Parque Florestal de Monsanto

Parque Florestal de Monsanto is definitely my favourite park in Lisbon. It’s the biggest (900 hectares – 10% of the total area of Lisbon) and one of the most beautiful parks I have ever been so far. Monsanto has an amazing natural environment with incredible views over the city. There are great hiking tracks – that really take you through the woods, lots of bicycle routes and many places to have quiet picnics and BBQs (be aware that it’s not allowed to BBQ during the Summer months).
One of my favourite areas in the park is the Keil do Amaral viewpoint, a place where everyone gets together to enjoy the amazing view over the river and have a BBQ with friends and family.

Until the XX century, this entire area was covered by crops and pastures for cattle and only in the 1930s the Parque Florestal de Monsanto was actually projected. It took several years to achieve the current configuration, but quickly became one of the local’s favourite spots and the most important green area in Lisbon.

Panorâmico de Monsanto is one of the spots you should not miss out while visiting Monsanto. This was once a luxury restaurant, nightclub, office space and warehouse. Now, it’s an abandoned building filled up with amazing street art gratify and a breathtaking 360° over the city.

Parque Eduardo VII

Parque Eduardo VII is located next to the emblematic Marques de Pombal square. The name of the park came after a visit of King Edward VII of England to reaffirm the long alliance between England and Portugal. It was projected in the XX century as neo-classical monumental garden surrounded by grass and long sidewalks.

I really like to go here because it feels very calm and spacey, especially from above. There you have a nice view over downtown Lisbon and the river. On the right side of the park, from down the hill, there are tables and benches under the shade of trees, which is very nice to relax on those hot summer days. On the left side, you will find an amazing tropical greenhouse “Estufa Fria” – entrance is €3,10.

Jardim Amália Rodrigues

Jardim Amália Rodrigues lays just a little bit above Parque Eduardo VII, but it has an environment on its own. It’s a great place to sit on the grass, read a book or just relax. It has a huge amphitheater which faces the Marques de Pombal square and the Tejo river. Here you will also find a small restaurant with terrace where you can have lunch or a snack.

Jardim da Estrela

Jardim da Estrela was inspired by the romantic English gardens of XIX century. It’s official name is Jardim Guerra Junqueiro, but it’s more famous as Estrela, by the neighbourhood that names it.
It’s in front of one of most charismatic monuments in Lisbon, the Basílica da Estrela and became an integral part of the recreational activities in Lisbon.
They take very good care of the park and it’s open everyday from 07:00 to 24:00. It’s full of exotic plants and trees, two children playgrounds, a pond with ducks, two kiosks and the iconic iron bandstand that remains active until today. If you love to shop handmade products you should visit Jardim da Estrela during the weekend.

Gulbenkian Garden

Built in the 1960s, the Garden of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation is one of the most emblematic gardens of the Portuguese modernist movement and an icon of the landscape architecture. The Gulbenkian Garden surrounds the Calouste Gulbenkian Art Museum and is located next to Praça de Espanha. When I first moved to Lisbon, I lived two blocks away and used to come here quite often to relax. It’s the perfect escape from the busy city life. Once you are inside you feel completely away from city bustle and don’t even the notice all the cars driving around you.

The Gulbenkian Garden was projected with different ambiances and an open-air amphitheater surrounded and partly covered by nature. There are adorable waterfalls, a small lake with grass all around and quiet places to read. This used to be my favourite place to go to relax or read a good book.

Jardim do Torel

Jardim do Torel is located on the hill above the exquisite Avenida da Liberdade. It opened up in the 1960s and has a wonderful view over the city and the downtown area. In order to reach this city hideaway, you can climb up the hill or take Lisbon’s oldest funiculars “Elevador do Lavra”.

Jardim do Torel has a small area where you can lay and relax on the grass, under the tree shades. On the lower terrace you will find a bar where you can have a drink and a small bite. There’s also a huge fountain that, if you believe it or not, was even used as a swimming pool. During summer they also have outdoor events where locals enjoy the sunset with live music and a cold beer.

Jardim do Campo Grande

Jardim do Campo Grande is a beautiful rectangular garden in the neighbourhood of Campo Grande. It’s the biggest garden in Lisbon with over 1.2 km long and 200 meters wide. Since the beginning of XIX century that is used by locals and it was fully renovated in 2018, with even a McDonalds with Drive In.

Jardim do Campo Grande is full of excitement and ideal for everyone! There are walking routes, a lake where you can rent a paddle boat, children playgrounds, paddel courts and enough places to lay down on the grass and enjoy the amazing environment that you are in.

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Markthal

The Markthal is one of the most popular attractions in Rotterdam. Opened in 2014 by Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, the Markthal is very special because of its perfect arch and adorned roof. The 3D-techniques used to decorated the roof were performed by Arno Coenen and cover 11.000 m², creating an absolutely amazing experience.

It has more than 50 food vendors that sell Dutch classics, fish and chips, Spanish tapas and many more food and drinks. There are also more than 200 residential apartments inside the arch of this amazing building. It’s definitely one of the most emblematic buildings in Rotterdam and a nice spot to eat and enjoy the environment or just grab a bite to go.

Address: Dominee Jan Scharpstraat 298, 3011 GZ Rotterdam
Website: https://www.markthal.nl/
Opening times: Monday to Thursday and Saturday from 10 am to 8 pm | Friday from 10 am to 9 pm | Sunday from 12 pm to 6 pm

Rotterdam Central Station

It might sound a bit off but yes, the Rotterdam Central Station. This odd-shaped building was inaugurated in 2014 and it’s known for its futuristic architecture. Besides its obvious functionality, it has many features like the 3,000 solar panels that supply the whole station and the impressive 5,000 bike parking spots. 

Rotterdam Central Station has connections to a lot of international destinations like Paris and Brussels, which can be very useful for your trip. You can check all available destinations here: Rotterdam Centraal

The Cube Houses

You have to visit Rotterdam’s weirdest, but most eye-catching attraction for over 30 years! You can find the Cube Houses next to the metro station Rotterdam Blaak and the Oude Haven.

These perfectly-shaped houses, built in 45 degrees, make you wonder how it’s possible to live in there. Architect Piet Blom designed it in the 70’s as a demonstration of the liveable-space optimisation in the modern cities. There are 38 small cubes and two so called ‘super-cubes’, all attached to each other.

You can visit it from the outside, or buy tickets (€3) for the Show Cube Museum (Kijk-Kubus) to take a look inside. To enjoy the full experience you can also book one of the available Airbnbs here.

Historic Delfshaven

In 1940 the city of Rotterdam was severely bombed by the germans, causing the destruction of several areas and infrastructures. Delfshaven was one of the areas that survived WWII and is now the most historical part of the city.

Back in the days, locals used to make a living fishing in the canals around Delfshaven. Nowadays, the area is full of bars, beer breweries and art studios where locals love to spend their time.

Witte de Withstraat

Witte de Withstraat is the most cultural and lively street of Rotterdam. It’s located in the heart of the city and a great place to stay if you are visiting town.

It’s the place where you’ll find mixed up cultures, tastes and flavours. There are great restaurants, amazing bars and little cultural shops all around Witte de Withstraat.

One my favourite restaurants in this street is Bazar, a restaurant that serves amazing Middle East cuisine. Besides good food, their very colourful decor matches the theme perfectly!

Don’t forget to try their Kofte – a dish of grilled veal meatballs that will definitely blow you away.

The Luchtsingel

The Luchtsingel is a 400-meter long pedestrian bridge that connects Rotterdam Central District with Rotterdam Noord (North).

It was a crowdfunded project that was supported by over 8,000 people. For €25, their names were immortalised into the wooden boards used for lining the edge of the bridge.

Museumpark 

Museumpark is located in the center of Rotterdam and functions as the city’s cultural hub. It’s an urban park that has many museums like Museum Boijmans van Beuningen, Natural History Museum and De Kunsthal around it. Therefore, it owes its name.

The Museumpark is divided into four zones: a walking zone, a romantic zone, an asphalted city zone for events, and a well-tended garden. At Museumpark you will find a great cultural atmosphere on a very warmth and spacious area.

In August it’s possible to attend movie nights under the starry sky. A ticket costs only 6 euros – you can rent a seat (foldable chair) or bring your own chair or rug.

Nieuwe Binnenweg   

Nieuwe Binnenweg is a great street and is full of life. It’s the street where you will be able to get the exact image of Rotterdam’s personality.

It’s an almost 2 km long street full of shops, bars, restaurants and amazing bakeries like Koekela. This is also the street where you can find dutch famous coffee shops and breakfast bars. There’s so much variety of choice, that won’t be hard to find something of your taste.

Kralingse Plas

Kralingse Plas is the perfect escape from the busy city life. This is the place to have a picnic and relax surrounded by nature. Here, you will not only find a park, but also a small beach, a kid’s playground and a place where you can rent/store boats.

On good weather days you can even take a swim! Before you go in, just make sure to check if the water is safe here.

The Koopgoot

The Koopgoot, which was officially named Beurstraverse, has been the heart of Rotterdams shopping center for over 20 years now. I love the fact that is car-free, that shops are all in walking distance and that is open-aired but still rain covered almost everywhere.

Website: https://www.koopgoot.nl
Opening times: Tuesday to Saturday from 10 am to 6 pm (open until 9 pm on Fridays) | Monday and Sunday from 12 pm to 6 pm

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