Before our Lisbon memories fade, we wanted to document some of the best restaurants, cafés and bars we visited. Over our three weeks we had great luck finding tasty food, with only one or two of the “meh” experiences that can happen anywhere. In no particular order, these are some places we’d recommend to others.
Cacilhas
Throughout our visit to Lisbon we’ve enjoyed many panoramic views of the Rio Tejo, which inevitably include the Ponte 25 de Abril bridge that connects Lisbon to the opposite shore of the river and its towering statue of Christ, the Cristo Rei.
This opposite shore is in fact another city: Almada. And the closest part of Alamada to Lisbon is Cacilhas, a former fishing and shipbuilding district.
Portuguese Pavement Cobblestones
Here are few examples of the lovely traditional Portuguese pavement cobblestone we’ve seen around Lisbon.
Most are in good shape and a pleasure to walk upon. Occasionally we’ve encountered rough patches worn away by construction, damage or age.
Ancient Lisbon
“Lisbon is older than Rome” is a surprising claim we came across a few times during our stay. In fact it is 400 years older, settled by the Phoenicians around 1200 BC. The Roman Empire later founded their city of Olisipo on the site. Evidence from that era can still be seen in a few places.
We visited two fascinating archeological sites: the Núcleo Arqueológico and the Museu do Teatro Romano.
Rossio Square Fountain
Josie filmed short video of one of the two fountains in Praça de Dom Pedro IV (commonly known as Rossio Square) in Lisbon.
The Food Temple
Last weekend we had dinner at The Food Temple, a vegan restaurant just around the corner from our rented house in Mouraria. Reservations were a must!
It turns out that Alice, the founder of The Food Temple, was born in Vancouver.
Easter Church Bells
Today is Easter Sunday, and whoever operates the bells on the Igreja e Convento da Graça has clearly been waiting for this day with anticipation.
The bells tolled long and hard at various intervals throughout the day, to the point that we had to close the window during dinner in order to converse.
Ascensor da Glória
North of the Rossio train station along the beautiful tree-lined Avenida da Liberdade there’s a small funicular that connects to the Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara on the hill above.
There are a number of such funiculars around Lisbon, but many are currently closed or under repair. This one was originally built in 1885 and electrified in 1914.
The Amazing Store
As we spend our last week in Lisbon, it’s time to close the gaps on a few areas we feel we haven’t adequately explored. One of those is Bairro Alto, so we took a meandering wander from the top of the Acensor da Bica along Rua da Rosa.
The area definitely has character, with lots of little bars and restaurants, but around noon on Easter Sunday there was still a “morning after” vibe going on.
Sintra & Quinta da Regaleira
Half an hour from Lisbon is the small town of Sintra, located on a forested mountain. It is home to historic palaces, a Moorish castle, and other picturesque tourist attractions.
We visited on Good Friday and the crowds were out in force. We were glad we decided to go with Lisbon Destination Tours instead of finding our own way on the trains and overcrowded buses.
Cabo da Roca
Roughly 40 minutes west of Lisbon is Cabo da Roca, a rocky outcrop that forms the westernmost part of mainland Europe. (Ireland is conveniently not counted in this context, being considered an island.)
Somewhat reminiscent of Peggy’s Cove in Canada, the only signs of humans at Cabo da Roca are a lighthouse, a gift shop café, some stone monuments and a hundred or so fellow visitors.
Príncipe Real
Here are some of the buildings in the more upscale Príncipe Real neighbourhood of Lisbon. It felt a bit like Nolita in NYC with its eclectic mix of interesting shops, bars and restaurants.
One of the most impressive sights at the Jardim França Borges park in the heart of Principe Real is this giant white Mexican Cypress umbrella. It is over 100 years old.