5 recommendations from our friend Britta Thomsen

We have asked our friend Britta Thomsen what she recommends friends who visits Lisbon

Britta Thomsen. Politician, Lisboeta and super cool

Sometimes you you can’t see the forest for all its trees. Like the other day when I needed inspiration and searched the web for something that will interest people on the way to Lisbon and felt like the AI and the algorithm had taken control and kept listing the same subjects, topics, news etc I have seen millions of times before. Or maybe it’s because of all bloggers and online travel media just writes the same again, and again because it’s easy.

It was going crazy and I was always shutting down if it wasn’t for the idea that hit me.

Britta – why don’t I ask her what would recommend her friends if they came now.

Britta is a super cool politician, Women’s Rights Activist and she has lived and traveled here forever. And then she has this provoking energy that challenge me in ways that sometimes leaves me with no answers or comments. But that’s another story…

So instead of shutting down I opened messenger and hit the keyboard.

Tings Lisbon: Britta – what does a Lisboeta like you recommend people on the way to Lisbon for the first time.

Britta's recommendations

Ha, ha, what do I recommend?

Back in the old days, when I arranged culture travels to Lisbon my recommendations were very traditional.

Like Castelo Sao Jorge & Alfama, Gulbenkian (including its history, the park and a concert or ballet at their concert venue). Belém of course with its Christian Church from 1500 and Centro Cultural de Belém (Contemporary Art Museum) that was built for the Portuguese EU Presidency back in 1992 – its Arab architecture is inspired by Bethlehem – the Arab word for Belém. And when in Belém a Pastal da Nata from the local fabric. Walking along the beach in Estoril/Cascais. Sintra, and ofcourse a trip to Evora.

Nowadays everybody wants guided city walks all over the world…. also cooking classes. And it’s my experience that tourists always find it more interesting and exciting to meet locals and hear their stories – maybe while they BBQ sardines in the street outside their door. Fado ofcourse – I always take people to Adega Machado in Bairro Alto.

Today it’s mostly people that interests me. So last time I was in Lisbon my biggest experience – without doubt – was the day I spend Sacavém, Africa in Lisbon.

Asking Britta is the best idea I have had in long time

Guess why you see a lot of BMWs in Sacavém

Why didn’t I ask Britta before.

I am not a fan of Guided Tours myself. But a lot of my friends are. And I have o lot of friends who works as tour guides So that one was spot on! One or two blog stories about City Tours is in the pipeline.

BUT the best thing is Sacavém – a part of Lisbon that slowly but surely is changing from being the dangerous part of Lisbon to a new cool and vibrate part of town. All because of Art & Culture. We love this part of town – it’s like traveling to Africa. We go there a lot and in 2018 I blogged about Quinta de Mocho (social housing project) and it’s amazing street art (The Independent had a big feature about this neighborhood) – some of the best in Lisbon if you ask me. And a source of income for a lot of young locals who do guided Street Art tours for the diehard art connoisseurs that find the way to tis part of Lisbon – so one more thumbs up to Britta.

Tomorrow I will reblog: Quinta Do Mocho: How this crime-plagued Lisbon Estate became the City’s coolest open air gallery.

Until then,

Love and compassion and thanks to Britta!

Thomas