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.

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.

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.

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 house where the first flag of the Portuguese Republic was created

It is located on Rua dos Correeiros, right in the heart of downtown Lisbon, and it originally started as a tailor shop.

The Monastery that turned into Parliament

Did you know that the building that is today known as the Parliament of Portugal used to be a monastery?

A Palace in Camões Square

In Chiado, where you can find the statue of Luís de Camões, there used to be a Palace: the Marialva Marquis Palace.

A rhinoceros in the Belém Tower

In the Tower of Belém, have you ever noticed the rhinoceros that appears on the façade?

Yes, there is a first circular

The Segunda Circular is the urban road that connects the eastern part of Lisbon to the western part, where traffic chaos is often experienced.

Did you know there is a Roman Theatre in Lisbon?

Have you ever visited the Roman Theater of Lisbon? One of the first buildings to be erected in the Roman city of Felicitas Iulia Olisipo (Lisbon), during the time of Emperor Augustus, and later remodeled during the time of Nero.

The Oldest Fountain in Lisbon

Lisbon is full of fountains, the kind that supplied the city in times of water scarcity.

“Résvés” Campo de Ourique - did you hear this expression?

Have you ever heard a Lisbon native using the famous expression "résvés Campo de Ourique"? It's quite possible that you have, and there are many reasons to explain its existence.

Feira da Ladra: an ancient flea market

Feira da Ladra is the famous street market where used clothing, antiques, handicrafts, and more are bought and sold.

The Estrela Military Hospital: From Convent to Cultural Space

The Estrela Hospital is now a cultural space in Lisbon, with two floors dedicated to theater and a third for the academy.

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?

An homage to journalism in garden of São Pedro de Alcântara

Perhaps you haven't noticed a statue in the São Pedro de Alcântara garden, in Bairro Alto.

A cemetery that is an open air museum

In 1833, a cemetery was built in the Estrela parish to accommodate the victims of a devastating cholera epidemic that struck Lisbon.

Who is this woman in the statue at Mercado da Ribeira

Perhaps you have already noticed the big statue in D. Luís I Square, next to Mercado da Ribeira.

Simão’s bookstore, one of the smallest in the world

Simão Bookstore, located in the Escadinhas de São Cristóvão in Alfama, is one of the smallest bookstores in the world.

The Spooky Dermatology Museum

Dermatology is not an old field, but the Museum of Portuguese Dermatology Dr. Luís Sá de Penella, located in Hospital dos Capuchos on Alameda de Santo António dos Capuchos, was established in 1955, although the idea behind this museum dates back to 1946.

A Hotel-Museum in Alfama, at the Former Sommer Warehouses

When the news broke that the former Sommer warehouses, located in the Coculim Palace on Cais de Santarém Street, would be transformed into a hotel, a team of archaeologists embarked on excavations, uncovering fascinating secrets!

The First Casino in Lisbon: The Majestic Club

You might have already come across the Casa do Alentejo on Portas de Santo Antão Street, a former and beautiful palace that is a heritage of all Alentejo people, where Alentejan culture is showcased and promoted.

The Vanished Royal Hospital of All Saints in Rossio

You've probably walked through Rossio Square, the bustling heart of Lisbon, and its neighboring square, Praça da Figueira.

Tavares Restaurant, One of the Oldest in Europe

In the Chiado district, on Misericórdia Street, you'll find the oldest restaurant in the country and one of the oldest in Europe: Tavares Restaurant, which opened its doors in 1784!

A Roman Fish Sauce Factory in a Hotel

In Belém, the decision to transform the former palace that once served as the residence of the governor of the Tower of Belém into a hotel brought a surprise: excavations would reveal that beneath the ground lay remnants of a Roman fish sauce factory!