Bohemian Centre And Alfama

Overview

This walk starts in Rossio Square, where the guide waits by the statue with a purple umbrella, and spends its first stretch on the wave-patterned paving and the story of the old Portuguese empire reaching across the Atlantic toward Brazil. From there the route works through the city's religious history, street art with an unexpected papal connection, and the great earthquake that brought Lisbon down around its medieval Moorish castle. Food, popular saints and forgotten ones, and the Arab heritage of the city all get a turn before the walk finishes in Alfama, ending to the sound of Fado, the Portuguese soul in song.

The tour is listed on GuruWalk and lasts 2 hours 30 minutes, in English only. It is free to book and you pay the guide what you think the walk was worth at the end. Travellers who have reviewed it describe it as carrying an impressive amount of information.

The meeting point is in the Baixa neighbourhood, at Praça do Rossio, and the walk ends in Alfama, so plan your onward route from there rather than back at the start.

Itinerary

1. Meet at Rossio SquareThe guide waits in front of the statue in Rossio Square with a purple umbrella. The address given is Praça do Rossio, 1100-200 Lisboa.
2. Rossio Square and the empireThe walk opens on the black wave paving of Rossio and the story of the old Portuguese empire stretching across the Atlantic toward Brazil.
3. Church, street art and the popeThemes here include the Catholic church, tales of religious fundamentalism, and street art with a papal connection.
4. The great earthquakeThe guide covers the terror of the great earthquake and the city crumbling beneath the medieval Moorish castle.
5. Food, saints and Arab heritageThe walk turns to Lisbon's food, its popular saint and its forgotten one, and the city's Arab heritage.
6. End in Alfama with FadoThe tour finishes in Alfama, swaying to the melancholy rhythms of Fado, described on the tour's GuruWalk page as the soul of the Portuguese made song.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points will help you get the most out of this walk, drawn from the tour's own description and from what reviewers have said about it.

• Meeting the guide. The guide stands in front of the statue in Rossio Square holding a purple umbrella. That is the only meeting arrangement stated, so arrive with the square's statue as your landmark.
• Pace and stamina. The walk lasts 2 hours 30 minutes and covers the historical centre and Alfama. Reviewers describe it as packed with an impressive amount of information.
• Language. The tour runs in English only. If anyone in your party needs another language, this is not the walk for them.
• How payment works. Booking is free and you pay the guide what you think the walk was worth at the end. That is the payment arrangement stated on the tour's GuruWalk page.
• Where you finish. The walk ends in Alfama, not back at Rossio. Plan your onward travel from the finishing point, since the tour description does not mention a return to the start.
• What to bring. The tour description gives no what-to-bring list. Nothing is stated as required or not allowed on the walk.

Common issues. The tour's own description states no inclusions, no exclusions and no route stops, so it is hard to know in advance exactly which points you will stand at. There is no pickup: you make your own way to Rossio Square. No suitability information is given for children or limited mobility, and no details are published about group size or minimum numbers for a departure. The only consistent feedback from reviewers is that the walk carries an impressive amount of information.

What To Know Before You Walk