Tag Archives: Miradouro de Sao Pedro de Alcantara

LOVING LIVING LIKE A LOCAL IN LISBON #3: PRINCIPE REAL (NORTH) & PINK STREET (SOUTH)

Posted on by
Reply

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.

Another day at the park, the only cloudy day we had!
Views across the street from the park…
I enjoyed seeing and photographing the colorful tile facades of the buildings.
Our community manager, Jen, recommended having lunch on the terrace at Honest Greens, across from the park. The view was fabulous and the food delicious!
Another view from the terrace of 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.

I also loved black and white patterns in the cobblestones.

“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.”

Bruce and I are in the back (center)
The view from the rooftop of Mama Shelter
A refreshing glass of low-alcohol cider

Coming up next: LOVING LIVING LIKE A LOCAL IN LISBON #4: AMBLING AVENIDA DE LIBERDADE

LOVING LIVING LIKE A LOCAL IN LISBON #2: CHARMING CHIADO

Posted on by
Reply

Located in the historic center of Lisbon, the charming Chiado neighborhood has been inhabited since the Roman Empire. In 1755, the Great Lisbon Earthquake destroyed much of the area, so it was rebuilt. And then in 1988, a fire destroyed 18 buildings, between 200-300 people lost their homes, and nearly 2,000 people who worked in the area lost their jobs. The fire was fought by 1,680 firefighters, leaving 60 with injuries.

Through both disasters, Chiado survived and now thrives as a bustling cultural and commercial district. Between luxury shopping, museums, theaters, and historic landmarks; Chiado draws many locals and tourists, day and night.

Our apartment, located in the middle of the all the action, was quite the contrast to our quiet active adult community. And that’s exactly what we loved about it!

Shopping for groceries was just a short walk up the street. Going out for a fabulous dinner was as close as a 25-foot walk out the building’s entrance and across the alley. Chocolate craving? Delicious chocolate tartlets were just 120 feet up the street at a wonderful bakery.

There was so much to see just a short walk away that I often popped out to wander around and do photography while Bruce rested. And when we were in our apartment, we often opened the glass doors and stood out on our balcony to watch the action below. Never a dull moment!

Transportation was also conveniently located. The metro station and bus stop were both a very short walk away, and the train and ferry stations were a ten-minute walk down the hill. Those cute yellow trams were right outside our door!

In addition to those iconic yellow trams, what made Chiado so charming were the designs in the cobblestone streets, tile facades of the buildings, street art, and architecture.

Here then, are photos I shot around our neighborhood. I’m not sure where the Chaido and Bairro Alto neighborhoods start and end, so I included both here. Principe Real is a little bit further north and Pink Street a little bit further south, so I will save that for later. And, you will have to wait to see that delicious dinner across the alley; the Portuguese cuisine deserves its own special post!

(For all photos, click on the image for a full screen view.)

This was photographed from a viewing area adjacent to the convent ruins above. The statue is in the center of Rossio Square.
From the same viewing area, I am looking down on the pedestrian street lined with luxury shops.
This was a very random sight across from the miradouro (below). I never saw anything like this again throughout our one month in Lisbon!
Miradouro de Sao Pedro de Alcantara
The views from the miradouro at sunset

Chiado at night:

Next up: LOVING LIVING LIKE A LOCAL IN LISBON #3: PRINCIPE REAL (NORTH) & PINK STREET (SOUTH)