JARDIM DO PRÍNCIPE REAL
E
ver since 1860, when it was decided to carpet the square with grass, the park has sheltered a highly unique human fauna that disperses into its nooks and crannies. It is not uncommon to find young artists in time-honoured tradition discussing ideas and concepts while clutching a drink at the ‘Quiosque do Refresco’ (an urban treasure dating from 1900), where you can order a hot milky coffee in a paper cup to go or lift your spirits over a glass of ginginha, or cherry brandy. If you venture under the trees, you’ll find the ‘Esplanada’, a romantic restaurant where poets seek that elusive rhyme and women gossip over a cup of tea. But to get a real sense of the neighbourhood, you have to head over to the ‘Quiosque do Oliveira’ on the left. There you’ll find friends in lively conversation, cabbies spinning yarns at the bar and a few tourists seduced by the bright Lisbon light buying postcards. While the kiosk on the right serves scented lemonade, here the beverage of choice is the bica, or expresso.
At the weekends, the park takes on another life. On Saturdays, stalls sprout like mushrooms to sell fruit and vegetables in true medieval fashion. All the produce is organic and a delight to behold. People swap ideas and whet their appetites until 2 pm. Once a month, there’s also an antiques and novelties fair with original urban handicrafts on display beside bric-a-brac. But that is not all. Between the exotic trees and the statues, Príncipe Real hides a well kept secret. By the central pond, there is a flight of steps that disappear into the ground… Before your eyes stands the Reservatório da Patriarcal with its underground lake that provided the city’s water until the 1940s. Nowadays, the reservoir is part of the Museu da Água. It’s a stunning venue! Kiosks, markets, fairs, flowers, statues, secrets and ancient trees provide the backdrop but they don’t make a park. For that, you need people, so put your shoes on and bring a book, a picnic, your family and friends and come and enjoy what is has to offer: the Jardim do Príncipe Real is yours. • 28