Bohemia Walk, Spanish

Overview

This Spanish-language walk starts at 11:00 in Commerce Square, on the spot where the Royal Palace stood before the earthquake of 1755, and spends its two hours and thirty minutes moving through central Lisbon. The guide, found in front of the Arco da Rua Augusta under a blue umbrella, leads the group from the square to the City Hall and then into the streets around Largo do Corpo Santo, Largo de Sao Paulo and Calle Rosa, where the Second World War stories of the spies who lived in wartime Lisbon take over. The GuruWalk listing promises it feels like stepping back to 1942.

From there the theme shifts to food at the Ribeira Market, with its corridors of stalls selling typical Portuguese products, before the route climbs through the Bairro Alto. The Elevador da Bica, one of the oldest funiculars in the city, is watched as it rises slowly between the old houses of the Rua da Bica. Above, the walk reaches the Mirador de San Pedro de Alcantara, with views over the Alfama neighborhood, the Castle of San Jorge and the Tagus, then continues past the Church of San Roque, the tiled facades of the Largo da Trindade, Luis de Camoes Square and the bohemian streets of Chiado, ending at the Theater and Opera of San Carlos, built in 1792.

The tour is listed on GuruWalk. It is free, pay what you want: booking a spot costs nothing, and guests tip the guide what they feel the walk was worth at the end. It runs in Spanish only and covers the Baixa, Bairro Alto and Chiado areas on foot.

Itinerary

1. Meet at Commerce SquareThe group meets at 11:00 in Commerce Square, in front of the Arco da Rua Augusta, where the guide waits with a blue umbrella. The square stands where the Royal Palace stood before the 1755 earthquake.
2. City HallFrom the square the walk heads to the City Hall, with the regency period and the First Portuguese Republic seen from a new perspective.
3. Largo do Corpo SantoThe first stop given in the itinerary. The Second World War is a strong theme here, especially around the Largo de Corpo Santo, the Largo de Sao Paulo and Calle Rosa, home of the spies who lived in Lisbon during the war.
4. Ribeira MarketHistory gives way to gastronomy. The group crosses corridors of stalls selling typical Portuguese products.
5. Elevador da BicaThe route continues to the Elevador da Bica, one of the oldest funiculars in the city, seen ascending slowly between the old houses of the Rua da Bica toward the Bairro Alto.
6. Bairro Alto and viewpointIn the Bairro Alto the guide talks about the historical and urban development of the city while the group walks streets full of shops and bars, then reaches the Mirador de San Pedro de Alcantara, with views over Alfama, the Castle of San Jorge and the Tagus.
7. Church of San RoqueBetween small squares and narrow streets the walk arrives at the Church of San Roque, a baroque hermitage built in 1506, then passes the Largo da Trindade with its tiled facades.
8. Chiado and San CarlosAfter Luis de Camoes Square the group leaves the Bairro Alto for the bohemian streets of Chiado, with its cafes and bookstores, and finishes at the Theater and Opera of San Carlos, built in 1792 on the site of an older opera house.

What To Expect From The Tour

The route has 13 stops in total, though the GuruWalk listing only names the first three, so much of the walk arrives as a surprise. A few practical points are worth knowing before reserving a spot on GuruWalk.

• Language. The tour runs in Spanish only. Travellers without Spanish will struggle to follow the historical commentary, which covers Portuguese and European history in some depth.
• Pace and terrain. The walk lasts two hours and thirty minutes and climbs from the Baixa up through the Bairro Alto. Reviews describe it as entertaining and full of information, so comfortable shoes are a sensible choice for a route of this length.
• Food and drink. The Ribeira Market stop is a chance to see corridors of stalls with typical Portuguese products. Eat beforehand or plan a stop in Chiado's cafes after the walk ends.
• Views and photos. The Mirador de San Pedro de Alcantara offers one of the best views of the city, with the Alfama neighborhood, the Castle of San Jorge and the Tagus in sight. The tiled facades of the Largo da Trindade are another.
• Finding the guide. The meeting point is Commerce Square, in front of the Arco da Rua Augusta, at 11:00. The guide carries a blue umbrella, which is the marker to look for.
• Group feel. Several travellers described the tour as very enjoyable and the guides as professional and clearly fond of their work. Plenty of history of Portugal and Europe is mixed into the neighborhood walk.

Common issues. The main complaint in the reviews is timing: one reviewer reported that the tour finished 30 minutes early and several stops mentioned in the description were left out. There is no pickup: everyone makes their own way to Commerce Square by 11:00. The tour runs in Spanish only, which rules it out for travellers who do not follow the language.

What To Know Before You Walk