THE COLORS OF LISBON

 

Olà my little cats! 

Today, to warm up the winter that's settling in, I'm going to show you some pictures that I hope will warm up your little faces... A few weeks ago, I left with my backpack full of mini shorts, light dresses and acid sandals to head for Lisbon with my girlfriends. I'm unveiling with my sweet Justine B., with whom I've been to worse places like India for 1 month, so Lisbon is easy... We're leaving at the end of October and I honestly didn't know what to expect. I'd refused to open a guidebook, or go on the Internet, I'd just checked the weatherCOPY00 I warn you, I really struggled to make a short selection of photos from this trip, so I made a Facebook album because I couldn't not share them with you and this way, I don't really give up on all those memories...

 

 

 Freshly arrived with Easy Jet, we disembarked at 7am in old Lisbon on a bus, too easy. I get a bright, colorful slap in the face, my mates laughing at me as soon as I post a photo on Instagram with a caption "The crazy light". Yes, we have beautiful light in Paris too; but I don't know, it just doesn't feel the same. Maybe it's because I'm too much into my daily life and I'm not attentive to all these light variations, but I really felt like a crazy person when I arrived in this city.

 

We spent the first day getting lost in the hills and winding streets of the city. Two kids in a maze of colors, every time we crossed a street we'd say "let's go this way" and burst out laughing at the size of the climb ahead. That was the first day. Because, to be honest, after 3 days we were skirting the hills... So bring comfortable shoes and Compeed-style bandages. Incidentally, I'm surprised the brand hasn't thought of opening a flagship store there, they'd make a fortune. Anyway, get lost, it's the best way to discover the city, and we were very comfortable with our sense of direction after a day exploring the city without following any map...

 

 

As for accommodation, we spent one night in a hotel and the other two in an establishment - the joys of online booking! But in the end it was very simple: a coffee, wifi, a credit card and ten minutes later, we're spending a night in a hotel for 30 euros. The V Dinastia near the Rato metro station. Well, the hotel wasn't really exceptional, but it was a great last-minute emergency solution, and after having slept on wooden planks in the depths of Radjasthan, we weren't scared of anything but the whole place was very clean and comfortable. their website…

 

 

After that, we spent the last two nights in a little gem of a hotel: the Lx Boutique Hotel, right in the middle of everything, near the Tagus river and a stone's throw from the main Praça do Comeriço square. What can I tell you? In addition to being super-central, the spacious rooms and the entire hotel are very tastefully decorated. As someone who spends my nights in a blue room, I couldn't help but feel at home... And budget-wise, it's still very affordable, starting at €90 a night. I recommend it with my eyes closed.

 

 

And by the way, I'd like to thank you for all the great addresses you've shared with me on Instagram. Here's a report on some of the addresses you've tried out or really wanted to try out!

Coffee / snack:

• – Le pois caféThe Pea Café, which comes back often, really lovely: rua são joão da praça 93-95
  1100-521 Lisboa
• – Pastelaria Versaillesor Versailles Lda, not tested but I hear it's a real must! avenida da república 15A, 1050-185 Lisboa
• – Belem pasteissublime... again! You'll have to be patient to buy them in Belem, but you can find them just about anywhere in Lisbon! Rua belém 84-92 1300-085 Lisboa
•  – A BrasileiraHere too, patience is required if you want a seat on the terrace and to be served quickly! But very good pastries! Rua garrett 120, 1200 Lisboa
• – Santinian ice-cream parlour that many of you have recommended to me, a success story that has become a chain of ice-cream parlours throughout Portugal, Rue do Carmo, 1200 -093 Lisboa

 

 

Restaurants:

- Top of your suggestions Pharmacia LisboaA top-of-the-range restaurant with sublime decor, where you can enjoy typical Portuguese cuisine! Rua marechal Saldanha 1, 1249-069 Lisboa

- I give you my absolute favorite, vegetarians abstain. In a former sublime building rehabilitated into an alternative concept store, restaurant and even butcher's shop, near the "jardim do principe real". . The restaurant is called AtalhoAbsolutely divine. Be careful not to get the wrong address: it has an annex in a covered market. Calçada do patriarcal, 40 1250-182 Lisboa

– Chapito recommended by many locals and by you, el Chapito is an address I didn't have time to visit, but it's already on my to-do list for next time! Costa do Castelo 1, 1149-079 Lisboa.

 But also the Noobai caféTo be or not to be Burgerthe Kais on the Tagus, Clara em castelo, El decadentethe beautiful café da garagemor the restaurant: The Insolito

 

 

The Bars

It's really my regret, dead tired after the evening dinner, we went out very little and I have the feeling that there is a real Lisbon nightlife... Something I would really like to discover next time, like the impression that there are crazy addresses...

– Park barIt was Deedee who first told me about it! A bar on a terrace at the very top of a parking lot... with a breathtaking view! Calçada do Combro, 58 - Bairro Alto, Lisboa.

– Pavilhao Chines BarThe Pavilhao Chines Bar, literally the Chinese Pavilion, is an incredible place, where each room is built around a mind-boggling collection of objects, each more eclectic than the last. It's like nothing else! And with a cocktail menu as long as your arm... I highly recommend it too! Rua Dom Pedro V, 89/91, 1250-093, Lisboa.

– Pensao AmorPensao Amor, a former brothel transformed into a bar... The decor is crazy and the reviews are rave .... Rua do Alecrim nº 19, 1200-292 Lisboa ( near Lx boutique hotel ).

 – Lost in esplanadaI'd really have liked to discover this address, but due to a small typing error, I couldn't find it, so I'm writing to you today to discover photos of another roof top that looks really crazy! Rua D.Pedro V No. 56, 1200 Lisboa.

 

 
As for shopping, I'll leave that to you, as I don't think you need anyone to enter the boutiques... But I must admit I was a little disappointed by Portuguese fashion. After all, it's not what I was looking for today. I really loved all the Concept Store boutiques in the LX Factory even if they all revolved around the same things, like Scandinavian brands and masking tape and tiger notebooks. But I did fall for a pair of shoes in the clearance store. Klingfrom Lx Factory, our Spanish neighbors ... And then, on your advice, we went to  A Vida Portuguesa to bring back some really hot souvenirs, I'll let you have a look at their website for a taste... And then, if you go into any souvenir store, you can take home a little cork kit, a true Portuguese symbol. In fact, the Portuguese government has encouraged cork factories to diversify their activities, asking them to manufacture something other than cork stoppers. The areas where the cork oaks grow are protected and, above all, immense, and the production of cork stoppers is more than assured, so producers have to find ways of continuing their activities.

Take a trip to the Conserveira de Lisboa. You've seen it over and over again, but it's a lovely place, as colorful as Lisbon itself, and the boxes are so pretty they'll make a great stock of souvenirs to hand out. 

 

 

A must-see / a must-do:

There's so much to see, especially if the weather's nice: get lost! But go and taste a ginjinha, that mythical cherry liqueur! There's even a little village in Portugal that designs little chocolate glasses to drink this liqueur from... And BAM it doesn't make any "mon chéri"... Go for brunch or dinner at the Lx factory, a collection of factories that have been rehabilitated to create sublime restaurants, concept stores and cooking classes... Take a stroll along the Tagus to Bélem... On your way back, stop off at the Mercado da Ribeira for a bite to eat at one of the many stalls near the main shopping square, where you'll find a small, free museum of fashion and design, cool and well staged. I was whispered in my ear to go and see the little otters at L'océanorium... And then, I recommend a visit to the castle for a magnificent view of the city at sunset! I recommend the little book by Sabrina Foucaud a wonderful little city guide for a few days in Lisbon! 

 

 

 We were lucky enough to have a guide just for us. In Paris, I discovered a new kind of tour operator: Au fur et à Mesurethe new creators of travel. So rather than looking for a destination, you explain to them your state of mind, at what point in your life you find yourself, and they tailor-make your ideal and unforgettable vacation, because sometimes you can miss out on a trip simply because it wasn't the right time, or because in the end it's not what you needed? So, it was a bit tricky to test a complete trip with them, but they suggested I discover the city in a different way... So, we spent the second afternoon with a guide for the two of us, who took us around all the nooks and crannies of Lisbon, showed us around the city on the Tramway, and explained its history to us. I can tell you that after this grand tour, we felt full of knowledge, anecdotes and even more in love with Lisbon...

 

 

And it came at just the right time, because on the first day, we explored, discovered and photographed without knowing a thing, and on the second day, we walked more or less the same streets, but this time like two sponges, without wanting to capture everything, we listened and drank in the words of this guide. In short, I'm in love with Lisbon. I'd love to go back under the sun again, discover all the addresses I didn't get to see and visit the botanical garden, which I hear is sublime... I give you a big kiss and thanks again! 

 

 

Before I leave, I'd like to focus on this little stand. For a few years now, the city of Lisbon has been restoring all these little kiosks and reopening them, perfect for a refreshing afternoon drink or an evening drink. A new lease of life for these lemonade kiosks... It's true! If you have any other suggestions, don't hesitate to leave a comment below the article.

 

All the photos in this article were taken with a Leica T, thanks to the whole team!