Tag: gatrossio

Top 5 waterfalls near Lisbon

Nascente do Almonda.

The Almonda spring cave stretches over more than 15 km and is a real national speleological sanctuary as it represents the most extensive karst network currently known in Portugal. It is made up of various underground streams which give rise to the source of the Almonda river.

The Almonda spring cave is home to unique species adapted to life underground, such as the cave beetle Trechus lunai.

Regarding the cultural heritage, the existence of several archaeological deposits stands out, ranging from the Lower Palaeolithic to Roman times.

The cave was classified as a Property of Public Interest on 30 November 1993.

Located in Vale da Serra, in the area of the Serras de Aire e Candeeiros Natural Park, the Interpretation Centre is a support structure for the Almonda cave, which promotes programmes oriented towards ecological and cultural tourism. It has an interpretative museum space, auditorium and accommodation.

The programmes available include preparation for the visit to the cave with an introduction to speleology, progression techniques and use of equipment, and underground diving.

Tahiti Waterfall

A few kilometres from the Arado waterfall and at the foot of the road from Ermida to Fafião is the Tahiti waterfall or Fecha de Barjas. It is not a single waterfall, but a succession of waterfalls formed by the river as it flows over the granite rock. When we visited it, the force of the water generated a thunderous sound that added to the beauty of the surroundings. Although there are areas set aside for bathing in some of the pools, you have to do so with great caution due to the dangerous terrain and the currents. In fact, a sign next to the road warns of this, reminding us that there have been fatal accidents in this place. To contemplate the succession of waterfalls, all you have to do is go down a flight of steps and walk carefully along the path that allows you to contemplate them without getting wet.

Cascata de Pinçâes

Due to its rare beauty, the Pincães Waterfall certainly deserves to be among the best waterfalls in Gerês. You should leave the car in the village of Pincães and follow a trail for about two kilometres, passing by an old oil press and some water mills. After this trail, the waterfall is easily accessible and the landscape will make you think you are on an island paradise.

Fraga da Pena

If the Serra da Estrela is unknown to many Spaniards, even more so is the Serra do Açor, also located in the Centro region and in the district of Coimbra. Cruelly punished by fires in recent years, one of the areas that has preserved its vegetation intact is the forest park where the Fraga da Pena waterfall is located. It is a 20-metre waterfall hidden in a leafy forest where walkways have been installed and a picnic area has been built. All this at the foot of the road and it is only a few metres walk. The origin of this waterfall is a geological accident and its waters are cold and crystalline, ideal for a swim when the heat is on. Fraga da Pena is only 22 kilometres from one of the most beautiful villages in Portugal, the village of Pioado.

Cascata do Mourao / Cascata de Fervenca

If you think that only in Gerês can you find dream waterfalls, you are not familiar with the Sintra waterfalls. Cascades near Lisbon may seem like a lie, but it’s really true. Only 40 minutes away from Lisbon are two true treasures of nature: Cascata do Mourão (or Cascata de Anços) and Cascata de Fervença (or Cascata da Bajouca).

Both waterfalls are located about 20 minutes from Sintra and less than 10 kilometres apart. So it is perfectly possible to visit these two fantastic natural spots in the same day.

But the best thing is to spend a weekend exploring the region, combining a visit to the waterfalls with a trip to the beaches of Colares, Sintra or Mafra. It makes an excellent weekend getaway for those living in the greater Lisbon area.

It is true that the two waterfalls are quite hidden, but following our tips you will get there without any difficulty.

Gatvoices #2

At Gat Rossio we promise you an unforgettable, worry-free break. Unfortunately, life doesn’t always go to plan, but our Maintenance Manager Carlos Viegas knows how to provide guests with a perfect hotel stay: he quickly and efficiently solves any technical problems that may arise to make sure that nothing gets in the way of fun and relaxation. Carlos is known for his professionalism and doing his job with a smile!

In this poem, Carlos tells us that the secret is that he loves what he does at Gat Rossio, even if he is sometimes dragged out of bed on his day off!

Usually, if you like what you’re doing, you’re doing just that: doing what you like. It’s not really work, it’s passion.

If you work with passion, it becomes love. You no longer get tired or stressed; you always find a way out.

When you don’t get tired doing what you do, you have more time, space and energy for yourself and others.

When you’re not caught in the illusion of time, you have more of it to dedicate to yourself and those around you.

If you don’t have time for yourself ‒ to create, to care, to love ‒ what do you have left to offer?

If you don’t love yourself, how can you love others and appreciate them or learn with them?

If you can’t find what it takes inside you, do you intend to find it on the outside or in others and let life choose for you?

If you rely on others’ opinions and incentives, good or bad days, where is your freedom?

I believe that if we make mistakes or fail sometimes, we should unconditionally accept, forgive and love the most important person in our lives: ourselves!

The important thing is to do the best you can. Even in difficult situations, we should cooperate and stop pointing fingers.

GatVoices #1

At the Gatrooms hotels in Lisbon and Berlin, we think of our teams as superhumans working hard to offer our guests the perfect hotel experience. This task can sometimes be challenging, but they always nail it in the end. In order to reveal what goes into creating “the perfect stay at Gatrooms hotels”, we have created a forum for our staff to describe their everyday life at work.

The day my world turned dark
by João Martins

It’s in adversity that we show the world what kind of person we truly are. This phrase has been repeated and shared so many times that it has become a cliché. But clichés are only clichés because they’re true (up to a point).

This rang very true to me last year, on a day that can only be described as #$””! hell but that taught me that I was capable of going through all of it and making it to the other side.

For those who don’t know me, I work in Sales & Marketing at Gat Rossio. Among the many things I do, I supervise events from start to end to make sure all our clients’ needs are met. That was what I was doing with a series of workshops on SEO, Google Adwords and Analytics being led by two of the most talented professionals I have ever met. If I hadn’t been working, I would have gladly paid to take part and grow as a professional.

The workshops had been going on for a couple of weekends, but that day, as I arrived at the hotel at 7:30 in the morning, I saw from the outside that all the lights were off. The first #$%=? of the day escaped my lips and that wonderfully terrible word would continue to accompany me throughout the day.

Apparently, an electrical issue had occurred late the night before, and the hotel had lost everything, and I mean EVERYTHING: no electricity, no water, no phones, no Wi-Fi. The little power we were somehow able to produce with backup generators was directed towards the breakfast room. Guests walked the hallways in eerie calm using phones to light their way. What struck me was the silence: no background music, no machines whirring, no talking. Nothing.

And in the midst of it all, my greatest concern was the fact that in two hours’ time I would have to have a tech-based workshop up and running, with no power available. My colleagues had been working overtime since 03:00 to try and get things working.

So, I did what any rational person would do in this situation:  I RAN!

Well…not quite. First, I went to speak with the organizers to advise them of the situation and assure them that I was going to make it work. Then I ran.

I ran into the streets, visiting the surrounding hotels in the area to see if they had any space available, how much it would cost, and so on. I was chasing solutions.

I found one at International Design Hotel; their team were my salvation, particularly David and the maintenance team, who helped me set everything up. I was a sweaty, cursing, adrenaline-fueled mess but I was moving forward.

Once my solution was ready, I ran back, hoping against all hope that my clients and their students would be open to the idea and that the issue had been resolved so that everything could return to the original plan.

Fortunately, my clients are some of the best people I have ever met. Seriously, if I had been in their shoes, I would not have been as calm! They were happy with the solution, and enjoying the change of pace, I walked with them to the hotel and talked with some of them, turning the walk into a tour. When they were settled, I kept watch to make sure everything was working as planned. Two hours later a miracle took place: the hotel was fixed and all was well with the world.

Even better, although the clients liked the new space, they considered my hotel their headquarters and said they would prefer to return there after lunch.

And return we did. As they settled in and I entered into a more relaxed state of mind, I could only be in awe of the day, of myself, and of these fantastic people that had helped me set up alternatives and that didn’t explode in righteous anger at their day being ruined by something outside of anyone’s control.

The only control I had over that day was over myself and how I handled and reacted to events, and I’m proud to say I did quite alright.

So, don’t despair when life comes at you with a total blackout. Things might not go as well as they did for me, but keep moving forward and do your best so you can end your day tired, but with your head held high. Don’t stop trying.

Healthy, conscious brunches in Lisbon

Good food is one of life’s greatest pleasures, and what better than enjoy it somewhere that offers you the chance to make conscious, ethical choices? An eatery that offers high quality, fresh organic produce and backs the slow food movement by serving locally-sourced food?

We have selected 5 restaurants in Lisbon that offer vegan and vegetarian options for enjoying some of the best brunches in the city.

@thevegantravelers

Therapist

As its name suggests, beyond being an ideal venue for savouring vegan specialities, Therapist is also a centre for alternative therapies that offers workshops and training courses. Surrounded by agencies and studios, bars, restaurants, boutique stores and theatres, it exudes the same creative vibe as the rest of the LX Factory complex, where it is located.

@obotanista

O Botanista

Simple, unprocessed homestyle food is the star of the show in this culinary paradise, which not only offers diners a mean brunch but great live music, too. Insider tip: Don’t miss the chance to try the best vegan cheese in Lisbon, Gopal Vegan Cheese, which they make right here on the premises!

@naked


Naked

Naked by name, naked by nature. This restaurant avoids any unnecessary processing to serve the cleanest, most naked food possible. Their brunch is available every day of the week and includes several homemade products, including yogurt, granola, fruit jams and juices of the day.

@Mymothersdaughters

My Mother’s Daughters

Are you looking for a slow food vegan brunch? The support given by My Mother’s Daughters to local producers and craftsmen is reflected both in their cuisine and the restaurant’s decor. This place is a small, organic, sustainable café with a huge heart.

@juicylisboa

Juicy Lisboa

This informal café serves a delicious brunch and is just a stone’s throw from Hotel Gat Rossio in the Baixa neighbourhood. We also highly recommend their famous wraps, granola bowls and, of course, their juices.

Natal at Gat Rossio

The Gat Rossio Hotel in Lisbon becomes an even more special place to be at Christmas, or Natal as it is known here. Our entrance comes alive with coloured lights, festive decorations sparkle in the hotel interior and Michael Bublé, the unquestionable king of Christmas crooning, is the star of our playlist. The team love to sing along to get in the holiday mood, and our guests feel like they never want to leave…

The city itself is also transformed during the festive season. Lisbon’s most emblematic squares are inundated with Christmas markets (find out more here: https://whereis.gatrooms.com/natal-in-lisbon-christmas-markets/) and there are plenty of seasonal activities to tempt you in the run-up to the holiday:

@dicasdelisboa

• How about seeing the Christmas lights being switched on first-hand on 24 November? The city will be lit up at 6 pm sharp, as will the 86,000 bulbs on the city Christmas tree.

@discoverwalks

• Head to Pedro IV square, more commonly known as Plaza Rossio, and enjoy the Christmas market and decorations. Don’t forget to indulge in a mouth-watering bolo rei (traditional sweet bread) from the legendary Confeitaria Nacional.

@portugalconfidential

• Enjoy ice skating to the rhythm of Christmas carols at the Wonderland Lisboa fairground while a crowd searches for gifts at the stalls selling local crafts and the air is filled with the sweet smell of hot chocolate. There will also be a rink at Praça do Comércio, so don’t miss out!

@lxfactory

• LX Factory is a fantastic ally for the colder winter days: warm up as you savour a comforting hot chocolate at Landeau Chocolate.

@cascaischristmasvillage

• Cascais Christmas Village converts the seaside town into a winter dreamland with a fairground, ice skating rink and Father Christmas even parades through the streets.
Over in Sintra, the Reino do Natal or “Christmas Kingdom” offers festive visitors a Christmas market, seasonal entertainment and historical views.

• Finally, make sure you check out the many choirs, carollers, concerts and shows that help bring Lisbon to life over the Christmas period!