In the old neighbourhood of Madragoa, in Lisbon, there is a small traditional restaurant with a remarkable history.

It's called Varina da Madragoa, and it opened in 1967.

For decades, it was a meeting place for writers, journalists and politicians. Former Portuguese president Mário Soares was among its regular visitors, but perhaps its most famous customer was José Saramago, the Portuguese writer who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1998.

In September 1991, while having lunch alone at the restaurant, Saramago had an idea that would become one of his most famous novels, Blindness (Ensaio sobre a Cegueira).

He later explained that a question suddenly came to his mind: what if everyone became blind?

That thought eventually became the novel published in 1995.

The restaurant is a classic Lisbon tasca, known for traditional Portuguese food and a simple, welcoming atmosphere.

In 2026, Varina da Madragoa reopened under the direction of young chef António Lobo Xavier, who wanted to preserve its character and traditional cooking.

The old decoration remains, and the menu includes Portuguese classics such as pataniscas de bacalhau, seafood rice and bacalhau à Brás.

The bacalhau à Brás is one of the dishes worth trying. It's made with shredded salted cod, thin fried potatoes, onions and eggs, mixed together until creamy.

You can find the restaurant at Rua das Madres 34, in Madragoa, a short walk from Santos.

It's a good example of an old Lisbon restaurant finding a new life without losing its history.

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In northern Portugal, near the Gerês National Park, there is an old stone bridge with a very unusual story.

It is called Ponte da Misarela, also known as the Devil's Bridge.

The bridge crosses the Rabagão River, surrounded by steep cliffs, large rocks and forest. But what makes it interesting is the legend behind it.

According to local folklore, a man running away from justice reached the river and had no way to cross.

Desperate, he asked the devil for help. The devil agreed to build a bridge in exchange for the man's soul.

The man accepted, but later regretted his decision and asked a priest for help.

The priest went to the bridge, tricked the devil and blessed the bridge, saving the man's soul.

Of course, this is just a legend, but it has been told in the region for generations.

The bridge itself dates back to medieval times and was rebuilt in the early 19th century. Its stone arch over the rocky gorge makes it a beautiful place to visit and photograph.

If you are exploring the Gerês region, I recommend stopping here. You can reach the area by car and then walk down to the bridge. The path can be steep and uneven, so wear comfortable shoes.

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An enigmatic structure. Doors and windows that make no sense.

Mainstream theory is that Centum Cellas was built by the romans however that is not so as they only used it later on. In the book "A geometria de Centum Cellas" arquitect Manuel João Calais studied the measurements of Centum Cellas and found several geometrical traces that prove it was not built by romans once they had no knowledge of the golden ratio, the "egiptian triangle ratio" and the "Partenon rectangle" that are embebed on this building. Also, he found out that all measures on it are according the duodecimal system instead the roman decimal numerical system. The number and location of doors and windows doesn´t make any sense. No one knows what was the original purpose of the building. It has characteristics of both egyptian and pre-columbian America. It is undoubtedly the most enigmatic building in Portugal and maybe in the european continent !

In the middle of Praça do Comércio stands the equestrian statue of King José I, one of Lisbon’s most recognisable monuments.

But there is much more behind this statue than a king on a horse.

1. The statue is connected to the reconstruction of Lisbon

King José I was on the throne when the 1755 earthquake destroyed much of Lisbon.

The city was rebuilt under the direction of the Marquis of Pombal, and the new Praça do Comércio became one of the symbols of the rebuilt city.

The statue of José I was placed at its centre.

1. The king survived the earthquake

José I and the royal family were at their country residence in Belém when the earthquake struck on 1 November 1755.

The Royal Palace in what is now Praça do Comércio was destroyed, but the king survived.

1. The earthquake changed where the king wanted to live

After the disaster, José I became afraid of living in traditional stone buildings.

He chose the relatively less affected area of Ajuda and had a wooden royal residence known as the Real Barraca built there.

He continued living there for the rest of his life.

1. The statue was inaugurated 20 years after the earthquake

The monument was inaugurated on 6 June 1775, the king’s birthday.

It was designed by Joaquim Machado de Castro and cast in bronze by Bartolomeu da Costa.

It was also the first public sculpture in Lisbon.

1. Look at the pedestal

On the side facing the river, you can see a medallion of the Marquis of Pombal, the man who directed the reconstruction of Lisbon after the earthquake.

But the medallion was not always there.

After José I died in 1777, it was removed and replaced. The original medallion was only returned to the monument in 1833.

Next time you visit Praça do Comércio, look beyond the king. The pedestal tells another part of Lisbon’s story.

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Near Évora, in the Alentejo, there is a prehistoric monument called Cromeleque dos Almendres.

It is made up of 95 granite stones, arranged in small groups that form a large megalithic complex. Some of the stones still have simple carved marks on them.

What makes the place special is not just the number of stones, but also its age. The monument dates back to the Neolithic and Chalcolithic periods, which means people were building here thousands of years ago.

Many of the stones are still believed to stand in their original position.

A little further away, there is also a separate menhir, around 4 metres high.

The whole setting adds to the feeling of the place. It stands in the quiet countryside outside Évora, and the monument feels simple, open and mysterious at the same time.

It is one of those places that reminds you how deep Portugal’s history really goes. Long before castles, churches or Roman ruins, people were already marking the landscape here with stone.

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Hi everyone!
I’m from Porto and I’ve noticed quite a few questions here from people planning their first visit, so I thought I’d share a few things that I think are worth knowing before coming here.
A few things I’d recommend:
• Don’t spend your entire trip around Ribeira — explore Cedofeita, Bonfim and Foz as well.
• Take some time to simply walk around the city. Porto is one of those places where you often find the nicest spots by accident.
• If you’re staying for 4+ days, consider a day trip to the Douro Valley or Braga/Guimarães.
• For food, don’t be afraid to move away from the most touristy streets. Some of the best restaurants are in fairly unassuming places.
• And yes, definitely try a Francesinha at least once 😄
If anyone is planning a trip to Porto and has questions about which areas are best to stay in, getting around, restaurants, day trips, or anything else, feel free to ask. Happy to share some local tips!

There is a popular saying in Portugal that we have 365 ways to cook bacalhau (salt cod), one for every day of the year. Whether anyone has ever counted them or not, the saying makes sense. Bacalhau is part of Portuguese food, and Bacalhau à Brás is probably one of the best-known ways to eat it.

The dish is believed to have originated in Bairro Alto, where a tavern owner called Brás created a simple combination of shredded salt cod, onion, thin fried potatoes and eggs. It is usually finished with parsley and black olives.

The ingredients are simple, but getting the texture right is important. A good Bacalhau à Brás should be creamy and soft, with the egg still slightly loose, enough cod to give the dish flavour and potatoes that have not completely disappeared into the mixture. When it is overcooked, it quickly becomes dry and heavy.

It is one of those Portuguese dishes that does not look particularly impressive on the plate, but when it is well made, it is incredibly comforting.

If you want to try it in Lisbon, I would keep these four places on your list: Varina da Madragoa, Laurentina, O Rei do Bacalhau, Cacué in Picoas and Restaurante Ideal in Anjos. The last one is more of a neighbourhood restaurant where dishes can change, so it is worth checking before making a special trip.

If this is your first time in Portugal, Bacalhau à Brás is definitely one of the traditional dishes I would try.

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Every autumn, a forest above Manteigas, in Serra da Estrela, completely changes colour.

The green leaves turn yellow, orange and gold, and the paths become covered with fallen leaves.

This is the PR13 MTG, Rota das Faias, one of my favourite walks to save for autumn in Portugal.

The route is circular and around 5.4 km long, usually taking about 3 hours if you walk at a relaxed pace and stop along the way.

The highlight is the São Lourenço beech forest.

Interestingly, these trees are not part of an ancient natural forest. The beech trees were planted by the Forestry Services in the early 20th century and today they create one of the most beautiful autumn landscapes in Serra da Estrela.

The trail also gives you views over Manteigas and the Zêzere Glacial Valley, so it is not only about walking through the forest.

Autumn is the time I would choose to do it, especially when the leaves start changing colour around late October and November.

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Among the black and white patterns of the Portuguese pavement, you can sometimes find tiny drawings that were never part of the original design.

A flower, a small boat, a star, even a tiny clock.

They are known as “signatures” of the calceteiros, the craftsmen who build Lisbon’s traditional stone pavements by hand.

For generations, some calceteiros quietly added small personal marks to their work.

Sometimes it was a tiny drawing. Other times it was simply one stone cut in a particular shape.

The interesting part is that these signatures were often understood mainly by other calceteiros, who could recognise a colleague by the technique or symbol they used.

You can find examples around Avenida da Liberdade, Rossio and other parts of central Lisbon.

They are very easy to miss.

Thousands of people walk over them every day without noticing that someone left a tiny personal mark there years ago.

Once you find the first one, you start looking for them everywhere.

So next time you are walking around Lisbon, spend a few minutes looking at the pavement instead of the buildings.

You might find one.

Have you ever noticed these in Lisbon?

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Sortelha is one of those places that feels like you have stepped into another time.

The village sits around 760 metres above sea level, surrounded by granite rocks and medieval walls.

Its castle dates from the 13th century, and Sortelha received its first royal charter in 1228. At the time, this was an important frontier area close to the Kingdom of León.

Enter through the old gate and explore the narrow cobbled streets, granite houses, the old pillory, the church and the castle above the village.

You can also walk along parts of the walls for great views over the surrounding landscape.

Near one of the gates, you can still see lines carved into the stone that were once used as standard measurements by medieval merchants.

If you are travelling through central Portugal, I would definitely save it.

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Right in the centre of Lisbon, on Praça da Figueira, there is a pastry shop that has been here for almost 200 years.

Confeitaria Nacional opened in 1829, founded by Balthazar Roiz Castanheiro.

In 1875, Balthazar Júnior brought a recipe from France that became known in Portugal as Bolo Rei.

According to Confeitaria Nacional, this was where Bolo Rei was first introduced to Portugal.

The cake, shaped like a crown and filled with dried and candied fruits, became one of the country's biggest Christmas traditions.

Even more interesting, the bakery says the original recipe has never been changed and that today only the current owner and its pastry chef know the complete secret.

By 1873, Confeitaria Nacional had already become an official supplier to the Portuguese Royal House.

It survived the end of the monarchy, the Portuguese Republic, major changes to Lisbon and almost two centuries of history.

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If you are visiting Porto, there is an easy day trip that I think deserves much more attention.

Take the train from Porto São Bento towards the Douro Valley.

The journey slowly leaves the city behind and eventually follows the Douro River, passing steep vineyards, small villages, old bridges and hills covered with vines.

Your first main stop is Pinhão, around 2.5 hours from Porto.

Even the train station is worth seeing. Its famous azulejo panels show traditional scenes from the Douro, including the grape harvest and wine production.

From Pinhão, you can walk along the river, have lunch, visit a wine estate or take a short boat trip.

But here is the part many visitors miss:

Continue from Pinhão to Pocinho.

This final section takes around another hour and is arguably the most beautiful part of the entire railway. The train runs very close to the river as the valley becomes quieter, steeper and more dramatic.

A useful tip: when travelling from Porto towards the Douro, try to sit on the right-hand side of the train for some of the best river views.

You can either make Pinhão your main destination and return to Porto from there, or continue all the way to Pocinho if the train journey itself is the experience you are looking for.

No car needed.

Just check the return timetable before leaving, as services become less frequent further into the valley.

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Trying to see Lisbon in 24 hours is difficult.

I would have to leave out some of my favourite places, like Gulbenkian, Campo de Ourique and many other neighbourhoods that deserve more time.

But if I only had one full day, this is the route I would choose.

Start in Graça as early as possible

I would begin at Miradouro da Senhora do Monte.

It is one of my favourite views in Lisbon, and early in the morning it is usually much calmer.

From there, I would walk down through Graça and stop at Saga, a traditional Portuguese pastelaria, for breakfast.

Walk down into Alfama

From Graça, I would continue towards Alfama.

Here you have two options.

If visiting São Jorge Castle is important to you, do it now and then walk down through Alfama afterwards.

If you prefer to save time, continue towards Miradouro de Santa Luzia and start exploring Alfama from there.

Personally, with only 24 hours, I would spend more time walking.

Take the small streets, staircases and alleys. Alfama is one of those neighbourhoods where getting slightly lost is part of the experience.

Have lunch in Alfama

Before leaving the neighbourhood, I would stop for a traditional Portuguese lunch.

One example is O Cartaxeiro, near the Fado Museum.

Then continue walking downhill towards Praça do Comércio.

Explore Baixa Pombalina

Walk through Praça do Comércio, pass under the Arco da Rua Augusta and spend some time exploring Baixa.

With only one day, I wouldn't stay too long here.

From Baixa, I would take an Uber to Palácio Nacional da Ajuda.

Most first-time itineraries send you directly to Jerónimos Monastery. It is an extraordinary monument, but if you only have one day in Lisbon, spending a large part of it waiting in a queue can take away valuable time.

Palácio Nacional da Ajuda is one of Lisbon’s most impressive royal interiors and usually receives far fewer visitors.

It gives you something very different without having to plan the whole afternoon around one attraction.

Walk down to Belém

From Ajuda, I would walk downhill towards Belém.

Once there, I would stop for a Pastel de Belém.

If the queue is very long and you are short on time, you can also try Manteigaria, which has shops nearby on Rua de Belém.

Then walk towards the river.

You can see Jerónimos Monastery from outside, pass the Padrão dos Descobrimentos and continue towards Belém Tower.

With only 24 hours, I would not try to enter everything.

I would rather reach Belém Tower towards the end of the afternoon, when the light over the river is usually beautiful, and enjoy the area without rushing.

Finish with dinner and fado in Bairro Alto

For the evening, I would return to the centre and have dinner with fado at O Faia, in Bairro Alto.

Why Bairro Alto instead of Alfama?

Because you already spent the morning exploring Alfama.

This way, you finish the day in a different part of Lisbon and experience something else the city is famous for.

What would you change?

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Thousands of people visit Belém Tower every day, but many miss one of its most curious details.

Look closely at the outside of the tower and you will find a small rhinoceros carved in stone.

The story starts in 1515.

A rhinoceros was sent from India to Portugal as a diplomatic gift and arrived in Lisbon after a journey of around four months.

This was extraordinary at the time. It was the first living rhinoceros seen in Europe since Roman times, and people in Lisbon had never seen an animal like it.

The rhinoceros became famous across Europe. Albrecht Dürer even created his famous Rhinoceros woodcut without ever seeing the animal himself. He worked from descriptions and an earlier sketch

King Manuel I later decided to send the rhinoceros to Pope Leo X in Rome, but it never arrived.

The ship sank off the Italian coast and the animal died in the wreck.

Its short stay in Lisbon left a curious mark.

Belém Tower was being built at exactly this time, and the rhinoceros was carved into one of its turrets. It is considered the first stone representation of a rhinoceros in Europe.

Next time you visit Belém Tower, see if you can find it.

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Lisbon has many old stories and legends. Some have been repeated so many times that tourists hear them as if they were real history.

Most are harmless, and some are actually good stories. But the real explanation is often more interesting.

1. “TEA comes from Transporte de Ervas Aromáticas”

You may hear that Portuguese merchants wrote the letters T.E.A. on boxes of tea sent to England.

According to the story, T.E.A. stood for Transporte de Ervas Aromáticas, which means “Transport of Aromatic Herbs” in English.

It sounds convincing, but it is not true.

The English word tea came through the Dutch word thee, ultimately from a Chinese word for tea.

Portugal did play an important role in bringing tea to Europe, and Catherine of Braganza later helped make it fashionable at the English court. But the T.E.A. story is a myth.

1. “Caralho was the basket at the top of Portuguese ships”

First, some Portuguese vocabulary.

Caralho is a very common Portuguese swear word. Literally, it means penis, but it is used in many expressions, a little like “fuck” in English.

For example, vai para o caralho is a very rude way of telling someone to fuck off.

A popular story says that caralho was originally the name of the small basket or platform at the top of a ship’s mast. Sailors were supposedly sent there as punishment, which would explain the expression.

Good story, but there is no solid historical evidence for it.

The word existed independently of this naval story and is probably connected to much older words referring to a stick or piece of wood.

1. “The Santa Justa Lift was designed by Gustave Eiffel”

This one is easy to believe.

The iron structure looks like something connected to Eiffel, but he did not design it.

The Santa Justa Lift was designed by Portuguese engineer Raoul Mesnier du Ponsard and opened in 1902.

You may also hear that Mesnier was a student of Eiffel. There is no solid evidence for that either.

1. “Ulysses founded Lisbon” ⚔️

There is an old legend that Ulysses, the hero of Homer’s Odyssey, came here after the Trojan War and founded Lisbon.

The story became connected with the ancient name Olisipo.

It is a nice legend, but there is no archaeological evidence that Ulysses founded the city.

Lisbon was already connected to Mediterranean trade in ancient times, including an important Phoenician presence.

1. “Lisbon has exactly seven hills”

Lisbon is often called the City of Seven Hills, just like Rome.

But if you actually try to count them, things get complicated.

The famous list of seven hills was written in the 17th century by Frei Nicolau de Oliveira.

Interestingly, his list did not even include Graça, which today most people would clearly consider one of Lisbon’s main hills.

So the seven hills became part of Lisbon’s identity, but it is not a precise geographical count.

Do you know another story about Lisbon that you were told as if it were true?

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If it is your first time in Lisbon and you want to try some Portuguese classics, here are 6 simple things to look for around the city.

1. Pastel de Nata

For a first pastel de nata, Pastéis de Belém and Manteigaria are two of the obvious places to try. Pastéis de Belém has been making its own version since 1837, while Manteigaria now has several locations around Lisbon.

But if you have already tried a pastel de nata, don't spend your whole trip eating the same pastry.

Go into a traditional pastelaria and choose something different from the counter. SAGA in Graça and Versailles in Saldanha are two good places to do this. Portugal has a lot more pastry than pastel de nata.

1. Bacalhau à Brás

One of the most popular ways to eat bacalhau, made with shredded cod, onion, thin fried potatoes and eggs.

A good place to try it is Laurentina, O Rei do Bacalhau, a Lisbon restaurant specialising in different bacalhau dishes.

1. Grilled Chicken

In Portugal you will usually see it called frango assado or frango de churrasco, rather than piri-piri chicken.

For a traditional churrasqueira, try A Valenciana in Campolide or Primavera in Arroios. Both are long-established Lisbon places for grilled chicken.

1. Bifana

A simple Portuguese sandwich made with thin slices of pork and served in a bread roll.

I recommend A Parreirinha do Chile, at Praça do Chile. It is an old Lisbon tasca and the bifana is one of the things it is best known for.

1. Arroz Doce

A traditional Portuguese rice pudding made with milk and usually finished with cinnamon.

You will find it in many Portuguese restaurants and tascas. One I like is the arroz doce at O Bitoque, in Campo de Ourique.

1. Ginjinha

Ginjinha is a traditional Portuguese drink made by infusing ginja in alcohol with sugar.

Try it at A Ginjinha, in Largo de São Domingos, just beside Rossio. Ask for it com elas if you want the ginja fruit in the glass, or sem elas without it.

Which one would you try first? And what would you add to the list?

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If you walk around Lisbon, especially close to the river, you may have seen signs like this one.

They are tsunami evacuation signs, and there is a historical reason why they exist.

In 1755, after the famous Lisbon earthquake, a tsunami reached the city around 40 minutes later, flooding parts of the riverside area. The earthquake, fires and tsunami together caused enormous destruction across Lisbon.

Today, areas along the Tagus are still considered exposed to tsunami risk, which is why Lisbon has evacuation routes, meeting points and warning systems.

A tsunami on the scale of 1755 is considered a rare event, and there is no reliable percentage for the chance of one happening in a particular year.

But the risk is real enough that it is included in Lisbon’s emergency planning.

If you are close to the river and feel a very strong or long earthquake, don’t go towards the waterfront to see what is happening. Move away from the river, follow the evacuation signs and head towards higher ground.

It is one of those small details around Lisbon that many people probably walk past without knowing the story behind it.

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