Alfama needs no introduction — this historic district of Lisbonwith its thousand colours, its winding alleys, its buildings dressed in azulejos and laundry at the windows, its velhas (old ladies) still watching their street from their windows, its sublime views over the river that reflects the sun’s so-particular light…In short, a sublime district, much loved by travellers.
Alfama has changed a lot in recent years, welcoming many trendy cafés, luxury hotels and upscale restaurants.But Alfama is above all a district with a great history, and a very poor past. Its typical character is nothing new, and what we love to photograph today once represented a hard life for the people of Lisbon. Hard, yes, but not sad.
In Alfama, children played in the street, washerwomen went up and down the streets loaded with laundry to clean it in the wash houses, neighbourhood festivals were in full swing, street vendors drew the crowds, the cobblers knew all the residents’ life stories, travelling bookshops and other local services brought a little comfort during the damp winters, and fado livened up the locals’ evenings.
Alfama still keeps a soul and fights to preserve its authenticity. And to do so,Voyage à Lisbonneoffers you, among other travel services, the chance to discover Alfama through anexceptional private guided tour that respects local life and lets you discover neighbourhood life as you never could have on your own. This tour highlights Alfama’s history, architecture, residents and culture while respecting neighbourhood life. If you’d like to know more, contact us at the following address:contact@voyage-a-lisbonne.comor through the form by clicking on the “CONTACT” tab in our menu.
To recall what Alfama was like and what it still represents for the district’s oldest residents, discover some wonderful old photographs:
All these photos come from the Lisbon municipal archives.
