Last week I visited Lisbon for a few days and even though it was my second time in that beautiful city I was blown away by its beauty, its spirit and its views.
Here I collected for you 11 cool design spots I visited.
Enjoy!
Start here.
Breakfast: Hello Kristof!
Nothing is more important than a good healthy breaky to start the day, am I right? So here you have it, at Hello Kristof everything is tasty, from açai bowls to eggs on toast. You should totally try their eggs with parmesan, just amazing. Really wanna know how to do eggs like this. Anyways, even if you have special needs this place is ideal, you can get gluten free and dairy free options and while you wait you can choose one out of the great magazine selection they have in the back.
Tip: Watch out, it isn’t open on the weekend, so plan wisely.
Location: R. do Poço dos Negros 103, 1200-337 Lisbon
Brunch: Dear Breakfast
A great place not only for the weekend is Dear Breakfast. Its stylish interior by architects Carlos Aragao and Joao Pombeiro Machado (Studio Astolfi) catches your eye already by walking by. A clean white interior with arches paired with soft pink colors and chairs out of dark blue velvet make this place so sophisticated. Absolute highlight, the mirrored ceiling at the entrance and the pink lounge downstairs to have probably the most intimate brunch in the city. Try the big variety of eggs and the tasty smoothies.
Tip: Come early on the weekend, or be prepare for a wait.
Location: R. Gaivotas 17, 1200-719 Lisbon
Culture / Architecture : MAAT
The youngest museum in town called MAAT, which stands for art, architecture and technology and is situated in the district Belém, just a 10 min train ride away from the center. The amorph architecture by British architect Amanda Levete stands out with its sun roof and its white shiny tiled facade. A great feature is the walkable roof, so either start from there when arriving by train or walk up and enjoy the beautiful view. But not only for its outer appearance it is worth a visit, check out the temporary exhibitions as well.
Location: Av. Brasília, 1300-598 Lisbon
Restaurant + deli: Prado + Prado Mercearia
Situated in a former factory on the edge of the Alfama district, Prado is a so called from-farm-to-table restaurant and serves the best Portugal has to offer, from land to sea.
Next door you’ll find the pretty grocery shop Prado Mercearia. Both were designed by Arkstudio and specialize in natural, local and national products. The interior speaks that language and is held in green tones and wood. Totally worth a visit, and if you are into natural wines, that’s the place. Unfortunately the restaurant was closed the day I was there, but at the Mercearia they serve small dishes all day, which were super tasty, so happy ending.
Location: Prado: Tv. Pedras Negras 2 + 35, 1100-404 Lisbon
Sunset spot / rooftop bar: PARK
If you wanna enjoy the beautiful sunset over Lisbon, which I totally recommend doing, check out this rooftop called PARK. It’s a little hidden, well the name says it all, it’s on the top of a pretty newly tiled parking garage situated in Bairro Alto. Enjoy the sunset with a mojito and after the sunset you can continue dancing inside and get some bites to eat as well.
Tip: It can get pretty packed, so better come a little earlier before the sun sets to make sure you have a drink in your hands when the show begins.
Location: 89, Calçada do Combro 87, 1200-433 Lisbon
Restaurant contemporary: Bairro Avillez
Situated in the heart of the city, the restaurant Bairro Avillez by the famous Portuguese chef José Avillez is a real experience. The 1000m² space is separated into: Mercearia (gourmet deli), a Taberna for shareable plates like super tasty iberian pork and tuna sandwiches; Páteo a more upscale restaurant for seafood; and Beco is the corner where an internationally-inspired menu is accompanied by a cabaret show. The interior inspired by a typical Portuguese neighbourhood welcomes you with a huge tiled mural of pigs and ceramic vegetables and fish that hang from the ceiling and are glued to the wall. The Páteo consists of a separate patio with round tables placed in the middle surrounded by the kitchen and bar. This restaurant is totally worth a visit, the food was so delicious that I can’t wait to be back in Lisbon to try out Avillez’s other restaurants. A few of them are located in walking distance, like Cafe Lisboa, Cantinho do Avillez, Pizzaria Lisboa, Cantinha Zé Avillez. Another interior gem is Avillez new restaurant Cantinho do Avillez Parque das Nações which is situated a bit outside of the center.
Location: R. Nova da Trindade 18, 1200-303 Lisbon
Restaurant + cocktails: The Decadente
The Decadente is a special place, it’s hidden behind the entrance of the hip vintage hostel the Independente and invites you in to have a delicious portuguese meal and drinks. The interior is really special, it’s a mix of vintage furniture and design classics. They have a nice patio where the bar is situated and lots of lounge areas to chill and meet people. It’s a little hide away in the bustling Bairro Alto district and a great place to start the night.
Location: R. de São Pedro de Alcântara 81, 1250-238 Lisbon
Hotel + hostel + coworking: Selina Secret Garden Lisbon
I really wanted to try out this hotel, because I find their concept interesting and new. The super successful hotel chain from South America merges hotel, hostel and coworking spaces and creates an ecosystem like this. Furthermore here, the Selina Secret Garden has even more to offer: a huge rooftop, several patios, a pool, a kitchen, a restaurant and a bar. What more to wish for. I have to admit I was a little worried that this place hyped by Millennials would be a little too young for me, as I’m not in my twenties anymore. But I have to say even though its located in the hip triangle of Barrio Alto, its hidden and actually pretty chill and mixed up with people from all ages. The interior is well done, reduced chic and lots of plants everywhere, love it. Heaps of different artworks and murals cover the walls and yes it’s a little ecosystem. The co-working space looks pretty professional and is situated in the lower floors where there are no distractions, I could totally imagine working there and staying there again.
Tip: Try out the breakfast there, it’s really tasty too.
Location: Beco Carrasco nº1, 1200-096 Lisbon
Architecture: EDP Headquarter
A great place to embrace contemporary architecture in that city is the EDP Headquarter designed by famous Portuguese architecture studio Aires Mateus. The structure consists out of vertical elements which gives protection from the sun and changes the facade continuously from opaque to transparent from half-light to light. The architectural gesture creates a public courtyard where you can observe the play of the shadows.
Tip: Come here when the sun is shining, to see the shadows or look at the building at night.Location: Av. 24 de Julho 12A, 1249-300 Lisbon
Location: Av. 24 de Julho 12A, 1249-300 Lisbon
Architecture: Portuguese National Pavilion
An architects classic is the Portuguese National Pavilion by famous Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza Vieira. The pavilion is situated at the Tagus River close to the Lisbon Oriente train station. The enormous and impossibly thin concrete canopy is draped between two enormous porticoes. It’s pretty impressive to see how this masterpiece of engineering and architecture is framing the view to the water.
Tip: Try out the acoustics here, put yourself into the middle of it and yell!
Location: Passeio Neptuno, 1990-193 Lisbon
Luxury: The One Palacio da Anunciada
By strolling around I discovered this gem of a restaurant belonging to the luxury hotel, The One Palacio da Anunciada. I really liked the interior of their restaurant (although I didn’t eat there) if you’re looking for something fancy with great design, that’s the place.
Location: R. das Portas de Santo Antão 112-134, 1150-268 Lisbon
Material Journeys 