Discover Lisbon in a weekend

Welcome to our 2-day guide for discovering our favourite spots in Lisbon. If you are lucky enough to have more than a weekend in the city, make sure you take a look at our travel blog: https://whereis.gatrooms.com/

Day 1

Our adventure begins as we leave the Gat Rossio hotel in Baixa to discover the neighbourhood’s emblematic squares: Praça dos Restauradores, Praça do Rossio and Praça do Comércio. Make sure you get an early start to avoid queues at the Elevador de Santa Justa (Santa Justa lift).

@lisboando

Move on to Chiado and take a stroll down Rua Garett before making a pitstop at the famous A Brasileira café for their speciality: a delicious cup of “bica”, a Portuguese espresso.

@traveldailymedia

Make time to browse the shelves at Bertrand, which they say is the oldest bookstore in the world.

@10things

Are you a brunch lover? If so, Topo Bar is the place for enjoying good food and great views.

Later, delve into Portugal’s fascinating history in Bairro Alto. Visit the Museu da Farmácia (Pharmacy Museum), the MUHNAC (National Natural History and Science Museum) or the Museu de São Roque and its sacred art.

Admire the ruins of the Nossa Senhora do Vencimento do Monte do Carmo Church.

@cntraveler

End your afternoon wandering through Rua do Norte and Rua da Rosa. Have a drink at the Park bar before enjoying a night of authentic fado music in Tasca do Chico.

Day 2

Your Sunday morning is for the Alfama neighbourhood. Take a walk through Castelo de São Jorge (Saint George’s Castle) and relish the fabulous views from the Santa Lucía and Jardim do Recolhimento lookout points.

@lisboando

As you make your way down Rua de São Miguel, you will come across some well-guarded secrets, such as the Miradouro das Portas do Sol lookout. Make sure you also visit the legendary Lisbon Cathedral–Sé–or the Renaissance palace, Casa dos Bicos.

@suitecasemag

Finish your whistlestop tour of the city in Mouraria, which is making a comeback thanks to its narrow streets, alternative bars and restaurants and its vast number of fado music houses.

The Gatrooms Hotels art galleries

Gatrooms, the chain behind the Gat Point Charlie Hotel in Berlin and the Gat Rossio Hotel in Lisbon, stands apart for being an integral part of the cultural offer in its home cities. It holds four exhibitions a year in each of the two hotels, among other events such as workshops and artistic performances.

This autumn, we have the privilege of exhibiting the work of well-known international artists who draw on internal reflection and use different techniques to push the boundaries of art. The exhibitions will run from September to November.

 

In Berlin, the “Picatsso” exhibition by Sol Felpeto.
See the vernissage pictures

Venezuela-born Sol Felpeto is a multicultural artist who, in her own words, “seeks to translate art into something immediately catchy, making a connection between the known and the new to create emotions”. In this respect, and in her desire to “rewrite history using animals”, Felpeto has adapted Picasso’s masterpieces using her unique Pop Artoons style, replacing the classic protagonists with cats.
https://www.solfelpeto.com/

 

In Lisbon, “The Art of (de)construction” by artist Marco Laborda.
See the vernissage pictures

Artist Marco Laborda hails from Barcelona and, as he himself explains, wears “several hats, all of which tilt towards art.” Fascinated with portraiture, collage is his main form of artistic expression, in which “he cuts and pastes vivid elements to produce portraits that are reminiscent of Francis Bacon’s disfigured characters or Francisco de Goya’s realistic portraits”.
http://marcolaborda.com/about/

 

The best thing about an art gallery being in a hotel is that it is open to the public every day of the week:
Gat Point Charlie Hotel: Mauerstraße 81-82, 10117 Berlin
Gat Rossio Hotel: R. do Jardim do Regedor 27-35, 1150-193 Lisbon.

 

Travel Smart in Lisbon: Chiado

@christophertriplife
Chiado is known as one of the most elegant, bohemian neighbourhoods in Lisbon. The ruins of the Convento do Carmo embody part of the area’s rich history, and the hum of its streets, such as Rua Garett–which is surrounded by countless theatres, museums and cafés–transmits its frenetic energy.
Chiado is just a short, easy ride from Praça dos Restauradores on the No.28 tram.

@Ray – www.101motivosparaviajar.com
If you need to fuel up for a busy day, A Brasileira is the perfect place for enjoying a bica.
Interesting fact: “Bica” is Lisbon slang for an espresso. Legend has it that this word came into being in this very café when its founder, Adriano Telles, put a sign on the door that said “Beba isto com açucar” (B. I. C. A) (drink this with sugar).

@PastelariaBernard – www.facebook.com/PastelariaBenard
To accompany a strong cup of coffee with a French-style croissant, make your way to Pastelaria Benard, but if a delicious, freshly baked local custard tart is what you’re craving, head over to Manteigaria.

@get10things.com
If you’re more of a brunch lover or fancy some petiscos (tapas) with great views over the city and the Santa Justa lift, Topo bar is the ideal place, both during the day and in the evening.
A visit to Chiado means opening yourself to new experiences that you couldn’t have anywhere else. Isn’t that what travelling is all about?
Let’s see if we can get your juices flowing with these two:

@visitportugal – www.visitportugal.com
Why not eat lunch at the restaurant at Palácio Chiado, a palace that dates back to 1781?

@cristinaconde – blog.bibliotech.education
Or how about sipping a coffee while you read a book at Bertrand, the oldest bookshop in the world? Fernando Pessoa was a regular here!
These are just a few of the exciting new experiences waiting for you to discover in one of the hottest areas in Lisbon.
Don’t forget to make the most of the infinite options for enjoying the city’s hectic nightlife too, such as a stop at Cinco Lounge, one of the first cocktail bars in the city, or indulging in the creations mixed at Toca da Raposa, another cosy, bijou cocktail venue.

Summer in Lisbon

Praia de Galapinhos
@vortexmag

Summer in Lisbon is all about getting out and about–gone are the days of being trapped indoors studying or sleeping the holidays away! The Portuguese capital is jam-packed with great activities and adventures at this time of year, so get a move on!

Find the best ice cream at Italian parlours

Traditional Italian ice cream makers set up shop in the city years ago, so the quality of this summer delight in Lisbon is second to none!

Gelados Conchanata, Gelato d’Avvero and Mú Gelato Italiano are our go-to ice cream parlours. Check out our post on where to find the best ice cream in Lisbon at https://whereis.gatrooms.com/7-heavenly-ice-cream-parlours-in-lisbon/

@theinesmoreira

Never leave the water!

Make time for a day trip to the best beaches along the Atlantic coast, such as Praia do Magoito and Praia da Adraga in Sintra, Praia do Guincho and Praia de Carcavelos in Cascáis or Praia de Galapinhos in Setúbal.

Praia de Carcavelos
@vortexmag

What about an open-air picnic?

Lisbon is a great place for a picnic under the summer sun, which is why here at Hotel Gat Rossio we offer our guests a packed lunch to enjoy wherever the fancy takes them.

Our favourite picnic spots are Jardim Botânico Tropical, the mercifully wind-free seafront at Algés (Passeio Marítimo at Praia de Algés) and the gardens at the Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian for a quiet lunch overlooking the river.


@Algés Beach – by Giuseppe Milo – Wikimedia Commons

Eat, drink and be merry on the best terraces in Lisbon

If you don’t feel like going to the beach, why not head to a bar for a refreshing drink on a city terrace. Great venues include the Therapist, a restaurant located in LX Factory that offers therapeutic menus, Esplanada da Mata, which is set in wonderful natural surroundings, and Sky Bar, which offers fantastic views over the Tajo River.

@manuelmanso

Discover our full list of rooftop bars in Lisbon at https://whereis.gatrooms.com/work-drinks-views/

Festas de Lisboa – photo exhibition

On 2nd June, in connection with the 10th anniversary of Gat Rossio Hotel and the Festas de Lisboa, we hosted a photography workshop led by professional photographer Pedro Pina. It was about 1-hour theory session focused on getting the most out of the participants’ camera or Smartphone, followed by a three-hour tour of Lisbon’s most photogenic corners and an hour-long presentation of the pics taken.

The best photographs selected by our team, are displayed at the hotel Gat Rossio, and you can take in anytime!

Check out some of the pictures of the exhibition:

www.lisbonphotographer.com
https://www.facebook.com/lisbonphotographer/
https://www.instagram.com/lisbonphotographer/

Behind-the-scenes at Gat Rossio

“Exactly 10 years ago, we welcomed our first guests at the Gat Rossio hotel in Lisbon,” explains Alexandra, the Manager. “Today, our team works in a hotel that maintains maximum occupancy levels,” adds the chain’s Sales, Marketing & Revenue Manager, Eva.

To mark this 10th anniversary, we have asked current and former team members at the Gat Rossio hotel and head offices to put their personal experiences and views into words.

Tell us a little story about the first decade at Gat Rossio

Bibiana, CEO and one of the founding partners of Gat Rooms, takes us back to ten years ago. “A Portuguese developer came to Barcelona to propose building a Gat hotel in Lisbon.” At the time, people said, “Lisbon? Are you crazy? It’s a sad, old city!” But they followed their intuition, ignored the negative remarks and plunged into a new project. “Gat Rossio is the result of the long and complicated refurbishment of an old Pombaline building in the Baixa neighbourhood, which was done with great excitement and enthusiasm.”

A decade later, the hotel has not only provided moments of joy and some great stories but is also breaking occupancy records –with a cumulative rate of 97% in 2018– and its prices continue to rise every year. “Luckily, we ignored everyone and came to Lisbon, which is a marvellous city that is continuously growing,” she concludes.

The hotel’s Manager, Alexandra, has plenty of happy stories to tell as she started working at Gat Rossio when the stairs up to the rooms had still not been finished. “I feel as though I have been part of everything that has happened at the hotel,” she says. She remembers how she signed her first contract “on a box of rubbish in the street when the hotel was being prepared for its opening” and when they welcomed the very first hotel guests.

Eva, Sales, Marketing & Revenue Manager at Gat Rooms, explains her first visit to the hotel two weeks before it opened: “The windows were open and magnificent sunlight flooded the hotel, which was still full of plastic, paper and sawdust. The city air brought in the smell of grilled sardines, along with the sound of the music being played at the local festas. I took a tour of the hotel, and still remember the creak of the new wooden staircase and how the staff greeted me with a smile. I have never lost that feeling of being right at home here.”

Elena, Housekeeping Manager, talks about situations she has experienced in her work guaranteeing our guests’ wellbeing, such as “running to the pharmacy because a baby is ill, comforting someone who has lost a loved one or creating romantic moments.”

Marília Felix, former Head of Reception, describes the day she entered the hotel lobby and found it full of water due to the flooding that the city was suffering. “The water came up to our knees. My fondest memory of that day is of the team’s support and how quickly we all rolled our sleeves up to get the hotel clean again.”

Ricardo, current Head of Reception, recalls his first few weeks at work: “A lady told a colleague and me that the manager had obviously chosen to employ us as we were “gatos” (Portuguese slang for handsome): my eyes are green and my colleague’s are blue.”

Edson, receptionist and night auditor, tells us how one day, he complimented a lady on her hat. After a lengthy conversation, the lady gave him the hat to take home for his daughter.

Joao Mariano, who is also a receptionist, says that any kind or friendly gesture from guests is “always the greatest reward.”

How would you define the Gat philosophy?


For Bibiana, Gat is all about honesty, which she says guarantees great value for money. “You sleep in a bed worthy of any 4-star hotel, yet you’re in a 3-star, at the heart of the city, with a spectacular breakfast service and charming, efficient staff at affordable prices. It’s also about the team that manages Gat Rooms, who are loyal followers of the Gat philosophy, and the Gat guests, who choose to stay with us for all the reasons I have just stated.”

For Alexandra, the philosophy is also about being more than a hotel: “It’s a family in which we have all grown together and guests go from being our clients to becoming part of our history.”

Eva thinks that the essence of the philosophy lies in the team, who are “people whose personality resembles that of a cat (“gat” means cat in Catalan, the language of the chain’s founders): they are very cosmopolitan and loyal to their work, inquisitive and always looking to improve, and friendly in nature, although they always persevere until they achieve what they’ve set out to do.” She also compares the nature and cleanliness of cats to the chain’s commitment to sustainability, the environment and healthy eating.

For Elena, it is the philosophy of success: “Going into combat with determination, living life with passion, losing with class and winning with courage. The world belongs to those who dare.”

Marília Felix describes the hotel as friendly and welcoming.

For Edson, relaxation is a priority at Gat Rossio, and an emphasis is put on cleanliness and calm, equality among staff and a young image.

According to Joao Mariano, it’s about being in the city centre, the friendliness of the staff and ensuring a smooth stay for guests.

Ricardo describes it as an extremely welcoming philosophy based on pillars such as an excellent location and accessibility in every sense of the word.

Long live Queen Gat!