Sometimes the best ways to discover places is by having NO PLANS – just, follow your instincts, impulses and spontanity… just  GO

We love museums and galleries. But we’re not fanatics.

It took us multiple visits and 10 years before we visited the first Museums in Lisbon. Our problem is, that no matter where we are, there are so many other things to see and do and listen to and taste and feel, that we rarely make it to the museums entrance. When we decided to move to Lisbon we decided to do a proper research which included visiting most of the Museums and Art Galleries in town. So by now we have seen most of what’s worth seeing.

Let’s go east along  Tejo – we never do that

Thomas was right – we never walk east along the river. Because of the Industrial Habour you can’t walk along the water – which we love. So in our minds we had created an idea, that there is nothing there to see untill you reach Expo . We normally only go east to visit Unterdogs – the best Art Hub in Portugal. And that is always by car or taxi. Our friends have told  us about some furniture outlets in the old ware houses along the habour. So we decided to check out where they were (even though we know they would be closed on a Sunday) and spend the day in this part of Lisbon.  

Marvila, the secret district of Lisbon

Old wine stores housing creative centers and coworking spaces. Original galleries, craft beer and coffee with a calculated non-decoration. The most innovative part of Lisbon is in this neighborhood along River Tejo.

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Marvila is the district of Lisbon where no Tuk Tuk go. and coffee still goes for 50 cents; no souvenir shops, no Hipster Barbershops (anyone remember when they used that name)….

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Marvila has no monuments but decaying huge warehouses where men in blue overalls and hands as rackets dragging sell their second hand stuff.

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Now, to discover the latest Lisbon, art galleries homebrews, must be passed by Marvila.

Javier Martin, El Pais

 

Sunday at 10 am we left Graca, just followed our insitincts and walked without plans

At first sight the whole strip from Alfarma towards Expo looks either abandoned OR like places not worth visiting. Either because of small and medium sized enterprizes and industries that are either closed – or should have been ages ago -or because of all the trucks, containers and cranes that make noize, pollute or wait for ships to arrive for them, to empty and repack so they can continue to a remote destination. But reality is different. We saw the factories and workshops – but also so much more.

The whole neighbourhood is way above our expectations

Walking under the rails at the end of Rua M. Deus was like crossing into a completely different – and to us unkown – part of town. Suddenly we found ourselves among ruins where people still live next to small work shops from last century. Scatterede amongst it all we discovered small antique shops, beautifully renovated old houses, garages with second hand furnitures, small theaters, tiny trendy shops, fine dining restaurants, trendy galleries, Design Studíos and Advertising Agencies. All sourrounded by the most fantastic street art by local and international street artist who can’t find spaces to create and show their art down town. Even the newly build ugly looking high rises that we hate when we see them in Principe Real, Bairo Alto and other parts of the old down town, have their charm here. [caption id="attachment_1064" align="aligncenter" width="600"] At the North end of Travesa Manutencao you find this modern housing sculpture[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1065" align="aligncenter" width="600"] At the Southern end of Traversa Manutencao you find this beatiful hundred years old Merchant’s Building[/caption]

We discovered a side of Lissabon we didn’t know

Unfortunately we did our sightseing on a Sunday where most places – except for the ususal family restaurants –  were closed. So we feel obliged to return again and experience more, when things are open and the places will be crowded. We don’t mind that. You will understand why after seing the following highlights [caption id="attachment_1059" align="aligncenter" width="600"] The anonymus Blue Girl (our title) turned out to be a piece by Ernest Zacharevic. Click on the picture to go to the artist’s website[/caption]

It was easy to find information about this blue girl that unveiled her beauty to us after turning around a corner… Ernest was working with Underdogs in July.

[caption id="attachment_1060" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Dinastia Tang[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1061" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Beatus[/caption] We’re always on the hunt for new places to eat and drink. So our surprice were big when we found the entrace to a very interesting looking Chinese Restaurant, Cha & Culture space Dinastia Tang, next to  another interesting wine shop, restaurant & music venue Beatus . Both places were closed – but we will be back soon. [caption id="attachment_1068" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Pleasant surprice to find this little pictorisque Largo in Poco Do Bisco… with one of the best Portuguese restaurants conveniently close by[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1069" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Annette ordered Costeleta de Vitela – NOT a half calf[/caption] After our late lunch (in a packed  restaurant) we managed to walk down to the riverside where we continued east through the mondaene, but half empty Lisboa Marine Park to Expo where we took a taxi home. What a fantastic day.

Taxi back to Senhora do Monte costs 7 £ (Sunday price)

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