Christmas Time in Lisbon - Part II

Hello ladies and gents!

As promised, I am back with Part II. For those who missed my earlier post and who want to catch up and have a few precious minutes to spare, please check out Part I first.

Now, if you thought that was a treat, wait until you finish reading this final part. Anyone who has been to Lisbon or lives in Lisbon can tell you that there is no other city like it. So, without further ado, let’s continue to stroll around the city during the Christmas holidays. I like to think that I made the most of it.

I love the look of the gorgeous Christmas Market at the Praça do Rossio, which is in the middle of the city! It’s the perfect place to buy pretty Christmas gifts and sweets.

Some of the stalls at Rossio Christmas Market. We wandered around admiring the craft and food stalls.

We saw tuk-tuks (3 wheeled taxis) good for sight-seeing everywhere, very elaborate male statues… What a life!

Downtown Lisbon was completely rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake which had destroyed most of it. Since then, each street is named after different trades (shoemakers, saddlers, goldsmiths, silversmiths...).

Some of the streets are pedestrianized and connect a number of iconic squares, from Rossio and its cafés to the waterfront Praça do Comércio, overlooked by a triumphal arch, to the attractive Praça do Município.

…another very elaborate male statue…

Beautiful arcades at the Praça do Comércio, a square which is said to be the largest in Europe!

Praça do Município

We saw boats coming and going at Cais de Sodré... The Sodré Wharf is a terminal for the ferries that link Lisbon to Cacilhas and Almada across the river. The Sanctuary of Christ the King is situated in Almada.

We saw a procession of the famous tramways

Igreja São Antonio de Padua is the most popular and most visited little church in Lisbon.

Mouraria, I loved getting lost in the narrow alleys and corners of this quaint medieval district. The traditional houses scattered on the hills was stunning…Here time seems to have stood still.

Praça da Figueira indoor market, delightful!

Lots of tourists walk around in Lisbon’s Chiado area and the elegant shopping street, Rua Garett. The bronze sculpture Portugal’s famous writer Fernando Pessoa is extremely popular. He is mobbed by lots of tourists, all day long!

The impressive Rossio Train Station seen from the side. From here you have a lovely view over São Jorge Castle which stands on top of the hill.

Et voilà, job done. I really hope you enjoyed this tour. Have a good weekend ahead!

Christmas Time in Lisbon - Part I

Hello ladies and gents

I hope you had a fantastic New Year’s Eve and that you entered 2018 with optimism, joy and a head full of dreams.

Talking of dreams, I had an amazing vacation in early December. I’ve finally put together my post about my trip to Lisbon - the reason why it’s taken so long is because I took far too many photos and have been a bit busy.

First of all, Lisbon is incredible. You need to go if you’ve not been.

I love how Lisbon’s airport truly gets into the spirit of things… in particular its gorgeous Christmas trees. I think they’re the best I’ve seen at an airport in recent memory! What a great welcome!

During my stay in Lisbon, we went for a Christmas tour around Lisbon’s centre: Baixa, Terreiro do Paço, Chiado and Restauradores. It is such a pleasant place to go for a walk. Lisbon never looks more fairy tale than at Christmas and these photos are both fun and beautiful!

I was told that the city has 36 streets, avenues and squares that display Christmas decorations. There are more than two million lamps that illuminate Lisbon until the beginning of January.

I love how the Dona Maria II National Theatre sparkles

Avenida da Liberdade, Lisbon’s main boulevard, is the city’s version of Paris’s Champs Elysées. It’s a tree-lined avenue with cobbled mosaics connecting Praça dos Restauradores and Praça do Marquês de Pombal and it is known for its luxury stores.

Rossio - Christmas market in the square. We wandered around admiring the craft and food stalls; the dried fruit and nut stall was very popular and smelt wonderful!

The majestic Confeitaria National (founded in 1829) in Praça da Figueira is the place to go for a tea-break. It is an ornate pastry shop with cream-coloured walls trimmed in gold and overlooked by mirrored ceiling.

We could enjoy the brightness of the lights of the Portuguese House of Pastel de Bacalhau at Rua Augusta 106. Bacalhau is the national dish, which is dried and salted codfish. It’s often rehydrated and served as salt codfish cakes and many other dishes.

The Christmas tree of Praça do Comércio is 30 metres high, like a 10-storey building. Since December it has been illuminated by more than 86,000 LED lamps.

Chiado, Lisbon’s most elegant and trendiest neighbourhood, is where everyone meets for coffee, shopping or a drink before dinner.

Check out the pretty Christmas tree on the façade of the Chiado warehouses

We saw spontaneous outdoor performances

You only need walk along some of Lisbon’s most beautiful streets to see the capital all lit up!

The best King Cake (Bolo Rei) is sold at the Alcoa at Rua Garrett 36 in Chiado.

The King Cake is baked from soft, white dough, with raisins, various nuts and crystallised fruit, it is round, with a large hole in the centre, resembling a crown covered with crystallised and dried fruit. A dried fava bean is included within the cake and tradition says that whoever finds the fava bean has to pay for the Bolo Rei the following year. A small porcelain prize is also included within the cake.

During the month of December, several activities were planned for Terreiro do Paço, Rua Augusta, Rossio and Praça Luís de Camões. In addition to the lights, there were fireworks and concerts.

I did not spend Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve in Lisbon, but I know they were magnificent.

Stay tuned for Part II