Lisbon User Guide

Travessa do Forno 23 Location HERE Behind the Rossio, this is another in the line of eateries that includes O Marques and Girasol. Not expensive, good Bacalhau dishes, house wine inexpensive, and justifiably very popular. I got a table by getting there spot on 1900 hours; when I left an hour or so later, there was a very long queue, which may have been made longer because my visit was during the Summer period, when other restaurants on the street have their August closure. [ HOME ]

Still no sign of the final report into the accident on the Elevador da Glória, 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. MUSEUM NEWS The Tile Museum remains closed. And it may be closed for some time. The scaffolding is still in place as of July 29, and no estimates have yet been given for its reopening. METRO ACCESS NEWS Two more stations, Martim Moniz and Intendente, both on the Linha Verde, have had lifts installed , and are therefore, at least nominally, accessible. The lifts are at the north end of both stations. At Intendente, there is a north concourse, and the usual layout of platform to concourse, plus one concourse to surface, lift is used. At Martim Moniz...

Rua Ferraria 9, Sintra Location HERE . Open 1200 to 2000 hours, closed Tuesdays. In the heart of the old town, in a maze of narrow pedestrianised streets and steep alleys, is one of Greater Lisbon’s smallest craft beer outlets. More than a dozen punters in and around the bar makes it feel busy; downstairs, there is only room for a store room, a tiny kitchen, and one toilet (or, as folks Stateside call it, bathroom). There are lots of bottled beers available, but just five taps, which when I visited were featuring beers from Hopsin, Musa and Canil. They may do collaboration brews, but nothing is brewed on the premises - mainly because there isn’t any room for it! Prices a little higher than other nearby craft outlets, but then, this bar is right in the middle of the old town, and rents are probably higher, plus it will be difficult to deliver the product to the front door. The food menu is mainly snack-sized items, with plenty of choice. Service is good, knowledgeable, and patient when ...

Rua do Sol à Graça 3 Location HERE. Open 1800 to 0200 hours daily. THIS OUTLET IS CASH ONLY Down the hill to the east of Graça is this small neighbourhood tasca, where the keyword is simplicity. Nothing complicated, nothing fancy. Their speciality is Caracóis (snails). There’s usually someone, maybe a couple, tucking into a plate of snails and washing it down with a beer or glass of wine. I passed on the caracóis and instead ordered a Prego no Pão with Batatas Fritas on the side. A small container of home made hot sauce is brought out for the Prego, along with a warning to be careful with it. Heed this advice. Because it really is hot. The steak in the Prego is good, and not overdone. The chips are made from real potatoes on the premises, and are not out of a bag. Also, there is no menu on display - you have to ask. So it helps to understand a little Português. They also do shrimps, prawns, or whatever you want to call them. Not much choice for vegetarians, mind. But it’s a reflection ...

Calçada Rio do Porto, Sintra Location HERE . Open every day from 1100 to 2000 hours. Part of the local municipal market, with an outside terrace. Note the closing time - this appears to be A Thing in Sintra. Best approached along the Volta do Duche, then Largo Dr Gregório de Almeida, and down Calçada Pelourinho. Watch out for less than totally considerate drivers of oversized modern road vehicles at those locations where you have to step out into the road. Although there is usually a guest beer in the list of offerings, this is mostly an outlet for Rafeira, and no worse for that. The beer’s good, the food offerings from their oven (rolls with a variety of fillings, and bruschetta with choice of toppings, both including vegan options) are an excellent accompaniment, and neither is especially expensive. So much for Sintra being an overpriced tourist trap. And most customers here seem to be tourists, although most are not from the UK and USA. The staff are helpful, they can usually speak ...

Granja do Marquês, Base Aérea 1, Sintra Location HERE . Open 1000 to 1700 hours, closed Mondays. It’s near Sintra! Get there by train to Portela de Sintra - from Rossio, Oriente, Entrecampos or Sete Rios. Then take a Carris Metropolitana bus. So make sure your Zapping card has enough credit loaded. Signposted from the bus stop on the N9 at Cruz Museu do Ar, where a plinthed aircraft gives another clue, it’s a short walk to the airbase, the entrance to the museum being just past that to the base. Aviation, aviation, aviation. Portugal had its own pioneers in the field - one reason there are so many streets named after Gago Coutinho and/or Sacadura Cabral - and this collection takes you from those early days to the present. This is where you get off the bus The museum was founded by the Portuguese Air Force in 1968, and has expanded considerably since, to include civilian aircraft - lots of historical detail on national carrier TAP Air Portugal - and content on navigation, even the devel...