Only in Lisbon
Curiosities
Jau street, a tribute to the enslaved people of Lisbon
There is a curious street in Alcântara about a strange man: Jau.
An old artists' villa hidden in Principe Real hills
Vila Martel hides behind a closed door at the number 55 in Rua das Taipas, on the slope of Glória.
Rua do Arsenal, home of the cod shops, witness to history
The trade of Lisbon's favourite fish for Christmas dinner has been more intense in the past, but it still survives in the street that witnessed the most important events in Lisbon's recent history, from the earthquake to 25th April.
A barge and two crows: Saint Vincent, the ancient patron saint of Lisbon
January 22nd marks another anniversary of the death of Saint Vincent, the saint that was once the patron saint of Lisbon and the Kingdom of Portugal, until he was replaced by Saint Anthony, today unbeatable in the preference of Lisboners.
The origin of the Berliners in Portugal
Berliners can be found in any café in Lisbon, stuffed with multiple flavors but they are especially famous at the beaches, where the sellers shout “Look at the berliner!”.
The library that resisted the earthquake and housed the King mistresses
Anyone who gets a glimpse of this pleasant 17th-century palace, serene under the shade of the Alvalade trees, has no idea that the Coruchéus Library has lived several lives, survived the great earthquake, served noble purposes and less noble ones, like when it hosted the extramarital escapades of Felipe II of Spain, I of Portugal.
In this garden leisure plus nature equals mathematics
For those who walk by Campo Grande it may go unnoticed, but around the 11 hectares of the renamed Jardim Mário Soares, there is a collection of games dedicated to mathematics.
Who was Almirante Reis, the name of this famous avenue?
Avenue Almirante Reis is known for multiculturalism, different experiences that come together there. But where does this mysterious name come from?
What is that building above Porto Brandão, on the other side of the river? An old pesthouse, once the biggest in the world
Have you ever heard of the Lazareto de Porto Brandão? Maybe you’ve seen it from the northern margin of the river Tejo.
A giant crocodile in Chelas
What if I told you that, once upon a time, there was a crocodile in ... the Chelas neighborhood?
A big “bean stew” in Vasco da Gama bridge
You’ve probably heard of the Vasco da Gama bridge, or even crossed it. It was baptized with the name of the famous portuguese navigator, and it connects Alcochete to Lisbon and to Sacavém.
The Church that founded Italy, in Chiado
In the middle of Chiado, there is an italian pearl, 500 years old. It is the Church of Our Lady of Loreto, near Largo Camões. It is a meeting point and even the birthplace of the Italian Nation.
The hidden secret panels of the Alcântara Marine Station
The first painting with a black person in a position other than subordinate, among a series of subversive and polemic drawings.
Palácio do Grilo in Beato, a place to dream
Palácio do Grilo is many things: a palace-museum-restaurant-bar-theatre, whatever the visitor wants. With more than 200 rooms to visit, the Palace's atmosphere takes you to another dimension, to dreams, to a live movie, to the fantastic.
Queijadas Finas de Sintra: the Nata rival
This is a sweet little tart with a special place in Portuguese gastronomic and even literary heritage. It makes up the list of Portuguese desserts prepared with cheese and rivals another giant of Portuguese pastry, the pastel de nata.
In Alvalade, a film club keeps alive the memory of neighborhood theaters
In Alvalade, nine friends united their love for the Bairro with their taste for cinema and gave life to a project that mobilizes the neighborhood's neighbors.
Jacarandás, the purple Lisbon
In the spring, it is from the Tagus that we best see the purple mantle that invades the city of Lisbon with its jacarandas. And rightly so, because the Tagus has everything to do with the history of these trees - they arrived in the 19th century coming from Brazil.
Hospital St. Louis, where Fernando Pessoa died
Where did Fernando Pessoa, the portuguese poet known for his heteronyms, die? Do you know?
The first telegraph in Portugal lies in… Terreiro do Paço
The communication and transport revolution began in the 19th century and in Portugal, one of the first steps happened on the 16th September 1856 with the installation of the first electrical telegraphic network, in Lisbon.
There is a mummy with cancer in this museum
Museums have a lot of secrets. But some of those secrets are quite unusual. In the National Museum of Archeology, at Praça do Império, Belém, there is a mummy with prostate cancer!
Estacas, the project that defied the dictatorship
There is a neighborhood that dared to defy the architecture of the Salazar’s Estado Novo, when the country lived under a dictatorship.
Ajuda Botanical Garden, the eldest garden in Lisbon
Have you been to the oldest garden in Lisbon?