Friends we dined with asked what we'd been doing so far in Lisbon and we asked the same of them…read more El Corte Inglés wasn't just on their recommended list; It also came to me in a text message the following day, reminding me that I should go there.
Wow.
Amongst the things I didn't even know that I was pining away for, add an 8-story+ department store that is everything to everyone. We entered in a very high-end part of the store featuring all the luxury brands one knows then descended to a food court and movie theaters. From there, I moved on to explore the amazing lower-level supermarket before leaving there and strolling into the beauty/pharmacy department filled with products that both are and aren't available in the US.
I took the escalator up, eyeballing what each floor held before disembarking at a floor featuring home furnishings, electronics, housewares, and Christmas decor then got together with my friends for a drink at a wine bar on the top floor.
Someone else could write a book on all I likely missed here but what I saw guaranteed that from here on I'll be searching for El Corte Inglése in every place I travel.
If you think it's odd to have a department store on your must-see list in Lisbon it's clear that you've not yet been to El Corte Inglés.