A City Where History Is Around Every Corner

You can’t spit without hitting a historic landmark in Lisbon (so please don’t). Phoenicians, Romans, Moors, and many more have left their stamp here.

Tap Water in Portugal

August 12, 2019

Of all the must-haves on your vacation checklist, drinking water should probably come pretty close to the top (especially in the summer heat). And, like much of the rest of the city, Lisbon has a winding and fun relationship with the elixir of life.

TimeOut and Ribeira: The Lisbon Market With a Split Personality

August 8, 2019

Mercado da Ribeira and TimeOut Market — exploring the great divide under one roof.

Why do Lisbon Bars Play Elevator Music?

June 25, 2019

This is not elevator music, this is Bossa Nova, which is being played in the bars and restaurants of Lisboa ever more frequently.

When the Saints Go Marching: Santo António Day Explained

May 29, 2019

First of all, I’ll just let it out there: Santo António is an impostor. Yes, because the official patron saint of Lisbon is actually São Vicente. This is the one whose statue stands at Portas do Sol in Alfama, where he holds the symbol of the city in one hand – the ship crewed by […]

The Carnation Revolution: Five Dead Men

April 24, 2019

The Carnation Revolution was relatively bloodless, but there were, in fact, several people killed and many more wounded. But who were they? How did it happen? And why does it seem that these deaths have slipped through the cracks of history?

Fish Tales: The Story Behind our Favorite Conservas

April 4, 2019

Everyone’s seen them, most have eaten them, and every tourist buys at least one to take home as a souvenir, but what do we really know about Portugal’s famous canned fish? Aside from the contents of each can, the packaging of the various brands have stories to tell of saudade, life on the water, and […]

Flour, Water, and Salt: the Best Sourdough Bread in Lisbon

March 1, 2019

Italians like to tell an anecdote about a baker’s helper who, apparently suffering from a drinking problem, arrived to work with a bottle of beer and accidentally poured a drop of alcohol into the dough. The consequences couldn’t go unnoticed: loaves came out wonderfully big and plump. Since the chief baker wanted to know what […]