Thursday, April 20th, 2023 Queen Victoria, Lisbon, Portugal
Updated: Jul 4, 2023
This is the final stop on our world cruise before we disembark in Southampton and we’ve been to Lisbon a couple of times before; one of the things that is really convenient is the cruise terminal, it’s very close to the center of the city. Without a set plan for the day we decided to mainly wander, we did however spend the first few hours procuring an additional suitcase – this seems to happen on almost every trip we take. I had tracked down a baggage store in the city and we used Uber to shuttle there and back, though the traffic around the cruise terminal and along the wharf was terrible. Having secured the new suitcase, we took the ship’s shuttle bus back into the city and once again suffered the horrendous traffic jams – a ten-minute journey turned into thirty. The bus dropped us in Restauradores Square which, despite the name, is not where all the best restaurants are located – it’s actually dedicated to the restoration of the independence of Portugal in 1640, after 60 years of Spanish Domination. The rectangular square is surrounded by 19th and early 20th century buildings. The most remarkable are the Palácio Foz, a palace built between the 18th and 19th centuries and boasting magnificently decorated interiors, and the old Éden Cinema (now a hotel), with a beautiful Art Deco façade dating from the 1930s. Lunch time: we spotted a restaurant in one corner of the square that seemed to be frequented mostly by locals and so decided to give it a try. Pinoquio Restaurant had a very lively open kitchen and quite cramped interior seating, but a large umbrella covered patio spilled out in front. We looked around to try and figure out what the locals were ordering and most seemed to have one or more large pots on their tables; finally we decided on prosciutto and melon followed by a seafood pasta dish with shrimp and lobster to share, we took the waiter’s recommendation and got a half bottle of the hose white wine. The wine was very good, as was the appetizer – we gave the main event mixed reviews; it came a large pot and looked like soup, the pasta was macaroni, and the dish was loaded with shrimp and lobster. The seafood and pasta were cooked to perfection, but we found the flavors a bit bland – we were also glad we did not order one of these dishes each as we could not even eat half of what we received. A short walk from Restauradores Square we entered Rossio Square (there are a lot of squares in Lisbon!) which is dominated on one side by the central train station which dates from the late 1800s; the façade is a recreation of the exuberant style typical of early 16th century Portugal. Hoping to explore more of the interior station architecture, we were disappointed to discover that access to some of the best views could only be had by purchasing a train ticket. Most of the other buildings in the square date from 1755 when a very large earthquake devastated the city. Rua Augusta is a grand, pedestrian, mosaic tiled street that connects Rossio Square with Commerce Square through the Rua Augusta Arch. We really like this street and have wandered down it every time we’ve visited Lisbon; with outdoor cafes down the center and shops and restaurants along the sides it’s great place to spend some time. The de Nata or Portuguese custard tarts are mandatory for us when visiting Lisbon and just at the Rossio end of Rua Augusta is one of the best tart shops in the city; Fabrica de Nata is a fast-paced café selling freshly made tarts – you can watch the chef making them right in the window. Next door to the tart shop is one of best fabric shops in the city, but amazingly, Sandra could not find anything she liked! We sauntered back to the ship, fighting the crowds in some places, passing under the Rua Augusta Arch, and crossing Commerce Square to reach the wharf area. It’s hard to believe our world voyage is coming to an end.
Comments