The Palace Afternoon Tea

An Afternoon Tea is a very special treat to be enjoyed by family and friends.

This very English tradition is said to have been started around 1840 by duchess Anna Maria and it is usually taken between 3 and 5 o'clock.

Tea is commonly consumed at social events, and many cultures have created formal ceremonies for these events. Western examples of these are afternoon tea and the tea party.

For some, especially in the upper social classes, tea is a late afternoon light meal, often just cake, scones or sandwiches served, irrespective of the beverage consumed with it.

Although it is not very known, Portugal was the first to introduce the practice of drinking tea to Europe as well as the first European country to produce tea around 1750.


In Lisbon it is possible to enjoy the Afternoon Tea in some historical Tea Lounges as the "Pastelaria Versailles" open since 1922 which preserves traces of art deco that was always characterized by larger mirrors and crafted ceilings or the "Pavilhão Chinês" one of the most emblematic places of Lisbon with high aesthetic and architectural value.

In 1996 the Avenida Palace hosted a series of encounters that took place every Saturday afternoon. It was called "Chá com Poesia" (Tea with Poetry). This event brought to the Avenida Palace numerous personalities related to Culture, to hear and recite poetry.

Steeped in tradition, the Avenida Palace has been using the tradition of the Afternoon Tea for some years now.

To accompany the occasion is the piano with Mozart and Chopin as some of the composers to be heard and the splendid lounge of this landmark hotel plays host to this ritual.

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