Bairro Alto

j

by Erí Torcato

}

03.30.2021

One of the main reasons to visit a place on vacation is finding a city that offers the greatest possible number of leisure and cultural entertainment options.

This helps on account of the cost benefit, transforming the trip into a type of investment that reflects in quality of life.

Lisbon has a very large touristic variety to be explored. A small part of this city is called Bairro Alto, which contains pictures remnants of the 16th century Portuguese bourgeoisie.

But let’s start at the beginning. Imagine that you are in the Rossio neighbourhood, more precisely at Praça D. João IV, central Lisbon. At the end of this square, opposite the National Theatre D. Maria II, you will see on your right the entrance to Rua do Carmo. Here, you can find all kinds of stores selling many products ranging from clothes to Portuguese souvenirs.

This is my favourite starting point in this neighbourhood. From here, you will go towards a place known as “Alto: or “high”. therefore, it is not surprising that you will have to climb a few slopes. But don’t worry, you won’t even notice this detail, since the delights offered on Rua do Carmo, more precisely in the windows of the high street and designer stores, capture your attention.

However, it is possible to avoid the climb by using the services of the well-known Tuk Tuk (typical carts of the region that take us to the sights in Lisbon) or even to rent an electric car.

After this parade of designer brands on Rua do Carmo, we come across one of the most traditional, old and preserved neighbourhoods in Portugal, rebuilt after the great Lisbon Earthquake tsunami of 1531.

Narrow streets, filled with bars, restaurants and all kinds of places to entertain. Yes, it is a tourist spot, but that does not take anything away from the charm of these tight streets, dressed from top to bottom with Portuguese stones.

Beautiful streets of preserved buildings from the post-earthquake, perfect for photos, boasting one of the most beautiful views of an old neighbourhood. I refer to the view from the S. Pedro de Alcântara viewpoint, which is close to the ruins of the Convento do Carmo, founded in 1389 by D. Nuno Álvares Pereira who was an important Portuguese military commander, crucial in the consolidation of Portugal’s independence from Spain.

 

The Convento do Carmo was sadly destroyed by another earthquake in 1755.

There is another viewpoint nearby, Santa Catarina (my favourite), I just love this place. There you can enjoy the beautiful views of Lisbon’s waterfront, one of the most striking images for me, drink something nice in one of the bars and eat a delicious meal in one of the restaurants, in addition to enjoying this majestic landscape.

Right in front of this viewpoint we can visit the Pharmacy Museum and walk on the famous Elevador da Bica. I recommend looking for something different to enjoy during the walk, like the fried Coxinhas, in some nearby café or sampling Acarajé and Abará, both Brazilian delicacies, from Bahia, but which can be found in the land of Fado.

There are also lovely restaurants along the way, with a wide variety of cuisines including Portuguese, Brazilian, Italian and Indian as the most prominent.

Close to Praça Luís de Camões, there are several hotel options for all types of pockets.

To save your energy ahead of a day of exploring, you can also reach this neighbourhood by public transport such as the metro at Baixa do Chiado station, bus and the charming yellow cable cars, both belonging to the company Carris.

Now, all that’s left to do is get yourself set for a day of diverse activities and pleasant walks in Lisbon. Enjoy it yourself now!!!!
Lovely Panoramic team provides all the necessary support for investors to know every detail of the ARI – Portugal Golden Visa application process, as well as direct and personal assistance in several other important details for the process of establishing their family and business life project in Portugal.

Count on us, this is a friendship that has beginning, middle and has no end!

Featured

Related Posts

Bread Museum

Bread Museum The National Bread Museum was inaugurated on September 2002, in Seia, in Serra da Estrela. Today it is a symbol of the people and a universal good that continuously collects, preserves and displays objects and heritage bread. It is Portuguese in its...

read more

Palácio Chiado, a Lisbon hotspot

Palácio Chiado   History, good food & music and a beautiful atmosphere: the well-known Palácio Chiado is already a cool, trendy and mandatory stop for those who pass through the historic center of Lisbon. With the SALLA Bar and the renovated Restaurant, the...

read more

Need Help?

Get In Touch

Follow Us

About the Author

Erí Torcato

Our volunteer correspondent Mr. Erí Torcato - LinkedIn. He has lived in Europe for over 5 years. He has a passion for getting to know new places and recording the moments and curiosities about the local cities and culture. Perhaps this skill is the result of your degree in cinema and has specialized as a film critic and writer.

Comments

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Posts

Bread Museum

Bread Museum

Bread Museum The National Bread Museum was inaugurated on September 2002, in Seia, in Serra da Estrela. Today it is a symbol of the people and a universal good that continuously collects, preserves and displays objects and heritage bread. It is Portuguese in its...

Palácio Chiado, a Lisbon hotspot

Palácio Chiado, a Lisbon hotspot

Palácio Chiado   History, good food & music and a beautiful atmosphere: the well-known Palácio Chiado is already a cool, trendy and mandatory stop for those who pass through the historic center of Lisbon. With the SALLA Bar and the renovated Restaurant, the...

Changes to the Golden Visa Scheme

Changes to the Golden Visa Scheme

Hi Readers, Since this is the last blog of the year, we would like to take this opportunity to wish all of you Seasons Greetings, Happy Holidays and a very Happy New Year. Here is hoping that 2022 is a better year for all of us and our families.On to the business at...

Share This