Cutting-Edge Design & Old-World Charm in Lisbon

After spending time in Portugal’s capital – LISBOA - I can only describe it as a provocative mix of cutting-edge design and ancient bairros (neighborhoods). The city’s humble charm is perhaps best found in its fading beauty; a reminder of the devastations of the 1755 Lisbon earthquake and tsunami that laid much of the city to waste.  

Underneath its weather beaten exterior, you will discover that Lisbon’s dynamic neighbourhoods have it all! From Baixa to Chiado, Bairro Alto to Alfama, Lisbon is beaming with possibility and as a wave of hot new designers and chefs continue to explode onto the scene, remarkably, Lisbon has managed to retain its old-world appeal.

So on your next visit to Europe, make a stopover to Portugal’s charming capital and take the time to explore Lisbon’s historical beauty while enjoying great sightseeing, food, wine, shopping, bars and nightlife.

WHAT TO SEE OR DO WHEN VISITING LISBON:

Take a ride on the legendary century-old TRAM 28 and bear witness to the city’s oldest and most beautiful sites: São Jorge castle, the famous viewpoint (miradouro) Portas do Sol (Gates to the sun), the legendary flea market ‘Feira da Ladra’, the narrow streets of Alfama, the old Azulejo tiled buildings of Graça, the history of Chiado, and the bohemian haunt of Bairro Alto.

The TOWER OF BELÉM is a lovely tower built to commemorate the great exploits of Vasco da Gama. It is a reminder of the great maritime discoveries that laid the foundations of the modern world.

No visit to Lisbon is complete without trying natas from the 175 year old PASTÉIS DE BELÉM. Only one word describes this experience… DELICIOUS!

High above the clouds, at the top of a hill, in the small city of Sintra resides the stunning PALACE OF PENA! It is one of the most famous castles in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site on account of its 19th century Romantic architecture and landscapes. Pena Palace is a beautiful work of art and worth visiting on your next trip to Lisbon.

When 16th century Portuguese poet Luís de Camões spoke of CABO DA ROCA, he described it as the place "where the land ends and the sea begins." No truer words were ever spoken; the view took my breath away! It was one of those moments that reminded me what a small space we truly occupy in this big, bold, beautiful world of ours. A breathtaking natural wonder that one must experience to truly grasp its infinite beauty!

 

CASCAIS is a coastal town and cosmopolitan suburb of Lisbon. It is one of the richest municipalities in Portugal and the place where jetsetters and celebrities spend their summers. We enjoyed walking around this pretty coastal town and taking pictures. Afterwards, we had a delicious seafood meal, where a little girl came running up to me to ask me if I was Princess Belle. I have to say, that moment alone made it worth the visit!

On our last night in Lisbon we enjoyed a wonderful evening at the ROOFTOP BAR on the 9^th floor of Hotel Mundial located in the heart of the city. The panoramic views over Lisbon at night are a must see! The city glows from above and the relaxed ambiance, lounge music and great drinks only heightened the experience. The bar also provides guests with big, warm blue blankets. It was the perfect place to sit back and relax on our final evening while taking in the beauty of Lisbon.

Bye Lisbon, thank you for the memories! 

Barcelona – A Culinary Wonderland

The Catalonia region of Spain has undergone a culinary revolution with its innovative molecular cuisine, so when my sister and I decided to go on an epicurean adventure we knew we had to go to Spain. It was her first time visiting this fascinating country and I was excited to share this experience with her. 

We began our journey in the seaside capital of Catalonia – Barcelona – one of the most dynamic cities in the world fusing centuries of culture with an avant-garde approach to food, style, art and architecture. One walk down the Passeig de Gràcia to look at the Modernista/Art Nouveau buildings designed by famous architects like Antoni Gaudi and you will know what I am referring to.

Barcelona has a flavor all its own. It is a foodie’s dream destination with world famous chefs like Ferran Adria, Juan Mari Arzak and Carmen Ruscalleda who have literally given new meaning to the term Culinary Arts, and while there we made sure to take full advantage of this culinary wonderland with visits to some of the cities most renowned eateries.

We began our adventure with a stroll down Las Ramblas, Barcelona’s most vibrant and lively promenade, for a delicious seafood lunch at KIOSKO UNIVERSAL (n.691) at La Boqueria Market. This famous food market is the place where Catalan people shop, eat, and embody the meaning of living-well, something the Spanish excel at. Kiosko Universal is where world famous chefs like Mario Batali come to eat when they’re in town. The fish is the freshest available and it’s cooked to perfection. Everything from exotic spices, to decadent chocolates, to fresh fruits, to homemade breads can be found at La Boqueria. It is a colorful, flavorful, and aromatic feast for the senses!  

So, how do you top that? With dinner reservations (worth their weight in gold) to Chefs Ferran and Albert Adria's new tapas bar TICKETS! Here we experienced dish after dish of culinary bliss. It is clear that these two artists know no limits to gastronomic creativity; a belief supported by our server, the lovely Maria, who passionately described each course as if explaining a science experiment, which is in fact the discipline behind Spain's revolutionary take on food. After all, award-winning chef Ferran Adria is the genius behind El Bulli fame, and Tickets has done a masterful job of applying the molecular gastronomy of El Bulli to simpler dishes with continued emphasis on freshness, colour and flavour. And though every course was simply sublime, we must give honorable mention to the razor clams, the spherical olives, the egg with truffle, and the watermelon infused with gin – phenomenal! 16 courses and 3 desserts later, my sister agrees - Spain is a paradise for your palate!

The next day we visited the city’s most renowned sites; La Sagrada Familia, La Pedrera, Casa Batlló and Park Güell, as well as the medieval Jewish and Gothic Quarter located in the centre of the old city of Barcelona. La Barri Gótic as they call it in Spain is full of character and personality. I love sitting at the cafés here and people watching, especially at night when the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia takes on a mystical appearance.  

We decided to lunch at a local tapas bar bustling with energy where the selection was endless and the flavors simply delicious. Few things are as synonymous with Spanish culture as tapas and I’ve had the privilege of enjoying many during my visits to Spain. Though tapas aren’t a typical Catalan tradition, overtime it has become popular and there is a large selection of tapas restaurants in Barcelona too. Some of my favorites are: EL VASO DE ORO, MAITEA, QUIMET I QUIMET, and BAR RAMÓN.

Dinner that evening was at the 170 year old restaurant 7 PORTES located on Barcelona’s waterfront to enjoy, in my opinion, the best paella in all of Catalonia – the Paella Paralleda. This was my second visit to this classic Barcelona eatery and they did not disappoint. The food was as delicious as I remembered and the old-world ambiance was a perfect backdrop to such a classic dish.

After a long stroll through the streets of Barcelona, we ended our evening with drinks on the rooftop patio of our hotel, the HOTEL PULITZER. Their rooftop garden patio is not only beautiful with stunning views, but they also serve the most delicious Cherry Mojitos. I would like to take this opportunity to say that we loved our stay at the Hotel Pulitzer. The hotel is simply stunning with its cosmopolitan décor and professional staff. They took care of reservations, ordering cabs, anything we requested was met with a friendly smile. Keep in mind that the hotel is also located next to Plaza Cataluña, where the city's two most cosmopolitan avenues begin: Paseo de Gracia and Las Ramblas. Location! Location! Location!  

On our final day we decided to sit back and enjoy the city on board an open-top, double-decker bus. The Hop-on Hop-off Tour is located at Plaza Cataluña and is a relaxing way to explore the city. Spend as much or as little time at places of interest before jumping aboard for the next stop - the choice is yours!

I wanted our final meal in Barcelona to be a tribute to the greatness of Catalan cuisine, so I chose SENYOR PARELLADA where the food is not only delicious and fresh, but the décor a real showstopper. The restaurant boasts black & white checkered floors and lemon yellow and blue dining rooms that are in distinct contrast to the XIX Century facade. We couldn’t have been happier with our restaurant choice. What better way to end a culinary holiday than on a delectable note!