by Graziela Sousa
The fact I came from Porto to study in Lisbon 13 years ago, turned me into a local with a touristy eye. I can see the specialness of the city and try to seize it as much as I can.
Let’s take a given sunday and make it perfect? Ok, let’s!
Lonesome or with friends, I like to start off early with a big Americano (which they call Abatanado) and a toast of Alentejo bread in any regular cafe downtown (like Nova Pombalina, which also has the best croquetes and fresh fruit juices in town!). Then I like to go see an exhibition in MUDE – Museum of Design and Fashion or Museu do Chiado MNAC – always nice to stimulate the eye on the weekends and learn something new.
I revisit the MNAC very often, since my favorite painters are the Portuguese naturalists from the early 20th century like Silva Porto, Henrique Pousão or José Malhoa, these guys can somehow capture the wonderful life and light of the country in bucolic and realistic scenes and for some reason I always have a coup-de-coeur contemplating them.
It’s almost lunch time, so let’s stay in the center and grab a nice fish meal at Zapata then head to Jardim da Estrela to buy some knick-knack’s if the Crafts and Design Market is there or just read a book in the garden.
Afterwards maybe a nice ice cream at nearby Artisani could do the trick, then go walking until Principe Real, check out the wonderful shops over there, grab a coffee in the garden.
To finish nicely I’d grab some nice pizza slices and a Nastro Azzurro beer at Pizza Pezzi and go eat it at São Pedro de Alcântara Viewpoint – Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara while watching the nice colors of the Lisbon sunset.
An epicurist day and a great way to prepare for the week ahead.