One Week Gone Already
Mar 16th, 2016, 01:57 PM
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One Week Gone Already
We finished our 1st week in Portugal here at the Pousada in Ourem (3 nights). We have used the location to visit Tomar and Coimbra with a sidetrip to Dornes as well as a visit to
Alcobaca tomorrow on our way back to Lisbon.
We took British Air from Seattle to Lisbon with a 4 hour layover in Heathrow. The flight was 1/2 empty and we had 3 seats+ to stretch out and get a little airplane sleep which made up for almost inedible meals. We arrived around 6pm with easy walk to Europcar where we picked up a brand new Clio with installed GPS and the requested transponder for tolls. Europcar is in the airport, no transport needed. They were friendly, efficient and took their time explaining the details of the car and contract. We rejected the additional insurance, choosing to use our Visa Capital One coverage. They did put a $500 pending charge in case of damage on our card which we expected.
Side note for drivers: Very easy and for the most part stress free. Roundabouts are ubiquitous, roads are well signed, the GPS was indispensible and the toll transponder well worth the money. Use the green V lane when driving through the toll booths. Portuguese drivers seem to be the same as anywhere in Europe. You pump your own gas and we found cash was easiest for payment. Highways are almost empty.
From the airport, we set out for Evora where we spent 5 nights at ADC which we found just as wonderful as others have said. Recommend in a heartbeat. We ended up eating there 3 of the 5 nights as their food was better than the restaurants we tried ( we did have an exceptional meal at B L Lounge).
We saw the usual sights in Evora and especially loved the walk on the cathedral roof without another single soul. We covered a lot of ground in the Alentejo countryside and especially liked Arraiolos, Vila Vicosa and Portela. We had a picnic lunch at the Miradora in Sao Bartolomeu de Outeiro, a tiny town reached by lovely backroads and enjoyed walking across what was left of the road and seeing the submerged remnants of the herade in Olaria after the area was flooded (a bit chilling after watching the French series "The Revenants"). The countryside was green and dotted with early wildflowers and birdsong. Quite beautiful.
And Monsaraz was quiet and lovely for sunset. We had a forgettable meal in the town but will always remember the red and orange sunset, 1/2 silver moon and star covered sky.
We were lucky to have booked Mario for the Megalith tour and had an interesting morning on a beautiful day gaining insight into these amazing historical sites. All the more perfect as the sites were empty of people and filled with silence. We would recommend "Ze" who spent time helping us with our Portuguese pronounciation. Both can be booked with the helpful folks at ADC.
We left Evora and made our way to Marvao. Later.
Alcobaca tomorrow on our way back to Lisbon.
We took British Air from Seattle to Lisbon with a 4 hour layover in Heathrow. The flight was 1/2 empty and we had 3 seats+ to stretch out and get a little airplane sleep which made up for almost inedible meals. We arrived around 6pm with easy walk to Europcar where we picked up a brand new Clio with installed GPS and the requested transponder for tolls. Europcar is in the airport, no transport needed. They were friendly, efficient and took their time explaining the details of the car and contract. We rejected the additional insurance, choosing to use our Visa Capital One coverage. They did put a $500 pending charge in case of damage on our card which we expected.
Side note for drivers: Very easy and for the most part stress free. Roundabouts are ubiquitous, roads are well signed, the GPS was indispensible and the toll transponder well worth the money. Use the green V lane when driving through the toll booths. Portuguese drivers seem to be the same as anywhere in Europe. You pump your own gas and we found cash was easiest for payment. Highways are almost empty.
From the airport, we set out for Evora where we spent 5 nights at ADC which we found just as wonderful as others have said. Recommend in a heartbeat. We ended up eating there 3 of the 5 nights as their food was better than the restaurants we tried ( we did have an exceptional meal at B L Lounge).
We saw the usual sights in Evora and especially loved the walk on the cathedral roof without another single soul. We covered a lot of ground in the Alentejo countryside and especially liked Arraiolos, Vila Vicosa and Portela. We had a picnic lunch at the Miradora in Sao Bartolomeu de Outeiro, a tiny town reached by lovely backroads and enjoyed walking across what was left of the road and seeing the submerged remnants of the herade in Olaria after the area was flooded (a bit chilling after watching the French series "The Revenants"). The countryside was green and dotted with early wildflowers and birdsong. Quite beautiful.
And Monsaraz was quiet and lovely for sunset. We had a forgettable meal in the town but will always remember the red and orange sunset, 1/2 silver moon and star covered sky.
We were lucky to have booked Mario for the Megalith tour and had an interesting morning on a beautiful day gaining insight into these amazing historical sites. All the more perfect as the sites were empty of people and filled with silence. We would recommend "Ze" who spent time helping us with our Portuguese pronounciation. Both can be booked with the helpful folks at ADC.
We left Evora and made our way to Marvao. Later.
Mar 17th, 2016, 09:15 AM
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Now at Tomar ..17 Mar ..and the Castle and Convent are the most fabulous we've seen anywhere!It's a pretty town too and Thomar Story a nice, new B+B , is right near the markets..we have a kitchen.
Alcobaco and Batalha are for tomorrow.. hope the weather holds.
Enjoy!
Alcobaco and Batalha are for tomorrow.. hope the weather holds.
Enjoy!
Mar 18th, 2016, 05:40 AM
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Tommmo, we had the same feeling about the Convento and Castle in Tomar. Very interesting and atmospheric. We had done some background reading on Templar history so could imagine those knights and monks roaming the vast buildings. We used the audio for self tour and found it useful.
We were there as a daytrip from Ourem but did eat dinner at La Bella and had a delicious Asparagus and Mushroom Risotto. A nice change from traditional Portuguese food.
To continue with our trip: We drove from Evora to Marvao, spending time in Vila Vicosa, which we liked very much. It has the sense of a pleasant working town and is pretty with the marble homes, public buildings, sidewalks and pracas. We passed several large marble quarries and although we didn't take a marble tour, we stopped to peer into the areas we had access to. If we were to come again, we would definitely take a tour as the fabrication process interests us.
We reached Marvao in the late afternoon and checked into Dom Dinis with a view of the surrounding mountains and valleys. Luis greeted us kindly and was helpful in answering our questions. He keeps the bar across the street and we stopped for a ginjinha as a welcome drink. I believe there was only one other couple at the hotel and after 6pm the whole town emptied out.
We liked Marvao. I had wrongly anticipated it would be too touristy for our liking but there were few tourists (mostly Spanish) and the castle and grounds are large enough to absorb them (us). We enjoyed watching the sunset from the castle walls and taking an early morning walk for sunrise the next day before leaving. Very quiet, very peaceful.
Be sure to take the stairs to the cistern. A saxophonist was playing music in the poorly lit cavern. Quite spooky but interesting to know the cistern could supply the castle with water for 6 months.
There were no restaurants open the night we were there (Sunday) except for Varanda do Alentejo but we were satisfied with our meal and would recommend it.
In conclusion, Marvao is a lovely place to spend a night, walk the castle in silence, take in wonderful views, watch the sunrise and sunset. Dom Dinis is also recommended.
The next day we head west taking the backroads to Ourem.
We were there as a daytrip from Ourem but did eat dinner at La Bella and had a delicious Asparagus and Mushroom Risotto. A nice change from traditional Portuguese food.
To continue with our trip: We drove from Evora to Marvao, spending time in Vila Vicosa, which we liked very much. It has the sense of a pleasant working town and is pretty with the marble homes, public buildings, sidewalks and pracas. We passed several large marble quarries and although we didn't take a marble tour, we stopped to peer into the areas we had access to. If we were to come again, we would definitely take a tour as the fabrication process interests us.
We reached Marvao in the late afternoon and checked into Dom Dinis with a view of the surrounding mountains and valleys. Luis greeted us kindly and was helpful in answering our questions. He keeps the bar across the street and we stopped for a ginjinha as a welcome drink. I believe there was only one other couple at the hotel and after 6pm the whole town emptied out.
We liked Marvao. I had wrongly anticipated it would be too touristy for our liking but there were few tourists (mostly Spanish) and the castle and grounds are large enough to absorb them (us). We enjoyed watching the sunset from the castle walls and taking an early morning walk for sunrise the next day before leaving. Very quiet, very peaceful.
Be sure to take the stairs to the cistern. A saxophonist was playing music in the poorly lit cavern. Quite spooky but interesting to know the cistern could supply the castle with water for 6 months.
There were no restaurants open the night we were there (Sunday) except for Varanda do Alentejo but we were satisfied with our meal and would recommend it.
In conclusion, Marvao is a lovely place to spend a night, walk the castle in silence, take in wonderful views, watch the sunrise and sunset. Dom Dinis is also recommended.
The next day we head west taking the backroads to Ourem.
Mar 19th, 2016, 12:58 AM
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Great it's going well cindyjo. We didn't have the sax at the Marvao cistern and stayed at the Varanda do Alentejo a night with a window looking out over the Valley. A great town.
Rained most of the day here at Tomar so we had an easy day at excellent Thomar Story B+B just near La Bella restaurant. We did get out to the big market day Fri. for fish and vegies for dinner.
Today on to Obidos for a night....
Rained most of the day here at Tomar so we had an easy day at excellent Thomar Story B+B just near La Bella restaurant. We did get out to the big market day Fri. for fish and vegies for dinner.
Today on to Obidos for a night....
Mar 19th, 2016, 08:49 AM
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Good Marigross. Hope it will help.
We left Marvao and headed west through the vinyards and sparsely populated upper Alentejo. Our GPS was again invaluable as our instincts for direction were off and our Michelin map did not show in detail the small roads and deadends on narrow cobbled streets. We stopped for lunch at the Pousada Mosteiro Crato, Flor da Rosa. Oh my! Gorgeous renovation of 14th century convent. Absolutely gorgeous. We were the only diners and there appearred to be very few guests. This was a predictable pattern - few visitors in most places this time of year. I had been overly concerned about booking our rooms and if travelling again in March would give ourselves more leeway to stop where our fancy takes us. It definitely would have meant a stop at this Pousada.
Our lunch was lovely and we were given a delicious appetizer as compliments of the chef. A nice touch.
We continued onto Ourem travelling the A23 toll road. Again, other cars were few and far between. We realized as we drove through the area that the west part of Portugal is indeed more populated than the east with many towns and small cities throughout. We were also surprised by all the eucalyptus trees, a fast grower and self seeder used for paper pulp and resins. Coming from our area of the world where plant diversity is encouraged, this was a surprise. We learned later that not all Portuguese are happy with this monocrop. It decreases not only plant diversity but fauna diversity and is a fire hazard secondary to the dry litter it creates and its' flammable resins.
Again everywhere we go, we see the tug between preserving an ecosystem and economic realities.
The pousada at Ourem was comfortable but definitely not the dream that we saw in Crato. It needs some refurbishment in carpet, bathroom fixtures, etc. The breakfasts were nice, ask for espresso, the waitstaff are willing make it. They also always asked if we would like eggs, etc. We found it to be a good place for 3 nights as homebase for exploring Tomar, Coimbra, etc without having one night stands. We had a superior room looking out at the church. The rooms overlooking the valley and pool are across the street and were not used this time of year so if you go in Spring, don't be too attached to a panoramic view. Better Marvao.
I have touched upon our experience in Tomar and will only say again, it is not to be missed. I have a feeling it will be the highlight of our trip. I also encourage you to do some reading on the history of the Templars and use the Audio Guide. Who knew the Templars were the first travel agents?
Our next day trip was Coimbra which we really enjoyed. I had read some negative comments here and so was prepared for anything but the immediate resonance we felt with this energetic place. More later. Time for our afternoon Pastel de Nata and bica!
We left Marvao and headed west through the vinyards and sparsely populated upper Alentejo. Our GPS was again invaluable as our instincts for direction were off and our Michelin map did not show in detail the small roads and deadends on narrow cobbled streets. We stopped for lunch at the Pousada Mosteiro Crato, Flor da Rosa. Oh my! Gorgeous renovation of 14th century convent. Absolutely gorgeous. We were the only diners and there appearred to be very few guests. This was a predictable pattern - few visitors in most places this time of year. I had been overly concerned about booking our rooms and if travelling again in March would give ourselves more leeway to stop where our fancy takes us. It definitely would have meant a stop at this Pousada.
Our lunch was lovely and we were given a delicious appetizer as compliments of the chef. A nice touch.
We continued onto Ourem travelling the A23 toll road. Again, other cars were few and far between. We realized as we drove through the area that the west part of Portugal is indeed more populated than the east with many towns and small cities throughout. We were also surprised by all the eucalyptus trees, a fast grower and self seeder used for paper pulp and resins. Coming from our area of the world where plant diversity is encouraged, this was a surprise. We learned later that not all Portuguese are happy with this monocrop. It decreases not only plant diversity but fauna diversity and is a fire hazard secondary to the dry litter it creates and its' flammable resins.
Again everywhere we go, we see the tug between preserving an ecosystem and economic realities.
The pousada at Ourem was comfortable but definitely not the dream that we saw in Crato. It needs some refurbishment in carpet, bathroom fixtures, etc. The breakfasts were nice, ask for espresso, the waitstaff are willing make it. They also always asked if we would like eggs, etc. We found it to be a good place for 3 nights as homebase for exploring Tomar, Coimbra, etc without having one night stands. We had a superior room looking out at the church. The rooms overlooking the valley and pool are across the street and were not used this time of year so if you go in Spring, don't be too attached to a panoramic view. Better Marvao.
I have touched upon our experience in Tomar and will only say again, it is not to be missed. I have a feeling it will be the highlight of our trip. I also encourage you to do some reading on the history of the Templars and use the Audio Guide. Who knew the Templars were the first travel agents?
Our next day trip was Coimbra which we really enjoyed. I had read some negative comments here and so was prepared for anything but the immediate resonance we felt with this energetic place. More later. Time for our afternoon Pastel de Nata and bica!
Mar 20th, 2016, 03:49 AM
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Coimbra - the city grabbed us with it's energy, not only the presence of students flying around in their black capes, but the sense of "bustle" we felt. We spent much of the day walking the city. The University was beautiful in its position at the top of the city. The library was jaw droppingly beautiful as was St. Michael's Chapel. We wandered the steep streets leading away from the university, bought the postcards from a gaggle of students and had a long and energetic conversation with them about Portuguese law vs U.S. Law (yes,they were law students), the "lunatic" Donald Trump, and American music.
The friendliness and willingness to both help and engage seems to be part of the Portuguese personality. We have thoroughly enjoyed our encounters and have never felt the boredom or irritation with tourists that we have come across in not to be named other European countries.
Before we left Coimbra, we used our friend,the GPS to find a vegetarian restaurat near the hospital for a late lunch/early dinner - Greenside. We had to park a distance from the restaurant and so had the opportunity to walk the hospital neighborhood which was a mix of residential and small commercial with lots of families out and about. Quite nice.
Our meal experience was another tribute to the kindness of the Portuguese. We had read the place was open until 6 and arrived around 4:30. Naturally they were closed and in the process of cleaning up. The very nice woman at the counter called in the cook and in Portuguese discussed the situation eventually offering to cook some tofu, vegies and rice. We enthusiastically nodded yes....
For any vegetarians who have visted Portugal you will agree that an offer of tofu/vegies/rice was a gift from the gods! We ate with gusto which pleased the cook to no end. What a great way to end our Coimbra day and a reinforcement for our liking to this small city.
The friendliness and willingness to both help and engage seems to be part of the Portuguese personality. We have thoroughly enjoyed our encounters and have never felt the boredom or irritation with tourists that we have come across in not to be named other European countries.
Before we left Coimbra, we used our friend,the GPS to find a vegetarian restaurat near the hospital for a late lunch/early dinner - Greenside. We had to park a distance from the restaurant and so had the opportunity to walk the hospital neighborhood which was a mix of residential and small commercial with lots of families out and about. Quite nice.
Our meal experience was another tribute to the kindness of the Portuguese. We had read the place was open until 6 and arrived around 4:30. Naturally they were closed and in the process of cleaning up. The very nice woman at the counter called in the cook and in Portuguese discussed the situation eventually offering to cook some tofu, vegies and rice. We enthusiastically nodded yes....
For any vegetarians who have visted Portugal you will agree that an offer of tofu/vegies/rice was a gift from the gods! We ate with gusto which pleased the cook to no end. What a great way to end our Coimbra day and a reinforcement for our liking to this small city.
Mar 22nd, 2016, 02:42 AM
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LOL....
Actually eating in Portugal has been less difficult for pescatarians than I had anticipated. Fish has been abundant in most places and eggs are good. The national vegetable soup is delicious and most bread is very good and made at least partially with whole grains. We do miss out on some of the specialities but we are used to making those choices.
Moving on to Nazare. We left Ourem with the plan of seeing Alcobaca on our way south to Lisbon. But the day was so beautiful we opted instead to visit Nazare. We believe we can visit Alcobaca on our way north to Belmonte at the end of March.
We had read very differing opinions of Nazare from tourist trap to lovely seaside town. Although clearly it is no longer a fishing village and large multi story buildings are spreading out from the core, the beach and ocean setting is quite beautiful. Of course, we were there in March with very few people on the beach. Several tourist buses pulled in but only to take photos and eat at large cafes on the beach front. They were quickly gone again.
We walked the promenade, slipped off our shoes to walk the beach and got a christening in the Portuguese Atlantic. There were a handful of surfers waiting for a big one, but the wave action was not big enough for any great surfing.
We had enough time to look for A Tasquinha on a sidestreet up from the beach as we had read many glowing reports here and on TA. We weren't disappointed and will stop in again on the way north for lunch. Fresh, delicious fish with a very helpful staff and fair prices.
Our road trip back to Lisbon was easy once the GPS set us on the right track and we enjoyed seeing the huge windmills juxtaposed with the tiny round original windmills still turnin that are seen from the highway. True to form we got totally confused getting our rental back to the airport return and spent a lot of time going through the same roundabouts but managed to get there by our 5:30pm return time. Europcar gave the car a thorough looking over but cleared it for any damage. Our $500 pending charge was taken off our CC the next day. Overall pleased with them and will report back on our second rental from them coming up at the end of the month. We opted for a taxi to our apartment in the Barrio Alto. We normally plan a reserved car or taxi for our arrival even though it ups the budget. We find that the arrival phase in a big city we don't know is the most stressful part of any trip. Having someone waiting or taking a cab rather than taking public transportation makes life easier. There is a large Information Kiosk in the Arrivals and you can purchase a Taxi Voucher for 23€mor take your chances with the taxi queue outside. Unfortunately we hit rush hour and it took a good 45 minutes and several hairraising back ups on narrow streets to reach our apartment. Once we are settled we rarely take a cab, and certainly in Lisbon where transportation choices are cheap and easy with a Viagem card and walking is part of the pleasure of the city.
And so begins Week Two, 9 days in Lisbon.
Actually eating in Portugal has been less difficult for pescatarians than I had anticipated. Fish has been abundant in most places and eggs are good. The national vegetable soup is delicious and most bread is very good and made at least partially with whole grains. We do miss out on some of the specialities but we are used to making those choices.
Moving on to Nazare. We left Ourem with the plan of seeing Alcobaca on our way south to Lisbon. But the day was so beautiful we opted instead to visit Nazare. We believe we can visit Alcobaca on our way north to Belmonte at the end of March.
We had read very differing opinions of Nazare from tourist trap to lovely seaside town. Although clearly it is no longer a fishing village and large multi story buildings are spreading out from the core, the beach and ocean setting is quite beautiful. Of course, we were there in March with very few people on the beach. Several tourist buses pulled in but only to take photos and eat at large cafes on the beach front. They were quickly gone again.
We walked the promenade, slipped off our shoes to walk the beach and got a christening in the Portuguese Atlantic. There were a handful of surfers waiting for a big one, but the wave action was not big enough for any great surfing.
We had enough time to look for A Tasquinha on a sidestreet up from the beach as we had read many glowing reports here and on TA. We weren't disappointed and will stop in again on the way north for lunch. Fresh, delicious fish with a very helpful staff and fair prices.
Our road trip back to Lisbon was easy once the GPS set us on the right track and we enjoyed seeing the huge windmills juxtaposed with the tiny round original windmills still turnin that are seen from the highway. True to form we got totally confused getting our rental back to the airport return and spent a lot of time going through the same roundabouts but managed to get there by our 5:30pm return time. Europcar gave the car a thorough looking over but cleared it for any damage. Our $500 pending charge was taken off our CC the next day. Overall pleased with them and will report back on our second rental from them coming up at the end of the month. We opted for a taxi to our apartment in the Barrio Alto. We normally plan a reserved car or taxi for our arrival even though it ups the budget. We find that the arrival phase in a big city we don't know is the most stressful part of any trip. Having someone waiting or taking a cab rather than taking public transportation makes life easier. There is a large Information Kiosk in the Arrivals and you can purchase a Taxi Voucher for 23€mor take your chances with the taxi queue outside. Unfortunately we hit rush hour and it took a good 45 minutes and several hairraising back ups on narrow streets to reach our apartment. Once we are settled we rarely take a cab, and certainly in Lisbon where transportation choices are cheap and easy with a Viagem card and walking is part of the pleasure of the city.
And so begins Week Two, 9 days in Lisbon.
Mar 28th, 2016, 12:45 PM
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It is hard to believe our 9 days in Lisbon is just about over. We did love the "Faded Lady". Unfortunately I nursed a cold/sore throat for 2 days so did lose some time - darn.
I won't go into minute detail as much has been said in this forum about Lisbon.
We stayed in an Air BnB on a quiet travessa a short walk from the Miradoura Santa Caterina. A very good location for walking - Casa Sodre, Baixa-Chiado, Principe Real, etc. In fact, we were surprised how short distances were in this city. It is definitely built on hills but we did not find that to be too much of a problem. We did use public transport with a Viagem Zapping card, mostly for the Metro, which is easy, fast, clean and seemed very safe. We also used it for a train trip to Belem. If we had not been able to clock in so many walking miles, we certainly would have used it more. If you are going to be here a few days, the zapping Viagem is definitely recommemded. We put an initial 15€ on the card and will probably not use it all. As an encouragement: The Metro stations seemed to have at least one friendly employee in uniform looking out for totally mystified tourists standing in front of the kiosks and were helpful with purchasing tickets.
Our favorites:
The Gulbenkian Museum. - Just the right size, eclectic collections, beautifully displayed and a lovely building integrated with gardens and a park.
The National Tile Museum - We walked there and back along the water from Barrio Alto. The route takes you by the cruise ship docks and shipping port which was interesting. The Museum is in a beautifully restored church, has many displays with explanations in English and gives a coherent and interesting history of the azulejo. The short video is well worth seeing. And don't miss the last floor for the tile panorama of Lisbon. There is a nice cafe with a very peaceful garden/courtyard where we had a bica and dessert which we were told are all made in house.
The Jardim Botanical just north of Principe Real - a green oasis of quiet with many interesting plants, many of them labeled. I imagine this would be a nice respite in the hot Lisbon summer. We were touched by the notice at the ticket office apologizing for the state of the garden due to economic crisis Portugal has suffered.
The Alcantara and Santa Caterina Miradours - Certainly some tourists but also a lot of locals and families enjoying themselves and the fantastc views.
Belem - It was a gorgeous day and although we spent several hours at the Monastery, our favorite part of the day was sitting by the river people and boat watching. The old Coach Museum is housed in the old Royal Riding School and is a beautiful building butbring a sweater, it is chilly.
Walking the Barrio Alto - Many photographic opportunities and worth doing at different times of the day as the light changes in the steep canyoned streets.
Joining the Good Friday Procession as it passed by our street and meandered through our neighborhood gathering people as it progressed, many with candles. Others in their open windows and balconies holding candles as well. It was a wonderful way to spend our last night in Lisbon. We appreciated the personal, quiet expression of faith. A welcome counterpoint to today's use of religion as a call to war.
Next up: Eating!
I won't go into minute detail as much has been said in this forum about Lisbon.
We stayed in an Air BnB on a quiet travessa a short walk from the Miradoura Santa Caterina. A very good location for walking - Casa Sodre, Baixa-Chiado, Principe Real, etc. In fact, we were surprised how short distances were in this city. It is definitely built on hills but we did not find that to be too much of a problem. We did use public transport with a Viagem Zapping card, mostly for the Metro, which is easy, fast, clean and seemed very safe. We also used it for a train trip to Belem. If we had not been able to clock in so many walking miles, we certainly would have used it more. If you are going to be here a few days, the zapping Viagem is definitely recommemded. We put an initial 15€ on the card and will probably not use it all. As an encouragement: The Metro stations seemed to have at least one friendly employee in uniform looking out for totally mystified tourists standing in front of the kiosks and were helpful with purchasing tickets.
Our favorites:
The Gulbenkian Museum. - Just the right size, eclectic collections, beautifully displayed and a lovely building integrated with gardens and a park.
The National Tile Museum - We walked there and back along the water from Barrio Alto. The route takes you by the cruise ship docks and shipping port which was interesting. The Museum is in a beautifully restored church, has many displays with explanations in English and gives a coherent and interesting history of the azulejo. The short video is well worth seeing. And don't miss the last floor for the tile panorama of Lisbon. There is a nice cafe with a very peaceful garden/courtyard where we had a bica and dessert which we were told are all made in house.
The Jardim Botanical just north of Principe Real - a green oasis of quiet with many interesting plants, many of them labeled. I imagine this would be a nice respite in the hot Lisbon summer. We were touched by the notice at the ticket office apologizing for the state of the garden due to economic crisis Portugal has suffered.
The Alcantara and Santa Caterina Miradours - Certainly some tourists but also a lot of locals and families enjoying themselves and the fantastc views.
Belem - It was a gorgeous day and although we spent several hours at the Monastery, our favorite part of the day was sitting by the river people and boat watching. The old Coach Museum is housed in the old Royal Riding School and is a beautiful building butbring a sweater, it is chilly.
Walking the Barrio Alto - Many photographic opportunities and worth doing at different times of the day as the light changes in the steep canyoned streets.
Joining the Good Friday Procession as it passed by our street and meandered through our neighborhood gathering people as it progressed, many with candles. Others in their open windows and balconies holding candles as well. It was a wonderful way to spend our last night in Lisbon. We appreciated the personal, quiet expression of faith. A welcome counterpoint to today's use of religion as a call to war.
Next up: Eating!
Mar 28th, 2016, 01:37 PM
#15
Great report. Glad it's all working out for you as I remember your planning threads. Am enjoying reliving our trip there in 2014--lovely country. We were ther in may and it was pretty empty everywhere then too. We had toll roads to ourselves whenever we decided to take one.
Mar 31st, 2016, 10:00 AM
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As promised:
We are pescatarians so our taste in restaurants may be a little different than most. We also prefer eating at places within walking distance to our lodging which also limits our choices. However, it seems that we had no problem eating in Lisbon with the excellent choices for fish and seafood.
Pharmacia was very close to our apartment. We had one very good dinner there. Good choices for vegatarians or pescatarians. A little $$ but good value for what you get. Reservations are essential. Would definitely eat there again.
Sea Me - hmmmmm yuuuum. We ate there 2x for lunch in the Time Out Mercado and once in their restaurant in Chiado. Really good, probably the best seafood we have had and we are from Seattle! Fun place and nice waitstaff. Again $$ but worth a splurge.
Estrela da Bica, again a few streets away from our apartment in Barrio Alto. A sweet place with extremely nice waitstaff and good food and reasonably priced. Reservations are advised as it is tiny. Very relaxed and informal.
And last but not least in the Pastel da Nata category: In our humble opinion based upon the many hundreds we have eaten (a little exageration), the winner is Manteigaria Fabrica de Pasteis de Nata on Largo de Camoes.
I think I will start a new thread for our next few weeks as this is getting a bit long. If anyone objects, let me know...
We are pescatarians so our taste in restaurants may be a little different than most. We also prefer eating at places within walking distance to our lodging which also limits our choices. However, it seems that we had no problem eating in Lisbon with the excellent choices for fish and seafood.
Pharmacia was very close to our apartment. We had one very good dinner there. Good choices for vegatarians or pescatarians. A little $$ but good value for what you get. Reservations are essential. Would definitely eat there again.
Sea Me - hmmmmm yuuuum. We ate there 2x for lunch in the Time Out Mercado and once in their restaurant in Chiado. Really good, probably the best seafood we have had and we are from Seattle! Fun place and nice waitstaff. Again $$ but worth a splurge.
Estrela da Bica, again a few streets away from our apartment in Barrio Alto. A sweet place with extremely nice waitstaff and good food and reasonably priced. Reservations are advised as it is tiny. Very relaxed and informal.
And last but not least in the Pastel da Nata category: In our humble opinion based upon the many hundreds we have eaten (a little exageration), the winner is Manteigaria Fabrica de Pasteis de Nata on Largo de Camoes.
I think I will start a new thread for our next few weeks as this is getting a bit long. If anyone objects, let me know...
Apr 1st, 2016, 02:25 AM
#17
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We might have crossed roads in Manteigaria since I'm a regular there.
Christian Bale's "The Promise" (to be released in 2016) has some scenes recorded in Jardim Botanical (classroom and garden scenes).
Most Fodorites misspell "Bairro Alto", for some reason I have to investigate.
I'm delighted to know you enjoyed my city and I hope you may return soon.
Christian Bale's "The Promise" (to be released in 2016) has some scenes recorded in Jardim Botanical (classroom and garden scenes).
Most Fodorites misspell "Bairro Alto", for some reason I have to investigate.
I'm delighted to know you enjoyed my city and I hope you may return soon.
Apr 1st, 2016, 12:37 PM
#19
Yum -- sounds like some good meals.
I am one who for some reason misspells Bairro Alto despite knowing the correct spelling! I think placing the "i" between the r & o seems correct depsite it not being correct. I shall try and be more careful.
I am one who for some reason misspells Bairro Alto despite knowing the correct spelling! I think placing the "i" between the r & o seems correct depsite it not being correct. I shall try and be more careful.
