Lisbon Travel Forum

hi Lisboa VTR's

We are due into Lisbon, May 2nd for 3 nights.Heard and read so much about your city we can't wait to get there ! I have read a few Lisbon books about the restaurants with views over the city or river,do you ,as locals have any favourites that we should try and eat at please ?

regards

the bear

Tho I'm not a native of Lisbon, nevertheless, this endearing city is by far my favorite outside of my native NYC and to where I visit endlessly. In terms of great restaurants with superb views over the city or the Tagus river or both, try Restaurante Leiao (am not sure if I got the spelling correctly but it should be in the travel books) located all the way up and inside the Castelo de Sao Jorge (St. George's Castle) practically commanding a sweeping view of the old city and the Tagus River. Get a table outside if the evening is warm enough. The restaurant is on the pricey side, tho not terribly expensive but definitely worth the price. Reserve ahead of time. The castelo closes around 7PM, so tell the guard at the gate you're there to dine at the restaurant.

My favourite restaurant in Lisbon is "Leitaria Academica". There is no view over the city or the river, but they serve very good and cheap food. See the tip in my Lisbon page.

Ciao!

cheers for the tip,sounds like just what we are looking for,just hope the weather is in our favour that weekend.I'll check out your pages tonight
thanks again

the bear ;-)

thanks for that Solodancer,and I'll remember and toast your birthday when I'm there ! cheers

the bear

< I'll remember and toast your birthday when I'm there>

Cliff,

What a magnanimous thought. Thank you. I would myself be there in Lisbon already for my annual Spring visit if not for the US dollar's horrific showing these days. If you're looking for more restaurant tips, the Restaurant Rio Coura, located in the moorish Alfama district and not far from the Castelo de Sao Jorge and a few steps away from the Se Catedral, is among my favorites in Lisbon. It's literally a family-run restaurant (the wife the chef, the husband head waiter and the boys the waiters) serving great fish dishes and other especialties. It offers no grand views of the city but it's a neighborhood place and you watch the old trams clanking their way up and down Alfama. The restaurant is very inexpensive. Try their Arroz de Marisco, a wonderful seafood stew with rice. Have a great time in Lisbon and email if you have further queries about the city.

hi Solodancer

I know what you mean about the poor dollar showing,but your loss is my gain as we are celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary this year and are heading over to the states in August! Planning to make a base in San Francisco and then do a bit of travelling around California,not sure where yet, though I would like to take in maybe a helicopter or light aircraft flight over the Grand Canyon for definite.

I'll be sure to try out your Lisbon recommendations,VTR's have never let me down yet !

thanks again

the bear

Cliff,

Well, then, congratulations on your 25th wedding anniversary. You've picked a perfect setting of Lisbon to celebrate your great commitment. I would assume being from UK that you yourself (and perhaps your other half) enjoy tea drinking. I have a fantastic place for you for that in Lisbon. It's the Pavilhao de Chines located in the city's other old district of Bairro Alto where most dance clubs, great restaurants and plentiful of cafes are at. The Pavilhao de Chines is an old tea house in Lisbon but rather an unusually eccentric looking one, non-descript outside but the interior entirely decorated and stuff with floor-to-ceiling shelves of miniature figurines of all sorts, dolls, bric-a-bracs, antiques and oddities of treasures. It's a fantastical sort of place but quite comfortable and the place serves a wide selection of teas from everywhere. The tead house is located in Rua Dom Pedro V near the charming gardens of Praca Principe Real. Take the funicular Elevador da Gloria from Avenida da Liberdade (right around the main Tourist Office at the Palacio da Foz) up to Bairro Alto (don't miss this old wooden elevator ride in itself); once you're in the upper section, turn right and past the Miraduoro de Sao Pedro de Alcantara (the Belvedere and overlook) continue up and just a few steps around the bend next to a bank is Pavilhao de Chines. It's a treat to be there. Have fun and enjoy Lisbon.

hi again

Ah yes,I do love a nice cup of tea,however,when we are away from England we tend to over indulge ourselves with alcohol ! I do miss having tea when I am away but its not a matter of life and death.We may have to try out the place you have mentioned,the group of friends we are going with are all "tea-jennys" as we say in England,so they may well appreciate an afternoon tea before a night on the "swally".

many thanks

the bear

Well, you have plenty of tea houses in Lisboa.

It's in portuguese (use google to translate it automaticaly), but take a look at his website:

http://forum.autohoje.com/archive/index.php/t-24795.html

Here's the address of some places:

Cultura do Chá – R. Salgadeiras, 38 (Bairro Alto) – Lisboa

A outra face da Lua – R. Norte, 86 (Bairro Alto) – Lisboa

Pavilhão Chinês – R. D. Pedro V, 89 (Bairro Alto) – Lisboa

Café Nicola – R. 1º de Dezembro, 20 – Lisboa

Confeitaria Nacional - Pr. Figueira, 18-B – Lisboa

Pastéis de Belém – R. Belém, 84-88 – Lisboa

Pastelaria Bénard – R. Garrett, 104 – Lisboa

Pastelaria Suiça – Pr. D. Pedro IV (Rossio) – Lisboa

Pastelaria Versailles – Av. República, 15-A – Lisboa