Walks · Lisbon · English
4 narrated stops, 10 minutes of stories, 2.6 km on foot. Press play at each stop — no app needed — or open the walk in Avsha and let the stories keep coming as you move.
Stop 1 · 3 min
In short: The riverbed serves as a high-pressure drain for the massive Sierra Madre Oriental mountains. During hurricanes like Gilbert and Alex, the dry bed becomes a violent conveyor belt of mud and debris that destroys homes and sweeps away hundreds of lives.
↓ 1.2 km · 17 min to the next stop
Stop 2 · Rua Garrett, Lisbon · 2 min
In short: The area is named after António Ribeiro, a sixteenth-century monk and satirical poet nicknamed Chiado, or 'The Squeak.' His shrill voice and sharp wit led to his nickname being used for the entire district.
↓ 200 m · 3 min to the next stop
Stop 3 · 3 min
In short: Rua do Alecrim, meaning "Rosemary," connects Chiado to Cais do Sodré. Rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake, the street features the 18th-century Chagas Arch viaduct and was once a haunt for intellectuals known as the "Vencidos da Vida."
↓ 1.2 km · 18 min to the next stop
Stop 4 · 3 min
In short: Alfama survived the 1755 earthquake because it is anchored to a foundation of solid rock high on a hill. This geological foundation protected the district's structures while the rest of Lisbon was destroyed by building collapses, tsunamis, and fires.