Are you ready to immerse yourselves in the most trendy, international and fashion street of Principe Real?
Rua da Escola Politecnica is a colorful mixture of nice Lisboeta refurbished buildings and fancy shops dedicated to moms and babies.
Here the ones we like the most!
Loja Dada
Loja Dada is located close to Largo the Sao Mamede, and it’s a little but very interesting shop.
It’s focused on baby and kids clothes 0-10, shoes and accessories, with a little parenthesis for woman’s sandals from the Australian Saltwater, the only leather sandals that you can wear while dipping yourselves in the water: they have for both kids and women.
The minimalist shop has a lot of international brands like Bobo-Choses, Mini Rodini, Fjäll Räven but lately, it has focused its attention on Portuguese brands or Brands that have their production in Portugal: amongst the first, they sell The Play up, Cherry Papaya, while Repose AM, Grey Label, Little Hedonist, Moumout are made in Portugal.
Best for–> Local brands for minimalist kids’ clothes
Livraria Almedina
When you enter Livraria Almedina you don’t really understand what it is: a showroom, a concept store, somebody’s workshop?
This library is quite hidden at the end of Rua da Escola Politecnica, you might have passed by any time if you live in the area and always wondered what that little shop in the shadow was.
Originally conceived and use as a stained glass workshop, this nice space that now sells book was once the headquarters of Oficina da Vidrais and Mosaicos de Arte Ricardo Leone and has created the best Moresco’s window decorations: you still see some buckets of colorful pigments, the amazing shelves that once kept everything in place and some of the original wood partition, that create little-hidden corners all around the library.
The areas I like the most are the Travel room, right next to the entrance, and the kids’ corner, at the actual opposite corner: a little room that still carries a great trace of what once that workshop was, some of the original shelves are used to display hundreds of titles for babies, kids, and junior reader.
There is a nice toys corner with an interesting view on the little Japanese garden of the upper Yakuza restaurant.
Almedina bookshop is specialized in universities handbook but it offers an incredibly wide range of titles and a nice fragment of Lisbon artisans history.
Best for--> books about Lisbon, baby books and toys
Loja Real
This concept store facing the Jardim do Principe Real offers a wider range of brands from local Portuguese ones to internationals like Herchel, House Doctor, or the French Vilac.
It’s a wide space with no separations, is very easy to go through all brands: you can leave your kid to stare at the amazing wooden utensils from Vilac or the night lights from A Little Lovely Company or the puppets from Moulin Roty while you check the house decor area next to it or try a new pair of colorful Portuguese espadrilles.
There is a Danish corner of cool and delicious things like Chocolate from Simply Chocolate, mugs and plates from Arne Jacobsen, the nicest kitchen decor from House Doctor but also 24hours Bottle from Italy, and The Monocle guide for the world capitals.
The local brands include very traditional baby clothes from Loja Real itself, woman clothes, and a huge color variety of espadrilles.
Best for—> if you fancy the nordic style or it’s your kid birthday and you need a nice present or a useful one.
Mini by Luna (Close permanently) –> Atelier Bernardo
Mini by Luna is one of the first concept stores by Araceli Pique landed in Lisbon back in 2012.
The selection of brands is very well mixed between Woman, Kids and Home Decoration and Household. The space is very elegant and sophisticated with three very distinct shopping areas.
The most interesting international brand sold, in my opinion, is Numero 74, a very elegant Kids decoration brand, with nice, bed and bath linens, swaddles, but, best of all, dreamy Canopies and Tipis. They are all handmade by artisans in Thailand and they have very nordic color but the southern texture and feel.
They have some products from the very talented Violeta Cor de Rosa, an amazing Portuguese illustrator, and blogger.
They also sell the amazing Swedish beauty treatment from la: Bruket and they have a special corner where they host new brands once in a while.
Best for –> Kids room decoration
Organi @ Embaixada (Close Permanently)
Organii is one of the first shops I got to know since I arrived in Lisbon.
The location is very suggestive: imagine a XIX century new-Arabian Palace, situated in front of the Jardim do Principe Real, that has been brought back to life without much refurbishment. The name of this beauty is Embaixada and the story of its coming back is written here.
The shops in the building are many, clothes, design, shoes and cosmetics, but Organii is the best kids shops.
They have a great range of brands, most Nordic, all organic: they also have everything a newborn needs, from organic bamboo diapers to reusable Popolini cloth diapers, slings, and carriers, Trixie must-have changing mat cover, swaddle, and wet-wipes older.
They have clothes for children from Premature and 0 age until 6, from Imps and Elf, FUB, Little Green Gardener, and the very cool Oeuf from New York.
The shoe department it’s also very interesting with the very comfy german shoes from Bobux or the delicious soft slippers from Easy Peasy, perfect for the babies that are starting crawling or attempt to walk.
The selection of Sling and carrier includes some of the best ergonomic brands like Manduca and Boba. They even sell the Greentom stroller, the most sustainable, affordable, and functional stroller from newborn to pre-schooler, designed in the Netherlands from recycled PP. and even recycled drinking bottles for the Fabric.
Best for –> Organic clothes and sustainable upbringing gears
Loja Quer (Close Permanently) –> Edicare Editora
Wheather you are looking for the perfect present for a kid or for a nice piece of local artisanal design, Loja Quer is the shop you are looking for.
Located in Largo de Sao Mamede, almost at the of Principe Real, this shop is a real gem of unique and relaxed shopping.
Half of the shop shows Portuguese and English books and toy for the sustainable brand Plan toys and other brands while the rest is about home decor design, bags, and purses.
They have nice kids decor pieces from local Mae Design,perfect for wild animal lovers and So so, that design toys with a meaning like the fishing bottle game or the little animals on wheels: most of their products are designed starting from analysing one Portuguese proverb, like “dogs that barks doesn’t bite” or “not everything that is in the fisherman net is good”.
Best for –> Local souvenir and kids books and toys for Ginger kids from the Danish brand Maileg
