Portugal: the most southwest country in Europe situated on the banks of the Atlantic ocean. A country that was foreign to me until just a few years ago yet, I grew up hearing Portuguese spoken whether in Switzerland or in Miami. Luckily great friends decided to start meeting here yearly, in the summer, and now it is one of my favorite countries in the world.
Famous for their pastel de nata (their national dessert, my favorite dessert as of 2013), there are so many more layers to Portugal that I feel do not get recognized, which is why this post is so important. Get ready!
1 DAY IN LISBON
I will share with you my 1 day in Lisbon recently, on October 2nd, 2015. I was accompanied by a dear friend of mine who was not only a great Portuguese guide but enjoyed learning about his fascinating city as well.
Oi Lisboa, tudo bem com voce? For me, the Portuguese language is one of expression. Certainly the Brazilians sing more than the Portuguese do but nevertheless, the fact that both countries are near the ocean, have great food and more importantly history to share makes them a fascinating destination.
After landing early in Lisbon on this beautiful Friday just a quick 30-minute cab ride took me to the center of town. I checked in at a cosy boutique hotel at Praça Figueira (Fig Place), a very centrally located.
After checking in, we immediately left for a stroll into town. No morning would be complete without a cappuccino and pastel de nata, yum!
Need I mention this was the « appetizer » to our soon-to-be breakfast had nearby at A Padaria Portuguesa… My kind of breakfast!
Soon thereafter we walked around the Chiado and Bairro Alto neighborhoods. Famous for their tiny and narrow streets, this was the beginning of a picturesque day filled with blue skies galore.
Nearby were different viewpoints to look from into this hilly, multi-dimensional city.
We walked by Rua da Bica with its famous, tiny tram lane that runs up and down the hill (one of the most famous streets in Lisbon).
Shortly after we walked nearby to the Noo Bai cafe to enjoy an espresso and take in the incredible views of the river Tagus and Cristo Rei seen beyond.
Back into the streets of this neighborhood, beautiful yellow facades mixed with the gorgeous blue skies took my breath away.
Nearby, Rua da Rosa was filled with tiny streets, quiet at the moment, but clearly the hot spot in this region for later in the day.
An interesting concept stood out nearby, the city of Lisbon was displaying art outside on the street instead of in the museum! Here was one example spotted. This concept was entitled « Coming Out ». So interesting!
Walking the streets during a beautiful morning for more great views of Chiado.
A quick coffee at the most famous cafe in Chiado, A Brasileira.
Chiado under our belt, it was now time to take in the city in a more multi-dimensional way by means of a… Tuk Tuk! I didn’t think I would see this very popular means of transportation (usually common in Southeast Asia) so prominent in Lisbon. The topography of this city however very much accepts this zippy mode of getting around.
Hugo was our driver and took us on our journey.
As we rode up to catch the views from above the city, we drove by the area of St. Antonio where once a year there is a festival at the end of May during which the city offers 20 couples the possibility to get married.
We rode by the Cathedral built in 1200 on top of a moorish mosque, a strong influence in this historical city.
We drove by Porta da Sol and saw the last remaining wall of the moorish period.
Continued towards the castle Castelo Sao George but continued to one of the best viewpoints of the city called Miradouro da Senhora do Monteto to catch a high level glimpse of beautiful Lisbon.
Continuing on to the visit Alfama, the oldest neighborhood in Lisbon. Here was the birthplace of Fado and our way we saw the mural made in memory of Amalia Rodrigues, the most famous Fado singer. Legend has it that this mural, when it rains, shows her crying, a typical, melancholic souvenir of her.
Alfama is a maze of tiny streets and has survived earthquakes due to its compact structure.
On our way down back to the heart of the city, more beautiful views including the Pantheon.
It also became very clear to me that many buildings in Lisbon had tiles on their outside. These tiles are called “azulejos” (from the Arab word azzelij meaning small polished stone), and all tell a story or portray a tradition. These tiles have always been used in a very original form in Portugal. Even though they have a common use in other countries such as Italy, Spain, Turkey or Morocco, in no country have they become such a relevant form of artistic expression, as they have done in Portugal. They are used to decorate interiors or whole facades of houses or churches. They have had a poetic intervention in the architectural form of Lisbon (and other Portuguese cities). These tiles underwent various influences, from the Islamic tradition, to the influences from the Dutch market that had a wide demand for these tiles, having changed the way they were painted, the symbolism or characteristics.
Beautiful, historical buildings shown before and after renovation.
Legend has it, the man who had this building made was a love of fine jewels and so had the facade erected in the same of precious stones.
Our ride ended at Terreiro do Paço where we could take a quick view of the river and one of the many squares of Lisbon.
What magical views!
Before lunch, it was time to walk the streets some more to nearby the Praça do Don Pedro IV-V and to taste a local specialty: Ginjinha (brandy infused with ginja berries or sour, Morello cherries. Your shot can be with our without the cherries, I tried mine with cherries of course!
Additional views as we sipped our Ginja.
Appetite on its way, we grabbed a taxi and were off to a neighborhood near the Torre de Belem called Champalimaud (named after the founder of this biomedic research institute, Antonio de Sommer Champalimaud). Next door was Darwin’s restaurant with an amazing view of the river. We enjoyed a typical Portuguese lunch filled with seafood and had vinho verde. Perfect weather coupled with great company made for a fantastic lunch
A day filled with so much activity definitely required a well deserved nap back at the hotel.
Funny enough, Praça Figueira seemed quite calm before the nap
This wasn’t the case several hours later as nightfall arrived when I was awoken by a crowd of people cheering on the PSD with the Prime Minuster speaking Pedro Passos Coelho! Speeches galore were finally met with the singing of the Portuguese national anthem! Now this was interesting…
This wasn’t the case several hours later as nightfall arrived when I was awoken by a crowd of people cheering on the PSD with the Prime Minuster speaking Pedro Passos Coelho! Speeches galore were finally met with the singing of the Portuguese national anthem! Now this was interesting…
Night had arrived and we were off the end this beautiful day correctly.
First, a cocktail at the Hotel Mundial rooftop bar nearby at the Praça Figueira. Great views of the castle and the city with a gin and tonic in hand listening to local DJs spinning away.
We jumped into a taxi to Cais do Sodré (piers near the river) and enjoyed more typical Portuguese food at the TIME OUT Mercado da Ribeira.
We took a stroll in the nearby Barrio Alto, the center of the Portuguese capital’s nightlife and saw Rua Rosa.
What a BEAUTIFUL day!
I will return to this fantastic, colorful, vibrant city as there is still much more to explore.
One of my favorite, visual and distinctive signs of Portuguese traditions, that caught my eye even more on this trip is the stones that we walked on throughout the city and the country. These are referred to as Portuguese pavement (calçada portuguesa) a traditional-style pavement used for many pedestrian areas in Portugal. It consists of small flat pieces of various different stones, arranged to form a pattern or picture, like a mosaic. It can also be found in Olivenca (Spain) and throughout old Portuguese colonies, such as Brazil and Macau. Portuguese workers are also hired for their skill in creating these pavements in places such as Gibraltar. Being usually used in sidewalks, it is in squares and atriums that this art finds its deepest expression.
Bye Lisbon, see you soon!