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A journey through the churches and chapels of Portimão

On your next visit to the Algarve, come to Portimão, taste some local gastronomy, stroll along the streets, relax in the riverside area and discover the city’s religious heritage. You’ll appreciate it!

With the Easter religious time still in mind, we decided to present to you a small itinerary that will take you to discover the churches and chapels of the beautiful city of Portimão, in the Algarve.

The religious heritage in Portimão, is not vast, but quite interesting and worth a visit.

Starting from Manuel Teixeira Gomes Square, with the city map in your hands, go towards the old bridge, attentive to the architectural details and look for the secular Chapel of St. Joseph. Then, get lost in the streets and alleys towards the Igreja Matriz, the main church of Portimão and end this part of the journey, in the Church of the College of the Jesuits.

From here, you can go to Rua do Comércio to see the latest fashion trends and to the Rua Direita to taste some regional products at Mercearia do Algarve, discover some tasteful typically Portuguese gifts at the Tradição Portuguesa shop, indulge yourself with a regional sweet at Casa da Isabel or a tidbit at Maria do Mar. After this relaxing moments, it is time for a longer walk along the riverside, crossing the interior of the city, to discover the Chapel of Nossa Senhora do Amparo.

Chapel of St. Joseph

This centenary chapel, located next to the old bridge of Portimão, was built in the 17th century. For several years, it was a place of worship for St. Joseph, patron of the naval carpenters who worked in the shipyards near to this place. Inside, some baroque traces. The tiled flooring enhances the gold-framed frame with the image of Christ crucified. The exterior is a little run down. It is closed to the public, opening only for Eucharistic celebrations, on Sundays at 5:00 p.m.

Main Church of Portimão

Dated from 15th century, the main church of Portimão is located in the highest part of the city, inside the old walls.

The late-Gothic portal is inspired by the most imposing monument of the time, the Monastery of Batalha and in it are identified fine sculptures of musicians and women in frame. Various styles, such as Baroque, Rococo and Manueline styles, are the fruit of the various phases of reconstruction and artistic enrichment of the temple.

Interior of the Igreja Matriz de Portimão

Church of the College of the Jesuits

Located in the Alameda da Praça da República the Church and the Jesuit College was built at the end of the 17th century by order of D. Diogo Gonçalves – whose mausoleum remains in the main chapel – as gratitude for having found in Portimão a good port of refuge, after a strong storm at sea.

Unlike the Jesuit buildings, this building fully assumed the Baroque style. With the earthquake of 1755 the building suffered some damage, highlighting the vaults, which contributed for a refurbishment of the main facade.

The austerity and simplicity of the architecture of the Restoration are present within the Church-Hall.

The Church of the College of the Jesuits was even chosen by the Marquês de Pombal to set up in the region of Portimão a new Algarve Cathedral (Diocese), a project that did not happen in the end.

Chapel of Nossa Senhora do Amparo

This simple chapel, of Arab origin, was christianized and dedicated to Our Lady of Amparo, also known by Our Lady of the Milk, well represented in a screen behind the altar, breastfeeding her baby. Here the pregnant women went to receive their blessing. The chapel was built in the likeness of the ancient Islamic marabouts, having been restored 30 years ago.

Morabito de Portimão.JPG — Church of Our Lady of the Milk

On your next visit to the Algarve, come to Portimão, taste some local gastronomy, stroll along Rua das Comércio and Rua Direita, relax in the riverside area and discover the city’s religious heritage. You’ll appreciate it!

Top 5 places to listen to Fado in Lisbon

Next time you visit Lisbon, take some extra time to discover the pleasure of listening to the sound of the Portuguese soul live while you taste a pleasant meal. Here are five suggestions of fado houses that you might consider.

Fado is part of the identity of Portugal and is a symbol of the city of Lisbon. In 2011, it was classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage, a recognition that we, Portuguese people, are very proud of.

So, when in Lisbon you must definitely discover the joy of listening to the sound of the Portuguese soul, live.

We leave you here five suggestions of places – some more touristic, others more traditional and typical. There are performances with professional singers and amateur fado singers, the so-called fado vadio; different styles, but all singing the Portuguese Saudade, the feeling and the love.

And if you have the opportunity, pass by Madragoa, where you can find the house where Amália Rodrigues lived, the most charismatic of the Portuguese fadistas, who took our Fado to the world. With great presence and natural charisma on the stage is to Amália – the so called Queen of Fado – that we owe the classic image of the black dress with shawl.

mw-860 — **Photo of Amália in 1954** SILVA NOGUEIRA/MUSEU DO TEATRO

Clube do Fado

Located in the immediate vicinity of the Sé, in the heart of Alfama, Clube de Fado is more than a restaurant, it is a place where you can taste good delicacies of the Portuguese traditional cuisine, with fado and Portuguese guitar by company. A reference in the universe of the traditional fado houses of Lisbon, with a romantic atmosphere, sober and intimate decoration.

Sr. Vinho

Founded in 1975, Sr. Vinho is one of the most well known and traditional fado houses in Lisbon. With three floors and a contemporary decoration, it offers different environments to enjoy the fado, besides the excellent Portuguese gastronomy and an exquisite table service.

Parreirinha de Alfama

Parreirinha de Alfama is a fado house with a cozy atmosphere where traditional Portuguese cuisine and fado combine perfectly. This is where the voices of Amália Rodrigues, Alfredo Marceneiro, Tristão da Silva, Maria da Fé, among many others have already passed.

Adega Machado

Located in the Bairro Alto, Adega Machado is one of the best-known fado houses in Lisbon. Distributed over three floors is a place that seeks to cross the traditional with the contemporary, both in fado, as in the gastronomy. If you want to know contemporary interpretations of the Lisbon Fado that plunge into the roots of the urban song, Adega Machado is the right place to go.

O Faia

Founded in 1947, O Faia remains to this day as a reference on Lisbon night. In more than half a century of existence, great names of the fado were habitual presence in this house, starting with the founder, Lucília do Carmo, herself an important figure in the History of Fado and continuing with her son, Carlos do Carmo. Here sang names like Alfredo Marceneiro, Tristão da Silva, Fernando Maurício, Ada de Castro, Beatriz da Conceição, Vasco Rafael, Camané, among others. At the table of the O Faia you can discover aromas and flavors in a creative and contemporary cuisine without forgetting the tradition and respect for the Portuguese cuisine.

Find out a little more about Fado, music of the world, here.

Onde apreciar o Fado em Lisboa

Quando visitar Lisboa aproveite para ouvir ao vivo, o som da alma portuguesa enquanto degusta uma agradável refeição. Aqui ficam cinco sugestões de casas de fado a conhecer.

O fado faz parte da identidade de Portugal e é um símbolo da cidade de Lisboa. Em 2011, foi classificado pela UNESCO como Património da Humanidade, um reconhecimento que muito nos orgulha.

Quando estiver em Lisboa aproveite para ouvir ao vivo, o som da alma portuguesa.

Deixamos aqui cinco sugestões de locais – alguns mais turísticos, outros mais tradicionais e típicos. Há apresentações com fadistas profissionais e com fadistas amadores – o chamado fado vadio – estilos diferentes, mas todos a cantar a Saudade, o Sentimento e o Amor.

Se tiver oportunidade, passe ainda pela Madragoa, onde fica a casa onde viveu Amália Rodrigues, a mais carismática das fadistas e quem levou o nosso fado ao mundo. Com grande presença e carisma natural é a Amália que devemos a imagem clássica do vestido preto com xaile.

Clube do Fado

Situado nas imediações da Sé, no coração de Alfama, o Clube de Fado é mais do que um restaurante, é um local onde se provam boas iguarias da cozinha tradicional, com o fado e a guitarra portuguesa por companhia. Uma referência no universo das tradicionais casas de fado de Lisboa, com um ambiente romântico, decoração sóbria e intimista.

Restaurante Sr. Vinho

Fundada em 1975, o Sr. Vinho é uma das casas de fado mais conhecidas e tradicionais de Lisboa. Com três pisos e uma decoração contemporânea, oferece diferentes ambientes para apreciar o fado, além da excelente gastronomia portuguesa e um requintado serviço de mesa.

Parreirinha de Alfama

A Parreirinha de Alfama é uma casa de fado de ambiente acolhedor onde a cozinha tradicional portuguesa e o fado combinam na perfeição. Por aqui já passaram as vozes de Amália Rodrigues, Alfredo Marceneiro, Tristão da Silva, Maria da Fé, entre muitos outros.

Adega Machado

Situada no Bairro Alto, a Adega Machado é uma das casas de fado mais conhecidas de Lisboa. Distribuída por três pisos é um local que pretende cruzar o tradicional com o contemporâneo, tanto no fado, como na gastronomia. Se quiser conhecer interpretações contemporâneas do Fado de Lisboa que mergulham nas raízes da canção urbana, a Adega Machado é o local certo.

O Faia

Fundado em 1947, O Faia mantém-se até aos dias de hoje como uma referência na noite lisboeta. Em mais de meio século de existência, grandes nomes do fado foram presença habitual nesta casa, a começar pela fundadora, Lucília do Carmo, ela própria uma figura importante na História do Fado e continuando com o seu filho, Carlos do Carmo. Aqui cantaram nomes como Alfredo Marceneiro, Tristão da Silva, Fernando Maurício, Ada de Castro, Beatriz da Conceição, Vasco Rafael, Camané, entre outros. À mesa do Faia podem-se descobrir aromas e sabores numa cozinha criativa e contemporânea sem esquecer a tradição e o respeito pela cozinha portuguesa.

8 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Lisbon

Lisbon is the city of Fado, with a mythical and romantic light that enchants who visits it, Here are 8 interesting facts that will certainly sharpen your interest in getting to know the capital of Portugal.
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Lisbon, the city of Fado, with a mythical and romantic light that enchants who visits it, has so much to visit and to show beyond the obvious. There is so much to discover and here are just some interesting facts that will certainly sharpen your interest in getting to know the capital of Portugal. In the meantime, you can always make a good impression on your friends with these fun facts!

1 – Lisbon is known as the city of the seven hills (Castelo, Graça, Monte, Penha de França, São Pedro de Alcântara, Santa Catarina and Estrela). This designation goes back to the time of the Roman occupation, in which it is affirmed that Lisbon would have been founded under seven hills, like Rome. In each hill, we can find several belvederes with unique and magnificent views of the romantic capital of Portugal.

2 – The Lisboetas are known as “alfacinhas” because in the time of the Arabs, the “alfaces” (lettuces) were cultivated abundantly in Lisbon. In fact, the word “alface” is of Arabic origin.

3 – In the basement of Lisbon there are the enigmatic Roman Galleries of Baixa, unknown by the tourists and only open to the public for three days a year. The visits this year, will be held on 22, 23 and 24 of September and are already sold out!

4 – The statue of Christ the King on the left bank of the river Tejo is a copy of Christ the Redeemer of Rio de Janeiro, has a height of 28 meters and the monument in total reaches 100 meters in height.

5 – The Belém area has two buildings classified by UNESCO as World Heritage: the Jeronimos Monastery and the Torre de Belém – formerly guarding the entrance of the boats on the river Tejo.

6 – Lisbon it’s home to the oldest bookstore in the world. The Bertrand Bookshop has been around since 1732. It is located in Lisbon’s Bairro Alto neighborhood. The bookstore was destroyed in the 1755 earthquake that ruined the city, but was moved to the same location you can find it today and since 1773. And so it came to Guinness as the oldest bookshop in the world still in business.

7 – Lisbon is older than Rome. Lisbon has been around four centuries longer than Rome and Portugal has maintained its original borders since 1139, making it the oldest country in Europe.

8 – The Vasco da Gama Bridge, inaugurated in 1998, is the longest bridge in Europe and one of the longest in the world, 17.3 km long, 12 km of which are on the waters of the Tejo river estuary.

Visiting Lisbon is in fashion and it conquers more and more tourists every year…It is easy to see why!

Discover Portugal street art and free spirit

The next time you come to Portugal, do not forget to ask where you can find some open-air-museums, with criations of street art and free spirit. You will like it for sure!

When you come on holidays to Portugal you expect to find tasty food, excellent weather, breathtaking scenery, warm water beaches, amazing historical monuments and truly hospitable people.

What you might not be expecting to find is a true open-air museum on the streets of Lisbon and also a bit throughout the Algarve, as we can start seeing on the streets in Portimão, Lagoa or Lagos.

Although graffitis has existed for decades, in recent years, artists have been progressing their works from mere scribbling that were often even visually polluting, to the point that one can in our days even speak of street art.

In Lisbon, the creation of the GAU (Urban Art Gallery) and the 2010 CRONO project, where some of the best international artists participated, including Momo, Blu, Sam3, The Gemeos, and Vhils gave a true impetus to this freedom of creation that began to be quite impressive for the most attentive eyes.

In Portimão, the Mário Belém mural on a side wall of a house in Praça 1º de Maio, in front of the Portimão City Hall, with the theme “Be careful of everything”, is a good example of these ephemeral creations which are more than simple graffitis, but rather, true expressions of a free creative spirit that feels so good to discover when least expecting, when turning a corner.

The following photographs are only small samples of the street art that you can find in Lisbon or in the Algarve.

Hello cat Urban art Portimão — Portimão, Algarve Street Art

Fado style Portimão — Portimão, Algarve Street Art

Urban Art Fado — Portimão, Algarve Street Art

Urban Art at Portimão — Portimão, Algarve Street Art

Street Art Lagos — Lagos, Algarve Street Art

Fado urban art Lisbon — Lisboa, Portugal Street Art

So, the next time you come to Portugal, do not forget to ask where you can find these open-air-museum works of art, totally free of charges and so pleasing to the eyes.

You will like it for sure and you will add this to the long list of wonderful things to discover in Portugal.

Feel relaxed, free and cultivate yourself in every way, while you are in Portugal!

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When you come on holidays to Portugal you expect to find tasty food, excellent weather, breathtaking scenery, warm water beaches, amazing historical monuments and truly hospitable people.

What you might not be expecting to find is a true open-air museum on the streets of Lisbon and also a bit throughout the Algarve, as we can start seeing on the streets in Portimão, Lagoa or Lagos.

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