Relaxing & parks – All our local tips

The Tagus River is one of this city’s great draws and at this café/restaurant/bar it’s undoubtedly the focal point. Situated just across the train tracks from the Centro Cultural de Belém (CCB) and a stone’s throw from the water, it’s perfect for a drink, a nibble, a chat or a read.

The kitchen serves up casual meals including toasted sandwiches, carpaccio, a cheese platter and a choice of robust salads. Apart from coffees and teas aplenty, fresh-squeezed juices and shakes, there’s a lengthy list of wines, liquors and mixed drinks.

The architecture of the place deserves a round of applause (and indeed several adverts and photo shoots have been set here). It’s basically a glass “box” within an iron frame, sleek and streamlined in white-on-white, making the most of natural light and the view.

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À Margem | Bars, Relaxing, Restaurants (Intern.) | Salads from € 10
Doca do Bom Sucesso | Riverside | +351918225548
Sun – Thu 10:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 10:00 – 02:00

This garden is one of the most romantic of Lisbon’s gardens. It’s not a big one, but it is so cozy and so resplendent you really don’t care about its size. It’s wonderfully designed, being a perfect square with its tall trees and a graceful fountain in the middle. It’s one of the oldest Lisbon’s gardens, it was inaugurated by order of Marquis de Pombal in 1771, the same guy who rebuilt Lisbon after the great earthquake.

I personally love visiting this garden at night, when it is very quiet and kind of gothic, owing to the old and impressive Águas Lisbon Aqueduct and to the small church underneath it, “Ermida Nossa Senhora de Montserrat”. These monuments are a gorgeous sight at night, with the night lights reflection on them!

As it’s supposed to exist in every decent garden, Amoreiras Garden also houses an adorable renovated Bistro. Coincidentally, every time I go there, I meet a lot of French people, what makes me wonder if the french guys are always attracted by the best cafes… Probably the reason is the Portuguese pastries they sell there, for they are delicious and not exaggeratedly big, which I love.

And also in front of Amoreiras garden there is a interesting museum to be visited, the Arpad Szenes Museum, located where it used to be an old Silk factory.

More reasons I love this garden? It’s close to the Mãe D’Água Amoreiras Reservoir, the Procópio Bar, Rato’s metro station, Amoreiras Shopping and it’s surrounded by a lovely neighbourhood. And best of all, it’s very close to where I live.

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Amoreiras Garden | Coffee & tea, Relaxing, Snacks | Free
Praça das Amoreiras | Estrela
24 hours daily

The Bertrand Bookstore in Rua Garret opened in 1773, and it’s the oldest store from the Bertrand chain (the first one, built in 1732, was devastated by the Lisbon 1755 Earthquake).

Bertrand, which once was a privileged space of cultural debate and a literary club frequented by the intellectual elite of the city, is now transformed in a regular bookstore, but keeps a few peculiarities that are worth a visit.

Still located in the original building, the shop has an amazing quantity of books, divided into maze-sections that respect the original architectural features of the space.

The staff is polite, helpful and glad to be at service when asked to. You also won’t be disturbed if you just wish to sit quietly and read a novel.

This is an excellent spot to relax and recharge batteries, and can as well be the place to find information about Lisbon and Portugal.

Rita’s favorites – Top selection of travel and art books.

Vee’s favorites – Great place to find hidden book marvels as well as a great selection of magazines from all over the world.

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Bertrand livreiros | Relaxing, Shopping
Rua Garrett 17 | Chiado & Baixa | +351213476122
10:00 – 19:00 daily

In 1755, Lisbon suffered a huge earthquake. Because of that, only a few medieval buildings survived. One barely survived, but was left exactly as it remained after the destruction, as a symbol of loss and hope. The Carmo Convent, built in 1389, once a gorgeous and unique Gothic church in Lisbon, and nowadays an open air museum, with huge marble columns and stones that contrasts magically with Lisbon blue sky, is the perfect attraction by itself. A very peaceful place, right in the heart of Chiado. It’s a good place to spend some hours visiting, and sometimes I have been there only to read a book or only rest for a while.

The important thing is that a visitor, or a local, cannot miss it, not only for the testimonial of Lisbon History, but also for its great archaeological museum, which hosts prehistorical, roman, medieval and pre-earthquake finds. Even two Peruvian mummy’s are there. Once you enter, you will be enchanted by the view of the nave of the church. I always am!

If you are lucky enough, or just an organized person, you can get an open air concert or watch a play in this gorgeous site. Sometimes paid, but most of times free entrance for both spectacle and museum. Last time I was there I attended two wonderful choir concerts for free.

It’s a place to go in a sunny day, and once you get there,  it’s impossible not to be astounded!

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Carmo Archaeological Museum | Art & culture, Relaxing | Adults € 2.50
Largo do Carmo | Chiado & Baixa | +351213460473
Mon – Sat 10:00 – 17:00/18:00 (Oct to Apr)

The Gulbenkian rises out of the sea of concrete, tiles and stones of Lisbon like an oasis. Most of the articles about this place talk about the fantastic museum and galleries that are housed in these grounds, and many about the open air amphitheatre which hosts live music and theatre in the summer, but I would much rather recommend the Gulbenkian as quite probably the best park in Lisbon.

Lisbon does open spaces very well and there are numerous squares, esplanades and miradors to enjoy a coffee from but sadly few places to sit on the grass, under a tree, with nothing to disturb your musings but the soft sound of a water feature or the gentle quacking of a passing duck.

Weekends are when the quiet nooks are filled with reading students and languidly amorous couples and the expanses of grass with families picnicking but there is inevitably a corner to make your own whilst you while away a couple of hours.

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Gulbenkian | Relaxing
Rua Do Marquês do Bandeira | Avenidas
09:00 – 20:00 daily

This place is in front of Amoreiras’ Garden, or Amoreiras’ Garden is in front of it. It doesn’t matter. What is worth knowing is that, yet small, this reservoir, called “Mãe D’Água”, translated “Mother of the Water”, is a jewel unknown to tourists. It’s the old city reservoir, not in use anymore. Nowadays it’s open for visitors and for special occasions, such as private parties or an art exhibitions.

The interior is composed of a huge marble squared room, with for central columns and a also huge pool with clear and transparent water. On hot days I almost feel like jumping in the water. I just wished they would let me!

There is also a beautiful ancient fountain from where the aqueduct water arrives. You can go up the fountain and have a gorgeous view to the reservoir. And continuing on the stairs you can reach the roof, where the view is as gorgeous as inside. You can have a wonderful view around the city and witness the aqueduct from a different angle.

It’s a Water Temple, for meditation, for dazzle and for fun!

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Mãe D’Água Amoreiras Reservoir | Art & culture, Relaxing | Entrance € 2.50
Praça das Amoreiras, 10 | Estrela | +351213251644
Mon – Sat 10:00 – 18:00

Perched on a hillside in the Graça neighborhood, Senhora do Monte (Our Lady of the Hill) is Lisbon’s highest lookout point and hands down the spot offering the best view of the city. With a field of vision spanning nearly 250 degrees, not even a fish-eye lens can take it all in.

I love it here. It’s peaceful and romantic and an awesome place from which to watch the sunset. Being slightly out of the way, it’s one of the city’s least used viewpoints, meaning it never gets too crowded and you can almost always find a seat on one of the benches.

There is no café but the bar at neighboring hotel Albergaria Senhora do Monte (which also serves light snacks) is open to the public. 4 floors up, the view is pretty spectacular from there, too.

A small statue of the Virgin stands on the grounds, as does a chapel dedicated to Saint Gens, an ancient bishop and martyr. Curiously, this chapel attracts some rather “fertile” visitors. As the story goes, S. Gens’ mother died in childbirth, giving rise to a tradition that relies on a reversal of that (mis)fortune, whereby pregnant women who sit on his chair (inside the chapel) are ensured a safe delivery. How’s that for taking life’s lemons and making lemonade?

It’s a short walk from Largo da Graça – trams 28 & 34.

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Miradouro Senhora do Monte | Coffee & tea, Relaxing
Rua da Senhora do Monte à Graça | Alfama & Graça
24 hours daily

The centre of Lisbon is full of beautiful squares and esplanades but most of the tourists, and most of the locals too, seem to overlook what in my eyes is the most interesting and beautiful square – Praça Martim Moniz.

Located between Praça da Figueira and the foot of the castle hill this area is as close to a Chinatown (or indeed an Indiatown) as Lisbon has. The area surrounding the square is largely immigrant in nature, with an African, Indian and Chinese mixture that really isn’t seen anywhere else in the city centre. This can lead to rather interesting cultural crossovers such as the (semi) regular world music concerts that are held in the square and the surrounding area, or even the strange sight, that confronted me the other week, of children playing cricket in the street.

The square features two of the most impressive water-features in the city, my favourite being the one which represents the siege of Lisbon which helped create the myth of Martim Moniz – the brave soldier who apparently threw his body in the way of the closing castle door, sacrificing himself to liberate Lisbon from the Moors.

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Praça Martim Moniz | Relaxing, Festivals & events
Praça Martim Moniz | Liberdade
24 hours daily

The Saint George castle is the most enchanted, extraordinary and magical place in Lisbon to be.

In the 6th century, it was a roman fortification. After that, a Moorish royal residence. Then the king Afonso Henriques kicked the Moorish, royal and non-royal, out of Portugal, in 1147, and it became the Portuguese royal palace. And then the earthquake destroyed a lot of it. Along the years the castle was rebuilt, transformed, rearranged, resulting in the castle we see today.

From the castle, you have a impressive view over most of Lisbon, and the Tagus river. Every time I visit the castle, I just feel gifted for living in Lisbon and having such a fantastic spot so close by. I can stand hours staring over the city, watching the boats crossing the river, the beautiful city landscape, and figuring out what changed since the last time I was over there. Most of the castle are ruins, but nice ones. And there is the “castelejo”, a small castle inside the castle, where you can wander around the top towers and take tons of nice photos.

Inside the castle there is a nice and fancy restaurant called “Casa do Leão”, plus a pleasant esplanade cafe and a very nice giftshop. I try not to miss the concerts, plays and festivals that every year take place in the castle, normally at night, which highlights even more the beauty of the place.

I confess it’s my favorite Lisbon spot, ever! Some surprises can await you there, as it happened to me. A old lady singing Fado songs to the wind, another girl rehearsing her singing, peacocks… Whenever I go there, I reboot from all my worries and bad feelings. Magic? Probably.

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Saint George’s Castle | Art & culture, Relaxing | Students discount € 5
R. de Santa Cruz do Castelo, 1100 | Castelo | +351218800620
Nov – Feb 09:00 – 18:00, Mar – Oct 09:00 – 21:00

Lisbon is known for the city of Seven hills. With so many hills, it would be impossible to go around the city without a car or an elevator. That’s right, Lisbon has many elevators which are a huge help for the city residents, and the Santa Justa lift is one of them.

Besides being a huge help, this lift is a one of the greatest example of Portuguese architecture, and a landmark of the city. The lift was designed by Raul Mesnier de Ponsard, a Portuguese apprentice of Gustave Eiffel, the same guy from Eiffel Tower. The iron tower is fabulous from outside, and to ride it you only need a normal bus service ticket. The elevator is huge, with lots of wood in its interior and kind of victorian, which would be enough for me, but there is more.

I always go insane once I get to the top. thanks to the great panoramic view of the most beautiful part of the city. There are nice stairs to go to the very top, which has also a bar. The bar used to be very expensive, so I don’t have much to say about it.

When I get tired of the view, something that normally never happens, I leave the elevator through the upper exit, which goes straight to the Carmo Archaeological Museum (check the Carmo Archaeological Museum article), my other favourite spot!

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Santa Justa Lift | Art & culture, Relaxing | € 2.70
Rua do Carmo, 70 | Chiado & Baixa | +3513613000
Mon – Sat 07:00 – 23:00, Sun 09:00 – 23:00