Lisbon’s most famous café is 103 years old today. When it opened on November 19, 1905 “A Brasileira” was such a friendly place that it even offered a free bica (the Lisbon version of an espresso) when you bought a bag of coffee beans just arrived from Brazil. Today, the coffee is no longer exclusively from that former Portuguese colony, and its waitors are notoriously the least friendly in the city.

Still, every single tourist seems to stop at A Brasileira. It’s located at the top of one of the city’s busiest pedestrian streets in the center of Chiado, and is found in every guidebook for having a statue of Fernando Pessoa at a table outside. For those who don’t know who he was, Pessoa was one of the greatest Portuguese poets of all time, a literary genious who used to sit and write at this café in the early 20th century. Today his bronze statue at the Brasileira is one of those mandatory photo stops in Lisbon.

If you won’t mind the less-than-courteous waitors, choose to sit inside, as opposed to everyone else who prefers the outdoor tables. That way you get to admire the magnificent carved dark-wood interior, and the prices there are cheaper too. Enjoy the delicious coffee, or come for a toasted sandwich or a traditional Portuguese pastry. But if you do insist on sitting outside so you can breathe in the fresh air and people-watch along with everyone else, choose Café Benard next door instead. It’s another legendary café, and although the staff will not be a great improvement from their neighbors, its famous chocolate croissants make up for it and the coffee is just as good.

See GoLisbon’s selection of Lisbon cafes here.

In a city so stunningly sited down a number of hills towards a river, you know there have to be some fantastic views here and here. That’s true in Lisbon, with its number of terraces and gardens created as viewpoints to admire the city. But there are also buildings lucky enough to have been built in a place with an unobstructed view over the city, and they make good use of it.  Some of them are luxury apartments, others are hotels, others are restaurants. Others, following a worldwide trend, are rooftop bars. These are the best ones in Lisbon:

SILK
Opened only a few months ago, this bar has a 360º view of Lisbon from its 6th floor penthouse location in Chiado (Rua da Misericordia, 14). The views can be admired from the interior through its glass windows, or in the open air on the terrace. Take a look at the illuminated castle at night as you enjoy a bottle of champagne or a cocktail. This bar aims to be Lisbon’s most exclusive night spot, so getting in is the hard part. You either have to wait your turn in the already long guestlist, or if you’re a guest in one of the city’s top-end hotels, they can squeeze you in for one night.

ENTRETANTO at Regency Chiado
Open to everyone down the street around the corner from Silk is the Entretanto Bar, found at the top of the Regency Chiado Hotel. You can sit inside in the comfortable living room-style space, or step into the terrace that overlooks all of Baixa with the castle standing directly in front of you. You may order a drink or a light meal, or simply come for coffee or tea in the afternoon.

THE TERRACE at Bairro Alto Hotel
Go up Rua Garrett from outside Regency Chiado and you’ll arrive in Camões Square. It’s overlooked by the Bairro Alto Hotel, one of the most talked-about in Lisbon. Not only does it serve some fine cuisine at its “Flores” restaurant on the lower level, but its bar on the 6th floor has a beautiful panoramic view of the city. You’ll be standing parallel to the river, seeing the multitude of colors of the buildings descending the hill towards it as you have a light meal (the salads are excellent) or a refreshing drink. It’s also a great place for a drink after dinner, with the moon reflecting on the river and 25 de Abril Bridge.

Starting this Thursday, October 9th, the best of Lisbon fashion will be presented down the runway in Cascais’ citadel. It’s the 31st Lisbon Fashion Week, showing Portugal’s designers’ Spring-Summer collections for 2009 until October 12th.

This is a by-invitation-only event, so even if you’re in Lisbon this week, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll make it there, although you can always see some of the highlights later on Fashion TV. So what to do if you’re interested in fashion and want to see some of Lisbon’s creations?

The epicenter of Lisbon fashion is the Chiado district, extending into Bairro Alto next door. You may visit the boutiques of Ana Salazar and Fatima Lopes, the two most international Portuguese designers, or check out the new talent receiving all the latest buzz.

A name you should not miss is Storytailors, a team of two designers that opened up their space in Chiado that was described by the New York Times as “certainly the most brilliantly strange new store to set up in Lisbon.” Their inspirations are fairytales and fantastic stories, giving their creations a very original look that has even caught the attention of the fashion chameleon Madonna.

Also in Chiado is the Alves/Golçalves boutique, with both men’s and womenswear known for their classic-chic looks, while up the hill in the same neighborhood is the shop of Jose Antonio Tenente, who although based in Cascais has his shop in Lisbon.

Obviously these are not the only names in Lisbon fashion, but they’re the ones you should not miss. Other designers to investigate include Aleksandar Protich (born in Belgrade but Lisbon-based), Dino Alves, and Miguel Vieira.

Lisbon’s design biennial Experimenta Design will be back in 2009 (now also taking place in Amsterdam), but there are already some related events this year. The official launch is this month with the first world exhibition about Swiss architect Peter Zumthor.  It’s called “Peter Zumthor – Buildings and Projects 1986-2007” and focuses on the architect’s creative process, showing 29 of his projects through mock-ups and sketches.  Six of the large-scale mock-ups stand out for their physical impact, while two video installations reveal other aspects of the architect’s vision.  This exhibition is found in the Alcântara district on Rua Rodrigues Faria, 103.

Architecture and design buffs will also want to check out the temporary exhibitions of the Design & Fashion Museum, showing a few pieces from its outstanding collection in a small temporary space in Alfama as the museum prepares to be reopened in its new home.

In between these visits, continue with design in mind, and have your meals in stylish cafes and restaurants. Stop by Café Royale in Chiado for a light lunch surrounded by the contemporary Scandinavian décor of the space, and dine in style at Yasmin, a restaurant where the food is just as attractive as its furnishings and interior design.

All of that after checking out the boutiques of Lisbon’s most prominent designers Fatima Lopes and Ana Salazar, but also taking a look at the bold new talent in the city, in Storytailors’s fantastic space in Chiado. If you continue to be in the shopping mood, head on to Santos, the city’s designated “Design District,” home to Lisbon’s top interior design shops.  Stay in the area for a drink or the increasingly popular sushi at Estado Liquido.

At the end of the day, relax at your design hotel, Fontana Park uptown, or Jeronimos 8 right next to the city’s main architectural landmarks in Belem.

It was 20 years ago today. The Chiado district, the very center and cultural heart of Lisbon went down in flames. It started with a small fire in a department store at 4:30 in the morning of August 25th 1988, and thirty minutes later the entire building and those surrounding it were burning down.In total 18 buildings in three of the neighborhood’s main streets were destroyed, and it took 300 fire trucks and 1,680 firemen to prevent any further destruction. Two people died, 73 were injured, and about 2000 were left unemployed. The Armazéns do Chiado department store (now reopened as a shopping mall) only had its façade left standing, and gone forever were the Grandella department store (today housing a H&M branch) and the legendary Café Ferrari (the historical Café A Brasileira remained unaffected).

A Brasileira is one of the few establishments to have survived and is still going strong today, as is the landmark Bertrand bookshop, in existence on this spot since 1732. After the reconstruction of the neighborhood by renowned architect Alvaro Siza Vieira, international names such as Cartier, Hermés, Hugo Boss, Nespresso, Moooi, and Kiehl’s have moved in, but older residents will tell you shopping here was much nicer during the pre-inferno days. It had unique specialty shops and was still free of some retailers that you’ll find here today but that you’ll also see at a shopping mall near you (Foot Locker, Zara, Levi’s, etc.). Despite criticisms and nostalgia, not one can argue that this reborn Chiado is also a much more cosmopolitan and democratic space today. Nowhere else in the city will you find a higher concentration (or higher quality) of shops, cafes, and theaters making it a mandatory stop in the city.

Two decades later and after much renovation, the rebirth (and a great deal of gentrification) is still underway. Two major boutique hotels opened in the last few years, contemporary-design cafes and restaurants attract crowds hungry for something new, and major international brands are on waiting lists for retail space. Siza Vieira’s plans are still only 99% complete, and much rehabilitation will go on for years to come (extending to the adjacent Baixa district).

One thing the fire could not destroy was Chiado’s cultural, literary, and historical soul, and no matter how many changes and facelifts it is given, the statues of its poets, the café tables on the cobbled pavements, and the shopping bags in the hands of people of all ages and styles will always make this the beloved heart of Lisbon.

First there was Pois, now there is Kaffeehaus. GoLisbon recommended the Austrian-owned Pois Café when it opened and it’s in fact become one of Lisbon’s favorite daytime hangouts. Not only because of its original gastronomic creations, but for its cosy, comfortable space made up of sofas and grandma-style furniture.A couple of months ago two other young Viennese decided to move to Lisbon and open their own café. Unlike Pois, Kaffeehaus has a very contemporary décor, with Vienna present in the posters on the walls advertising plays, films, concerts, and other events in the Austrian capital. But perhaps to make it even more authentically Austrian, the menu options are listed in German, with Portuguese translation below them. Daily specials not found on the menu are written in chalk on the cabinet behind the counter.

Just like Pois, it also offers international periodicals, although the couches and personal living-room-style furniture at Pois is more inviting for prolonged reading. Still, Kaffeehaus provides additional reading light through the overhead lamps that can be extended to as close to your magazine as possible.

One major difference between the two cafes is that Pois does not serve dinner. It closes at 8PM while Kaffeehaus remains open until midnight, and on Friday and Saturdays it transforms itself into a night time bar open until 2AM.

Of the two cafes, the weekend brunch is a better value and more complete at Pois. For meals, they’re tied in originality and flavorful dishes (the obligatory sachertorte is good at both). In ambience, Pois is the winner. In service, the prize goes to Kaffeehaus — there’s always a smile and the possibility of some rapport with the staff if you return often, unlike at Pois where it seems to have a different waitress each time we go. In location, it’s a tossup — Kaffeehaus is more accessible and central in the Chiado quarter, but Pois is a great excuse to go to Alfama (and its street next to the cathedral is a charming corner of Lisbon).

What this all means is that no matter which Vienna-in-Lisbon cafe you choose, you’ll likely leave with an experience to recommend to others – the feeling of experiencing two European capitals for the price of one.

For more cafes in Lisbon, see GoLisbon’s cafes page.

The skeleton that is Carmo Church has a much stronger impact on visitors than if the entire building was still standing. These gothic ruins provoke a series of mixed feelings, as they are a relic of the tragic Great Earthquake of 1755, yet there is a certain peace as you walk around its pillars.
Most interesting of all is the way the arches were left standing in equal shape and measure. They all stand congruently and symmetrically as if the church was actually originally designed as a ruin. The roof collapsed but Lisbon’s blue sky is an even better “cover.” That is, it all seems to have always been meant to be this way…
But another curiosity is found behind what used to be the altar. It is an eclectic museum with bits and pieces of archaeological finds, from ancient swords to shrunken Native American mummies! — quite an unexpected collection in an unusual place.

All this makes Carmo the most interesting church in Lisbon. While the church in Jeronimos Monastery may cause the biggest awe, São Roque Church may have the most valuable decoration, and Basilica da Estrela may have the prettiest façade, Carmo’s sight prevails longer in the memory.

And the square in front of it (”Largo do Carmo”) is my favorite in the city. It is not huge or as monumental as Comercio Square or Rossio, but its benches under the shade of the trees are my favorites to sit and read.

On the right side of the church is a gate that reveals yet other unexpected sight – all of Lisbon’s downtown, the castle, and the river. This is the entrance to the top platform of Santa Justa Elevator, which is yet another Lisbon landmark that doesn’t fail to draw your attention.