‘An uplifting experience’: readers’ favourite places in Lisbon | Lisbon holidays

Successful tip: An elevator to fabulous views

After a morning’s sightseeing within the historic centre, my favorite place in Lisbon is an uplifting expertise: the Santa Justa elevator hyperlinks downtown Lisbon to the Chiado district up the hill. I merely love the attractive wrought iron of this 100-year-old neo-Gothic tower, created by Raul Mesnier de Pondard, a pupil of Gustave Eiffel. On the prime you may benefit from the fabulous 360-degree views over the Baixa, earlier than stress-free on the terrace with a cool drink and visiting the spectacular ruins of the 14th-century Carmo Convent, which was destroyed within the nice All Saints’ Day earthquake of 1755.
Susanna

Virtuoso efficiency and design

Of all of the issues we’ve carried out in Portugal, our go to to the Palacio Foz is without doubt one of the most memorable. All the time looking out for reasonable leisure, we discovered a flyer for a free piano live performance by the then 17-year-old prodigy Bernardo Santos. Our amazement on the pianist’s ability was equalled by our amazement on the venue – a luxurious 18th-century gilded and glittering baroque palace, with painted ceilings, marble pillars, a number of mirrors and wrought-iron balustrades. Located in the principle sq., its comparatively restrained pink exterior provides no trace of the surplus inside. Apparently the vacationer workplace has now moved in and there are guided excursions, however I believe our manner of visiting was extra fascinating.
Barbara Forbes

Feast for the senses

The Confeitaria Nacional, on Praça da Figueira, was established in 1829. In Lisbon’s Baixa district, it supplies a feast for the eyes as a lot as for the abdomen, with its gold fittings, marble counter and mirrored ceiling. Confectionery gadgets embrace pastel de nata (custard tarts) and the store’s signature Christmas cake, bolo rei. Hidden away up the sweeping mahogany staircase is our favorite lunch cease, standard with locals. We eat in type underneath chandeliers and stucco ceiling. Native dishes reminiscent of cod with creamed greens, accompanied by vinho verde, may be savoured for lower than the price of a fast-food burger.
Rod

This bar deserves a medal

For a very distinctive bar I like to recommend the Pavilhão Chinês in Principe Actual (Rua Dom Pedro V, 89/91). Initially a grocery store purchased to accommodate and show a set of curios, it feels as should you’re going for a drink in a museum. Knock on the door to be personally welcomed by the waiter and admire the 5 rooms full of hundreds of navy artefacts, medals and miniature dolls spanning the previous two centuries. The intensive cocktail listing is in an erotic artwork e book and there’s additionally a pool desk, however the assortment takes centre stage and is the place your eyes can be drawn.
Ursula Watson

Native brews

Pattern a few of Lisbon’s best regionally brewed craft beer on the Duque brew pub. Set on Calçada do Duque, a couple of minutes’ stroll from the Carmo Convent within the Chiado district, Duque presents a often up to date choice of scrumptious bottled and draught brews from its onsite microbrewery in addition to choices from throughout Portugal’s burgeoning craft beer scene, together with the distinctive creations of multi-award winner Cervejeira Dois Corvos. Work your manner by way of a flight of taster servings within the stripped-down bar, or watch life within the Chiado go by from a desk overlooking the cobbled steps outdoors.
Louise

Gorgeous vista

The Unesco Belém Tower, Jerónimos Monastery and Monument to the Discoveries are all sensible to go to, however should you assume you’ve “carried out” Belém when you’ve seen them, chances are you’ll be shocked, as we have been, to find a number of extra queue-free delights. The Church of Santa Maria de Belém is beautiful (and free). You get panoramic views of the 25 de Abril Bridge and riverfront from the highest of the newly opened MAAT, (Museum of Artwork, Structure and Know-how). Entry on to the large roof is free and it’s particularly spectacular at sundown with the play of sunshine on water and white tiles.
Louise

Caipirinha, Brazilian type

Rendezvous – More than Wine on Rua de São Vicente is the very best. Having given up on exploring the Castelo de São Jorge throughout an sudden October heatwave we chanced upon this small, pleasant oasis. It has nice service, scrumptious meals and eclectic decor and we felt happy with ourselves for making this little discovery. Our tapas lunch was extraordinarily tasty, my do-it-yourself limonada was refreshing, however the spotlight was the beneficiant caipirinha my son ordered – for €6. The alcohol content material was virtually seen and, seeing my involved look, the waitress smiled winningly and simply stated “Brazilian type”! Our winding stroll afterwards down by way of the attractive slim streets of Alfama was vastly enhanced by my son’s ebullient temper.
Sherry Santer

Kong is the king of vegan eating places

Visiting Portugal as a vegan, I missed out on attempting many conventional native dishes. That was till I found Kong, an intimate restaurant on Rua do Cruxifixo in central Lisbon that provides meat-free variations of the Portuguese classics. Its fairly priced menu options vegan renditions of the francesinha, a meat sandwich doused in tomato sauce and cheese, the octopus dish polvo à lagareiro, and sausage croquettes, amongst others. The place is to not be missed by veggies and vegans, and will even flip the top of a carnivore.
Mains €9.50-€12.50, open Monday-Saturday 12.30pm-10.30pm
Laura Paterson

Park panorama

For those who’re on the lookout for a sweeping view of Lisbon, it doesn’t get significantly better than the Panorâmico de Monsanto. Monsanto is a big forested park to the north-west of town, and should you stroll to the very best level you get a 360º view out over Lisbon and the river Tejo. The Panorâmico itself is a large, spherical, concrete construction that feels a bit of like a multi-storey automobile park, and it has an vibrant historical past: as soon as a profitable restaurant, it obtained into monetary difficulties and was deserted in 2001 and closed off to the general public for years. The intrigue round this belvedere – as soon as a pearl of Lisbon, now gathering mud and graffiti – solely grew, giving it one thing of a cult standing. The constructing nonetheless incorporates authentic paintings, together with painted murals by Luís Dourdil, and delightful ceramic-and-tile panels.
Sadie

Darkish historical past

Close to the cathedral, the Museu do Aljube, which opened in 2015, sheds an interesting, if disturbing, gentle on the lifetime of political prisoners held there throughout the lengthy dictatorship of António de Oliveira Salazar from 1926-74. You possibly can be taught concerning the function of the key police and see the torture rooms and isolation cells endured by these incarcerated right here. Guests can expertise an underground assembly, the place revolutionary pamphlets have been tapped out on a typewriter sheathed with a picket defend to muffle its sound. Finish on a optimistic observe, viewing the exhibition celebrating liberation on the 25 April 1974.
€3, open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10.00am-6.00 pm
M Ashley