays and Saturdays. Beautiful bar with crystal chandlers and chairs in art deco and romantic style (250m2).

Portas do Sol terrace Lisbon 1

Open daily from 10am to 12pm. Fridays, Saturdays and nights before a public holiday until 2am.

Website Portas do Sol.  Address: Largo das Portas do Sol, Beco de Santa Helena, Lisbon

Portas do Sol terrace Alfama Lisbon 4 view

Portas do Sol ‘s  terrace/lounge area

Seen from the nearby famous viewpoint with the same name, a very popular place for locals and a famous tourist attraction. One of the most beautiful places in Lisbon!

Lisbon viewpoint Portas do Sol by night

Viewpoint (Miradouro) Portas do Sol Alfama Lisbon, by night

The Belvedere Portas do Sol is a balcony space that all people of Lisbon are proud to have at their disposal. Magnificent view of Lisbon and the typical Alfama district that spans several narrow, winding streets to the river Tagus.

Portas so SOl viewpoint miradouro Alfama Lisbon cruise ship

View from the nearby small terrace

Located in between several highlights of Lisbon (like the viewpoint of Santa Luzia) , the Portas do Sol miradouro is the terrace that every person living in Lisabon would like to have at home…..

Portas so SOl viewpoint miradouro Alfama Lisbon statue Saint Vincent

Statue of São (Saint) Vincent, Portas do Sol

There is also a statue of Saint Vincent holding a boat with two ravens, the symbols of Lisbon. Saint Vincent of Saragossa, better known locally as Saint Vincent of Fora, is the patron saint of Lisbon.

Largo das Portas dol Sol Lisbon Museum of decorative arts

Largo das Porta do Sol, and the former city palace, Museum of Decorative Arts

In this wonderful 17th C. former city palace, currently houses the Museum of Decorative Arts. Anyone interested in decorative arts in general and the Portuguese Empire in particular will find this collection fascinating. Beautiful azulejos (tiles)!

Largo do Portas do Sol Lisbon tram 28

The popular tram 28 (video) stops near the Museum and the viewpoints

If you like to have a good impression of the historical city of Lisbon, a very good idea is taking this typical little trolley, ‘eléctrico 28. This legendary tram 28 is a tourist attraction in itself. It goes all around town. Of course you can hop on and hop off.

Miradouro Santa Luzia Alfama ancient tiles and viewpoint

The nearby viewpoint Miradouro of Santa Luzia

Various small gardens along the edge of the walkway are filled with beautiful local flowers during the spring and summer months.

Lisbon Miradouro Santa Luzia by night view roofs Alfama and river Tejo

Viewpoint Miradouro de Santa Luzia by night

This is a very popular look-out point from the Alfama area of Lisbon, next to the Santa Luzia Church.

Lisbon viewpoint Santa Luzia tiles2

Viewpoint (miradouro) Santa Luzia – church

On the wall of the church are two beautiful tile panels (azulejos): one of Lisbon’s majestic Square Praça do Comércio before the earthquake in 1775, and another one showing the Christians attacking (the nearby) Castelo de São Jorge (Saint George’s Castle) in 1147.

Miradouro Santa Luzia Lisbon Alfama azulejos

Miradouro Santa Luzia

Azulejos (tiles) have become a typical aspect of Portuguese culture. This place is a wonderful tile treasure!

Lisbon Restaurant Miradouro Sta Luzia Alfama

Restaurant ‘Miradouro Sta Luzia’ near the viewpoint, a very popular tourist place.