As Velhas

Príncipe Real, Santos & Estrela


No airs, no graces, just hearty helpings of Portuguese soul food served by delightfully old-school servers. The monkfish and clams in garlic and coriander sauce is superb, as is the grilled goat. Don't skip that dessert cart!


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Príncipe Real, Santos & Estrela attractions

1. Praça da Alegria

0.06 MILES

Swooping palms and banyan trees shade tranquil Praça da Alegria, which is actually more round than square. Look out for the bronze bust of 19th-century…

2. Convento de São Pedro de Alcântara

0.15 MILES

This convent is small in size but grand in baroque decor. The inconspicuous box-like facade hides a chapel (1690s), and a church (1681) that survived the…

3. Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara

0.18 MILES

Hitch a ride on vintage Ascensor da Glória from Praça dos Restauradores, or huff your way up steep Calçada da Glória to this terrific hilltop viewpoint…

4. Jardim do Príncipe Real

0.24 MILES

Shaded by a giant cedar tree, this is a relaxing shady plaza with an al fresco cafe for watching the world go slowly by. The surrounding district is…

5. Jardim Botânico

0.25 MILES

Nurtured by green-fingered students, the Jardim Botânico is a quiet, 1500-species pocket of lushness fresh off a €500,000 renovation that mostly improved…

6. Convento dos Cardaes

0.26 MILES

The inconspicuous, graffitied white facade of this 17th-century fort-like convent contrasts with the rich blue-and-white tiles and gilded carvings of the…

7. Igreja & Museu São Roque

0.27 MILES

The plain facade of 16th-century Jesuit Igreja de São Roque belies its dazzling interior of gold, marble and Florentine azulejos – bankrolled by Brazilian…

8. Rossio

0.37 MILES

Simply known as Rossio to locals, Praça Dom Pedro IV has 24-hour buzz. Shoeshiners, lottery-ticket sellers, hash-peddlers and office workers drift across…