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Nearby Atractions
Princepe Real
Green; Romantic; Antiques; Design
This attractive neighborhood (named "Royal Prince" in honor of Queen Maria II's first born) extends north of Bairro Alto and although it was once only known for its antique shops and gay bars, it's now slowly becoming a serious shopping area.
Despite that, it remains essentially a residential district, filled with gardens, a couple of the city's most tranquil squares, and colorful mansions.
The abundant charm has turned it into one of the most sought-after areas to live in the city, and real estate companies have taken notice.
Old buildings are being renovated, a young population is moving in, and there's talk of gentrification similar to that of Georgetown in Washington DC after the company that turned that district into the American capital's hippest began acquiring buildings here.
Down the hill is the small neighborhood of São Bento, known for the neoclassical Parliament building and more antique shops down Rua de São Bento.
Recommendations in Principe Real
Convento de Jesus
Largo de Jesus
The interior of this church (also known as the Church of Jesus) is not as rich or as monumental as that of the Church of St. Catherine nearby, but it hides one of the greatest works of Portuguese tile art. Still little-known, it dates from 1714 and is seen in a hall that is not always open to the public. It's a vaulted ceiling completely covered with Baroque tiles, evoking the Litanies of the Virgin Mary by Antonio de Oliveira Bernardes, one of the masters of tiled art.
The rest of the church's interior is a reconstruction following the 1755 earthquake, mixing the baroque and mannerist styles. The ceiling has stucco decorations, while the side chapels mix gilt and 17th-century and 18th-century paintings invoking several saints. Add Details here
Pavilhão Chinês
Rua Dom Pedro V, 89 - Príncipe Real
Tel: 213 424 729 | barpavilhaochines.blogspot.com
If the doors of this bar were open throughout the day you'd likely mistake it for one of the many antique shops in the neighborhood.
Undoubtedly the most unique bar in the city, stepping into Pavilhão Chinês is almost like entering a museum.
Ring the bell and the door opens to reveal five rooms decorated with curious objects in a variety of colors (miniature trains, toy soldiers, old mugs, etc. from the owner's private collection), and the fun continues at a pool table in another section.
Open for decades, this is perhaps the best bar in the city for a long night of drinks and chatting after dinner, offering an extensive list of teas, Port Wine, cocktails and juices.
JARDIM BOTÂNICO - BOTANICAL GARDEN
Rua da Escola Politécnica 58 - Principe Real
Tel: 213 921 800 | www.jb.ul.pt
Slightly run-down, Lisbon's botanical garden is perhaps in part because of that, an enchanting sight. It is actually quite large (covering 10 acres or 4 hectares), but you wouldn't know it from the entrance. It is accessed from a gate on one of the busiest streets in the Príncipe Real district, and was seen as the best botanical garden in southern Europe when it was laid out in the 19th century.
Its large collection of subtropical vegetation remains impressive today, with many exotic plants neatly labeled. One that seems to grab the most attention is the Australian Cycad, an unusually shaped tree with twisting trunks.
JARDIM DO PRÍNCIPE REAL
Praça do Príncipe Real - Príncipe Real
This romantic garden is the center of a square surrounded by elegant buildings. It's an urban refuge with a gigantic parasol-like cedar tree under which old ladies, families, or young couples sit for a while, as old men play cards and children run around a small playground.
There is also a café with outdoor seating, and two kiosks serving refreshments.
Every Saturday it's also home to a farmers' market for fans of organic fruits and vegetables, while every last Saturday and Monday of each month there's a market of crafts and antiques.
Underneath it all is a stone reservoir from the 1800s that's part of the city's Water Museum and often rented for private events.
Of the colorful mansions that surround the square, the most beautiful is certainly Palácio Ribeiro da Cunha, a Neo-Moorish palace with horseshoe windows built in 1877 that's now the Embaixada concept store.
