Landing in Lisbon

Arrived in Lisbon at 4pm and made it to the Bairro Alto Hotel by around 5pm. where we have a lovely room. We were keen to explore our surroundings, so took some advice from Paulo and wandered down to the right of the square outside the hotel, Praça Luis de Camôes, Rua Garrett. Along here is a very famous café, A Brasileira that was the favourite haunt of poet Fernando Pessoa. We easily found it and the bronze café table and chairs at which he is seated. We strolled on down the street busy with people making their way home at the end of the day – meeting friends, shopping and enjoying themselves. At the bottom of the street is a shopping centre filled with all sorts of shops – including a Starbucks, but more interestingly a shop selling fabulous cupcakes and macaroons! Back at the hotel, our next stop was for a drink on their 'world famous' roof terrace. We had missed the sunset, but enjoyed cocktails and the lights across the harbour. There is a small version of Rio's statue that is lit up at night. I had a Cosmopolitan and Alan a Mojito. When we were ready we went down for dinner in their Flores Restaurant. To start we were brought a bouche amuse of marinated Japanese vegetables - just a tiny taster, before our starters arrived. These were three kinds of shrimps with a wasabi mousse, and cheese carpaccio with apple crisps. This was followed by veal and duck. We drank a bottle of  Quinta de la Rosa, which was excellent.  So far it was all very delicious and we couldn't resist having desert of orange cake with a passion fruit and ginger crisp, and pistachio parfait in a sugar and coconut soup with praline crisp. Then we had an early-ish night as we had to be ready for Marisa at 9am in the morning.

Hotel Bairro Alto

Quinta de la Rosa wine