On your way to the Castle of St. George from downtown Lisbon, you’ll pass by Rua da Madalena whether you’re doing it on tram 28 or walking. If you pay attention to the shops on that street along the way, you’ll find Amatudo, a gift shop selling unique Portuguese products that are alternatives to the kitschy souvenirs at most of the other gift shops in the city. Many of those other shops sell exactly the same items you’ll find in any other city except that instead of the Eiffel Tower or Big Ben you’ll see the Belém Tower, Jerónimos Monastery, or the Discoveries Monument pictured on them.
So for something more truly unique to Lisbon you’ll have to look for those shops offering more authentic local products. An already hugely popular shop is A Vida Portuguesa in Chiado, but there are now others worth being discovered.
At Amatudo you’ll also love practically everything you see, from the attractive packagings to the distinctive designs. Everything is Portuguese-made, straight out of the hands of Portuguese designers and artisans, and ranges from the increasingly-famous Portuguese soaps to Ginjinha bottles to traditional Portuguese jams and honey. There is also space for jewelry and ceramics, including images of local icons such as Saint Anthony and poet Fernano Pessoa with alternative looks and made of different materials, often to humorous effect.
This is therefore a shop that appeals not just to tourists, but also to locals or any Lisbonphile. Check it out.

Address: Rua da Madalena 76/78
Phone: 218 862 631

It was closed for eight long months for the renovation of its surrounding buildings, but Lisbon’s oldest funicular has just reopened. Although tourists prefer the two other historical elevators when curious about a ride on these charming vehicles (that of Bica down one of the most picturesque streets in the city, and that of Gloria from downtown to Bairro Alto), Elevador do Lavra is also found in a central location and it’s just as fun. It goes up the hill around the corner from the pedestrian Rua das Portas de Santo Antão and takes you to a small neighborhood park at the top.
That park too has just reopened after a clean-up and is one more viewpoint overlooking the city. It’s called Jardim do Torel and looks out to Baixa towards the river, as well as over the high rises uptown. There are now new benches shaded by the trees, and it’s a romantic, uncrowded spot for couples. For tourists it’s discovering an authentic Lisbon experience that very few others know about and that rarely comes mentioned in guidebooks.

Since last March there is a new shop in downtown Lisbon offering only the most special products “made in Portugal.” Meio da Praça is found on Rua da Prata and has everything from quirky souvenirs to special gourmet products. You’ll see tshirts saying “Portugal is a country right next to Spain!” or the best of all Portuguese olive oils, and you’ll likely stay at the shop browsing for a while. Best of all is that everything is really inexpensive and you can find some traditional products that are disappearing from most other shops.
For some ideas of what you’ll find at “Meio da Praça,” see the shop’s website: meiodapraca.blogspot.com

Lisbon’s latest hotel opening is found just around the corner from the city’s most central square, Rossio. That square is part of the hotel’s name, which belongs to the Spanish “Gat” chain. Like at all the other “Gats,” Gat Rossio is design accommodation and an excellent value for money. It has one of the best locations in Lisbon and its ultra modern style will attract young guests looking to be in the middle of the city’s action to experience the best of it.
This is also an unusually pet-friendly hotel, allowing small domestic animals to stay at no extra charge. Another plus is the free wireless internet available throughout the space.
There is a total of 71 rooms, all with uniquely designed furnishings and bright colors mixing with shining white. Diasabled guests have some rooms with easier access and special facilities available.
For additional details, plus price and booking information, see GoLisbon’s Gat Rossio booking page.

Last summer we told you where to find Lisbon’s best ice cream (see I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Lisbon Ice Cream).
Soon after we published last year’s recommendations, Finzi Contini opened next to Rossio Station in the center of the city, offering an extra variety of flavors, along with smoothies and other creamy pleasures. It does not have the look of a typical ice cream shop, but more of a sophisticated café, with elegant furnishings in its interior and outdoor terrace. It’s open throughout the year, so if you’re in the city in winter, you can still enjoy an ice cream or go for one of the warmer pastries.
An even more recent opening is Artisani, an ice scream stand with tables facing 25 de Abril Bridge in Docas. It will remain open throughout the summer, but will then close at its present location to open elsewhere in the center of the city. In the meantime, you may enjoy the most surprising and often unusual flavors in Lisbon, served in a cup or as an iced beverage. That can mean a cup of caipirinha ice cream, or a glass of mint tea with lemon sorbet, and using mostly natural ingredients.
Natural flavors and no preservatives is also promised at a corner of Restauradores Square. The charming A Veneziana ice cream shop is one of Lisbon’s oldest, a tiny space that’s so easy to miss but that you’ll return to every time you crave something cool and sweet. It all started in 1933 when an Italian decided to immigrate to the United States through the port of Lisbon, but ended up staying in the Portuguese capital. His traditional Italian recipes are still used at the ice cream shop he ended up opening in the city, and remains a success over seven decades later.

Lisbon’s Comercio Square will remain closed for renovation over the next few months, but you may still snap a few photos of its triumphal arch, and enjoy its waterfront side. A total of 45 colorful seats have been placed by the river, all with an olive tree standing behind them. It’s the creation of Leonel Moura, a Portuguese artist who’d presented this “Portable Garden” project at the Valencia Biennial before Lisbon’s city hall requested that he place it in the city’s largest square. Alone or in a group, you can now also admire the restored waterfront, which again features historical columns that were removed years ago. You will also get a view of 25 de Abril Bridge as you relax and watch commuters from the city’s suburbs rush to or from the ferries connecting to the south bank of the Tagus.

UPDATE: SINCE THIS REPORT, THE “GARDEN” HAS MOVED. IT’S NOW LOCATED ON THE RIVERFRONT BEHIND CAIS DO SODRÉ STATION.

Lisbon is promoting itself as the City of Tolerance. Of course it was the first European capital to get African slaves and its central square the site of the murder of thousands of Jews during the Inquisition, but it’s also been a welcoming haven for all cultures and ethnicities in more recent times. Africans and other ethnic minorities gather in São Domingos Square (directly behind the central Rossio), and that’s exactly where a monument reminding of the horrors of the Inquisition has been placed together with a mural with the phrase “Lisbon, City of Tolerance” in several languages. The explanation for why Africans chose to make that their meeting point is that the church on the site once had a black priest and has therefore always attracted the communities from Portugal’s former African colonies.

Lisbon’s claim as a tolerant city does have its foundation. It has always been a safe place for refugees (especially during WWII), and it did abolish slavery before the rest of Europe. Since the late 1970s it has also received large numbers of immigrants, mostly from Africa, and more recently from Brazil and Eastern Europe. In the Mouraria neighborhood, and especially around Martim Moniz Square are a number of ethnic shops, including a shopping center where you can find products from India to China.
There is some “segregation” of these ethnic groups to their own neighborhoods and an increased sense of social tensions around Lisbon’s suburbs, but the Portuguese capital does remain a much more peaceful and tolerant city than other European capitals and it hopes to stay that way.
The memorial you see on the photo below was placed 500 years after the Inquisition and says “In memory of the thousands of Jews victims of intolerance and religious fanaticism, murdered in the massacre started on this square on the 19th of April 1506.”

Throw away your chopsticks and get ready to eat your sushi with your hands. And that’s no ordinary sushi either — instead of a tiny roll, it is a large sushi cone. That’s what is offered at Noori, a new sushi fast-food restaurant between Lisbon’s Baixa and Chiado districts. It is actually not an original idea, as those already familiar with all kinds of sushi and sashimi know that such a cone-shaped piece of nori is called a temaki. At Noori you can choose what goes into your temaki, with the rice being accompanied by salmon, tuna, or a variety of other ingredients. There are different menus available, from €4.20 to €7.45, and you can have them every day from 11AM to 10PM. If you don’t wish to go for a menu and simply want one temaki, it’s just €3.25 or €3.85 depending on the ingredients.
There are a few seats if you’d like to have them right there, but you can always grab them to enjoy somewhere else. Noori is found right next to one of the exits of the Baixa-Chiado metro station in the center of the city and makes an inexpensive lunch or dinner so you can save to splurge at other restaurants in the city later.

Address: Rua do Crucifixo, 87

When you want to go for a drink while overlooking Lisbon at night there’s the Silk bar, Entretanto at the Regency Chiado Hotel, or the bar at Bairro Alto Hotel. This summer you can add the new Sky Bar at the top of the Tivoli Lisboa Hotel. It’s found right in the center of the city in Avenida da Liberdade, and will be open only on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights until September. It has a fantastic view of Lisbon, looking out to the river, the castle, and the downtown rooftops. It’s open from 7PM to 1AM, and if you end up feeling hungry, you can move on to the restaurant which has been serving refined Portuguese cuisine and Lisbon views for some time now. The lounge area has a Moroccan or North African ambience with low tables and cushy seats, while a DJ mixes chill-out beats. Along with cocktails you can be served finger food, with the drinks going for around 6 euros all the way to 18.

Brown’s is a new cafe, but it’s already become the most popular in the Baixa district, judging by the number of people always found inside. We just told you about the new Rojoo chocolate bar, so now you should add Brown’s to your list of places for a break in the heart of Baixa. It’s a modern Starbucks-style coffee shop with a large interior offering plenty of sitting space, but there are also tables outsides (you’ll find them on the street of one of the Baixa-Chiado metro station’s exits). Indoors the decor has dark coffee-colored tones and comfortable seats, with background music helping you chill out. In addition to refreshing drinks, you may also get a quick meal here, with a choice of pastas, salads, soups, and sandwiches. It’s open from 8AM to 11PM, so it’s an excellent choice for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or any meal in between.