Lisbon with Pats

23/12/2024

Wishing you Happy Holidays and a Scintillating 2025.

2024 has been another super busy and challenging year.

Thanks to you, to your kind personal references, reviews and recommendations, Lisbon with Pats had a hectic agenda of tours. And I can not thank you enough for that!

In case you hadn’t noticed, it feels amazing to share my city with special people, my wonderful guests that bring so much joy and make me understand everyday why I launched Lisbon with Pats back in 2017. It truly energises me and enhances the purpose of sharing my city and beyond with special people.

January started with great news. Receiving the international Travel & Hospitality Award (THAwards) as Tour Guide of the Year 2024, in Lisbon, Portugal, was a major motif of honour but also, on the other hand, an added responsibility. It’s not by chance that one of my dear followers and friends commented ‘hard work and heart full’ - an observation I really appreciated and truly conveys my work motto on a daily basis.

In July, Lisbon with Pats has been recognised by Tripadvisor as a 2024 Travelers’ Choice Award Winner for Tour Activities for the third consecutive year. The award celebrates businesses that have received great traveler reviews from guests around the globe on Tripadvisor over the last 12 months. Lisbon with Pats stood out, again, by consistently delivering amazing experiences to guests.

All year round I have also been busy with Lisbon & Beyond: Day Tours Out of Lisbon, developing and consolidating new routes, contents and destinations to my tour services, both in Lisbon and Beyond. Tomar, Sintra and Évora destinations are becoming my guests’ new favourites.

My tailored tours of Lisbon are growing organically and, in my modest opinion, just as I like and always wanted!

I can not emphasise enough how pleased and privileged I feel to share my passion on Lisbon and all things Portugal with special people. It is YOU THE PEOPLE (you know who you are) that make this activity magical.

Sending you all, my fantastic guests, colleagues, partners, family, friends and followers, my love and appreciation.

Wishing you all Merry Christmas and a beautiful Holiday Season! 😘 🙏 🎄

21/12/2024

👉 Step back in time to the late 1950s - early 1960s and journey through the Christmas Lights of Lisbon.

Let’s stroll in the city through the eyes of photographer Armando Serôdio (1907-1978). Descendant from a Galician family, Armando Serôdio began working in photography as an independent reporter, having published works in several publications such as ‘Vida Mundial’, ‘Diário Nacional’, ‘Repórter X’ and ‘Notícias Ilustrado’. In 1943, Mr. Serôdio joined the staff of the Press Office for the new Lisbon Airport as a reporter, an activity he continued until 1955.

From there, he worked for the Lisbon City Council. In addition to the photographic reports carried out for the municipality, where he covered the main city events namely the Marches of Saints for the Popular Saints Festivities in June or the Christmas Lights Decorations, Mr. Serôdio also collaborated with several airlines and tourism associations.

Since the mid-1950s Lisbon City Hall has gone the extra mile to illuminate its main arteries, squares and buildings in Portugal’s capital city celebrating and embellishing the festive season. In the beginning, these lightings were with incandescent lamps and in the latest years the lights exclusively use LED technology which allow energy savings of around 80%.

Enjoy! Happy Holidays!

📷 Armando Serôdio

18/12/2024

The best things to do in Lisbon according to Condé Nast Traveller

The ultimate guide.

16/12/2024

👉 A Face Full of Tiles

This mural signed by Pedrita Design Studio done with a photomosaic technique looks like a simple patchwork from a close perspective but stepping back its glory is revealed: a face. Brilliant!

15/12/2024

13/12/2024

This Gorgeous Archipelago Was Just Named the Best Island Destination in Europe for the 10th Time 🇵🇹

For the 10th time, Madeira, Portugal, took home the prize as Europe's Leading Island Destination 2024 at this year's World Travel Awards.

11/12/2024

👉 The Castle and the Palace of the German Prince King (Consort) of Portugal

In 1836, Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (1816-1885) arrived in Lisbon to marry Queen Maria II of Portugal. Ferdinand II was one of the most cultured men of 19th century Portugal.

Lover of nature and gardens, together with his French gardener Bonnard, he changed the paradigm of Parks and Gardens in Portugal. At the time, there was a fascination with the introduction of exotic ornamental plants in the country, in which the main responsible and driver for this phenomenon was the King Consort himself.

Pena Park in Sintra is considered by many to be his masterpiece. Shortly after his arrival in Portugal, he fell for Sintra and acquired, from his own personal funds, the Convent of Saint Jerome, then in ruins, as well as all the lands surrounding the property.

The Pena Palace and the restoration of the Moorish castle built on top of the hill of the town of Sintra are a result of his creative genius, devotion and dedication. Both were in ruins until King Ferdinand II’s purchase and ingenious project that transformed the ruined convent into a romantic mystique castle-style palace, surrounded by the mountains of Sintra and the millennium-old Moorish Castle landscapes.

Formerly, the mountains of Sintra were characterized by aridity, volumous rocky elements and devoid of tree vegetation. In this panorama, King Ferdinand planted forest species native from every continent to create a one of kind and exuberant environment.

King Ferdinand fulfilled his German Prince "romantic dream" with Pena Palace, the Castle of Moors and its outstanding Natural Park. A dream that would change the country’s landscape forever! 👌

09/12/2024

👉The Wonderful Historical Charm of Évora

In the heart of Alentejo Region, southern Portugal, halfway between Lisbon and the Estremadura Region in Spain. Évora was declared a world heritage site by Unesco in 1986.

Évora is a living museum city whose roots date back to Roman times, known at that time as Liberalitas Julia. The golden age was in the 15th century, when it was the residence of Portuguese kings. The architectural details stand out in terms of the white houses, the tiles and the balconies. Therefore, Évora is the best example of a city at the height of Portuguese history after the destruction of Lisbon in the 1755 earthquake.

What makes Évora a truly fascinating and unusual city is the collection of small houses throughout the historic center, essentially built between the 16th and 18th centuries. Painted white (to reflect the warm Alentejo sun rays) and with terracotta roofs or terraces, these houses are worth a long stroll through the narrow medieval streets.

You can’t stop admiring its beauty and charm from all perspectives. Évora is music for the eyes and to end the day, a visit to a wine and farm estate is a delightful treat! 👌

07/12/2024

Christian Louboutin, French fashion designer, talks on all things Portugal

Nesta entrevista em vídeo, a Vogue falou com Christian Louboutin não só sobre o seu já icónico Vermelho Hotel (e não nos esquecemos de perguntar sobre este n...

04/12/2024

Lisbon was elected ‘Best World Heritage City’ on World Travel Awards 2024. Congratulations, Lisboa! 🇵🇹 🥂

Lisbon has been recognised as the ‘Best World Heritage City’ for the first time and the ‘Best City Break Destination’ for the second time at the 31st World Travel Awards 2024. Known as the Tourism Oscars, the announcement was made on Monday by the Lisbon Tourism Association (ATL). According ...

02/12/2024

👉 The Façades of Mouraria on Tiles

This beautiful glazed tiles panel was made by residents of Mouraria, one of the oldest traditional neighbourhoods in Lisbon, and communicates their hope for the future of their beloved neighbourhood.

The panel was made during collaborative art workshops initiated by artist Lambert Rozema. Residents were asked to create seven façades - the so called number of change - using colours, windows and doors of their choice.

It not only showcases the skilled craftsmanship and tradition of handmade tiles but also embodies the essence of taking control of the future and preserving the rich cultural heritage of Mouraria.

29/11/2024

👉 When my guests ask me 'what's your favourite viewpoint in Lisbon or in Lisbon area'?

The choice is vast and diverse but this one is, definitely, on top of my list.

Plus, the location has stunning traditional Portuguese architecture and amazing stories that I am delighted to explore on a day tour to Sintra.

Have a great view, sorry, a great weekend! 😎

27/11/2024

👉 The King and Portugal’s National Tree

The cork oak tree (sobreiro in Portuguese) is a protected tree and a true national icon.

It is a robust species, with slow growth and great longevity, which grows in low-density sets, constituting the known cork oak forests (montados in Portuguese), or forming part of other forest formations. The montado assumes an important environmental value in the conservation of soil, water and biodiversity.

Thanks to its thermal properties and low combustion of its bark (cork), cork oak trees form a natural barrier against fires. Portugal has 736 thousand hectares of cork oak forest area, about one third of the world's total area, and is responsible for half of the world's cork production.

The cork, extracted from its bark, is a natural material having unique characteristics: it is lightweight, resistant, waterproof, renewable, recyclable and biodegradable, apart from having a nice velvety touch.

The cork oak tree enters in production phase only after 25 years of life, when the trunk reaches a 70 centimetres (27.5 inches) circumference. The cork is removed from the tree every nine years and the harvest lasts for more than 150 years. Cork extraction is a controlled process that does not require the destruction of the cork trees; on the contrary, it contributes to its regeneration.

The cork oak tree’s wood has multiple uses, having been used to build ships since the Age of Discovery. The fruit, the acorn, is used for cattle feeding. The cork oak tree and, above all, its cork, represent a high value in the national economy, being used for cork stoppers, as well as in the insulating industry, agglomerates, flooring and amongst others. In 2012, the Portuguese Parliament unanimously considered the cork oak the National Tree of Portugal.

No wonder King Carlos I (1863-1908), king of Portugal from 1889 to 1908, a patron of science and the arts, a man of high education and sensitivity also known by his artistic skills, chose the cork oak tree as one of his favourite painting muses.

📷 Carlos de Bragança,1905, Pastel on Cardboard

25/11/2024

👉 Such a perfect day…

After a lovely time exploring the historical charm of Évora, ending the day with a visit to a wine and farm estate is just a delightful treat in all senses!

23/11/2024

Could Portugal be the most anxiety-driven culture in the world? 🇵🇹 😱

Use my link and get $350 off the Pod 4 Ultra https://www.eightsleep.com/markmanson/ thanks to: Carminhohttps://www.instagram.com/carminhoGust...

21/11/2024

Melides: the 'secret' Portuguese beach spot to know

An unexpected artist enclave hidden among the pine forests.