EXPLORED_ Mosteiro dos Jerónimos

EXPLORED_ Mosteiro dos Jeronimos in Belém, Lisbon - Hannelore Veelaert for aupaysdesmerveillesblog

When I visited Lisbon for the first time, with my parents in 2011, we wanted to visit the Mosteiro dos Jeronimos but ended up finding ourselves in front of closed doors.  Despite my regular visits to Lisbon and Belém in particular, it somehow never occured to me to give it another try.  Until now that is, and it was definitely worth the wait!  Built in the beginning of the 16th century by King Manuel I to celebrate the Portuguese discoveries, the monastery was afterwards donated to the Jerónimos monks.   With its national and religious Portuguese symbols, nautical motifs, exotic plants and animals carved in limestone, it’s a striking example of the Manueline style.  No wonder it has been classified as Unesco World heritage!  Despite it being winter, we were lucky to visit the monastery on a sunny day.  The light pouring through the cloisters casted mesmerizing shadows on the walls and floors, while it turned the columns of the church into colorful works of art, thanks to the stained glass windows.

Mosteiro dos Jerónimos - Praça do Império, Lisbon - website

Curious for more must-visits in Lisbon?  Then have a look at my city guide, where I’ve collected no less than 90(!) tips for you, during the 5 months I lived in Lisbon and my many visits afterwards.  I promise you won’t be bored when visiting the Portuguese capital!

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EXPLORED_ Dear Breakfast

EXPLORED_ Dear Breakfast in Lisbon - Hannelore Veelaert for aupaysdesmerveillesblog

For a breakfast lover as myself, it’s no surprise that last year’s favorite discovery of my yearly trip to Lisbon was Dear Breakfast.  Obviously I just had to visit again and introduce this café properly on the blog.  With a menu that’s filled with fresh juices, delicious coffees, fingerlicking good avocado toasts and tasty pancakes, Dear Breakfast is a taste bud tingling ode to morning foods.  However, it’s not only the menu that will make sure your day is off to a great start.  The architects of Studio Astolfi mixed bricks, concrete, velvet, marble and luscious plants with arches, vaulted ceilings and the occasional dash of dark blue and pink (make sure you visit the toilet downstairs!) and turned Dear Beakfast into a sight for sore eyes that will make any trace of a morning mood disappear in a hearbeat.   Located right around the corner of my old appartment, I wish this breakfast walhalla would have been around during my time living in the Portuguese capital.

Dear breakfast - Rua das Gaivotas 17, Lisbon - website - facebook - instagram

Planning a trip to Lisbon soon?  Don’t forget to have a look at my Lisbon city guide.  Written after living there for 5 months and updated with every visit, it is packed with tips that will make your stay in Lisbon an absolute dream.

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FRAGMENTS_ Lisbon in pastel

Fragments_lisbon in pastel - Hannelore Veelaert for aupaysdesmerveillesblog.be

A few weeks ago, I showed you some of Lisbon’s brutalist architecture, but today I want to share a few snaps that capture why I fell in love with the Portugese capital all over again during my last visit. Light blue, soft yellow, blush pink and that wonderful, wonderful light… my favorite city has it all.  If this wonderful weather that we’ve been having lately hasn’t catapulted you into a holiday state of mind, this pastel colored glimpse of Lisbon might just do the trick.  Oh, don’t forget: if you’re planning a trip to Lisbon – I’ve collected all the good stuff here.  In the meantime I’m off enjoying the sun again in our little Belgium. Até já!

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EXPLORED_ Santa Clara 1728 in Lisbon

Explored_ Santa Clara 1728 in Lisbon - Hannelore Veelaert for au pays des merveilles

It’s early in the afternoon when I cross Campo Clara, a square which is home to the famous flee market Feira da Ladra twice a week.  When I lived in Lisbon a few years ago, I spent many hours wandering this market, looking for second hand treasures, but today I have a different goal.  I’m heading to Santa Clara 1728, a hotel hidden in an old convent on the often busy plaza.  Once I step foot inside the majestic entrance hall, the lively city couldn’t seem further away though.  

Santa Clara 1728 - Campo de Santa Clara 128, 1100-473 Lisbon - website - facebook - instagram

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FRAGMENTS_ brutalism in Lisbon

FRAGMENTS_ brutalism in Lisbon - Hannelore Veelaert for au pays des merveilles

The city of Lisbon might be known for its colorful facades and picturesque street views, that’s not all it has to offer when it comes to architecture.  Because I can never resist brutalist architecture with its geometric shapes and intriguing use of materials, I did a little research on brutalism in Lisbon before my last trip to my favorite city.  A google search led me to the Palácio da Justiça, the courthouse of Lisbon which was designed by Januário Godinho & João Andresen in the sixties.  This mastodont of a building ticks all the brutalist boxes, so if you’re a lover of all things architectural, it is definitely worth a detour from your average tour of the Portugese capital. In that case, don’t forget to checkout my Lisbon city guide for more must visits!

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FRAGMENTS_ Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian

Fragments_ Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian in Lisbon - Hannelore Veelaert for au pays des merveilles

The combination of plants and rough concrete is one that is always a win in my book and Lisbon‘s Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian proves my point with conviction.  This brutalist museum houses the art collection of the foundation named after businessman and philanthropist Calouste Gulbenkian.  While the ancient and modern art collection is supposed to be impressive (I have to admit I only ever visited the library), it’s the surrounding gardens that truly make my heart beat faster.  The fragments I’m sharing in this blogpost should give you an impression, but why not plan a trip to Lisbon and visit the Gulbenkian yourself?  In case you do: boredom won’t be an option because I’ve updated my Lisbon city guide…

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EXPLORED_ Casa C’Alma in Lisbon

It doesn’t take much for me to feel at home in the city of Lisbon (I studied in the Portugese capital for five months and have visited countless times since), but Casa C’Alma feels exactly as the calm home that this guest house‘s name suggests.  Scandinavia meets Portugal in the mix of hardwood floors, white walls, an occasional dash of color, carefully chosen furniture, luscious plants, excellent selection of reading material and delicious Portuguese breakfast.  The cherry on the cake in this spacious apartment is a dreamy light blue kitchen, making it hard not to fall in love with this boutique bed and breakfast that feels like a breath of fresh air.  Yes, whether you want to retreat into the privacy of one of their serene bedrooms or enjoy the spacious common living room while chatting with your fellow guests, stepping into Casa C’Alma will always feel like a breath of fresh air.   Its location couldn’t be better either, with Copenhagen Coffee Lab (perfect if you’d like to stick with the Nordic atmosphere), bakery Tease and the shops of Principe Real only a few minutes away, making it an excellent starting point to explore the city.   For a good night’s sleep in the city center of Lisbon and a dose of Scandinavian interior inspiration, this is exactly where you want to be.

Casa C'Alma - Praça das Flores, 48 1° Floor,  1200-192 Lisbon - website - facebook - instagram - booking

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FRAGMENTS_ MAAT

If you’ve been following along on Instagram, you have without a doubt noticed I spent the end of the year in my beloved Portugal.  Before meeting up with my family for the holidays, I spent 5 days on my own in Lisbon, doing what I love to do most.  I revisited my favorite places from when I used to live here, discovered new places and wandered the streets of my favorite city with my camera in hand.  I’ll soon blog about my favorite discoveries, but first I wanted to share a few images of the MAAT, Lisbon’s museum for Architecture, Art and Technology.  Last year, the majority of the museum was closed to the public, but this year I had better luck.  While the expositions I visited were interesting, the museum building itself that was the true highlight of my visit.  I couldn’t resist snapping a few new pictures of all the different textures on the billowing facade and the extraordinary view over the Tejo.

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FRAGMENTS_ CCB in Lisbon

During my last visit to Lisbon, I made a quick stop at the CCB in Lisbon’s parish Belém.  I visited this cultural center once before, during my Erasmus in 2012, and absolutely loved it, so I couldn’t resist paying it a second visit after I discovered the MAAT.  Unfortunately I didn’t have time to go inside and check out the current exhibition (I had a plain to catch), but I did take a closer look at the architecture and was pleasantly surprised.  Due to the winter light, the building seemed to be dressed in soft pink tones, which worked beautifully with the CCB’s surrounding greenery and the building’s composition.  Just in case you have plans to visit Portugal’s capital, don’t forget to check out my city guide for more tips on what to do in (and around) Lisbon.

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FRAGMENTS_ MAAT

FRAGMENTS-maat lisboa-hannelore veelaert for au pays des merveilles-0012

Ever since I read about the new museum for architecture, art and technology in Lisbon, or the MAAT, I couldn’t wait to visit this impressive piece of architecture on the bank of the river Tagus in Lisbon’s district of Belém.  Unfortunately, I was only able to visit the foyer of the museum, as the new exhibitions were still a work in progress.  However, the architecture itself did not disappoint.  The tiled facade, curving towards the river, beautifully reflected both the sound of the waves and the play of light on the water surface.  On the undulating rooftop, the balustrades and stairs collided into a playful composition of lines.  I hope these images give you an impression of Amanda Levete’s design and encourage you to leave Lisbon’s city center for its Belém district.  For more must-visits in the wonderful city of Lisbon, have a look at my city guide here.

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FRAGMENTS_ Portugal

FRAGMENTS_ Portugal - by Hannelore Veelaert via au pays des merveilles-22While I’m writing this from my new home (more on that later!), my latest trip to already seems so far away even though it’s been only three weeks.  As you might have seen on instagram, I traveled to Portugal to spend Christmas with my family in my parents’ holiday home and to reconnect with old friends in Lisbon, where I studied one semester.  Together with my parents and sister, we enjoyed the view from their home (see the first photo, taken from my bedroom), explored medieval town Obidos and treated our dog and ourselves to a refreshing walk on the beach of Foz do Arelho.

In Lisbon I met up with Jaka to catch up on everything that happened since our last encounter, stroll through the beautiful streets of the city that I love so much, drink coffee, do some reading in my lovely room for the weekend, relax and discover new places such as Café Da Garagem, with its stunning windows that offer a breathtaking view over the city.  (Speaking of discovering new places: I’ve update my city guide for Lisbon with my latest discoveries!)

After handling deadlines at work and struggling a little bit with my health, I decided to bring my film camera instead of a digital one, to give myself a true break from daily life and enjoy this beautiful country that feels like my second home to the fullest.   Lisbon always manages to ease my mind, but being able to leave everything behind for a short week gave me the necessary energy right before  moving into a new place.

While I’m slowly getting settled into my new home, I’m looking forward to get back to regular blogging again, especially since I still have a ton of photos and an interesting interview to share… Soon!

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EXPLORED_ Jardim Botânico in Lisbon

jardim botanico lisboa - hannelore veelaert - au pays des merveilles-6

The Jardim Botânico in Lisbon is one of those place that doesn’t need a lot of explanation.  After our brunch at Tease, Miguel, Lisa and I enjoyed a peaceful walk in the city’s botanical garden, where the gigantic trees offered us some refreshing shade.  With an entrance fee of only 2 euro’s, it’s a must visit if you feel the need to escape the heat in the city!

Jardim Botânico, Rua da Escola Politécnica 54, 1250-102 Lisboa - website

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EXPLORED_ Tease in Lisbon

tease lisboa - hannelore veelaert - au pays des merveilles-6

On my last day in Lisbon, I met up with my friends Miguel & Lisa (who were coincidentally visiting Lisbon at the same time) for a late brunch at Tease.  I’d heard good things about this place and it turned out to be the perfect cure for our hangovers from NOS alive festival (them) and a Rabbit Hole party (me).  The tasty sandwich accompanied by chips (an odd side dish – at least for us – that often replaces regular potatoes in Portugal) and salad, combined with a detox juice made us feel like new in no time.  We only tried the sandwiches and detox juices, but Tease also offers breakfast, lots of cupcakes and other sweets, dinner and even cocktails!  And all that without any severe damage to our wallet: for less than 10 euro’s per person, you’re all set for a delicious meal.

But enough about the food, because as you can tell from the photos, the interior is pretty impressive too.  The pretty tiles, the colorful plates on the wall, the marquee letters and the cute pillows make Tease a lovely place to enjoy a meal and take a break from exploring Lisbon.

(Oh, and if the place is full, you can just move to the other side of the street, where Copenhagen Coffee Lab is located!)

Tease, Rua Nova da Piedade 15, 1200-296 Lisbon - website - facebook

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EXPLORED_ Copenhagen Coffee Lab in Lisbon

copenhagen coffee lab lisboa - hannelore veelaert - au pays des merveilles-3

Copenhagen Coffee Lab was one of my favorite discoveries during my most recent stay in Lisbon.  How I wish this little coffee place already existed when I was still living there!  It’s a 10 minute walk from my old apartment (and thus from the hostel I was staying at) and serves coffee just the way I like it.  As the name already gives away, this place’s roots can be found in Copenhagen, where their micro-roastery is located, and you can see it in the typical Scandinavian interior, with a clean aesthetic, lots of whites and natural materials.  On top of that, they have free wifi and their breakfast is extremely cheap (only 6,5 euros for all that plus a flat white!) and pretty tasty.  A new favorite in the city!

Copenhagen Coffee Lab, Rua Nova da Piedade 10, 1200-405 Lisbon - website - facebook - instagram

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EXPLORED_ Oasis Backpackers Mansion in Lisbon

oasis backpackers hostel lisbon - via au pays des merveilles-1

It’s been almost a week since I’ve returned from my summer holidays (in a nutshell: 4 days in beautiful Portugal with the family, 2 days in wonderful Lisbon visiting old friends, 1 day in surprising Leipzig with the girls, 3 days on the amazing Melt Festival with my friends and 4 days chilling out in Berlin with one friend) and I’m still adjusting to normal life.  So many bags to unpack, so much laundry to do, so many photos to edit, so many impressions to process and so many blog posts to write!  On top of that, I’m starting my new job at a young architecture firm next Monday (yay!), so I might need some time to adjust to that too.

Anyway, when I was in Lisbon I stayed at the amazing Oasis Backpackers Mansion, for old time’s sake.  This is where I stayed for a week and a half during my apartment search in 2012 and the place that immediately made me feel at home in this new city.  It’s where I made my first friends (both hostel staff and guests, who were also moving to Lisbon or just visiting and decided to stay because they loved the city so much) when I moved here and where I still keep coming back.   I’ve already mentioned this hostel in my Lisbon city guide, but I felt that it still needed a proper introduction, so take a look after the break for more photos and information!

Oasis Backpackers Mansion, Rua Santa Catarina 24, 1200-402 Lisbon - website - bookings - facebook - instagram - twitter

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WHERE TO GO IN LISBON

where to go in lisbon After living in this city for five months and countless city trips to Portugal’s capital ever since, I had to compile all my favorite hangouts in one handy city guide.  So, if you’re wondering how a semi-local twenty-something spends her time in Lisbon, this is it!

At the end of this post you can find a google map with all my tips, neatly organized by category. On that map, you’ll find even more tips that I’ve collected from my most trustworthy sources, and intend to try out myself in the future.    Have fun!

Last update: January 2024

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EXPLORED_ cinema lá em baixo in Lisbon

cinema la em baixo, lisbon, via au pays des merveilles

One thing I was really looking forward to during my trip to Lisbon, was visiting the cinema on the rooftop again.  After I discovered this wonderful place, I made a habit of going every week to have a cheap vegetarian diner with a great view over the city, watch a free movie, catch up with my friends and meet new people.  Unfortunately school (and the cold weather) got in the way and by the end of my 5 months in Lisbon, it had been weeks, if not months, since the last time I was there, so this was definitely on my list when I came back to Lisbon for a week.  Unfortunately, the weekly event changed from cinema la em cima, on the rooftop of an apartment building, to cinema la em baixo, in RDA69.  (Here you can also get your bike repaired and on Sunday they serve delicious pizzas for only 2 euros.) Since it was way too hot to sit inside, we had our delicious meal on the streets.   Despite the change of location the atmosphere and the people are still amazing, and as usual I ran into some familiar faces.  Definitely a must-go if you’re ever in the city!  You can find more info about the cinema here.

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EXPLORED_ jardim da Estrela in Lisbon

jardim da estrela via au pays des merveilles

Because it was so hot while I was in Lisbon, I spent most of my days in the park or on the beach, reading, taking a nap or having a picnic with some friends.  These are some photos of an afternoon with my friend Lisa and her friends from faculty at Jardim da Estrela.   We brought the slack line and a guitar and enjoyed the beautiful park. (Including the crazy guy riding around on his bike with his stereo blasting…)  Going through these photos while I’m studying makes me miss these carefree days even more…

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BACK IN LISBON

lisboa via au pays des merveilles

all photos taken with a diana f+ by me

My week in Lisbon was spent catching up with old friends while having lunch at a roof terrace, eating ice cream in the park and chilling and dancing at out jazz.  I enjoyed well known places that I missed and discovered new ones that popped up or even just by looking at the city with new eyes and paying more attention while wandering around.  I made a trip to the beautiful beach of Palmela to get some rest from the tourist flooded city and complained about the heat (40 degrees, yes) a lot.  As you can imagine, it was great to be back in the city that feels like my second home.  This wasn’t my last return for sure! (For those of you who are new to the blog, I lived in Lisbon for 5 months thanks to the erasmus program.  You can find my blogposts on my amazing time in Portugal here.)

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SAUDADE

igreja do carmo, lisbon via au pays des merveillesSadly, these are the last photos of Lisbon I have left to share with you… The only post, reminding of my 5 month Erasmus in this wonderful city, that I have yet to prepare for you, is an overview of all the amazing places I have discovered there.  The emails I’ve been getting from you, tell me that this would be very helpful!  (Although I’m still happy to share my thoughts and tips via email with you, so don’t be shy.)  Anyway, these photos are from the time the lovely people from Existenz (I used to be one of them, 2 years ago) spent in Lisbon, while travelling through Portugal.  I sacrificed one precious day of my last 2 weeks in this city to show them around (with the help of a friend who has some tour guide experience) and take them to my favorite places in the city.  Here you see glimpses of Igreja do Carmo (or at least it’s floor), Alfama and the breathtaking view from Miradouro da Senhora do Monte.

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FRAGMENTS_ costa da caparica

costa da caparica via au pays des merveilles

My friend’s last day in Portugal (sadly he had to go back to Belgium too, but I was smart enough to book my flight one week later) was spent doing what he loved the most: surfing at costa da caparica.  It was the first time I went to this surfer’s beach (quite the trip as well with all the public transport problems we had) and it was really calm that day.  Not the best day for surfing (which I can’t, unless you give me a board with a sail and some wind), but the view was beau-ti-ful.  I still can’t get over how beautiful and fascinating the ocean is, and I wish I’d live closer to the sea here in Belgium.  (Although it probably takes as long to get from Lisbon to the ocean as from my side of Belgium to the coast due to the slow trains in Lisbon, but it felt different, it felt like you were constantly aware of how close it was.)

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THE OTHER SIDE

the other side of the rio Tejo via au pays des merveilles

Twice I ventured to the other side of the rio Tejo, this time for a friends’ goodbye party.  Naturally this went together with a picnic in one of the old ruins, accompanied by lots of live music (both on real and improvised instruments found along the road), cheap wine, a gorgeous view on Lisbon and a breathtaking sunset over the Tejo.  How I miss my beautiful city and my beautiful friends.

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EXPLORED_ flower power in Lisbon

flower power, lisbon, via au pays des merveilles

At Flower Power in Lisbon (calçada do combro 2), you can eat and drink between the most gorgeous flower arrangements – not so suprising since this café / restaurant is part of a flower shop.  Both the beautiful decorations and the artwork changes regularly, so you’ll never be bored if you come to this place regularly.  Oh and the food is pretty good too, so you don’t have to come here only for the wonderful interior and the view at the famous elevador da bica right across the street.

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EXPLORED_ café Tati in Lisbon

café tati, lisboa, via au pays des merveilles

Since this little café in Lisbon was close to my home and on the way between my apartment and the metro to the university, this was my go to place to work on my thesis (or the blog, because yes, this place has free wifi) while enjoying a cup of (cheap!) coffee and the company of likeminded friends.  But Café Tati has more to offer than free wifi and a cosy interior, they also have an extensive book collection and if you keep an eye on their facebook page, you’ll notice they regularly organize jazz concerts, which are tested and approved by yours truly.  The food is very tasty and affordable as well, so if you’re in Lisbon, I recommend you to enjoy at least one drink here.  (Rua da Ribeira nova 36)

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EXPLORED_ Primeiro Andar in Lisbon

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When you take the small candle lit corridor that leads you to this hidden gem, you will find an indoor basket court and next to it, the entrance to Primeiro Andar (Rua das Portas de Santo Antão, nº110 in Lisbon).  With it’s cosy sofa’s and occasional concerts, you’ll find yourself right at home here.  For more Lisbon tips, take a look here.

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EXPLORED_ Fabrica Features in Lisbon

fabrica, lisboa, via au pays des merveilles

The Fabrica Features shop is located above the united colors of benetton shop at rua garret 83.  This place that caught my attention before, but I never really understood how to get to that fourth floor.  That is, until someone told me you actually had to go into the benetton shop and take the elevator up.  So, in my last week, I finally managed to visit this more or less hidden gem. Here you find beautiful pieces of art and all kinds of items that would make wonderful gifts for dear friends.  (Seriously, how amazing are those sea shell headphones at photo four?)  Fabrica Features Lisboa blogs here about their new products and exhibitions.

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ZAZOU

zazou, lisboa, via au pays des merveilles

Zazou is the place to go if you are looking for authentic portuguese products.  Wether it’s sardines, soap, wine, ceramics or paper ware, this place will have something you like!  And if you’re tired from walking Lisbon’s hills, you can always take a seat in their café.  I haven’t actually tried this myself, but seeing all the products the shop carries, it should be good!  You can find this lovely bazar slash café at calçada do correio velho 7, Lisbon.

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POIS, CAFE

pois café, lisboa, via au pays des merveilles

Pois, café is a well known destination in Lisbon for people who are looking to have a coffee or a meal in a cosy environment.  This place is filled with books and magazines, which you can read while seated in comfy couches or you can bring your laptop and use the free wifi.  It’s a little bit more expensive than the common portuguese prices (which are very cheap in comparison to what I’m used to in Belgium), but it’s definitely worth it to spend time here on a cloudy afternoon.

pois café, lisboa, via au pays des merveilles

pois café, lisboa, via au pays des merveilles

pois café, lisboa, via au pays des merveilles
all photos by me

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SAUDADE

lisboa via au pays des merveilles

It’s been almost a week since I’ve left my beloved Lisbon and moved back to Leuven, but I’m still missing my home away from home.  This beautiful city and the wonderful people I’ve met there have found a place in my heart and will never be forgotten.  I’m trying to get used to my daily life in Belgium again, but I’m not letting go of Lisbon just yet.  During my last weeks in Lisbon, I have made sure to photograph all my favorite places so I can put together a real ‘au pays des merveilles’ Lisbon guide for you.  So in the next few weeks you can expect a lot of posts about charming cafés and cool bars, which will be concluded with a little overview so you can easily find what you are looking for if you would make a trip to this amazing city.  However, I didn’t spent all my time in Lisbon these last weeks, I also made a short roadtrip with some friends to Peniche, Fatima, Coimbra and Porto.  The photos from this trip are being developed as we speak, so you can expect those too once I’ve gotten around scanning them.

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STREET ART IN LISBON

au pays des merveilles

I have already dedicated two posts (here and here) to street art in Lisbon, and here is yet another one.  Lisbon is just filled with it!  In the next photos you see the famous graffiti on avenida almirante reis, by  Lucy Mclauchlan, SAM3, and BLU,  work by  Alexandre Farto (aka Vhils) (also featured in this post), urban knitting and one of the many noses (take a good look at the photo!) that were at one moment everywhere in Lisbon.

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ALMADA

au pays des merveilles

A while ago, I showed you pictures from a trip I made to the christo rei statue that’s facing Lisbon from the other side of the river. You already saw some (digital) photos, but I hadn’t showed these analog ones yet that I took on the way over there, while it was still light enough to experiment a little bit with my new (old) camera.

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CARCAVELOS

au pays des merveilles
all photos by me

After one week of absence from the blog, I’m back from my roadtrip to the north of Portugal and showing architects from Leuven around in Lisbon.  I have one more week left in this wonderful, wonderful city, and I’m planning to enjoy it to the fullest.  In the mean time, I have some posts planned for you with analog photos from my 5 month stay here, starting with these from back in october, when my best friend visited me and we spent an afternoon at the beach.  Good times.

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LX FACTORY

au pays des merveilles

I’ve already posted about LX factory before and recommended it to a lot of people and everyone seemed to love it.  And so did I, obviously!  After the first time, I went there three weeks in a row to check out the market.  The market changes every time, so this time I found an artist creating wooden boxes as wall decoration (he has more interesting one’s than the one in the photo, but unfortunately I don’t have good photos of those and I don’t know his name… bad blogger!), decorative roosters and birds (so portuguese) and tasty looking soap.  Me and my friends enoyed some portuguese pasteis and coffee at café na fabrica, of which you already saw the terrace (last photo in this post), but this time I also photographed the lovely interior for you. (Good blogger!)   However, these times I also wandered around the site a little bit more and discovered that the more quiet part is pretty interesting too, with lots of graffiti and interesting spaces.  I really wouldn’t mind having my office here someday!

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OLA LISBOA

au pays des merveilles

Here’s a little collection of random photos I’ve taken during my stay in Lisbon: in here you see some photos I took in Alfama and Mouraria, when I joined a friend who is a tour guide on one of his walking tours, there’s also some photos of the view from the miradouro da santa catarina, one of my favorite places in the city, and from when I was on my way to LX factory with some friends and we stopped at the miradouro next to the national museum of ancient art, where you often find old people playing cards and from where you have a view at the port.  You’ll see photos of my own discoveries in Lisbon, when I was wandering the streets while looking for an apartment.  On one photo you see my friend taking a rest from feira da ladra, and on another my friends buying ginginja from a lady who makes it herself and sells it from her living room window.   There’s also a photo of my friends getting pastries at the illegal bakery (that’s right! If you know where to go, you can find delicious pastries at 4 in the morning!) and a photo of the nightly view you have from the roof (a perfect spot to chill out at night) of the oasis backpacker’s hostel, my second home here in Lisbon.  (I feel like I need to dedicate a post to that place, if anyone is looking for a hostel in Lisbon, that’s definitely where you should go.)

As you can imagine, there’s a lot of photos after the break, but if you’re interested, here you can find all my posts about Lisbon.

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STREET ART IN LISBON

au pays des merveilles

When I visited Lisbon last year, I dedicated a post to all the wonderful street art I came across, and this year I’m doing the same.  I’ve gathered quite a lot of photos over the past few months, so take a look after the break!

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FEIRA DA LADRA

au pays des merveillesFeira da ladra, or the ‘thieves market’, is a huge flea market that is held every tuesday and saturday at Campo de Santa Clara in Lisbon.  Rumor has it that if you get robbed in the city, you can find your stolen goods here and buy them back.  There’s a lot of junk here, but you can also find nice bags, clothing, jewelry, furniture and other vintage treasures.  Oh, and this also where I go to find cheap batteries!

Next to the market, you also find little shops here, selling gorgeous old books (like the Jules Verne series, I’m tempted to get one just because they are so beautiful, even though my portuguese is not good enough to be able to actually read them), leather backpacks and contemporary portuguese design. (By the way, you’ve already seen this market on the blog: photo two and three in this post.)

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SAUDADE

au pays des merveilles

I’m spending this week at home with my parents and sister, to celebrate christmas with my family, catch up with my friends and do some studying (unfortunately).  Being away from Lisbon, even if only for a few days, I already miss it!  That’s going to be though when I have to get home in february to finish my semester in Belgium…  Anyway, like I already told you many times, I still have tons of photos to show you of my favorite city.  I thought I’d start with these analog photos, taken with an old nikon reflex camera that my grandparents gave me before I left.  This black and white film was actually still in there from when they used it!  You’ve already seen some of the photos I took with it in my post about the manifestations, but here’s the rest of them.  The quality is not that good since I didn’t have a scanner in Lisbon (I took photos of the photos – inception!), but I still like them very much.

au pays des merveilles

au pays des merveilles

au pays des merveilles

au pays des merveilles

au pays des merveilles

au pays des merveilles

au pays des merveilles

au pays des merveilles

all photos by me

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TAPADA DAS NECESSIDADES

Tapada das necessidades is where during september outjazz took place.  I’ve showed you this park when it was filled with people, music and a wonderful atmosphere, but when there’s no festival going on, it’s a place-to-be as well.  In some places you feel like you’re in a jungle, and then there’s that old greenhouse and other abandoned buildings waiting for you to be discovered.

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CRISTO REI

 

Whenever you’re on a miradouro (a viewpoint) in Lisbon and you look across the river, there’s Jesus staring right back at you.  So together with a friend, I went on a little adventure to ‘the other side’ of Lisbon.  Instead of taking the ‘normal’ road through the city up to the statue, we opted for a little bit more exploring so we walked along the river and later ventured through some abandoned buildings to get up the hill.  We left a little bit too late and didn’t bring any flashlights, so it became a little bit more adventurous than we aimed for, but we made it to Cristo Rei right when they were closing, and the sweet nun let us in anyway, so we got a private nighttime view.  

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CHAPITO

Chapito is another one of those places where you have to go if you’re ever in Lisbon.  This circus school also houses a restaurant, including a terrace with a wonderful view and a bar where regularly a band plays on a former swimming pool which is transformed into a stage.  Every sunday you can come here for live african music and in my experience, it’s always good!

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CCB

One of the things I was really looking forward to when my best friend came to see me in Lisbon, was paying a visit to the CCB, or the Centro Cultural de Belém.  We both love visiting museums of modern art (the fact that we spent all our money on museums when we were in Vienna says enough) so this was a must-do during her stay.  The CCB was one of the most fun museums we’ve visited together: one of the artworks included a sandpit, parrots, a tent and required bare feet, while another one existed out of a room with mattresses on the floor, rock’n’roll music and projections all over.  I’ll warn you right now for the photo overload, but I just couldn’t resist showing you all the wonderful art this museum has on display!  Oh – and they get two thumbs up for their creative use of signage!

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IGREJA DO CARMO

The former convent, Convento da Ordem do Carmo, and it’s church were severely damaged during the earthquake in Lisbon in 1755.  Until this day, the ruins of the Igreja do Carmo, are the biggest proof of the earthquake.  Nowadays, it’s an archeological museum which you can visit for only €2,50 if you’re a student.  In my opinion, you don’t have to go there to see the ‘archeological treasures’, but just to enjoy these breathtaking ruins.

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CENTRE FOR THE UNKNOWN

My best friends’ visit happened to coincide with Open House Lisboa, an event where you can take a tour in several buildings in Lisbon.  As we’re both architects, we couldn’t let this opportunity pass by.  There was just one tiny problem: we expected it to be similar to ‘dag van de architectuur’ in Flanders (you can see some photos of last year’s edition here), where you’re free to visit any building at any time.  So we didn’t subscribe in advance to see any buildings, with the result that we just explored a few buildings from the outside.  So here’s the first batch of photos, from the champalimaud centre for the unknown, which is a research centre for neurosciences and oncology.

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CINEMA LA EM CIMA

Every tuesday, the residents of an appartment building somewhere in Lisbon open their doors to everyone who’s interested.  You go through the building and take the fire escape to the roof of the building.  Here you’ll have an amazing view over the city, get a vegetarian meal for only 3 euros, meet wonderful people and watch an interesting movie.  In short, you’ll have a great evening!  I’m sorry for the bad quality of these photos by the way, they could’ve been so much better if I wouldn’t have slipped on one of Lisbon’s slippery sidewalks when it was raining (and thus even more slippery!), as I broke my 50 mm lens when I fell…  Lisbon gives and takes I guess!

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PRAIA GUINCHO

It took me two weeks before I finally had time to spend a day at the beach, but when I finally found an appartment and got settled, I enjoyed it even more.  With a few friends, we spent an entire day at praia guincho, one of the more beautiful beaches near Lisboa.  Despite the cold when it was getting later, we stayed there until sunset.  So worth it!

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