Café Nicola, Lisbon
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| The façade was designed by the architect Norte Junior |
Café Nicola near Rossio Square in Lisbon is one of the Portuguese capital's most famous cafes along with the Pasteis de Belem in Belem and Café A Brasileira in the Chiado district.
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| The cafe is near busy Rossio Square |
History
The Café Nicola dates from the late 18th century.
Like the Café A Brasileira the cafe became a hang out for artists, intellectuals and writers which helped to spread its popularity. A statue of the writer Manuel Bocage by Marcelino de Almeida, and several oil paintings by Fernando Santos are within the cafe. In the gentlemen's toilet is a verse by Bocage when supposedly accosted by a policeman near the cafe, who asked him where he was going.
Eu sou o poeta Bocage
E venho do Café Nicola
E vou para o outro mundo
Se disparas a pistola
This translates roughly as "I am the poet Bocage, and I come from Café Nicola, and I will go to the other world, if you fire the pistol."
The first proprieters were Italian and the name comes from the first owner Nicola Breteiro whose company imported coffee beans from Brazil and Sao Tome e Principe.
The cafe is also a restaurant dishing up some delicious Portuguese food.
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| A Lisbon institution |
Access - Getting There
The nearest Lisbon metro station is Rossio.
Praça Dom Pedro IV 24-26 Lisbon, 1100-200
Hours: Monday-Friday: 8 am to 10 pm Sat: 9 am to 10 pm; Sunday: 10 am to 7 pm
The following bus services connect with Rossio: #736, AeroBus#1, AeroBus#2 (from Cais do Sodre to the Airport), #709 #711, #732, and #735.
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| Statue of Manuel Maria Barbosa du Bocage |
Hotels near Café Nicola
Hotels within easy reach of Café Nicola include the classic five star Avenida Palace, the three star Rossio Garden Hotel and the five star Altis Avenida Hotel with views over Rossio Square from several of its spacious rooms.
Cheaper alternatives are the Lisbon Destination Hostel, the Rossio Hostel and the Pensão Lafonense.
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| Painting by Fernando Santos above the counter |
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| Eu sou o poeta Bocage E venho do Café Nicola E vou para o outro mundo Se disparas a pistola |
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| Sample some delicious cakes at the cafe |
© Portugal Visitor
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