Orient Museum in Lisbon,  celebrates today five years with free entry

As the European city to make the first cultural and trade contacts with much of Asia, Lisbon had to have a space dedicated to the art and culture of the Orient, explaining the role it played in it. 
The Museu do Oriente fulfills that intention. Its collections of Portuguese and Asian art are a most important demonstration of the historical encounters between the West and East. With the same purpose, the collections that assemble traditional cultures of Asia are a demonstration of its richness, of its plurality and its genius, that we want better known in Portugal and in Europe.
More than a museum, this is a cultural center also hosting special events and temporary exhibitions relating to the Far East.

Fado, The Portugal´s Heart and Soul

Fado is, by its very nature, the song of Lisbon. It was taken to the four corners of the world by the famous diva Amália Rodrigues, considered the best ever exponent of a very Lusitanian soulful yearning. In 2011, Fado was classified as a Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

Inspired by a very personal sentiment, a soul that is felt but not explainable, Fado remains the most noble and genuine expression of popular Portuguese culture. And given this very special nature, Fado is always a surprise for visitors to Lisbon.

Fado is fado and cannot be otherwise categorised. It is the music that issues forth from the Portuguese soul. Nevertheless, there are those who seek divisions between professional and amateur fado. The former is sung by those with the voices and talent to make it their profession and ensure the prestige of Portuguese singing extends beyond national borders.

The latter, amateur fado, takes on other characteristics even while incorporating the same sentimental emotion in the singing.In the amateur fado houses, which again thrive in fado’s spiritual home of Alfama and other traditional neighbourhoods such as Bairro Alto, the fado singer is never invited, he or she makes her own invitation. Similarly, there is no pre-set line up. A grilled smoked sausage is served to accompany a few glasses of wine before the lights go down and the magic of such gatherings bursts forth. Whoever wishes to sing, does so giving full reign to their inner sentiments.

The spirit of an amateur fado house is entirely different to those of more established professional fado houses where the full ritual and ceremony of such occasions is brought to the fore in a celebration of emotions and wills.

From the Bairro Alto to the Alfama, discover the best Lisbon Fado has to offer.

by Visit Portugal

PESTANA PALACE HOTEL

Passionate About Hospitality

I simply love this place.  Pestana Palace,  is doubtless one of the best hotels in Lisbon, is a luxury hotel in a 19th century palace located in a residential area of the city of Lisbon, and its gardens, with a variety of plants and subtropical trees, are classified as "National Monument".

 This hotel in Lisbon is located near some of the most important monuments of the city, such as Centro Cultural de Belém, Mosteiro dos Jerónimos and Centro de Congressos (Congress Centre).

Choose one of the four royal suites and feel just like a prince or a princess. If you feel spiritual , in the Palace building you can find the chapel or the Spa to get real relaxed.  

All salons are profusely decorated, with French-inspired details. The private quarters of the Marquises have been turned into beautiful and spacious suites. Here, likewise, works of art decorate the walls, complemented by elegant furniture from antique shops and by luxury sofas.

The view to the Tagus river or to the vast gardens of the Palace can be enjoyed from all royal suites.

Pestana Palace hotel is a member of "The Leading Hotels of the World", a symbol that ranks Pestana amongst the most luxurious and refined hotels in the world.

GAMBRINUS

A gastronomic legend in Lisbon

If you're looking for Lisbon's best seafood restaurant, this is it.

It was established more than 70 years ago and is also a beer house, which explains its name borrowed from the god of beer.

The range of locally caught seafood is impressive and boasts creatures long-forgotten from the deep. Staff, robed in purple velvet waistcoats (unbelievably, there are 65 of them in total!), take their business extremely seriously and each dish can be tailored to specific wishes. 

There are two entrances to Gambrinus, one to a sit-down restaurant (complete with concierge), the other to a less formal saloon-style bar. The latter is more suitable for lunchtime crowds and late-night diners. Exotic wood panelling provides a 'home-from-home' for the politicians and men of letters who occupy the crisp linen-covered tables. This place makes all other mere mortal cervejarias look like McDonald's. Recommended, if your idea of heaven is a lightly buttered langoustine on a porcelain plate.

Opening hours: 12pm to 1:30am every day.

The address of the Gambrinus restaurant is: Rua das Portas de Santo Antão 23, Santa Justa, Santa Justa, 1150-264 Lisbon.

The nearest Metro station is Restauradores.

Exhibitions

LAUGHTER: A SERIOUS EXHIBITION

Electricity Museum / Lisbon

20 October 2012 to 17 March 2013

The EDP Foundation presents a great exhibition on laughter at the Electricity Museum. Co-organised with Produções Fictícias, “Laughter: A Serious Exhibition” includes painting, drawing, installations, video, photography, sculpture & performances, film, cartoons, television programs, shows, literature, works by national and international artists, from some of the most important museums and private collections.

Curated by José Manuel dos Santos, João Pinharanda, Nuno Artur Silva and Nuno Crespo, this project arises from a profound investigation into comic and humorous devices, as they were and are used by different protagonists, at different times and in different fields. 

“And because nothing is more serious than laughter, creating an exhibition on that subject is, in our times, to think critically about life, the world, society”, says José Manuel dos Santos, the EDP Foundation’s Cultural director. From art to history, literature to film, philosophy to theology, politics to sociology, psychology to medicine, the exhibition also includes some unprecedented pieces commissioned by the EDP Foundation especially for this exhibition.

 “Laughter: A Serious Exhibition” is comprised of almost five hundred works by more than 300 artists and occupies the Electricity Museum’s entire exhibition floor. After great bibliographical (Callas, Amália), thematic (POVO/People, LÁ FORA), modern and contemporary art (Manuel Baptista, Vick Muniz, Julião Sarmento, Joana Vasconcelos, Edgar Martins, Vieira da Silva, Vitor Pomar, EDP New Artists Award) exhibitions presented at the Electricity Museum in Belém, the EDP Foundation marks the new season with this exhibition whose doors are open to the public until 17 March 2013.

Admission to the exhibition – which is open every day from 10am to 6pm (except Monday) – is free. Guided tours and children’s workshops are subject to prior booking.

Lisbon

The Best Bistro in Town

It´s not only the food, it´s the atmosphere at Bistro 100 Maneiras that i love the most. Don´t take me wrong, the food is fantastic, from one of the best chefs in town, but this is far from being just a place to eat. This is really the best place to start a night out in Lisbon.

Located in Chiado at the doorstep of the Bairro Alto district, this is the second restaurant of chef Ljubomir Stanisic who continues to do things his own way here.

The interior shows a beautiful Art Deco décor, left behind from a previous restaurant.

Spread over two floors, there are views of the river down the hill.

The menu is very similar to that of the first 100 Maneiras, mixing Portuguese and international influences.

It was not from France or Russia, but from their homeland, that Ljubomir imported the name "Bistro".  It means clean and clear in Serbian. Clean and bright kitchen is what is practiced here. Clean and clear is the space, all painted white.

The Bistro 100 Maneiras is open from lunch to dinner. 

Don´t leave without trying the Cheek pork with mashed celery, mushroom risotto and tiger prawns or scallops with asparagus.

At the end ask for a chocolate cake with ginger and curry or a milk-cream vanilla.

There always will be a certainty: the certainty of a "happy ending."

Bistro 100 Maneiras

Adress: Largo da Trindade, 9, Chiado - 1200-466 Lisboa, Portugal