Central Lisbon
Bairro Alto, Bica, Chiado, Baixa
Old Tree at Jardim do Príncipe Real
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This is one of my favorite secret spots in Lisbon. This tree is pretty famous among Lisboetas, but not everybody knows that you can actually climb it and spend a couple of hours up there. Buy a bottle of wine, bring a couple of glasses and you'll be surprised how comfortable it is upstairs. Be discreet! It's not official.
Extra tip: there's a pink kiosk at the other end of the park that sells warm red wine with cinammon (in disposable paper glasses), a typical portuguese drink in the winter. |
Pavilhão Chinês (bar)
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This is a place that you willl never forget. This vintage bar hosts a never ending collection of items, mostly related to the two world wars. It has five rooms decorated with dozens of displays containing thousands of toys, dolls, miniatures, masks, clothes, weapons... Very pleasant ambience and lighting, a bit expensive but totally worth the visit. It's allowed to smoke in the pool room. Rua Dom Pedro V, 89 (near Príncipe Real) http://barpavilhaochines.blogspot.pt |
Lost In (bar/restaurant with a terrace)
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Just across the street from Pavilhão Chinês, you'll find a tunnel that will lead to this bar called Lost In. I like this place's general ambiance and the fact that it has a cozy terrace and the option of staying in a sort of indoors terrace. Nice for a glass of wine in any time of year. Rua Dom Pedro V, 56-D (near Príncipe Real) |
Jardim de São Pedro de Alcântara (viewpoint)
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This is one of the best viewpoints in the city, facing east. You can see Baixa, Martim Moniz, Mouraria, Graça, the Castle and even the river. It has two levels, the one on top has a fountain and a bar and that's where people usually gather at night, the one below (in the photo) is quieter and nicely decorated. (Don't confuse Rua São Pedro de Alcântara with the neighborhood Alcântara). |
O Estádio (bar)
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If you are looking for an authentic, dodgy, worn out bar, this is your spot. This iconic bar/café called «O Estádio», literally «The Stadium», is one of my regulars in Bairro Alto. The bartender says it's way over 100 years old, and the decor and yellowish walls confirm that information. It's still a meeting point for writers and artists, especially those who smoke - it's one of the few bars where you are still allowed to smoke (don't really know why cause the ambience is pretty thick...). Drinks are ridiculously cheap. No food. I usually drink moscatel wine here or amêndoa amarga. (Check out the food and drinks section to find out what else you can try in a place like this.) The place has an old jukebox, still working. I love the naïve painting of a stadium. Use the toilet at your own risk : ) Rua São Pedro de Alcântara, 11 |
Mouraria, Martim Moniz
Leopold (restaurant)
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«Leopold» is not the cook nor the waiter, it's the respectable name of one of the tiniest restaurants in town (2 or 3 tables!) offering exquisite cuisine reinterpreting portuguese recipes and flavors. The owners are a very friendly couple who decided to give a new use to this former bakery, having kept most of its original character. The food is so unexpectedly delicious that you might just end up trying everything they have in their daily menu. It's one of my favorite options for a special night and it's so close to the studios (just go down the stairs of Beco das Flores then walk 30 meters to your left.) Rua de São Cristovão, 27; closes on Mondays |
Anos 60 (bar)
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This is one of the oldest bars in Lisbon. It closes around 2am but recently people have been gathering in front till much later than that. It hosts live music, often african. It has three contiguous rooms. The performer stands in the middle room and there's a small informal space for dancing. One of the owners is spanish and sometimes takes over the stage in hilarious improvised (and tipsy) performances. Largo do Terreirinho, 21 (Mouraria) |
Intendente, Av. Almirante Reis
Casa Independente
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With a priviledged view over the Largo do Intendente, this large space located on a first floor is run by a cultural association. Since it opened in 2012, it hosts concerts, workshops, a bar (indoors) and a terrace (outdoors). It has a really good vibe and brought some buzz to the area.
Largo Intendente Pina Manique 45, Lisboa www.casaindependente.com |
Alfama, Castelo
Tejo Bar
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This place is unique and every evening spent there is also unique. It closes at 2am and It's usually packed with musicians who bring their own instruments and frequently burst into brazilian, african or portuguese music jam sessions. It's the most relaxed ambiance you could wish for. Not many years ago, when you ordered a beer, the owner would tell you to grab a glass and get it yourself from the tap beer. You can grab an instrument and sing if you want. The only thing you're not allowed to do here is applaud because the upstairs neighbour doesn't like clapping. Instead, if you want to show appreciation for the music, you have to rub your hands together. No food is served.
Beco do Vigário, 1 (Alfama); closed on Sundays |
Graça
Esplanada da Graça (terrace with a view)
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This is one of the most popular terraces in the historic centre. It stands next to the Igreja da Graça (more accurately Convento da Graça) and it has perhaps the most stunning views over Lisboa. It has a nice terrace with drinks and simple snacks. It can be a bit chilly in the winter or mid-seasons but it becomes a precious refuge during hot summer days. (If you go there and it's too cold, try the bar Botequim just across the little park).
Largo da Graça Open everyday. Sometimes it closes after 2am. |
Botequim (bar)
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This is an historic bar. It was founded in 1968 by a famous writer called Natália Correia. It was a regular meeting point of writers and artists. It closed in 1993 and it was reopened in 2010. Small, cozy, laid-back, smoking allowed because its large doors are wide open. It also serves delicious snacks. Open everyday till 0h30.
Largo da Graça, 79 |
Lisbon Villas (in Graça)
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If you enjoy architecture and urbanism, you shouldn't miss visiting some of the Lisbon Villas.
«Villas» or «Vilas» is the name given to a building, a group of houses or a residential area meant to be used by working class families. Most «Vilas» in Lisbon were built in the transition of the 19th/20th centuries by wealthy industrial businessmen and were home to their employees and respective families. The neighborhood Graça has three notable examples of this very particular urbanistic trait of Lisbon: Villa Sousa, Villa Berta and Bairro Estrela d'Ouro. It's also interesting to know that these three examples are quite luxurious compared to other Villas spread across the city. |
Villa Berta (working class houses/street)
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The first time I stepped into this street, I stood staring at it for quite a while. Its architecture is unexpectedly different from the surrounding area, with a mix of art-nouveau and majestic balconies that resemble some sort of extemporaneous portuguese colonial style. It was built in the very beginning of the 20th century and, like all «Villas» in Lisbon, it was originally meant to be a worker class neighborhood. «Berta» is the name of the founder's daughter. Located 50m east of Largo da Graça. |
Bairro Estrela d'Ouro (working class neighborhood)
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This is the most impressive example of a Vila Operária Lisboeta. Founded in 1908/09 and also the most neglected one. There's hardly any information about it in guides or even in the internet. It was a private initiative by Agapito Serra Fernandes, a business man working in confectionery (pastry, cakes...). «Estrela» means «Star» and you will find this symbol represented in many places inside the Villa. It has several U-shaped houses and the streets owe their names to Agapito's family members. In the centre of the Villa stands his own luxurious house, a palace with a swimming pool. Next to the Villa, he built one of the first cinemas in Portugal, the very first one to host a 'sonorous' movie in Lisbon, in 1930! Entrance is found along the Rua da Senhora do Monte. |