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HomeTown Lisbon blog offers you a selection of articles devoted to the destination Lisbon, its news, culture, activities and of course, its people

Gourmet

Lisbon in all sweetness; Lisbon’s pastries and tearooms

6 years ago - Julie D.

Pasteis de nata, pastels de Belém: these tarts filled with egg cream have become famous all over the world. Upon their evocation, we imagine a Portugal full of sweetness and tastefulness, ravishing in vanilla and cinnamon, we would not be mistaken... Doce de ovos, a debauchery of pastry cream Pasteis are the first Portuguese dessert that comes to mind, but unfortunately it is often the only one. Yet a visitor who arrives in Lisbon can be perplexed by the profusion of cakes and pastries that are offered to him, arranged in enticing pyramids behind the showcases of tea rooms with Art Nouveau aesthetics. What is not surprising is the art that the Portuguese and the Lisboans use to accommodate the pastry cream - all sauces, so to speak. How many different cakes can you stuff with "doce de ovos", this delicious egg cream? An infinite number, it seems. But why then egg cream? How many drops of egg yolks are used up every day by Portuguese pastry chefs? Tradition has it that it was the monks and nuns who made all of Portugal discover the "doces conventuais", the "convent pastries". The monasteries had the opposite problem: what to do with so many egg yolks, once the whites have been used to whiten the mass wine and make the hosts? The answer was found thanks to the abundance of sugar that came from the Portuguese colonies. Lisbon, a paradise for the sweet toothed Once you have tried the famous pasteis, it is time to turn to other specialties, such as the bolas de Berlim, filled donuts, you guessed it, with egg cream, Portuguese variant of the Berliner Pfannkuchen ; or the torta de Azeitao, which requires no less than 10 eggs, 200 grams of sugar - and a little bit of flour for the shape. And which we then fill them of egg cream. Portuguese cakes are not afraid to promise mounts and wonders. Thus, the "toucinho de ceu" with the evocative name ("ceu" means "heaven") offers you the keys to paradise... but not only. "Toucinho" means bacon. Airy delights on one side, calories on the other, this "bacon from heaven" was traditionally made with lard, replaced today by butter. Apart from the butter in considerable quantity and sugar and the almond powder, what are the other ingredients of the toucinho de ceu? You will never guess: egg yolks. However, contrary to what one might think, the Portuguese pastry is not just sugar and egg yolks. Among other delicacies such as the chocolate salame or queijada of Sintra, one must discover "dreams" ("sonhos"), these delicate donuts sprinkled with cinnamon and icing sugar. Starred chef George Mendes gives us his own recipe. Where to enjoy pastries in Lisbon? If one can try to make these delicious cakes at home (provided, of course, you have a supply of egg yolks), you can also discover with delight the famous Lisbon tea salons. Here along are four among the many celebrated, but you may enjoy discovering your own little addresses found in small alleys: "pastelarias" abound, with magic words, "fabrica proprio", on their awning, which testify that the pastries are made on-site. Confeitaria Nacional La Confeitaria Nacional is the oldest of the bakeries. Founded in 1829, the house is still run today by the same family, the sixth generation of descendants of the founder Balthazar Castanheiro. To every lord, all honor: the house is the official supplier of the presidential palace, after having been that of the royal family. The place, victim of its fame, is very popular with tourists. But a pilgrimage is imposing in this temple of pastry. One can come to admire the azulejos and to sip a very good coffee or a beer, at times of less crowding, that is to say during the opening or late at night. Praça da Figueira, 18, 1100-241 Lisbon - +351 21 342 4470 - every day from 8 am to 10 pm, except on Mondays, from 8 am to 8 pm and on Sundays from 9 am to 10 pm. Pastelaria Versailles Behind the sumptuous facade, the interior of the Pastelaria Versailles has little to envy in the Hall of Mirrors in the palace of the same name: the delicate white volutes of the ceiling moldings stand out against a gray pearl background, the candlesticks sparkle and the waiters in vest astonish. In the long service room, the showcase of pastries makes your mouth water. There are also hot chocolates, "à la française" or "à la espagnole", as well as black tea from Mozambique, the "chá preto de Moçambique". The glacier of the same house recently opened on the same street, a few numbers of the main pastry (no. 21). There is also a branch in the Belem district. Avenida da República, nº 15 - A, 1050-185 Lisbon - +351 21 354 6340 - every day from 7:30 am to 11:45 pm. Versailles Belém - Rua da Junqueira 528 / Calçada da Ajuda 8, 1300-314 Lisbon - +351 21 822 8090 - daily from 7:30 am to 11 pm. Pastelaria Suiça Separated simply by the Rua da Betesga, the two rivals Pastelaria Suiça and Confeitaria Nacional look at each other as a faience dog, but for gourmets, there is no need to choose: you can be loyal to both! Under a less imposing exterior than its sisters, Pastelaria Suiça nevertheless exudes refinement. Here too, the thick white tablecloths freshly ironed are de rigueur, and the long showcase where the desserts are stacked is equally impressive. Pastelaria Suiça - Praça Dom Pedro IV, 96 to 104, 1100-202, Lisbon - +351 21 321 4090 - daily from 7am to 9pm. Pastelaria Orion Less lavishing, but not less delicious, Pastelaria Orion has more the appearance of a comfortable neighborhood cafe than a tea room. This pastelaria is a little away from the tourist floods, the attendance is more local. Besides, one can quickly become a regular: if it does not have the pedigree and the antiquity of the other more famous pastries (it was founded, after all, "only" 1945), Pastelaria Orion is equally jealous when it comes to the quality of its products and its recipes. Pastelaria Orion - Calçada do Combro 1, 1200-012 Lisboa, Portugal - +351 21 342 0485 - daily from 7am to 8pm.

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Lisbon in all sweetness; Lisbon’s pastries and tearooms

Lisbon in all sweetness; Lisbon’s pastries and tearooms

Kids

Family excursion around Lisbon: Palmela and the Parque Natural da Arrábida

6 years ago - Julie D.

Wild nature, beaches, medieval castles and local specialties: a day in the Parque natural da Arrábida Just a short drive south of Lisbon, on the other side of the Tagus estuary, is the Natural Park of Arrábida (Parque Natural da Arrábida). At the edge of the park, we discover with delight the small medieval town of Palmela. When children are bored, it is time to flee the city, if only for one day. About forty kilometers from Lisbon is the Natural Park of Arrábida, ideal for an excursion. Beaches of fine sand, small intimate coves, hiking in the natural park, gastronomic stopovers, festivals, castles and historical ruins: the region of the Serra de Arrábida is a discreet jewel that can be visited during all seasons, slowly, on the lookout for good addresses hidden at the turn of a country road. The Parque Natural de Arrábida The Natural Park of Arrábida was created in 1976 to preserve its fauna and flora, threatened by urban development. Indeed, we are still in the great outskirts of Lisbon - and yet we suddenly find ourselves in a haven of greenery with magnificent landscapes, wild cliffs and reliefs covered with forests. The park can be reached by car, and on foot, of course. By car, take the N379-1 or the N10-4 to take in the breathtaking views that are available to the view all along the route. Esplanades are arranged here and there along the road to allow parking. If you are lucky you may even spot dolphins in the turquoise waters of the bay and in the natural reserve of the Rio Sado estuary. Some areas of the park are accessible only by an authorized guide. Contact the park management (PNAr) in Setúbal. Parque Natural de  Arrábida – Praça da República – 2900-587 SETÚBAL – +351 265 541 140 – pnarr@icnf.pt The beaches of this natural park The park of Arrábida hides several paradisiacal beaches. From the long strip of white sand to the little creek, there is something for everyone. It is best to leave the car on one of the paying car parks and descend to the beach along trails scented with the plants of the garrigue. The most accessible are the beach of Figueirinha and the beach of Creiro, but do not neglect the beach of the Galapos and that of the Galapinhos. In Portinho de Arrábida, above the beach of Creiro, do not miss the Oceanographic Museum, located in the Fort Santa Maria. Horse riding in the Natural Park of Arrábida Palmela and the Natural Park of Arrábida can also be discovered along with a horse or cart ride, with Rotas Terra Una. Confirmed horse riders will be able to undertake a more ambitious hike. Rotas Terra Una offers day trips (Serra do Louro, 7am), as well as a one - week Dolphin Bay Trail program, Arrábida: the trail winds through pine and cork oak forests, with breathtaking views over the Baie des Dauphins. Rotas Terra Una – Casal Sto. Isidro, Serra do Louro, 2950-131 Palmela – (+ 351) 212 333 019 – frescata@biosani.com Palmela: medieval castle and festivals The small town of Palmela, ten kilometers from Setúbal, is a pleasant medieval village that knows how to live. A Roman consul, Aulius Cornelius Palma, gave it its name. It is home to the Castelo de Palmela, now a member of the Pousadas de Portugal network. The castle is open to the public and houses the municipal museum; the hotel's restaurant serves delicious lunch, with a menu of local specialties and wines. From the top of its promontory, the eagle's nest of Palmela Castle dominates the Serra da Arrábida. The site has been occupied since the Neolithic times and has seen Romans, Iberians and Moors succeed one another after conquests and reconquests. The first fortress worthy of the name, in the 8th century, is the work of the Moors in full expansion in the Iberian peninsula. Fiercely contested, destroyed and then rebuilt and enlarged, it passes and passes again from the hands of the Moors to those of the Christian armies throughout the 12th century, before the Arabs were definitively expelled in 1212. The castle is still the scene of other dark episodes: A battle against the armies of Castile and imprisonment of the bishop of Évora for treason, before becoming the residence of a religious order. Expelled in 1834, the monks left a superb cloister in which one enjoys strolling in the cool shade of the thick pillars of stone. The ruins of the medieval walls and ramparts bristling with towers are an ideal setting for a stopover on the route of this day trip around Lisbon. In clear weather, you can also see the capital from the ramparts of the castle. Palmela can also be visited during the many festivals that animate it, from the beginning of spring to the end of summer. The agapes begin with the Festival of Cheese, Bread and Wine (Festa de Queijo, Paô e Vinho, late March-early April). They continue in June with the Palmela Wine Jazz Festival: over a weekend, we savor the "tasty and creative alliance of wine and music" (see the program of the edition 2017). At the end of the summer, the harvest festival, the Festa da Vindimas (end of August - beginning of September) takes place. Among the attractions, the traditional pressing of the grapes, the election of a queen, processions and fanfares, fireworks, a cowhide race and of course many opportunities to taste the wines of the region. Finally, during the third week of September the medieval festivals take place. Feira Medieval de Palmela offers everything you'd expect: knights' jousts, demonstrations of raptors, medieval dances, concerts, acrobats, jugglers and boaters ... (here along the video of the festivities of 2017 and the record of the 2017 edition of the festival) Mercadinhos of local arts and crafts At the foot of the castle, in the city itself, the Mercadinhos are held throughout the high season, from May to October: these "small markets" organized every Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm, offer local arts and crafts. Wine tasting at Casa Mãe da Rota dos Vinhos On a pleasant wooded plot of the historic center of Palmela is the Casa Mãe da Rota dos Vinhos. This old wine cellar has become the starting point of the Setúbal wine route. You can taste wines, cheeses, honey, pastries such as Pastel de Moscatel, as well as ice cream with surprising flavors of local fruits: apple, pear, peach or muscat grape. The local products shop also acts as a tourist office and allows you to book tours and excursions. Casa da Rota dos Vinhos - Largo São João Baptista 1, 2950-214 Palmela - +351 21 233 4398 - every day from 10 am to 7 pm except Sundays from 1 pm to 7 pm, closed on public holidays. How to get to Palmela Exit Lisbon following the direction of Setubal / Cascais / A2 / A5. Take the Setubal exit/ Almada and continue on the A2. Merge onto the IP7. Leave the A2 / IP7 at exit 4, and take the N252 towards Palmela / Montijo. At the exit of the highway, take the EM 532 to finish arriving at Palmela.

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Family excursion around Lisbon: Palmela and the Parque Natural da Arrábida

Family excursion around Lisbon: Palmela and the Parque Natural da Arrábida

Events

An artist to discover: José de Almada Negreiros

6 years ago - Julie D.

"Being modern is just like being elegant: it's not just the way you dress, but the way you are. Being modern is not limited to using modern calligraphy: it is necessary to be the real discoverer of novelty. " José de Almada Negreiros, conference O Desenho [Le Dessin], Madrid, 1927 At the beginning of the 20th century, old Europe moved under the blows of a generation's thirst for novelty. In Portugal the first earthquake took place in 1910 - not tectonic like the one of 1755, but political. On October 5, 1910, the Republican party overturned the constitutional monarchy: the day before, on October 4, they obtained the majority of the seats in Lisbon, and the electoral result was accompanied by a popular uprising. On October 5, the Republic was proclaimed. These events opened a period of radical, accelerated and heated change: Portugal had no less than 45 governments, 8 presidents of the republic, 7 legislatures and 5 dissolutions of Parliament between 1910 and 1925! Futurism, the urge for a new beginning Born in 1893, José de Almada Negreiros was 17 years old in 1910: it was in this atmosphere that he spent his youth. A great figure of European modernism, he has always claimed futurism, but he is little known outside Portugal. Self-taught, he exhibited his drawings and caricatures for the first time in 1913. He is part of the younger generation of modernity who, throughout Europe, on the eve of the First World War, wants to leave the handcufs and break the locks of those weaked European societies in habits of another age. Technological innovations accelerate, but morals and society take a long time to follow suit. In response to these inertia, modernists are fascinated by the world of progress, speed and new technologies. For the idealistic youth of which Almada Negreiros is a part, everything seems possible. With an emblematic energy of the effervescence of Europe of that time, he is engulfed in the breach. The list of talents of this touch of genius gives vertigo: illustrator, painter, writer and poet, scenographer and choreographer, ceramist and engraver, founder and editor of magazines, but also, in his free time or to work for food, dancer and worker or actor and director. Irreverence as a business card Similar to Dada, another movement related to Futurism, Almada Negreiros does not hesitate to use humor as a rhetorical weapon. This is evidenced by his Manifesto Anti-Dantas, published in 1915. Júlio Dantas, a prolific writer mostly known as a playwright, but also a surgeon and essayist, had the bad taste to criticize the modernist magazine Orpheu. Almada Negreiros attacked him, as well as all the compassed academicism which choked, accroding to him, Portuguese artistic life, in a manifesto which he recited standing on a table in the Martinho do Rossio café. The first lines of the manifesto set the tone: “ BASTA POUM BASTA! A generation that consents to be represented by a Dantas is a generation that has never been! It is a gathering of poor, unworthy and blind! An oar of charlatans and of the sold, which goes lower than zero! The Dantas is born to prove that it is not because one can write, one knows how to write! The Dantas knows the grammar, knows the syntax, knows medicine, knows how to prepare dinner for the cardinals, knows everything except to write but that's the only thing he does! " The same provocative tone, difficult to place between hoax and arrogance, is found in his "Futurist Ultimatum": "I am not part of any revolutionary generation. I am part of a constructive generation. I am twenty-three, twenty-three years of health and intelligence. I am the conscious result of my own experience. As a Portuguese, I believe myself entitled to demand a country which deserves me. " So, Unbearable headache or visionary and provocative genius? These funny protrusions will later overthrow him when, under the Salazar regime, he survives thanks to the orders of the government. But, the latter does not always find the humor of the artist to its taste, and is not far from having his frescoes of azulejos for the maritime terminal of Rocha do Conde d'Óbidos destroyed... They will be spared thanks to the intervention of João Couto, director of the Museum of Ancient Art. Faster! Faster! Almada Negreiros does not set back the century, in the posture of the introspective artist: he throws himself headlong into this world of modernity, trying at all costs to accelerate the march and to move Portugal, as in the ardor of his twenty years, seems to him desperately slow. His eyes are not his eyes, he says, but the eyes of the century, in tune with the disheveled rhythm of this twentieth century, which is still brand new at the time and which the avant-gardes, with their typical optimism, still see as full of promises. For Almada Negreiros, the artist's mission is to produce modernity, to make it happen. The means of this transformation is the spectacle, conceived as a total work of art, which saturates the senses, especially the sight, and which appeals to the public. It is not a matter strictly speaking about agit-prop or a political art: the ambition of Almada Negreiros is rather to install modernity in the public space. Being there, occupying the antenna, and provoking a reaction: the artist publishes essays, manifestos and open letters, especially during the first years of the Salazar regime. The fever of collaborative projects Almada Negreiros is never quite where he is expected and he has the soul of a handyman. If it is not possible to set up a show, there immediately, not holding back, he creates a magic lantern: the model, a miniature show, shimmering and changing, allows to liven up the vision in lack of means, pending the continuation and development of an idea. Adapting as a chameleon allows him to multiply experiments and collaborations: he is in his element when he can exchange with other artists in an atmosphere of mutual emulation. Almada Negreiros flourished in collective projects. Thus the Orpheu magazine that he founded with Fernando Pessoa, the magazine Portugal Futurista, and the numerous stage projects, ballets, operas and theatre plays. All will not succeed, but Almada Negreiros occupies alternately all the positions: scenographer and composer, dramaturge and choreographer, decorator and dancer, he is never as much himself as in the midst of a joyous brotherhood of artists. He thus became friends with Sonia Delaunay, with whom he exchanged an exuberant and supplied correspondence. These collaborations also allow him not to choose immediately between an artistic career and a literary career: for a long time, he writes as much as he draws and paints. Where to see the works of Almada Negreiros in Lisbon? To the Foundation Calouste Gulbenkian The Gulbenkian Foundation has a rich collection of works by Almada Negreiros in its modern collection. It is, by the way, his fresco "Começar" (1969) that welcomes visitors to the Gulbenkian Museum. Until June 5, 2017, do not miss the exhibition "José de Almada Negreiros, a way of being modern". More about the exhibition – Foundation Calouste Gulbenkian The exhibition José de Almada Negreiros: a way of being modern is held at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation until 5 June 2017. It presents an unprecedented crowd of previously unreleased sketches and documents that can trace the prolific career of the artist. Foundation Calouste Gulbenkian – Av. de Berna, 45A, Lisbon – Metro Praça de Espanha ou São Sebastião At the port terminals of Alcântara and Rocha do Conde de Óbidos We also owe to the artist the frescoes of azulejos to the port terminals of Alcântara and Rocha do Conde de Óbidos. To reach it: station of Alcântara Mar, or bus 712, stop Doca of Alcântara. At the Four Seasons Almada Negreiros Bar Finally, guests can sit in the lounge bar of the Four Seasons Hotel for a drink and admire several Almada Negreiros tapestries. Salon-Bar Almada Negreiros – Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbonne – Rua Rodrigo da Fonseca, 88, Lisbon 1099-039

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An artist to discover: José de Almada Negreiros

An artist to discover: José de Almada Negreiros

Secrets

Secret Lisbon: the infinite richness of azulejos

6 years ago - Julie D.

Recalling lisbon brings immediately to mind the calm and freshness of a courtyard or an interior where the Mediterranean warmth is tempered by the cold material of the tin glazed ceramic tilework and their delightful aquatic tones. This freshness is not only imaginary: the azulejos allow a certain degree of "natural" air conditioning. The azulejos, a deceptive blue The azulejos tiles decorate all spaces, from the most opulent to the most modest. Their most famous motifs are the blue and white frescoes, inspired by the Delftware, that depict biblical or historical episodes, scenes from everyday life, rural idylls, in a debauchery of stylized flowers, scrolls and geometric patterns. And yet "azulejo" does not come from the word "azul", "blue" ... No, the word "azulejo" comes from the Arabic "al zulaiga", "small polished stone". For the Moors settled in Spain, it was a matter of imitating the Roman mosaics. For if the azulejos are primarily associated with Portugal, the use of faience tiles or enamelled terracotta to decorate the interior or facades of houses has spread here and there in the Mediterranean basin: Spain bears the Arabic-Andalusian mosaics or "mudéjares", and we can still find today in Morocco the "zellige", shards of colored ceramic cut to recompose abstract geometric patterns. But the Portuguese azulejos have taken a path of their own. Explosion of colors and inspiration, the azulejos have known how to absorb the different fashions, the trends, all the innovations, allong the years to express the slightest subtleties of the Portuguese decorative arts. A good example: the figura de convite, particular to Portugal. Disseminated here and there in random streets, these life-size characters look at the passerby in the eyes and invite him to enter. The azulejos in Lisbon, five centuries of history The faience tiles arrived in Portugal at the beginning of the 16th century and never left. It is King Manuel I of Portugal, during a visit to Seville, who was seduced by Spanish mosaics and tiles inspired by Arab-Andalusian techniques. In Portugal, the azulejos have reflected all artistic movements, all modes and all technical innovations. Italian majolica, blue Delft tiles: the infatuation of the wealthy Portuguese of the 17th century for the latest fashion of faience was no longer denied. Azulejo is an extremely flexible mode of expression that welcomes all inspirations. Religious scenes or of everyday life, abstract motifs, flute-playing monkeys and other rococo motifs, debauchery of colors or soothing minimalist bichrome in blue and white ... The azulejo is an artistic genre on its own that reflects the Great movements of the intellectual and material life of Portugal. Easier to handle and less expensive than carved stone, tiles and faience elements have also made the fine days of Art Nouveau. In Vienna with the Jugendstil, in Budapest, in Barcelona with the stunning blue staircase of the Casa Batlló, architects and artists explore the infinite possibilities of a versatile material, which bends to all fantasies. The Portuguese azulejos, whose popularity has never been denied, also make part of this movement. Varied, the manufacturing processes range from artisanal techniques of hand-painted tiles to the ingenious innovations that have allowed mass productions: we then move on to a technique of transfer of patterns comparable to the decal. The humble azulejo owes its perpetuity to its modesty. It continues to inspire artists to present day: the small square is the perfect companion of all experiments and all plastic audacities. For some, like Maria Keil, the azulejo becomes a medium of predilection. Do not miss the "La Mer" on Avenue Infante Santo, her huge fresco of azulejos completed in 1959. She would say laughingly: "I work with a millenary technique, on a small square of 14 cm by 14 cm, and with water based paint ... It is perhaps because it is a medium so modest that it is not appreciated to its right value. " Where to see azulejos in Lisbon? Let’s begin by taking the metro... Far from being confined in a dated postcard, the azulejos continue to be used for the decoration of public spaces. This is of course the case of the Lisbon metro: since its opening in the 1950s, several metro stations have been sumptuously decorated with frescoes of azulejos entrusted to renowned artists. The original idea of using azulejos as a wall covering would be that of the architect Francisco Keil do Amara and of his wife, Maria Keil, the great lady of Portuguese fine arts. In order to be able to carry out this project in spite of the limited funds, the Keil couple developed an ingenious abstract decoration. It was therefore sufficient to skilfully recombine the tiles to obtain, from a limited range of colors and patterns, an infinitely varied décoration varying from station to station. During the expansion of the metro in the late 1980s, it was decided to continue in the same vein, assigning the realization of frescoes to several contemporary artists. One can thus discover the works of Rolando de Sá Nogueira in Laranjeiras, Júlio Pomar in Alto dos Moinhos, Manuel Cargaleiro in Colégio Militar / Luz, and Vieira da Silva in Cidade Universitária. The airport metro station was redecorated in 2014 by the designer António Antunes. His immense frescoes welcome travelers to Lisbon by staging the icons of Portuguese culture: the fado singer Amália Rodrigues, the soccer player Eusébio, the architect Pardal Monteiro, the artist Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro (also a great ceramist), the Artist Almada Negreiros, the poet Fernando Pessoa as well as José Saramago, Nobel Prize winner for Literature. Azulejos in Lisbon, not to be missed... The National Museum of Azulejos: Museu Nacional De Azulejo A refreshing and well-designed visit of approximately 1h30 awaits you at the National Museum of Azulejos, housed in a former convent of Clarisses founded in 1509. Here you will discover the main stages of the development of azulejos, from Arab-Andalusian mosaics to contemporary creations. In the museum the notices are in Portuguese, therefore do not forget to download the free app: once the language chosen (Portuguese, English or sign language), it guides visitors through 33 descriptive sheets from the ground floor all the way to the second floor of the museum. On the second floor, the fresco that represents Lisbon before the earthquake of 1755 is one of the jewels of the museum. In the cloister, small carved figures support the basin of the fountain all while expresing complaint about the weight! Museu Nacional do Azulejo - Rua da Madre de Deus, 4, 1900-312 Lisboa - from Tuesday to Saturday from 10 am to 6 pm. The Palace of Sintra The palace of Sintra is the medieval residence of the kings of Portugal. It was here that Manuel I initialy wanted to introduce the use of the incredible rich azulejos. One of the motives is its coat of arms, the armillary sphere, which is repeated endlessly on the walls. This sphere, representing the celestial one, is until present day, on the Portuguese flag. See also our article on Sintra. Palacio de Sintra - Parque de Monserrate, Sintra - open all year long except on December 25th and January 1st from 9:30 am to 7pm. In confidence... The Atrio Tiles store is the creation of a Portuguese based in the United States. It offers delightful jewelry with romantic shapes and motifs inspired by the azulejos of the Sintra palace and other historical azulejos: earrings, colored rings and cuffs will enchant your eyes. (Etsy Store here) The Palace of the Marquises of Fronteira: Palacio de Marqueses de Fronteira Designed as a hunting lodge in 1671, the palace is still the private residence of the Marquis de Fronteira. The Interior aswell as the exterior are both decorated in a revelry of azulejos. Frescoes with rustic or naive accents represent hunting scenes, country festivals and battle scenes. Will you be able to find the small unusual details? The Hall of Battles of the Palace (Sala das Batalhas) was nicknamed "the Sistine Chapel of the Azulejos" and celebrates the victory of the house of Braganza against the Habsburgs of Spain in the War of Portuguese Restoration. Palacio de Marqueses da Fronteira – Largo São Domingos de Benfica 1, 1500-554  Lisboa –from Monday to Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm - guided tours at 11 am and 12 pm / noon, as well as at 10:30 am and 11:30 am from June to September Where to buy authentic azulejos in Lisbon? Azulejos MMA The shop Manuel Marques Antunes provides antique azulejos and also responds to orders, such as this original decoration idea: to use the tiles of azulejos as place cards for a wedding meal. Azulejos MMA – Rua do Jardim 75A, Bicesse 2645-343 Alcabideche – Monday to Saturday from 9 am to 1 pm and from 2 pm to 6 pm, closed on Saturdays in August and September. Fabrica Sant'Anna The Fabrica Sant'Anna produces modern azulejos and reissues of antiques, manufactured in series or decorated with care by hand: a real work of artisans. It is possible to order custom tiles, in order to obtain exactly the pattern and shades that one desires, for example for a project of decoration very precise. In addition to the ordinary azulejos, there are other many other porcelain objects. Fabrica Sant'Anna – atelier Calçada da Boa Hora, nº96 – showroom Rua do Alecrim, 95, 1200-015 Lisboa – Workshop open from Monday to Saturday from 9:30 am to 7 pm. Galeria Ratton Ceramicas The Ratton Ceramicas Gallery offers creations by contemporary artists from diverse backgrounds who have chosen the azulejo as a medium. Recent exhibitions have made it possible to discover or rediscover the works of Jun Shirasu, Maria Beatriz or Graça Morais. The gallery offers fascinating retrospectives that contrast the ceramics and drawings or paintings of each artist. Galeria Ratton Ceramicas - Rua da Academia das Ciências, 2C, Lisboa – Monday to Friday from 10am to 1:30 pm and from 3pm to 7:30 pm. Solar Antique Tiles The catalog of the specialized Solar antiquary goes from the Moorish azulejos of the 15th century, to the fantasies of Art Deco from the 20th century. Saved with care from buildings promised for demolition, or at least from a drastic renovation, these tiles represent all the architectural styles and all the artistic currents. They are sold with their certificate of authenticity. Everyone will find their happiness there, from the small azulejo sold to the unit, up to the intact frescoes of dozens of tiles representing with delicacy scenes of the 18th century. Solar Antique Tiles – Rua D. Pedro V 70, 1250-094 Lisboa – Monday to Friday from 10 am to 7 pm, Saturday from 10 am to 1 pm.

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Secret Lisbon: the infinite richness of azulejos

Secret Lisbon: the infinite richness of azulejos

Gourmet

The trendiest restaurants of Lisbon

7 years ago - Pauline P.

Because a pleasant setting is often as important as the quality of the plate during an evening in a restaurant, discover our selection of the trendiest design restaurants in Lisbon, for a combined pleasure of your eyes and your taste buds! 100 Maneiras A refined setting, all dressed in white, a unique concept with an imposed "tasting" menu, which connects dishes and different taste discoveries... The talent and inspiration of the chef Ljubomir Stanisic attracts the whole of Lisbon to his table, and they all continue to ask for more! Rua do Teixeira, 35, Encarnação Kais Kais is a 19th century warehouse restored into a gigantic industrial-style restaurant, where wooden furniture and metallic structures blend elegantly, and where olive trees grow against the brick walls. We are as impressed by the space of the place as by the refinement of the plates. Rua Cintura do Porto de Lisboa, Armazém 1 (Cais da Viscondessa) Bica do sapato The view on the Tagus is breathtaking, and the design frame is not left neglected. Once owned by actor John Malkovitch, the restaurant Bica do Sapato is a must-see in Lisbon, with original cuisine and high quality. A sure bet for gourmets and design lovers. Avenida Infante D. Henrique, Armazém B Largo It is the designer Miguel Cancio Martins, who we owe the Buddha Bar in Paris to, and who converted this former cloister into a trendy table, elected in 2013 among the 10 best tables of the capital by Time Out magazine. Aquariums filled with phosphorescent jellyfish and big mouths along the wall in contrast with the stone vaults of the building. The menu is more classical than the decor, but nevertheless pleasing. Rua Serpa Pinto, 10A – 1200-445 Chiado Eleven In a gigantic building overlooking the Eduardo VII Park, the Eleven, formerly the only restaurant starred by the Michelin guide in Lisbon, offers a unique panorama and one of the most creative dish. Chef Joachim Koerper combines fresh, high-quality produce for a Mediterranean cuisine very flavourable. On the floor above, the bistro Twelve offers a more accessible menu where tapas and risottos are in the spotlight. Rua Marquês da Fronteira Jardim Amália Rodrigues Pharmacia Located in front of the Santa Catarina mirador, the Pharmacia restaurant, housed in the charming mansion of the Pharmacy Museum, offers the world of pharmacy in detail. The setting is perfect, the decoration very beautiful, the attentive service and the amazing plates. Do not hesitate to let yourself be amazed by the menu "surprise", whose multiple appetizers will amaze your taste buds. Rua Marechal Saldanha 1 Tabik Elected as the rising star of the Portuguese culinary scene in 2015 by the Condé Nast Traveler, Chef Manuel Lino has already come a long way, and anchored his restaurant Tabik among the most popular tables in Lisbon. He reinterprets the classics of Portuguese cuisine with more contemporary techniques and surprising associations. Av. da Liberdade 41

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The trendiest restaurants of Lisbon

The trendiest restaurants of Lisbon