In my previous post, I featured Chiado and Bairo Alto, the neighborhoods immediately surrounding our TGLA apartment. Now, I am going to take you just a little bit north to Principe Real and a short walk south to “Pink Street.”
Principe Real, located just up the road past Miradouro de Sao Pedro de Alcantara, is a district developed in the 19th century as a residential enclave for Lisbon’s aristocracy. Still an upscale neighborhood, there are designer boutiques, galleries, restaurants, a beautiful park, and botanical gardens.
I am not much of a shopper, but EmbaiXada was something to see. It was even included on our walking tour, because the building is gorgeous. Now a high-end commercial gallery, it was once Ribeiro da Cunha Palace. In addition to fine products by Portuguese artists and designers, there is a bar and restaurant. The only thing I brought out from EmbaiXada were my own photographs.
(For all photos, click on the image for a full screen view.)
One of our favorite memories was relaxing at a table under the beautiful trees at Jardim do Principe Real (Principe Real Park), sipping an ice-cold cola, and listening to an excellent band performing classic rock. They played for tips, and we gladly tossed some Euros in their basket. They were so enjoyable! It was a warm sunny day, and it was the perfect way to cap off our afternoon, following our TGLA’s group orientation tour around the area and our delicious salad-with-a-view at Honest Greens.
Jardim Botanico de Lisboa, the botanical gardens of Lisbon, is also located in the Principe Real neighborhood. Although it doesn’t have stellar reviews on Google or Trip Advisor, it was free the Sunday morning we visited, and it was a nice respite from the busy city.
“Pink Street” (Rua Nova do Carvalho) is famous for its bars and bustling nightlife, but I was only interested in seeing it in the morning before the crowds arrived, so I could photograph the colorful umbrellas that hung over the pink-painted street. Since we passed it each time we walked down to the waterfront, train station, ferry terminal, and Time Out Market (more on this in a future post), it was a convenient photo stop. But for those interested in partying hard in the bars, this would be the place.
Speaking of partying, gathering with our The Good Life Abroad group and community manager for a welcome party was a great way to kick off our month together. Jen found the perfect place for it, a rooftop bar with great views. Mama Shelter’s appetizers were delicious, the service was good, and it was a lot of fun! This is Jen, during our metro orientation tour, and our TGLA “community.”
Coming up next: LOVING LIVING LIKE A LOCAL IN LISBON #4: AMBLING AVENIDA DE LIBERDADE
