Downtown Lisbon - the Baixa Quarter

An April 2007 trip to Lisbon by LenR Best of IgoUgo

Pedestrianised streetsMore Photos

Downtown Lisbon is a different world. Modern shopping, restaurants, tourism, and commerce mix happily with a quarter which has changed little in 200 years.

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Pedestrianised streets
Traditions seem to be carefully protected in the center of Lisbon. Because of this, the city has succeeded in retaining last century's charm in the downtown area. Streets and plazas seem adapted to a slower time than the present.

Baixa, or downtown Lisbon, is the heart of the city. It is the main shopping and banking district that stretches from the riverfront to the Avenida da Liberdade, with streets named according to the shopkeepers and craftsmen who traded in the area.

It was completely rebuilt after the Great Earthquake of 1755 with streets flanked by uniform, neoclassical buildings. This was Europe's first great example of neoclassical design and urban planning, and one of the finest European architectural achievements of the age.

It remains an imposing district, with elegant squares, pedestrianized streets, cafes, and shops. Old tramcars, street performers, tiled Art Deco shopfronts, elaborately decorated pastry shops, and street vendors, all lend a special charm to the area.

I love Baixa because it oozes life, its old world charm mixing easily with today’s action. Rua Augusta is the main tourist street and here alongside the Art Nouveau store fronts, grizzled old locals read the papers hung at corner kiosks and tourists settle in at premium-rate pavement cafés watching a parade of buskers, street artists and the ubiquitous Peruvian pan pipers.

The Baixa’s central square, Rossio, provides some of the best free entertainment in the city. All of Lisbon’s masses seem to drift across Rossio’s undulating mosaic paving at some time. Stop for a coffee and watch the passing scene.

Adjacent Praça da Figueira retains more endearing old world charm. Alongside ornate seed shops, fish hang in giant salted sheaves from old-fashioned shops while lottery sellers, con men and backpackers mill around. The statue of Dom João I forms the dignified centrepiece. On the south side, the charmingly old-fashioned Confeitaria Nacional was considered to be one of Europe’s most elegant salons when it opened in 1829, its saliva-inducing window displays now include fine pastries and cakes smothered in cream.

Don’t miss the eccentric Elevador de Santa Justa. It is one of Lisbon’s most iconic and memorable images. Designed by Raoul Mesnier du Ponsard, who also designed Lisbon’s other three remaining elevadores, it was inaugurated in 1902. Originally powered by steam, the 45-m vertical wrought-iron structure was built to link the Baixa with Largo do Carmo.

Quick Tips:

The area's top three sights are undoubtedly Comercio Square, Rossio Square, and the Santa Justa Elevator. Don’t miss any of these.

Don't forget to look down at the cobbled mosaic pavements as you walk down Avenida da Liberdade, past Restauradores, Rossio, and into Rua Augusta.

The nondescript facade of the "Casa do Alentejo" restaurant in Rua das Portas de Santo Antao hides a most beautiful Moorish interior. The price of the meal (reasonably high, but the food is excellent) is justified by the surroundings.

Take a walk down Rua Augusta, the city's main shopping street but you will find that most goods can be found cheaper elsewhere.

Stop and look at Sao Domingos Church, to the right of the National Theatre. This is either blessed or cursed, as it has survived fires and earthquakes. Prior to the Great Earthquake of 1755 this was where the São Domingos Convent stood, from which the Inquisition read out its sentences. In 1950 it was partially destroyed by a fire and has since undergone restoration.

Rua das Portas de Santo Antao is a pedestrian street lined with seafood and other restaurants. Take a stroll along here to see if something appeals and also explore some of the small side streets for less touristy options.

Even if you hate trains, take a look both inside and out at monumental Rossio Station. The eight external doors match the nine palatial windows and the incredibly decorated clock tower located on the top of the facade. Inside the station is a curiosity in that the platforms are some 30 metres above the main entrance.

At the end of Avenida da Liberdade, the city's main avenue, you will see Marques de Pombal Square, a roundabout dedicated to one of the city's historical figures and beyond that Edward V11 Park, the city's largest park. This area provides a pleasant interlude away from some of the traffic noise.

Best Way To Get Around:

Walking is the only way to adequately see the whole of Baixa. There are pedestrianised streets and lovely squares where you can walk in comfort. Taxis are available from all the squares if you need to venture further.

There is plenty of public transport adjacent or passing through this area. The Terreiro do Paco ferry terminal is close to Commerce Square while Rossio train station is close to the center of things. Three metro stations serve this area – Baia Chiado, Rossio, and Restauradores. Trams and buses also pass through the area.
The grand lounge
This is considered to be one of the central city’s grand hotels and parts of it certainly are. The entrance lobby is spectacular and the salon and bar are particularly nice. There are lots of chandeliers, elegant curtains, and eye catching floral displays throughout.

The Avenida Palace Hotel lies in the heart of Lisbon's business and cultural zone. S. Jorge Castle, Avenida da Liberdade and Marques de Pombal are some of the area attractions surrounding the hotel. The hotel is 20 minutes from the Lisbon Airport and close to the main transport systems, such as Rossio train station and the Subway with a direct link to the Estoril and Cascais trains. It has the best location in town. We walked everywhere.

The hotel has 82 guestrooms that are elegantly furnished and decorated in classic style and well appointed with modern amenities. The one we had was smaller than many modern hotels and the bed pillows were rather small and thin but it was adequate for our short stay. The bathroom was very cheerful and had good lighting. A very nice touch was the availability of piped music controlled by using a dial on the wall.

Most of the accommodation units overlook the Historic Centre, the S. Jorge Castle hillside, Sta. Ana hillside and Marques de Pombal Roundabout. Our room had a great view and surprisingly there was little traffic noise.

Guests can dine at the onsite restaurant, which we were told serves authentic regional and international cuisine in a pleasant atmosphere. We didn’t do this but we did chill out with a drink at the lovely hotel bar. We enjoyed a great breakfast with a wonderful view. The breakfast items are displayed in circular formation making everything easy to find. There was something for everyone (including champagne, should you desire) scrambled eggs, bacon, cold cuts, cheeses, cereals, bagels, crepes, juices, milk, coffee, tea, etc.

We found the staff somewhat patchy in attitude and service. Some were very helpful while a few adopted a ‘holier than thou’ attitude when asked for something a little out of the ordinary. This was a disappointment and contrasted with other good hotels which we had stayed in recently.

We enjoyed our stay here and the location is fabulous. We would return but hope that there has been some staff service training before we do.
  • Member Rating 3 out of 5 by LenR on October 3, 2007

Hotel Avenida Palace
Rua 1 de Dezembro 123 Lisbon, Portugal
+351 (21) 3218100

Typical restuarant food
Baixa is not considered to be as good a restaurant area as Bairro Alto but I found we ate here most of the time because it was convenient to many of the sightseeing attractions. There are a couple of ‘restaurant’ streets such as Rua das Portas de Santo Antao were you will find a wide selection of options. We found a little restaurant in a side alley that we really loved (see below) but generally we found these place a bit touristy and aggressive in their approach to customers. It was here that I found out that if you eat inside the restaurant you'll pay one price for the meal and if you eat outside it'll be a different (higher) price.

If you don't speak Portuguese, make sure you've got your phrasebook handy when you go out to eat! There are a lot of delicious dishes with names that don't tell you what's inside, and a lot of food words that don't correspond to other languages you might be familiar with.

Tips are included in the price of your food at a restaurant, so you don't have to leave anything on the table.

Here are a few particular suggestions.
Gambrinus
Rua das Portas de Santo Antão, 23-25.
Sophisticated, expensive dishes are served in this famous Lisbon restaurant. The menu provides a variety of Portuguese/Galician inspired dishes to choose from, including steamed partridge with chestnuts and thick fish soup. The extensive wine list provides many choices of vintage Portuguese wines. It opens daily from noon till 2am.

Tágide
Large Academia das Belas Artes, 18-20, Chiado.
The historic, 18th-century tiles and the 17th-century fountain set the ambience for this elegant restaurant. From the hilltop on which it sits, this restaurant offers extraordinary views of the Tagus River and the old parts of Lisbon. Delicious dishes from the Portuguese and French menu include salmon pâté, halibut with coriander, and grilled baby goat with herbs. It opens Sunday to Friday for lunch and dinner.

Casa do Alentejo
Rua das Portas de Santo Antão, 58,
Housed in a 17th century dwelling, this unique restaurant offers authentic cuisine and entertainment from the Aletejo region. Enticing meals such as acorda aletajana (a thick bread soup) are offered on the menu. Diners are sure to enjoy the singing and dancing productions that take place on Saturdays and Sundays. Daily for lunch and dinner

Paris
Rua dos Sapateiros, 126.
This restaurant has been a favorite since it first opened in 1958. Menu selections offer a blend of Portuguese and Galician dishes. Suggested meals include the special rice with seafood (Arroa Especial de Marico) and the swordfish steak. Selections of fine wines are available. It opens daily noon-4pm, 7pm-10pm.

Restaurante Gira-Sol Churrasqueira
Travessa do Forno, 29-31-33.
This is at the opposite end of the scale from most of the other places. It offers Portuguese traditional cooking in a casual atmosphere at very reasonable prices. We enjoyed this restaurant so much that we returned again for a second great meal.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by LenR on October 3, 2007

Lisbon (General)Best of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Monuments and Squares"

Statue of Dom João I
Lisbon is a city of squares and monuments. Many of them were created after the 18th century disastrous earthquake that destroyed much of the city. When the city rebuilt, the downtown area was planned around several important squares. The Lisbon of a century ago can still be seen in the vicinity of these squares and they are still focal points for many activities. This is particularly the case with Rossio Square.

Like many of Lisbon's squares, Rossio has an official and an unofficial name. Its official name, Praça de Dom Pedro IV, commemorates Portugal's first liberal king; however, the square is usually simply referred to as Rossio, the Portuguese name for any large square. This says a great deal about the character and importance of Rossio for the Portuguese capital.

Today Rossio is not only a meeting place for both citizens and tourists but also the workplace of countless newspaper vendors, shoeshine boys, street traders, and lottery ticket sellers. Many buses stop in the square, the main taxi rank is located here, as is a Metro station and a railroad station serving many suburbs. It is the most congested area for traffic in the city center. Amid all this pandemonium Rossio's cafes are popular for sitting and watching the world go by. At lunchtime and after work many local workers from the Baixa come here.

Rossio’s architectural design originates from plans drawn up by the Hungarian Carlos Mardel. The Classical Teatro Nacional Donna Maria II stands on the northern side. Three of the Baixa's eight straight streets join the square on the opposite side; the entrance to the Rua dos Sapateiros is spanned by the decorative Arco do Bandeiro.

In the mid 19th C. the whole inner area of Rossio Square was cobbled with a lovely wave like mosaic pattern; today only a small, central part of this remains. There are two impressive fountains and in the middle of the square there's a statue of Dom Pedro IV. At its foot there are four female figures representing Justice, Wisdom, Strength, and Moderation, qualities attributed to Dom Pedro himself.

Another square not to be missed is The Praça dos Restauradores (Restorer's Square). Easily recognisable because of its Obelisk and the sculpture that commemorates the 1640 restoration of Portugal's Independence from Spain, this square has much to see, but the best is the architecture that can be seen in the surrounding buildings, like Palácio Foz, Orion Eden Hotel, the small bandstand, Avenida Palace Hotel, and many others.

Finally, don’t miss the bronze equestrian statue representing King John 1 (1357-1433), by sculptor Leopoldo de Almeida, in Praca da Figueira. The monument also carries medallions with the effigies of Nuno Alvares Pereira and Joao das Regras, two key characters in the 1385 Revolution.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by LenR on October 3, 2007

Lisbon (General)
Lisbon, Portugal

Lisbon (General)Best of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Elevators and Funiculars"

The Santa Justa Elevator
Lisbon has three working street funiculars and one street elevator which allow its citizens and visitors to move to and from its hilly districts more easily. All are operated by Carris, the Lisbon city transport undertaking and all are tourist attractions.

The Santa Justa Elevator opened in 1902 and rises vertically some 45 metres from the Rua de Santa Justa in the Baixa area to the Chiado district. The structure was designed by Raoul Mesnier du Ponsard, from Oporto. The structure houses two staffed lifts which normally allow direct access to the Carmo square and its monastery ruins, which are now an archaeological museum.

The lift was originally powered by a steam engine mounted at its summit. For the past 100 years, however, it has been electrically powered. On exiting the lift at the top, the area, below, to the left of the walkway was largely destroyed by a major fire in 1988 but has now been rebuilt. There is a viewing area which looks over Rossio to the north east and the Baixa district to the south. To the east are fine views across to the Castle. There is a café at the summit. The walkway runs alongside the ruins of the Carmo monastery which has been left unrepaired since the catastrophic earthquake of 1755.

The Glória funicular opened in 1885, on the west side of the Avenida da Liberdade, connecting Restauradores with the Bairro Alto. Excellent views of the city and castle are to be had from the gardens which lie immediately to the right at the top of the route.

The Glória is the busiest funicular in Lisbon and also the most accessible for tourists as it lies next door to the main tourist information office in the Palácio Foz.  It is 265 metres long and has an average gradient of 18%. Operating hours are 7am-12:55am every day. Sadly, the cars are now badly defaced by graffiti. Unfortunately when we visited (April 2007) it was out of action whilst remedial works take place on the Rossio railway tunnel which runs beneath the funicular track.

The Bica funicular opened in 1892 and is the only stepped street funicular in the city. It climbs the Rua da Bica for 245 metres from the Rua S. Paulo, near Santos, to the Calhariz district. Its average gradient is 20% but is much steeper at the lower end. From the street, the funicular is concealed by a building but this is clearly lettered 'Ascensor da Bica'. Originally water-powered, steam-power was introduced in 1896, followed by electricity from 1914. Tram #28 runs past the top end and tram #25 passes the bottom end.

The Lavra funicular was the first street funicular in the world. It opened in 1884 and carried 3,000 people, free of charge, on that day alone. Originally water-powered, it was converted to electricity in 1915. It runs from the eastern side of the Avenida da Liberdade at a 25% gradient for 180 metres to the Torel district.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by LenR on October 3, 2007

Lisbon (General)
Lisbon, Portugal

Lisbon (General)Best of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Praca do Comercio"

19th-century triumphal arch
This is one of the most majestic squares of Lisbon and was once the main maritime entrance to the city. You can still see the old marble steps leading up to Commerce Square from the River Tagus. The name Palace Square is clearly a reference to the Palace that was located here for 400 years, until the 1755 earthquake that almost completely destroyed it.

On the north side, an impressive 19th-century triumphal arch that leads to Rua Augusta centres the square. The arch is decorated with statues of historical personalities, like Vasco da Gama and Marquês do Pombal. Government administrative offices and some restaurants now occupy the spacious arcaded buildings that extend around three sides of the square. At the centre of the square, stands the equestrian statue of King José I, King of Portugal during the earthquake in 1755.

As most visitors originally arrived by boat, the Praça do Comercio was considered the entry gate into the city of Lisbon. It was therefore important that it be grandiose, and that is exactly the word that comes to mind when you see it for the first time.

The royal palace Paço da Ribeira, into which Manuel I moved in the 16th century, stood on this site on the river bank until 1755. The Terreiro do Paço was consequently used as a place to receive kings and guests, who arrived by ship - although it was also used as a setting for burning heretics and for bullfights.

After the Terreiro do Praça was completely destroyed by the earthquake and had been flooded, the present Praça do Comércio was built. Uniform arcaded facades line three sides of the square. It enjoys an unrestricted view of the Tagus and has been called "Lisbon's reception room.

On the north side is one of the city's legendary cafes, Café Martinho da Arcada. It dates from 1782 and was a favorite of poets Fernando Pessoa and Almeida Garrett and of novelist Eca de Queiroz.

The Lisbon Welcome Centre is located in one of the classical building on the west side of the square. Here visitors can request information about the city, buy a tourist card that provides discounts on several attractions, use the Internet service, or shop at a store offering traditional Portuguese products.
  • Member Rating 4 out of 5 by LenR on October 3, 2007

Lisbon (General)
Lisbon, Portugal

About the Writer

LenR
LenR
Townsville, Australia

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