GO THERE Magazine - Lisbon

GO THERE bon MAGAZINE

Carmo Convent A quiet refuge in the bustling city centre

Architecture The charm of this colourful city

Lis

Restaurants

Where to enjoy the city's best food

The waterfront The riverside and the nearby coast

FOREWORD

By Nancy van Rijn All photography by Nancy van Rijn I personally cannot imagine why anyone would not like to travel. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always loved it. I remember when I was just a little girl, my parents took me to Tunisia where I immediately befriended the local stray cats (and thankfully my dad didn’t sell me to the local traders in exchange for 13 camels). When I was a teenager, I loved lounging in the back seat of my parents’ car while my mum drove us almost 1,500 kilometers to the north of Spain, watching Belgium and France slide slowly past the car window. Since I’m a grown­up, I’ve come to appreciate travel even more. I’ve visited many of Europe’s capital cities at least once, and some of them feel more like home than home itself.

Over the past few years I’ve been travelling less with company and more on my own, and I find that appeals to me the most. This is what mainly inspired me to set up this project, wanting to offer travelers ­ paired, grouped, or alone like me ­ with an excellent starting point for any destination. The idea is to feel out a place and become a part of it as quickly as possible, so you can enjoy the hell out of your trip from day one and at the end of it go back home enriched and invigorated.

So here is the first issue. I’ve immensely enjoyed making it, and it will undoubtedly lead to more issues about different destinations in the future, because I’m certainly planning on exploring as many places in this world as I can, and hopefully inspire you to go there too.

Nancy van Rijn Editor in Chief @Nancy_Writes

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WHY LISBON? Lisbon is the ideal destination for a short spring holiday. It has a little bit of everything; a nice climate, shops for every budget, colourful picturesque streets, friendly people, great restaurants, culture, music; and on top of that, it’s the capital in Europe with the most hours of sunshine a year, so what’s not to like? :)

Architecture Architecture lovers will certainly appreciate Lisbon. Almost all the buildings in the city centre are clad with the well­known colourful patterned Portuguese tiles, or at the very least painted in the most vibrant colours. It is a joy to look at, even on a cloudy day, and it makes for a photo opportunity about every 50 metres. The city is in the process of renovating even more of the older buildings, but it already pays to look up just about all the time when you’re wandering through the city streets. Just don’t trip! :)

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Amazing views You'll find that the city is absolutely littered with so­called 'miradouros'.

After a short climb up the sloping streets or, if you prefer that, a few steps, you can relax at one of these viewpoints that offer a new perspective on the city. Oftentimes there is a little cafe where you can have a drink or a snack. Some of the miradouros have fountains, some have gardens, but they’re all ideal places to sit and enjoy the stunning views Lisbon has to offer.

Delicious food Because of its location by the river and close to the sea, Lisbon is known for its excellent sea food.

You’ll find some of the best fish and shellfish there and if that’s what you love, you’ll definitely enjoy this city!

Of course there is also the famous Pastel de Nata, a custard tart that is crunchy on the outside and creamy on the inside. You can buy them at the supermarket but also at loads of ‘Pastelarias’ across town. Oh, and don’t miss the Portuguese port wine!

The Praca do Comercio is a bit touristy but certainly worth going to for a glass of wine and some people watching

Visit the Mercado da Ribeira for a bite to eat, there are loads of restaurants!

And how about watching the sunset by the river with a view of the bridge?

The Carmo Convent is a lovely quiet place to visit with a great view of the sky!

Lay in the sun on the lawns at the Ribeira das Naus

WHERE TO BE Explore the rugged Cascais coast

Sometimes when exploring a city you just need to escape the hustle and bustle for a few hours. Look for a park or garden to have a picnic or read a book for a few hours while your legs get a rest from strolling through the busy streets. Lisbon isn’t a very green city with a lot of parks, but it does offer a few places like this for a little quiet time.

Riverside

Visit the lovely Cascais beaches

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The intuitive thing to do when you get to Lisbon for the first time is to walk to the Praça do Comércio, because that is on the river. But there isn’t an awful lot to see there apart from a really big square and a busy two lane street. The best thing to do is take a right turn when you reach the river to the Ribeira das Naus, which is a riverside promenade. You’ll find some steps by the river where you can sit and watch the sunset, and lawns for a perfect picnic during the day. If you follow the Ribeira das Naus to Cais do Sodré, you will come across some restaurants, and at Cais do Sodré you will also find the Time Out Mercado da Ribeira.

Cascais Lisbon itself is on the Tagus River, but the coast is only a short train ride away. From the Cais do Sodré Metro and Railway station, you can take the train and be in Cascais in about 40 minutes. A trip there and back will cost you less than € 5,­ and you can’t go wrong because both Cais do Sodré and Cascais are the end­of­the­line for this route.

When arriving in Cascais you can reach the nearest beach by strolling through the cosy shopping streets.

For a little vitamin sea that is all you need. If you like coasts a bit more rugged, walk out of the city centre for about 10­15 minutes and you’ll find the most amazing cliffs, which you can get very close to, because there are paths across the rocks every few metres.

If you don’t want to travel for 40 minutes to Cascais, you can get to the nearest (smaller) beach by the same train in about 15­20 minutes.

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WHERE TO LOOK When you’re visiting a city there is always plenty to see, and Lisbon definitely has loads to offer in that department. You can take the Santa Justa lift up to the viewing platform, or take tram 28 for a tour around the city, visit the Design Museum, or go listen to some fado in Alfama. I’ve highlighted just two of the must­ sees here, so if you can’t go and see everything, at least see these!

Carmo convent This breath­taking building known as the Carmo convent, the Carmo Archaeological Museum, or the church of Santa Maria do Carmo, was founded in 1389 and it was one of the most impressive Gothic buildings of its time. However, during an earthquake in 1755, it lost its roof, and the rest of the building was seriously damaged.

Reconstruction was started, but was halted in 1834, when the government took control of all religious buildings and put them up for sale. The building is now still missing its roof and is only partly restored.

The Carmo ruins currently house the Archaeological Museum. It’s open from Monday to Saturday, and you pay € 3,50 to get in. You can enter through the big red door on the charming Largo do Carmo square.

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The museum, housed in the back of the building, is pretty small, but the front part of the building is particularly stunning and a wonderfully serene place to spend some time and take loads of interesting pictures of the beautifully decorated columns, set off against blue skies.

On the square in front of the entrance there are several cafes where you can have a drink or a bite to eat. In summer, there is the Quiosque do Carmo, a small kiosk where you can get a drink, with a lovely terrace under the trees.

You can combine a visit to the convent and the museum with the Santa Justa viewing platform, if you want to skip the Santa Justa elevator itself. Just walk around the convent (turn left when you exit), avoid the long queues in the street below and climb the little spiral staircase to the platform for € 1,50.

The view from here will definitely make you fall in love with Lisbon.

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WHERE TO LOOK Museo do Oriente This museum, that houses an extensive collection of beautiful Asian artefacts, is certainly worth a visit. It’s a few kilometres from the city centre, but it’s very easy to get to. It is just a short walk from the Alcântara­Mar station on the Cascais train line that leaves from Cais do Sodré.

The collection of this museum is owned by the Fundação Oriente and a special emphasis is on Portugal's presence in the East. It includes objects from China, Japan, Macao, East Timor and other places the Portuguese traded with in the past. The Kwok On collection of 13,000 pieces, donated to the museum in 1999, is also part of the permanent collection.

It is a delight to stroll through the pleasantly spacious and dark rooms where various folding screens, clothing, paintings, ornaments, prints, statues and religious objects are highlighted.

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In addition to the permanent collection, the museum also features temporary exhibitions which are of course always related to Asia. There is a restaurant, a cafeteria and a museum shop.

Admission is free on Friday nights from 18.00­22.00. www.museudooriente.pt

A short walk from the museum is a lovely bar with a great view of the river, called Le Chat. It’s a nice place for a drink, a small bite to eat, lunch, or even dinner while you’re waiting for 18.00 on Friday night.

Le Chat Jardim 9 de Abril, Janelas Verdes 1200­736 Lisbon +351 21 396 3668 www.lechatlisboa.com

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WHERE TO EAT Time Out Mercado da Ribeira

Nós é mais Bolos ­ Some of the most delicious cakes, definitely a good place for dessert!

This centuries old market reopened as a new foodie destination in 2014, and if you love good food you have to go there at least once. It is an ideal place to have lunch or dinner with company as well as on your own. In the middle of the hall there are long tables where you can take a seat to eat the food you ordered from one of the multitude of restaurants situated all around the hall. If you’re on your own though, and you don’t want to look lost sitting by yourself on the long tables, there are also small bars that seat about 6 people at the back of a lot of the restaurants, where you get a great look into the kitchen, and have a better chance of making contact with the staff.

Here are a few of our favourite restaurants at the market:

Avenida 24 de Julho 49 1200­481 Lisbon +351 21 346 1199 www.facebook.com/TimeOutMarket Lisboa

Tartar­ia ­ Where everything is raw, and everything is chopped. Meat, fish and veggie tartares made with the freshest ingredients. Some of the finest food you’ve ever tasted.

Monte Mar ­ Excellent seafood, simple and honest, make sure to try the oysters and the gambas al ajillo.

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L’éclair ­ Beautiful and exquisite éclairs, also for take­away, you’ll have trouble choosing just one :)

Cantina do Chiado Cantina do Chiado is situated on some stairs that lead from one street to the next, so you wouldn’t spot it straight away. They have a lovely terrace on the stairs.

Definitely try the grilled octopus!

Calçada Nova de São Francisco 2 1200­288 Lisbon +351 21 606 5121 www.cantinadochiado.pt

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WHERE TO EAT Cantina Artis Wine Bar MINISTERIUM Cantina MINISTERIUM is a great place for a drink and a small bite to eat when you’ve just arrived. It’s on the pretty touristy Praça do Comércio, which is great for people watching, and you have a nice view of the river. There is some lovely seafood on the menu, so order some oysters, and have a lovely glass of wine or a gin & tonic to start your trip on a high note!

Terreiro do Paço Ala Nascente 72­73 1100­048 Lisbon +351 21 888 8454 www.ministerium.pt/cantina.php

Stop do Bairro If you’re looking to get away from the tourists, this is the place to go! Be prepared to wait outside for a table, because it’s a local favourite, but the wait is definitely worth it. They serve some great local wines and the food is delicious!

Rua Tenente Ferreira Durão 55, A Campo de Ourique 1350­311 Lisbon +351 21 388 8856 www.facebook.com/stopdobairro/

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This small bar in Barrio Alto is very busy on weekends, but definitely worth the effort to get in. They serve excellent local wines and great Portuguese tapas.

Rua Diario de Noticias 95 Lisbon +351 21 342 4795 artisbairroalto.blogspot.com

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WHERE TO SLEEP When you’re exploring a big city you do need a nice and comfortable place to rest between walks and after late dinners and even later nights out on the town. The most ideal places to stay are in the centre so you get a good feel of the city, and are within walking distance to all the major cool places, but just off the main streets so you don’t get too much of the noise. Here’s one I found that fits that description perfectly.

Dream Chiado Apartments This little jewel of a place is only a couple of streets away from Lisbon’s main shopping area. Only a 5 minute walk to the Praça do Comércio and the riverside, and even less than that to the nearest Metro station, Baixa­Chiado. It is in the old centre of the city and all around are lovely mosaicked streets. The Santa Justa lift is just up the street. Whichever way you walk from this apartment, you will find something interesting to see, and cafes and restaurants are only a few steps away. The entrance is between two small shops, and you can wake up to the sound of fado from the record store next door.

The building has a lift, and the reception is on the second floor.

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It is occupied during the day and early evening, but if you need anything outside those hours, you can just call the receptionists mobile number or send a message.

What you get • Easy booking via booking.com • No advance payment • Free and strong wifi in your room • Super modern and clean rooms • Daily housekeeping • Free use of towels • A neat little kitchen • Free tea and coffee • English speaking staff • Free advice on where to eat (and where not to eat) • A free bottle of port wine

Contact Rua Nova do Almada 64, 2Dto Santa Maria Maior 1100­548 Lisbon Portugal

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VIVA VIAGEM The best way to see a city is of course to walk as much as possible.

But sometimes you just want to go places a bit more quickly. In that case, the Metro system is the ideal way to travel in Lisbon. The network isn’t very complicated, but it will quite easily get you from the airport to the city centre, and just about anywhere from there. The train lines are a good addition to the Metro system to go places a bit outside the city centre, or even further from the city such as Cascais and Sintra.

And the most straightforward way to pay for public transport in Lisbon is with the Viva Viagem Card.

How to get one Getting a Viva Viagem Card is really easy. At every Metro station (also the one at the airport) are several machines where you can get the thick paper card for € 0,50, and the same machines allow you to put whatever amount of credit you want on to it. Do remember to bring some cash because the machines won’t accept all cards for payment. Trips with the Metro will cost you less than € 2,­ per journey, so for your first day you probably won’t need a lot.

You do need one Viva Viagem Card per person.

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Zapping If you want to be able to use your Viva Viagem Card in the most flexible way, the best thing to do is to use zapping credit. You can upload credit on any of the machines at the stations, and it works the same as many other European travel cards like the English Oyster card, and the Dutch Chipcard. You can use the card in all public transport. To use your zapping credit, simply swipe the card at the sensor when you enter the station you’re travelling from.

For the metro, you also need to swipe your card to open the gate when leaving the station. On buses and trains, you only swipe it when you enter.

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