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Predictably, there’s plenty of wine
involved, and by the time you tot-
ter out you are almost tearfully
appreciative. Which, as it happens,
sets you up nicely for the last stop
of the evening.
Lisboans love their fado—a wist-
ful, acousticmusical form—and the
best place to experience it is
Senhor
Vinho (
7
)
, an atmospheric bistro in
the Lapa district. The singers here
warble about broken dreams, the
scent of candle wax and fish stew
filling the air. Even though you can’t
understand a word of it, the tone
tells you all you need to know, and
you head home with a pleasingly
melancholic twinge.
DAY THREE
| Having slept in, you
grab a late breakfast at the hotel’s
roo op restaurant before embarking on a
15-minute cab ride to
LXFactory (
1
)
, a sprawl
of galleries, cafés and shops set amid the
machinery of a former industrial complex
and populated with a variety of coun-
tercultural types. The same developers
recently restored another propertynearby,
an old bordello called
Pensão Amor (
2
)
,
which you duly explore on your way back
into town. It has even more artsy shops
and galleries, and a fashionably shabby
bar at its center.
Next, it’s a short tram ride along the
river to
Terreiro do Paço (
3
)
, a bistro with
mismatched tablecloths, vaulted brick
ceilings and a menu of gourmet comfort
food. You go with a crispy anchovy pizza
followed by cod with chickpeas and
greens. The food is simple and satisfying,
and youmunch itwhile studying the café’s
collection of paraphernalia celebrating
the bygone empire.
Back outside, you wander
Praça do
Comercio (
4
)
, a huge square girded on
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
THE INSIDE SCOOP FROMTHOSE IN THE KNOW
ILLUSTRATIONS BY PETER JAMES FIELD
Diogo Noronha Andrade
CHEF DE CUISINE AT
RESTAURANTE PEDRO E O LOBO
“Miradouro de Santa Catarina, near
Bairro Alto, has one of the most
beautiful views of Lisbon, plus a nice
mix of tourists and locals. Sometimes
there are people playing instruments.
I usually walk my dog over there and
hang out with my friends.”
Cláudia Candeias
STREET PERFORMER
(BUDDHA OF CHIADO)
“I go to a typical
tasca
—a traditional
spit-and-sawdust wine shop—in
Santa Catarina. The
senhora
who
keeps it is Rosa, so she calls it Taberna
da Rosa. It has marble tables, wooden
stools, no frills—just good, very cheap
wines, made by small producers.”
Rui Viana
OWNER OF THE BAKERY
CONFEITARIA NACIONAL
“I like to go hiking in the hills of Sintra,
a 20-minute drive from Lisbon. It’s
very peaceful, with lots of trees and
palaces. From the top you have a nice
view of the sea. I walk along the beach
or, if it’s cold, go to one of the fish
restaurants. It’s lovely.”
HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM
•
MAY 2012
99
L I S B O N
THREEPERFECTDAYS
ORANGE CRUSH
Couples take romantic strolls
along Lisbon’s historic riverfront at sunset