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7.2.32 November 2026

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Still no funiculars, and so we start, once more, with the alternatives to using funiculars. Don’t slog up those hills just because the funiculars have been suspended. Minibus 51E gives an alternative to the Santa Justa lift, and an alternative to the Glória funicular; Bairrobus 19B gives an alternative to the Lavra funicular; Bairrobus 22B gives an alternative to the Bica funicular. WEATHER CHANGING The Lisbon area has enjoyed a mainly dry and warm October, but later this week will see cooler conditions, and then showery rain. Enjoy the dry days while you can. METRO NEWS Santa Apolónia station (Linha Azul) will close from November for several months. This allows work to proceed on the Drainage Plan, part of which runs very close to the Metro tunnels near Santa Apolónia. As a result, services will be cut back to Terreiro do Paço, with Carris promising more bus services between the two locations. That means longer journey times, so if you have to connect with main line rail services a...
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4.7.9 In The Footsteps of 007

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This is a half day out for dry and not too windy days. Back in 1968, the then owners of the Bond franchise faced two problems: their lead actor, Sean Connery, had decided not to participate in the next instalment in that franchise, and once the decision had been made to use Ian Fleming’s novel On Her Majesty’s Secret Service as the basis of that next film, location scouts were having difficulty finding suitable spots for shooting. The beach ... As we now know, Connery was replaced - for one film only - by former male model George Lazenby, and the Channel coast of France was replaced by the Lisbon Coast. So cinema-goers’ first view of the new 007 happened around Cascais, Estoril, The Bridge now called Ponte 25 de Abril, and other Lisbon area locations. But the most dramatic view of New Bond happened at Praia do Guincho, west of Cascais. 007 drives his Aston Martin DBS down to the beach, then runs into the sea to rescue a mystery woman who was walking into the freezing cold Atlantic wat...
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5.1.28 Zé dos Cornos

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Beco dos Surradores 5 Location HERE . Open 1200 to 1600 hours Tuesday to Saturday; 1900 to 2200 hours Friday and Saturday; closed Sunday and Monday. On the eastern fringe of the Mouraria. Not so far up the hill of Beco Surradores, so not much climbing. A small space inside with no outside tables, and only open for two evenings each week. CAUTION Get there in good time, preferably before it’s due to open, as the restaurant can get busy, so if you’re not close to the front of the queue when the restaurant opens, you’ll be waiting a while. The menu is mainly grilled Portuguese staples, with that grill on the go from opening time. And right before opening time, the queue is interrogated to find out how many are in each waiting group. That helps the staff best allocate seating in order to get the most people into the limited space. Tables have bread, olives and a pastel de bacalhau per person plus, perhaps, cheese, already laid out. As ever, if you don’t want any of these, say so: I enjoyed...
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4.3.13 Miradouro de Santo Amaro

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Rua Academia Recreativa de Santo Amaro Location HERE . A not too high up but surprisingly enjoyable viewpoint, giving views across the river and a close-up of Ponte 25 de Abril. Also a pleasantly quiet location. It’s either a climb up from Rua Primeiro de Maio along Calçada Santo Amaro, which is quite steep, or a walk down from buses and trams on Rua João Barros, or Rua Jau, along Rua Gil Vicente. If you’re stopping in Santo Amaro for a while, walk back down the hill where there are lots of cafés and restaurants. The viewpoint has at its centre the Capela de Santo Amaro, a small chapel. In front of the chapel is the viewpoint proper, and behind it there is seating, with shading trees. Tram 18, Buses 720, 738, 742 and 760 up in Santo Amaro; Tram 15, Buses 714, 727, 732, 751 and 756 down at the foot of Calçada Santo Amaro. [ HOME ]
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7.2.30 October 2026

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Still no funiculars, and so we start, once more, with the alternatives to using funiculars. Don’t slog up those hills just because the funiculars have been suspended. Minibus 51E gives an alternative to the Santa Justa lift, and an alternative to the Glória funicular; Bairrobus 19B gives an alternative to the Lavra funicular; Bairrobus 22B gives an alternative to the Bica funicular. PASTEL DE NATA NEWS Pastelaria Aloma has won best Pastel de Nata for the third year running. The opposition included Castro, but it’s worth pointing out that all contenders were not sampled straight from the oven and warm. TAXI AND TVDE NEWS TVDE can now include taxis. Uber and Bolt opposed this change, but it makes the playing field a little more level. So your ride may turn out to be a taxi. ALSO Taxis are now offering a fixed fare from the Airport to central Lisbon, following a series of complaints and revelations concerning less than totally ethical behaviour by some drivers. TUK-TUK NEWS A Tuk-Tuk w...
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6.1.15 Quiosque dos Sabores

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Avenida Dom João II 40 Location HERE . It’s in Centro Comercial Vasco da Gama! On Level 2, which is one floor above street level, at the eastern (river) side of the complex. Self-service and payment when ordering. For those occasions where the summer weather means heading for somewhere with air con, or winter weather means finding somewhere dry, and still with the option of using the outside terrace, a quiosque inside one of the city’s largest and busiest shopping centres. It’s also a good example of a coffee stop and pastelaria inside a large commercial centre not being expensive: a Galão and two Pastéis de Nata , at September 2026 prices, came out at just under €4. At these prices, you’re not going to get waited on, but the self-service and pre-payment is not difficult to understand and navigate. Card payment is accepted, even for small amounts. Service is prompt; you use the shared seating in that part of Level 2. The coffee is good, and the pastéis de nata better than might be exp...
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5.1.27 Restaurante Resina

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Largo do Calvário 1 Location HERE . Open 0900 - 2300 hours; closed Sundays. THIS OUTLET IS CASH ONLY On Largo do Calvário, so almost next door to the LX Factory, and close to Museu da Carris and the Congress Centre, a small and unassuming Portuguese restaurant that celebrates a hundred years of serving up reliable and enjoyable food in 2027. There’s plenty of space inside, but if the weather is half-decent, which is most of the time, there is also space outside. It’s not expensive, the menu is not so extensive but includes staple meat and fish dishes. The Frango Assado is particularly good, served with thinly sliced potatoes that are sliced potatoes, and not crisps (that’s chips for you people Stateside). Most punters opt for one or more small beers or the house wine; water is either the usual still kind, or if it’s sparkling, it’s Pedras. Service is good if a little perfunctory, and if you’re an after meal coffee person, that’s good, too. Trams and buses stop more or less outside the ...
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