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Rachel Arthur’s Lisbon
Filomena Soares gallery // Museu Nacional do Azulejo // Toca da Raposa
curation – rachel arthur
At boom saloon, we’re incredibly privileged to collaborate with a community of hundreds of talented creatives all around the world, stretching from Ecuador to Egypt, China to Canada, Austria to Africa. Our strong relations have afforded us a wealth of insider insights into the best places to visit, eat and stay, all around the world. Now, we want to share this information with our members as we work with our community to map the world and share their best recommendations of how to enjoy destinations both near and far. Our version of a city guide, delivered interactively and in real time – simply click the link at the bottom of the page to save the map and bookmark a wealth of future adventures.
Lisbon’s charm offensive coats a city deep in history – one which spearheaded the age of discovery and was once the world’s richest empire. Strategically positioned at the mouth of the Tagus, the city is formed of a number of barrios – each unique and bursting with their own individual character – which are sprinkled across the seven hills which form Lisbon’s iconic setting. The city’s azulejos feature prominently throughout the winding streets, building upon layers of history most recently shaped by Salazar and colonial war, before the effects of urban regeneration, golden visas and drug decriminalisation further altered the vibrant, eclectic city we know today. A truly unusual mash-up of historical and contemporary makes for the perfect destination for culture lovers, filled with museums, galleries, restaurants and theatres to excite the senses and provoke the mind.
01_Filomena Soares gallery
Found on the edge of the ever more thriving Beato, Filomena Soares offers everything contemporary art followers would hope for in a space located outside of the main drag. At 1000 square metres, the expansive industrial space presents the ideal setting to stimulate and amplify contemporary artistic production, nurturing flowing dialogue between artists, curators and institutions. Unobtrusively esoteric, peaceful and thought provoking.
02_Sea Me
Lisbon’s take on a seafood market restaurant, Sea Me excels in presenting honest, fresh seafood in a contemporary manner. Reinterpreting the concept of traditional Portuguese fish markets, the space acts as restaurant, sushi bar and fresh fish market, ensuring a vibrancy of offering to excite even the most indifferent diner.
03_Embaixada
04_Ramiro
An obvious addition, perhaps, yet an undoubtable must visit. Long a favourite of local chefs tired of over sauced and precariously garnished dishes, Ramiro has blossomed to an expansive, multi-level restaurant where the service is speedy and the food honest and uncomplicated. Book a late table to avoid the churn.
05_Museu Nacional do Azulejo
Perhaps unexpectedly spectacular, Lisbon’s national tile museum presents an extraordinary history of the ceramic tile, set against contemporary artworks in a juxtaposition you’ll struggle to find anywhere else. The building itself is the former Madre de Deus Convent, founded in 1509 by Queen D. Leonor. Belonging to the convent, the Madre de Deus church is decorated in full Portuguese baroque splendour, with layer upon layer of gilded and carved wood, oil paintings stretched across an awe inspiring ceiling and, of course, azulejo.
06_Dois Corvos Taproom
Located in the heart of Beato, Dois Corvos sits in an area you’d happily lose an afternoon within. Ask for a recommendation of something on tap or opt for a beer flight if you’re feeling indecisive. Sitting out on the terrace affords you an insight into the local day to day, where neighbours are often found congregating at the same bars for a single drink and a long conversation.
07_The Park of Pena
The National Palace of Sintra is a notable addition to many Lisbon city guides – and for those fans of Romanticist castles anchored amongst the clouds, it’s a worthy stop. Better yet are the grounds it sits within – a UNESCO World Heritage site, expect valleys of lakes filled with wildlife, breathtaking pavilions, an aviary and a multitude of interweaving paths to get lost amongst the sound of the wind in the trees.
08_MAAT
The Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology was opened in 2016 as part of EDP Foundation’s long-lasting commitment to cultural patronage. Located in the historic district of Belém, the institution is comprised of a repurposed power station alongside an impressive structure designed by the London-based architecture studio AL_A. Expect a thought provoking, often challenging collection of modern Portuguese art alongside an interrogation of the creative means through which we imagine, inhabit and create the world we live in.
09_Toca da Raposa
An unpretentious local hangout, Toca da Raposa is open 6-2am for a neat selection of cocktails based around ingredients you won’t find in every bar. Effortlessly chic with a contagiously laid back atmosphere, the interiors and staff provide the final ingredient to ensure working your way through the entire menu will be no great inconvenience.
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