Tag: gatrossio

Saint Travel Lovers’ Day!

This month, Gatrooms wants to celebrate Travel Lovers’ Day! To mark our alternative event, we have a gift for all the intrepid explorers who long to discover the lesser-known delights of Lisbon and Berlin: the Gatrooms travel guide.

It is a bible for anyone who, like the travellers we welcome at the Gat Point Charlie or Gat Rossio hotels, is on the lookout for alternative adventures and out-of-the-way corners to explore; enjoys experiencing culture beyond museum walls; loves to read or eat in extraordinary venues and settings; and opts for the most sustainable form of transport wherever they go.

If this sounds like you, download your guide to Berlin or Lisbon here: https://whereis.gatrooms.com/ebooks-smart-travel/

In this guide you’ll find…
A paradise for bibliophiles in our broad selection of alternative bookshops in Berlin, such as Shakespeare and Sons, where you can eat a delicious bagel while you read to your heart’s content.

@shakespeareandsons

Lisbon’s best-kept secrets, such as the smallest bookshop in the world, which is nestled in the Mouraria neighbourhood.

@fodorstravel

Unusual and sometimes bizarre venues in Berlin, some of which are enough to make your jaw drop, including Madame Claude, the bar in Kreuzberg that flips the world on its head.

@myguideberlin

The best places for enjoying a mind-blowing culinary experience, such as The Food Temple in Lisbon. In the summer, eating on the steps outside will make you feel as if you are at a street party!

@bestguide

We also reveal a large selection of fado music houses, with enough for you to visit a different one on every night of your stay in Lisbon: Mesa de Frades for Monday, Parreirinha de Alfama for Tuesday, Casa do Jaime for Wednesday…the list goes on!

 

@Eltenedor

Stories that shaped history, such as the invention of the bretzel by the Celts to celebrate the arrival of spring.

Wherever you decide to travel this Saint Valentine’s Day, make sure you travel SMART.

Travel Smart in Lisbon: Bairro Alto

@culturetrip

Bairro Alto, along with Chiado, is one of Lisbon’s most bohemian neighbourhoods. Our itinerary begins in Praça Luis de Camões, one of the sites at which the iconic Tram 28 stops (make sure you don’t miss it!). This square, which marks the boundary between Chiado and Bairro Alto, was one of the sites that saw the Revolução dos Cravos, or Carnation Revolution, unfold in 1974 and put an end to Salazar’s dictatorship.

During the day
The history of Lisbon

@paradaconfonda
The Museu da Farmácia (Pharmacy Museum) in Santa Catarina, the MUHNAC (National Natural History and Science Museum) and the Museu de São Roque house original pieces that will take you back through the history of Portugal and other countries. Remember to check out the amazing replica of a 19th century Chinese apothecary.

Nossa Senhora do Vencimento do Monte do Carmo


@bertkauffman Flickr

The ruins of the Convent of Our Lady of Mount Carmel are a dream for photography aficionados or history buffs. Make sure you explore this picturesque setting to take in the architecture and the incredible views over Bairro de Baixa.

At night
A drink with a view

@traveler

Head to Terrace BA for lunch under the sun or to enjoy your first drink of the evening with spectacular panoramic views. There is also another great rooftop bar in the Park bar–find out more in our post “Afterwork drinks with views in Lisbon”.

Don’t miss these emblematic streets!

@carloscosta

Visit the cool, alternative shops and boutiques on Rua do Norte, then discover the intriguing history of Rua do Diário de Noticias and take a break at No. 39 to enjoy the city’s most authentic fado music in Tasca do Chico.
When night falls, head towards Rua da Rosa, which is packed with bars and clubs, and let your intuition guide you on where to start and end your evening in Lisbon.

Dia das Bruxas in Lisbon

Halloween is an Anglo-Saxon custom of pagan origin with its roots in the ancient festival of Samhain, during which the Celts celebrated the end of harvest and the beginning of winter. In the British Isles, this celebration came to coincide with the Christian feast of All Hallows at the beginning of November, and was soon known as All Hallows’ Eve or Halloween. Over the years, it has been adapted to suit different cultures and is celebrated in many different ways.

In Portugal, children in costumes can be heard asking Doçura ou diabrura? as they knock on doors in the hope of receiving candy or chocolate, just as the trick-or-treaters in the United States or Britain do. However, the traditional celebration held the following day – All Saints’ Day – involves paying our respects to deceased family members by laying flowers on their graves and baking sweet cinnamon cakes.

Modern Lisbon is a fantastic blend of cultures and traditions, and October 31st in the city is always brimming with fun things to do.
In this post, we have prepared a selection of this year’s Halloween-themed activities that are most likely to make you work up a sweat!

Trek through Monsanto Park


@susanadominguez

Info: Parque Florestal Monsanto at 7.50 pm.
Insider tip: Enjoy the views on this spooky 11km walking tour, but make sure you don’t get left behind…

Halloween Run Party 2018

Info: Estádio Universitário at 9 pm.
Insider tip: Break witches’ spells and flee from the spooks on this 6km fun run.

Game Over Escape Rooms: a night of terror


@Gameescape

Info: Rua de O Século 4B, Bairro Alto.
Insider tip: If you think you’re brave enough, try your luck at the escape room based on the horror movie Saw.

Chalet Biester


@timeout

Info: Estrada da Pena, Sintra.
Insider tip: This mansion is the ideal setting for bone-chilling horror stories!

Therapy Sessions Halloween Party


@timeout

Info: LX Factory, Rua Rodrigues Faria, 103, Alcântara, at 11 pm.
Insider tip: We love any excuse for a great night of dancing!

Travel Smart in Lisbon: Baixa and Rossio

The Baixa neighbourhood is the very heart of the Portuguese capital and its classical style, illustrated by the geometric grid formed by its streets and the stunning, tile-covered façades of its buildings, makes it an enchanting area to discover and explore. It is also the main commercial area and home to the most emblematic avenues and squares in the city.
We have come up with an itinerary that will take you through the highlights of Baixa, along with some history, tips and fascinating facts about this part of beautiful Lisbon.
Ready?

The starting point for our adventure is Hotel Gat Rossio, after a delicious breakfast of local delicacies such as the Portuguese custard tarts, pastéis de nata.

@gatrooms
Next, it’s off to Praça dos Restauradores, with its towering obelisk that commemorates the rebellion against Spanish rule in 1640 and a former cinema that was transformed into a hotel.

@visitlisboa

On to Praça do Rossio, a popular local meeting place. At dusk, you will see a queue of people outside a small tavern called “A Ginjinha”. They are waiting to savour the best ginjinhas (a traditional sour cherry liqueur) in the city!

@quillons

We’ll carry on to Elevador de Santa Justa, a neo-Gothic iron lift that is the best way to enjoy privileged views over the Baixa and Rossio neighbourhoods, the Castelo de São Jorge, the Tagus river and the ruins of the Iglesia do Carmo convent.

@cosminprund

Then a quick stop at Livraria Bertrand, located between the Baixa and Chiado districts, which is thought to be the oldest bookstore in the world. Find out more about this literary treasure trove and others like it in our blog post “6 enchanting bookshops in Lisbon”. Take a break and sip an aromatic bica (a Portuguese espresso) next door in Café A Brasileira.

Finally, take Rua Augusta from Praça da Figueira and walk through the Rua Augusta arch into the prettiest square in Lisbon, Praça do Comércio, before climbing the arch for the stunning views!

@pedroSzekely

We think this gentle circuit is enough for anyone to fall in love with this city while discovering some of its highlights.

7 heavenly ice cream parlours in Lisbon

@theinesmoreira

Many makers of traditional Italian ice cream have fallen in love with Lisbon, which explains the incredible variety of first-rate Italian ice cream parlours in the city.
In this post, we introduce a selection of the best-known or least crowded parlours, which are your ticket to discovering refreshing new delicacies during your adventures in the capital and trying mouth-watering flavours that will have you hooked!

Gelados Conchanata is a family business that has passed down through several generations and shares its name with their scrumptious speciality, “La Conchanata”: 4 scoops of ice cream served in a shell and topped with strawberry syrup.

@guitarzpt

La Fabbrica is “the old ice cream factory on Avenida de Berna”, where you can still see the same “factory” where they make traditional ice cream today.

@lafabbrica

Gelato Davvero is a classic Italian ice cream parlour, although they use fresh Portuguese ingredients and offer more innovative flavours such as salted caramel, carrot or walnut and ricotta.

@theinesmoreira

Santini, which opened in 1949, is one of the most popular parlours in the city and some of its ice creams are ranked among the best in the world. World-famous Catalan chef Jordi Roca is a huge fan, and recommends trying the fruit sorbets.

@lavanguardia

Marco, the man behind Mú ice creams, is the third generation of Italian pastry chefs in his family. He is revolutionising the ice cream scene in Lisbon with more than 50 lactose and gluten-free flavours.

@shinythoughts

Nannarella stands out for its exquisite flavours and ingredients, which include pistachios and almonds brought in from Italy and other local products such as Oporto (port) and Ginja de Óbidos (sour cherry liqueur).

@nannarella

Our last recommendation is A Veneziana, which was one of the first Italian gelaterie to open in the capital. It is just a minute’s walk from the terrace at the Hotel Gat Rossio, which is an ideal place to kick back and savour a creamy, delicious ice cream.

Discover traditional Fado in Lisbon

@BrunoSaavedra

Traditional Fado music is mournful and stirring. This unique expression of Lisbon’s soul can still be heard in the city’s oldest neighbourhoods, a nostalgic song for what once was or could have been that speaks of saudades ‒ melancholy and longing for a time lost. The popular, street form is known as fado vadio, and is spontaneous, informal and slightly more upbeat. Usually sung in bars and taverns, it involves some improvisation and is bound by less social norms. At the same time, it is rarely found in the most touristic venues and differs from the more elite fado music that seeks the romanticism of the meaningful silence that reigns when the first chord is played on the viola or Portuguese guitar.
In this post, we will introduce you to the best Lisbon Fado music in a selection of three venues. To make the evening a truly traditional experience, head to these “Fado houses” for dinner and order a quintessentially Portuguese dish such as “Caldo Verde”, cod, or “Cabidela rice”.

Mesa de Frades

Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 20:30 – 02:00.
Address: Rua dos Remédios, 139, 1100-081

@mesadefrades

Tasca do Jaime (Alfama)
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday 19:00 – 23:00.
Address: Rua de São Pedro, 40, 1100 603
Tasca do Jaime (Graça)
Opening hours: Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays from 16:00 – 20:00.
Address: Rua da Graça, 91, 1170-050

@RodolfoContreras

Parreirinha de Alfama

Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday 20:00 – 01:00. Closed on Mondays.
Address: Beco do Espírito Santo 1, 1100-222

@BrunoSaavedra

In case you still need any convincing, here is some more inspiration in a video of renowned Fado artist Cuca Roseta singing in Tasca do Chico, which is also well worth a visit.