The holiday lights are lit! Throughout November, city workers have been putting up panels of Christmas lights on street light poles, heart-shaped ornaments dripping out of the trees, and, especially throughout the city, garlands across the major streets.
To start off our Christmas holiday season, we visited Wonderland Lisboa in Parque Eduardo VII on December 1, opening day of the Christmas markets. We met a couple of friends and wandered around the rides and booths. There’s a ferris wheel and an ice skating rink (although it is not even close to freezing here). There was more than one meet-Santa booth. Various rides for kids were popular. There were booths selling cork, jewelry, and even slippers. And lots and lots of food and sweets.
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Wonderland
Wonderland Lisboa
Pam and David outside the gate of this Christmas tradition. Booths, rides to kids, and Christmas decorations in Parque Eduardo VII.
Wonderland Lisboa
Food carts, of course.
Wonderland Lisboa
Kids were enjoying this bungee-type bouncy thing.
Wonderland Lisboa
Hot dog, anyone?
Wonderland Lisboa
French fries with your hot dog?
Wonderland Lisboa
Getting tickets for the rides.
Wonderland Lisboa
Want some candy?
Wonderland Lisboa
Wonderland Lisboa
Wonderland Lisboa
Parque Eduardo is itself a miradouro (scenic vista) and you can see more of Lisboa and the river behind the ferris wheel.
Wonderland Lisboa
Wonderland Lisboa
Wonderland booths are along the promenades on both sides of the park. A view of Lisboa beyond the ferris wheel.
Wonderland Lisboa
Entrance to the booths, rides, and various other activities in Parque Eduardo VII
Wonderland Lisboa
Ferris wheel and lights at the lower end of Parque Eduardo, near Praça Marques to Pombal (the monument on the left)
Our friends introduced us to a fascinating restaurant, Enoteca LX. Its building is part of the aqueduct that delivered water to Lisboa from Sintra, built in 18th century. The narrow stone building housed a cistern that stored the water. There are three “floors” with dining tables built inside the cistern. The Enoteca LX collection of wines is stored in the tunnel that delivered the water. The owner offered us tasting of three vinhos tintos and we chose one. The tapas offerings were delicious. We even remembered to take a few pictures.
Enoteca LX on Rua Mãe de Água, Lisboa
A wine bar and restaurant in an old aqueduct building.
The wine cellar is in the old acqueduct tunnel.
Tapas in the old acqueduct: burrata with basil and a plate of chorizo
Tapas in the old acqueduct: burrata with basil
Tapas in the old acqueduct: zucchini rollups
Dessert in the old acqueduct.
Our friends caught a rideshare to their home, and we walked back to Cais do Sodré, our train station. Everyone seemed to be out on the streets. We walked down Avenue da Liberdade through another Christmas Market in Rossio Square. All the major streets had Christmas lights. Every street had a different design.
Christmas Lights Around Lisboa
Christmas Lights
Praça do Comercio
Christmas Lights
Downtown Lisboa, near Rossio.
Christmas Lights
Praça da Alegria, between the Jardim Botanico and Avenida da Liberdade
Christmas Lights in Lisboa
Fountain in Praça da Alegria with Christmas lights decorating the Hotel Alegria.
Christmas Lights
Avenida da Liberdade, Lisboa
Christmas Lights
Avenida da Liberdade, Lisboa
Christmas Lights
Avenida da Liberdade, Lisboa
Rossio Christmas Market
Pam poses at the entrance.
Christmas Lights
Praça de D. Pedro IV, also called Rossio Square (Praça de Rossio)
