Lisbon User Guide

Outlets across the Greater Lisbon area. In the old downtown, try Rua do Carmo (location HERE ). OK it’s not really a coffee shop; the name of the game here is Gelados. Which means Gelato, if you’re used to the Italian form, or simply Ice Cream, if you expect the English version. The first Santini outlet was opened back in 1949 by an Italian family. Nowadays they are all across Greater Lisbon, from the Baixa to shopping centres like that at Amoreiras ( HERE ) to Carcavelos ( HERE ) and out at Cascais ( HERE ). Most of the flavours available to punters are made with full cream milk, with others, like the just amazing lemon, made as a sorbet. The pistachio has bits of pistachio in it, rather than just flavouring. Same with the coconut. And the recommendation is not just formed from my opinion: every visit involves not just sampling the product, enjoyable as that is, but also seeing who else rocks up - lots of parents with children, sometimes brought along by those children, grown ups with...

The mainly surfing oriented beach town (location HERE ). What is this seaside town about? That is answered for you on arrival at the bus terminal, where the indoor space, including waiting room, information office and toilets, is shaped like a ship, with the canopy over the bus stands shaped like a huge surfboard. It’s all about the sea, and watersports. Because Ericeira is a World Surfing Reserve. Well out of town to the north west of Lisbon, Ericeira is just about in the Greater Lisbon Metropolitan Area, and so you can use a Navegante card loaded with credit, to use in Zapping mode. How long it takes to get there depends mainly on the bus route you choose. Why so? The 2801, which stops just twice between Campo Grande and Ericeira, takes no more than 40 minutes for the journey. Route 2803, which takes a detour past the palace in Mafra, takes around 55 minutes. And the 2740, which serves Malveira, then makes most of the stops from there to Mafra before heading for Ericeira, takes a lot...

GLÓRIA FUNICULAR So Carris have made their statement on the future of the Glória funicular. What visitors to the city will want to know is when it will be back, and the news is that it won’t reappear until 2029. The new cars will be stronger than their predecessors, they’ll be all steel rather than wooden bodied, and nothing will move until the safety aspects have been sorted, and proven to be sorted. No news about the Bica and Lavra funiculars, or the Santa Justa lift. But the timescales for the other funiculars may be similar to that of the Glória. Following all of that, 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. TRAM NEWS Carris are putting on a Desfile dos Classicos (tr...

Rua António Maria Pais 36 Location HERE . Open 1100 hours to midnight daily. Nepalese and Indian cuisine, mainly. Not far from Parque das Nações, but on the other side of the tracks, literally, in Moscavide. This is one of those neighbourhoods that was there long before the Expo 98 redevelopments. Locals look in for a coffee or a beer, delivery drivers wait for orders to be made up, and the kitchen staff bring your food to the table. That food is served in generous portions - the veg samosa was particularly substantial - and can be washed down with inexpensive drinks, a 33cl bottle of beer coming in at one and a half Euro, and a Caneca at just two and a half. The Nepalese menu includes MoMo and several Set options, while the Indian menu has a good range of curry options - which can be accompanied with rice or breads - and biryanis. A TV broadcasts whatever football can be found in the schedules, even if it’s second string matches from Germany. Service is good and the people running the...

Runs from near Sintra to Praia das Maçãs ( HERE to HERE ). Timetable and ticket prices HERE . That’s how the local council, who operate the Sintra Tram nowadays, spell it - the old way, with a C. And this mainly rural tramway has been through a few changes in ownership over the years: when Rodoviária Nacional, the state-owned bus operator created in the wake of the 1974 Revolution, was sold off, the operations west of Lisbon ultimately became Stagecoach Portugal. The new operator discovered that their acquisition also included the Sintra Tram. In days gone by, the Sintra terminus was outside the station, but now you have a short walk from train to tram. The route passes Ribeira, where the trams are now stored, then Galamares, Colares and Banzão before seeing all the villas on the Avenida do Atlântico, then passing Aldeia da Praia to reach Praia das Maçãs. And the journey takes around 45 minutes, meaning a leisurely pace and an opportunity to experience slower travel. On warmer and sun...

Rua do Arsenal 158 Location HERE . Open 1200 to 1600 hours Sunday and Monday, 1200 to 2300 hours all other days. At the west end of Rua do Arsenal, just across the road from Corpo Santo, and a short walk from Praça do Comércio and Cais do Sodré, is this small and welcoming outlet majoring in, yes you guessed already, bacalhau dishes. It can be made into almost no walking at all by arriving on a bus or tram, as both stop outside the door. So I ordered the Bacalhau Assado, and that should be what gets discussed first, but as so often, those small distractions mean the review gets sidetracked. And the small distractions here were the olives. You know it will take a few minutes for a main course like that to be prepared, so one way to pass the time is to order a side dish. My favourite is to get a plate of olives, and these did not disappoint. But then a thought entered: these olives were served without stones. And thus the review getting sidetracked. Portuguese restaurants usually serve o...

The land of fairytale castles. And money making opportunities. This is, mainly, a dry weather day out, and worthwhile all year round. But you need to be aware that the tourism presence there can be overwhelming. CAUTION Best not visit at the height of summer: even up in the hills, the heat becomes oppressive, the traffic overwhelms the roads, and unless you’re heading for the beaches of Praia Grande and Praia das Maçãs, or maybe going to see coastal villages like Azenhas do Mar, your patience is likely to be sorely tested. Also, please DO NOT rock up there in a hired car, especially if you want to visit the Castle of the Moors or Pena Palace. Why so? Quinta da Regaleira. Busy, eh? And the photo was taken in early April Cos the cops will turn you away. If you don’t want to use the bus services, hail a taxi, order up a TVDE, or get yourself a private driver for the day. This cannot be stressed enough. Also see next paragraph. DON’T FORGET it is from Easter through to November that Sintra...

Jardim dos Jacarandás 8C Location HERE . Open 1600 to 2200 hours Monday to Thursday, 1400 to 2300 hours Friday to Sunday. So after the original Pravda outlet in Marvila closed, another opening was signposted, but those hoping for another location in Marvila will be disappointed, while those in Parque das Nações, especially that part north of Gare Oriente and the Vasco da Gama centre, will be quietly pleased. Because this bar, opened in July 2026, fills one big gap, bringing craft beer to a quiet and upmarket residential area. It’s just off Alameda dos Oceanos, and not far from Moscavide. One word of warning for those arriving by train at Moscavide station: trains arrive at the platforms on the west side, so you have to cross over the east side tracks, it’s 40 steps up to the footbridge, cos the lifts are broken. AGAIN. No such problem if you arrive by bus - a very short walk from the stops marked Jardim Jacarandás. So what’s on offer? Seating both inside and out, the usual range of Pra...

THIS IS A PAY VIEWPOINT Rua Cais das Naus 2 Location HERE . Open from 1000 hours daily; may close between 1730 and 1800 hours; closes at midnight except Thursday to Saturday, when it’s open to 0200 hours. Also known as Babylon 360 (no idea why), this tower rises 145 metres above the Parque das Nações, which makes it almost twice the height of Amoreiras 360, although the latter is located on one of Lisbon’s eight hills. The views from the top, then, are going to be vastly better than riding the cable car, which rises not so far above the shore and has its punters cooped up in what is effectively an airborne Smart Car. You pays your money and makes your choice. Nowadays, there is a hotel, the Myriad by Sana Hotels, between the tower and the riverside. That’s highly relevant when the ride up in the lift, or elevator for you people Stateside, happens. How much? The trip to the top and back down again will set you back €10, which is not so much when the weather is clear and there is the vie...

Rua Marquês de Fronteira 157-163A Location HERE . Open 1100 to 2300 hours, closed Mondays. Takeaway to the left, restaurant to the right Up in Campolide, another outlet that majors in roast chicken, accompanied by that hot sauce which tourists like to call Piri-Piri. The variation served here is clear and almost orange in colour, but don’t let that fool you. It’s hot. As in, go easy, because it’s hot. The broad frontage of the building includes a takeaway side (to the left as you look from the road), and then at the right, the restaurant. Which is not so busy at around 1830 hours, but arrive an hour after that and it’s heaving. Locals, often couples and family groups, mingle with tourists and those from outside Portugal who have chosen to live here. And most of them have come for one thing only: roast chicken with rice and chips. And that hot sauce. Service is good, and prices are keen. How keen? Roast chicken, rice and chips, and a half bottle of red wine comes in at less than €15. Th...

Travessa do Forno 29 Location HERE . Open 0700 to 2300 hours, closed Sundays. THIS OUTLET IS CASH ONLY This is the spot formerly occupied by Girassol, and apparently there was a previous incarnation of Ginjinha Popular round the corner on Rua das Portas de Santa Antão. Bifanas on the go from opening time, decent selection of Pratos do Dia, perfectly acceptable Choco Frito (which is not chocolate, but breaded cuttlefish), inexpensive house wine, and most tellingly, the occasional appearance of significantly-sized groups of tourists being shepherded by knowledgeable local guides. The soup of the day is often Caldo Verde (although it was veg and pasta the day I visited) and good value. Not many punters trying the actual Ginjinha, mind. Straightforward food, decent service, and good value. Metro Restauradores (Linha Azul) or Rossio (Linha Verde); buses at Rossio, Restauradores, Praça da Figueira or Martim Moniz. [ HOME ]

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...

Avenida Infante Dom Henrique 334 Armazém 3 Location HERE . Open Thursday to Saturday, 1800 to 2300 hours. Beer Never Sleeps Not easy to find: the way in from the main road does not look like a public roadway. If approaching from the north (from Oriente, or from Cabo Ruivo Metro), arriving at Rua Centeira means you’ve gone past it. This warehouse contains the Oitava Colina brewing operation - they outgrew the space at their Graça taproom long ago - and is open just three evenings a week. The benefit of seeking out this place is that new brews are first given an outing here, rather than up at Graça. When I visited, they had just begun serving an eastern European style Pilsner called Almirante Reis, a 5.3% ABV brew using Saaz hops. It was worth the detour, and the fun of finding the place. Look out for it on your craft travels! So my visit concluded with seeing the ubiquitous Urraca Vendavel on tap, but not sampling it, because there were so many other brews to sample, some of which I’ve ...

Avenida do Atlântico 1, Colares Location HERE . On the main road from Sintra to the beaches of Praia Grande and Praia das Maças is the brewery tap for one of the best-known microbreweries in the Greater Lisbon area. Inside the bar, a screen divides the seating area from the brewing operation. There is a whole slate of HopSin brews on offer, including an excellent session IPA, which is genuine session strength (4%). Food from snacks to main courses and sharing plates is also available. You can sit outside, or even upstairs, where there is a terrace. One pleasant surprise is the amount of passing trade, people who stop off on their way from or to beaches, hiking trails, or just craft beer aficionados. It’s a relaxed vibe, way away from the city and its urban sprawl. The bus stops outside the door, as does the Sintra-Atlântico tram, which in peak summer season is an open-sided “ toastrack ” car. Bus 1254 (timetable HERE ) runs between Portela de Sintra station and the beaches (CAUTION it ...

Antiga Colonia de Ferias da CP, Avenida do Atlântico, Colares Location HERE . The site is usually referred to as Aldeia da Praia, and is on the land side of the main N375 road that leads from Sintra to Praia das Maças, Azenhas do Mar and beyond. To get here by local public transport, you’ll need a Navegante card charged with sufficient credit and used in Zapping mode. Or pay by contactless. It’s the part of Sintra that most day trippers miss, unless they’re beach and/or surf people. The Musa beer outlet is in a building that looks like it was once a windmill - or maybe it was a lighthouse, though the latter is doubtful, given the distance from the sea. Their own food counter - you order with your beer - is just across the seating area. There are lots of other food options available, including the inevitable pizza, empanadas, Thai and Japanese cuisine. Musa Cindi Lager and Psycho Pilsner sell well here, mainly because this is a place for summer months and sea breezes. If you’ve been to...