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Tips & Traps
Insider advice from Local Friends and travelers. What to do, and what to avoid, city by city.
- TipA place or a move worth it
- TrapWhat to avoid, and how
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Insider advice from Local Friends and travelers. What to do, and what to avoid, city by city.
Join RALF to share your own tips and traps
New this weekPicks from our Local GurusCommunity picksrefreshed every Monday
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Japanese sponge cake... in Lisbon? Yes! Why? Because in fact Kasutera is a japanese delicacy, with its roots in the portuguese sponge cake recipe that was taken by the Portuguese navigators to Japan around the XVI century. In this little and beautiful shop you can find the traditional recipe with honey and the…
This is is a typical tourist trap. It´s a shop that sells canned sardines, where the customer can choose a can with a specific year in the package. Although it may be a funny idea, the truth is that it´'s quite expensive for canned sardines. If you want to take home a quality product for its real value, choose one of…
Located in the East part of the city centre (in the Anjos neighborhood), this ice cream factory/shop makes the most tasty tradional ice creams, always with fresh and season ingredients! If you are passing by this part of town (you should), or staying around it, don´t miss out this tiny piece of local hapiness and try…
POISE is a Portuguese brand dedicated to bags and fashion accessories created by two young designers, Sara and João. POISE pieces are conceived from the sketch to the stitching by their 4 hands, giving preference to noble and raw Portuguese materials. Its collections and editions are always limited and sometimes even…
One of the best restaurants in Lisbon with an astonishing view to the Tagus River, Bica do Sapato is known for its contemporary Portuguese cousine, but also for its sushi and brunch. It has one of the best relations between good food, trendy space, and reazonable price. Don´t be suprised if by chance when you go…
Rigth in the middle of Mouraria neighborhood, this gallery/shop is dedicated to illustration, drawing, books, zines and author pieces, especially from young and promising illustrators. Originally based at the city of Porto, the Ó gallery is the place to go if you want to see and/or buy the best examples of…
Part of the great complex of the Águas Livres Aqueduct, this reservoir is, together with the majestic Alcântara Valley Arcade, one of the main elements of the aqueduct, located rigth in the middle of the city. Much overlooked by tourists, it well worths a visit to the main chamber to see a beautiful romantic cascade…
Created by testament by the Armenian oil millionaire Sarkis Calouste Gulbenkian, the Foundation has its headquarters in Lisbon. The foundation headquarters and museum buildings are, together with its amazing gardens, the most important complex of modern architecture in Lisbon. The complex also includes the Center of…
Created in 1994, Galeria Zé dos Bois (ZDB) is a nonprofit organization with an art center based in a 26,909-square-foot, eighteenth-century palace in the heart of Bairro Alto. Their event calendar is rich and goes from perfomartive arts and visual arts, to music. It is a great place to go for an art venue, or for a…
To cupcakes fans! Or amazing and sweet cakes in general! Tease is the place to go for a confy-must have-sugar fix of the day. They also serve light meals, tea, coffee and detox juices. Yeah right...detox... just what you need after eating one of their cupcakes ;)
At this time you are already asking yourself 'Tuk-tuk?!! In Lisbon?!!'And the answer, as strange as it may seen, is yes. For some years now, Lisbon has been experiencing the proliferation of these vehicles exclusively dedicated to tourism. Not being part of the landscape of Lisbon, these vehicles represent the worse…
With a history of over 50 years, this humble tavern located in the heart of Bairro Alto is since its beginning a place to go and ear the traditional fado, eat some Portuguese tapas and drink good wine. Don't forget to phone and make your reservation: the space is very tiny in size and at full capacity most of times!
The former owners of the legendary Portuguese music label Sabotage decided to open a club for the rock'n'roll fans, who want to go to a club and listen to great rock music. Every weekend there are concerts with new bands or with the "classical" ones. The mantra is ROCK'N'ROLL!!!
The best ice cream you can taste in Lisbon is of course... Italian. But don´t let this fact scare you away, because in Nanarella you will find the traditional flavors (please try the strawberry), but also some Portuguese ones - such as Rocha pear or the speciality flavor Basilico. In total you can chose from 18 fixed…
This is my favorite shop in Lisbon! It's a local and family business with roots dating back to 1932. It's located in the heart of Baixa and...it sells food! It may be strange for a non-Portuguese to hear about canned fish food, but the truth is that canning industry has a long tradition in Portugal. It is a…
If you want to find genuine Portuguese crafts, pottery, delicatessen, soaps, books, toys, food, clothes and designer products, this is the place! With another 2 stores in the city, the one located in Intendente is definitely the most beautiful as it occupies the space of a former tiles factory of Viúva Lamego. Also…
If you enjoyed "Mar Bar", you will certainly love "Mar Bar - upstairs". It's on the 1st floor and it's a terrace/lounge thing, where you can eat and drink, and enjoy some tunes. Awsome view over the beach & good vibrations!
It's situated in the most beautiful beach in Sintra, Praia Grande. Amazing view, laidback environment, people from diferent backgrounds and ages. A great place to eat something and have a couple of drinks. My personal favourite: "Crepe au chocolat" :)
Inside there's one of the best things you'll ever taste in your life: called "travesseiro". As we say in Portugal, "é a prata da casa" - something like "it's the house's silver", wich means the best there is about that place. Situated on the old side of Sintra, the historic centre where the palaces and castles are at…
A "must" on traditional pastry. Different types of things to try, amongst other classic Portuguese traditional bites.
Olga Cadaval is a cultural centre with various showrooms where you can find different types of shows, from music to theater, dance and even stand-up comedy from time to time. On top of that, it's an historical building in Sintra right next to the Museum of Modern Art. Price depends on the shows.
Chef Jose Avillez is the leading figure in Portugal's new wave of fine gastronomy, internationally recognised for his re-inventions of traditional cuisine. After winning a Michelin star at his last restaurant, this is his major new venture, in the centre of Lisbon.
A MUST if you ever go to Sintra: ask for a "queijada" and you won't be able to leave without at least a six pack of those! Closed on Mondays. During summertime, it closes at 7pm everyday, and in the winter, it closes at 6pm except on weekends - Saturday and Sunday.
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