Free Walking Tour Lisbon II: time travel in Chiado

Not knowing what to do in Lisbon? Spending an afternoon in Chiado is never a bad idea!

After the first chapter Free Walking Tour Lisbon I: Downtown, this time we will take a quiet tour inside the streets to go up and down the beautiful, ancient and classic neighborhood of Chiado. We always advise you to appreciate the facades of the shops as you walk through its streets, because there are true architetonic treasures of other eras that you can not miss! In fact, it is one of the districts of Lisbon which best managed to combine the past and the present, maintaining its history without being stuck in time.

How to get there?

The stop is right there at the top of the street. On the blue line, the underground stop of Baixa-Chiado gives you direct access without having to walk much. If you prefer other options you also have buses coming from different areas of Lisbon, and the famous number 28 tram, which still retains its original look of the Lisbon trams.

Luís de Camões Square

To make life easier for you, instead of having to go down the street and then having to climb it again, we recommend that you first go to Praça Luís de Camões, also known as Largo Camões. It is just to the right, as soon as you exit the underground station.

The bronze statue that stands in the centre of the square was erected in 1867 and is a tribute to the writer Luís de Camões, with a laurel wreath that adorns his head, a sword in his left hand, and the one that is considered his greatest work - "The Lusiads" - in his right hand. Around it are small stone statues that represent other Portuguese personalities - the chroniclers Fernão Lopes and Gomes Eanes de Azurara; the poets Jerónimo Corte Real, Francisco de Sá Meneses and Vasco de Quevedo; the historians Fernão Lopes de Castanheda and João de Barros; the mathematician and cosmographer Pedro Nunes. The imagery of mermaids and boats created in Portuguese pavement around the statue evoke Camões' famous epic poem.

This square separates the neighborhoods of Chiado and Bairro Alto and is one of the favourite meeting points of the capital city, especially at night, and is also one of the stops of the famous number 28 tram.

Café A Brasileira

Crossing the street from Luís de Camões Square to Largo Chiado, you will see a café called "A Brasileira", or as it was spelled in the year of its opening, "A Brazileira". It is one of the oldest and most famous cafes in the city and was opened in 1905 by Adrian Telles as a way to import and sell Brazilian coffee from the state of Minas Gerais, a product that was not generally appreciated by the Lisboetas (the name you give to Lisbon locals) of the time - to promote it, Telles offered a cup of esperesso to anyone who bought 1 kilogram of ground coffee. This was also the first place to sell the famous bica, a small cup of strong coffee similar to the espresso.

In 1908 it has been remodeled to become a café as we know it today, and in 1922 it has been refurbished again in Art-Deco style, by the architect José Pacheco.

After the birth of the Republic, "A Brasileira" has been, over time, a meeting place for intellectuals, artists, writers and thinkers - one of whom was Fernando Pessoa, whose bronze statue is sitting down to observe whoever goes there to drink their coffee. It was also here that the famous Orpheu magazine has been established - a quarterly avant-garde literature magazine that inspired numerous literary movements.

A Vida Portuguesa

After drinking a coffee next to Fernando Pessoa, we hope you don't mind making a little detour to Rua Anchieta to take a peek at this unique shop. It is a 2 minute walk, turning right before Bertrand, and we promise you will not regret it.

This shop, which was first opened in Chiado and is now spread over several sites in Lisbon and Porto, was born from a research project by the journalist Catarina Portas about the old Portuguese products that are still produced and have kept their original packaging.

Here, there are products of brands that have crossed generations and whose longevity is due to the quality of their products, such as Viarco or Ach Brito. "A Vida Portuguesa" is another great example of how the past and the present interact and create synergies.

Armazéns do Chiado

After you've gone all the way down Rua Garrett, you will find a building with a sign that says "Armazéns do Chiado". This is a good example of how Chiado managed to bridge the gap between the past and present, linking the historical with the contemporary.

The "Grandes Armazéns do Chiado" brought to Lisbon, in 1894, the type of cosmopolitan shopping experience that already existed in Paris, with a wide and varied commercial space. Here jewelry and perfumes were sold, among other products. It was thus that the Aramazéns became a place of reference for shopping in the city, having enjoyed great success.

With the fire that happened on the 25th of August of 1988, the space was destroyed, entering into situation of technical bankruptcy. But in 1995 the project of the well-known architect Álvaro SizaVieira, which was conceived in 1989, was put into operation. With its exterior structure and façade rehabilitated, the space was converted into a modern shopping centre, which has surprisingly had the same success and importance that the old "Grandes Armazéns" held.

Lisboa, City of Fado

When climbing down Rua do Carmo, after a visit to the "Armazéns", you will hear the trill of guitars and you'll begin to try and find out where it's coming from. Follow the music and you will come across a small, old-looking green car, promoting fado and selling CD's of the best fadistas Portugal has seen.

"Silêncio, que se vai cantar o fado!" ("Silence, fado is going to be sung!" is a phrase used in the past when artists would play in fado venues) Even if you don't buy anything, we advise you to enjoy Chiado to the sound of Amália or Mariza. If you ever get lost in Lisbon and hear this sound in the distance, you'll know immediately where you are.

Chiado Shops

Shopping in the city of Lisbon has always been of great importance and historic shops are scattered throughout the city. A while ago, the City Council itself has decided to distinguish the shops of the capital with any historical legacy.

One of these examples is the glove shop "Ulisses", which is the last shop in Portugal dedicated exclusively to the sale of gloves, which are crafted in leather and available in all colours. It has been built into the Wall of Carmo since 1925 and has well preserved interiors and furniture inspired by the empire style, with a neoclassical façade that draws the attention of those who go past it.

Santa Justa Lift