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    Date of publication 18/10/2018

    Wellness

    Holidays in Portugal Lisbon, the street art capital of the world

    In recent years, Lisbon’s walls have undergone a true transformation, turning from mere structures into authentic canvases. Supported by local artists such as Vhils and the Galeria de Arte Urbana —a municipal organization promoting and legalizing these interventions— the entire city has been beautified and reinvented as an open-air museum that’s a joy to explore. This is a journey that begins in the heart of the city and ends in unexpected neighborhoods full of creative energy.

    To make the most of it all, we invite you to discover our hotel in Lisbon. Its unbeatable location, close to Marquês de Pombal Square, Avenida da Liberdade —lined with luxury boutiques— and Eduardo VII Park, makes it the perfect spot to start exploring the corners that once inspired Fernando Pessoa himself.

    Enjoy, learn, and strike a pose!

    <h2>Cronos</h2> <p>It all began eight years ago. One spring morning, Avenida Fontes Pereira do Melo&mdash;one of the most exclusive streets in the city&mdash;turned three of its properties into huge canvases for the most famous urban artists of the time: <strong>G&eacute;meos, Blu and SAM3. </strong>Commissioned and created by Alexander Fartos (aka Vhils), the <strong>Cronos project was conceived to raise awareness about the importance of street art in the city </strong>and, incidentally, to save buildings that were condemned to be demolished and disappear. They still stand today, and have become some of the most famous and inspiring examples of artistic &ldquo;vandalism&rdquo; in the whole world.</p>

    Cronos

    It all began eight Mays ago. That spring morning, Avenida Fontes Pereira do Melo —an exclusive street just steps from the Iberostar Selection Lisboa— woke up with three of its buildings transformed into giant canvases for some of the world’s most renowned street artists: Gémeos, Blu, and SAM3. Curated and driven by Alexandre Farto (aka Vhils), this project, called Cronos, was born to raise awareness in the city about the importance of Street Art and, at the same time, to leave behind a work that was destined to disappear under demolition. And yet, it still stands today —one of the most famous and inspiring acts of artistic rebellion in the world.

    <h2>LX Factory</h2> <p>More than just a local phenomenon, this factory, which is located under the Alc&aacute;ntara Bridge, has started <strong>a</strong> <strong>global revolution. </strong>This is an example of an industrial building being handed over to creators, generating a kind of parallel universe where imagination has no limits. The flow of ideas is infectious, with the power to brighten up any day. And, of course, in this ecosystem of shops, bars, studios and bookstores, urban art has found a place. It acts as a <strong>disruptive and undeniably inspiring aesthetic discourse,</strong> broadcasting to the world that here, something is really cooking.<strong> </strong></p>

    LX Factory

    More than a local phenomenon, this former factory located beneath the Alcântara Bridge has become a global revolution. It stands as a prime example of an industrial building handed over to creators, giving rise to a kind of parallel universe where imagination knows no limits. Its torrents of ideas seem to spread and brighten the day. And of course, within this ecosystem of shops, bars, studios, and bookstores, street art has earned its place — both as a signal that something is happening here and as a disruptive and undeniably inspiring aesthetic statement.

    <p>Exploring both the inside and the outside of this complex, you&rsquo;ll find microcosms where artists leave behind evidence of their own imagination. Bordalo II, with its impressive bumblebee, proves that one man&rsquo;s trash is another man&rsquo;s <strong>colorful collage</strong>. M&aacute;rio Bel&eacute;m has drawn<strong> a larger-than-life parade of dolls, characters and creatures</strong> (pictured) emerging from somewhere between his childhood memories and adulthood daydreams. Another of the most Instagrammable interventions is the phrase projected on a brick wall by the collective MaisMenos, which reads, <strong>&quot;Until debt tear us apart,&quot;</strong> a quote adapted from the famous Joy Division song.</p>

    Exploring both the interior and exterior of this complex is like discovering a series of microcosms where each artist leaves a trace of their own imagination. Bordalo II, with his striking bumblebee, proves that waste materials can be transformed into colorful collages. Mário Belém illustrates a huge parade of dolls, characters, and creatures (pictured) that lie somewhere between childhood memories and adult daydreams. Another of the most Instagrammed pieces is the phrase projected by the MaisMenos collective on a brick wall, reading “Until debt tear us apart,” a clever twist on the famous Joy Division song.

    <h2>Underground Village</h2> <p>The Underground Village is <strong>a coworking space built on imagination</strong>. Right next to the LX Factory, in this spot&mdash;which was originally part of a Lisbon tram station&mdash;unused shipping containers and <strong>double-decker buses from London</strong> (yep, brought straight from the British metropolis) have accumulated into what looks like a junk graveyard. However, its interior has been refurbished to host <strong>hipster offices and caf&eacute;s</strong>, and its exterior walls turned into large, colorful canvases that herald what awaits inside. Exploring each space means navigating balconies, metal walkways and even swings.</p>

    Underground Village

    The Underground Village is imagination turned into coworking. In this space, reclaimed from Lisbon’s old tram facilities and located right next to the LX Factory, obsolete containers and London double-decker buses (yes, really, brought from the British capital) pile up in what looks like a scrapyard of giants. And yet, the interior has been transformed to host hipster offices and cafés, their colorful exteriors serving as canvases that hint at the creativity within. Exploring it feels like wandering through balconies, metal walkways, and even swings.

    <p>One of the initial objectives of the GAU (Galeria de Arte Urbana) was to prevent the Bairro Alto district from being covered with graffiti and tags, which are ultimately the antitheses of this underground discipline. To do this, it encouraged and <strong>urged the most brilliant local artists to recover the muralist tradition</strong> and reclaim their streets. The results are works like the Fresco Revolucionario de la Travessa dos Fleis de Deus, the creation of Antonio Alves and RIGO, which pays tribute to <strong>the posters that spurred on the Carnation Revolution in the 70s. </strong></p>

    One of the initial goals of the GAU (Galeria de Arte Urbana) was to prevent the Bairro Alto from being covered with graffiti that, in essence, stands in opposition to this underground art form. For that reason, the organization encouraged and urged the most talented local artists to revive the muralist and socially engaged tradition of the neighborhood’s streets. The result includes works such as the Revolutionary Fresco on Travessa dos Fleis de Deus, created by Antonio Alves and RIGO, paying tribute to the posters that, in the 1970s, helped ignite the Carnation Revolution.

    <h2>Alfama</h2> <p>Local imagination is also on display in other corners of Lisbon. Throughout the narrow streets and hills of the historic Alfama neighborhood, fado music takes over the walls in various ways. The most monumental example is Vhils&rsquo; tribute to Am&aacute;lia Rodrigues in a little park on <strong>R&uacute;a S&atilde;o Tom&eacute;</strong>, in the form of a cobblestone mosaic. Another is Fado Vadio, an enormous mural <strong>that decorates the S&atilde;o Crist&oacute;v&atilde;o staircase with folklore, </strong>telling the story of this genre and starring Fernando Maur&iacute;cio and Maria Seveda.</p>

    Alfama

    Even so, Lisbon’s local identity continues to shine through in other corners of the city. In the narrow streets and steep hills of the historic Alfama district, fado conquers the walls in many forms. One of the most striking is Vhils’ tribute to Amália Rodrigues in a small park on Rúa São Tomé, crafted as a mosaic of cobblestones. Another is Fado Vadio, a large mural that decorates the folkloric stairway of São Cristóvão, offering a vivid journey through the history of this music genre, with Fernando Maurício and Maria Severa as its main figures.

    <p>Going down (or up) from the castle to Baixa means making your way through a <strong>pedestrian maze</strong> where new styles of murals fit in perfectly. Their presence brightens the path, peppering it with unexpected photo ops in front of hypnotic images like the <em>Segue</em> eyes in Beco do Maldonado. In addition to the initiatives of individual artists, Alfama has secured its significance in the 21st century with <strong>festivals like Paratissima</strong>, which promotes a kind of intervention focused more on art than activism.</p>

    Walking (or climbing) from the castle down to Baixa is a true pedestrian labyrinth where the new mural styles fit perfectly into the landscape. Their presence brightens the walk and invites spontaneous photos in front of mesmerizing images such as the Segue eyes located on Beco do Maldonado (pictured). Beyond the artists’ own initiatives, Alfama has embraced the 21st century with festivals like Paratissima, which promoted a more artistic rather than activist form of intervention.

    <h2>Cal&ccedil;ada da Gl&oacute;ria</h2> <p>Another essential stop on this tour is the Cal&ccedil;ada da Gl&oacute;ria, famous for its cable car of the same name that climbs all the way to <strong>Bairro Alto</strong>.<strong> Huge canvases</strong> were improvised along this steep street a few years ago, to be periodically painted by local graffiti artists. It&rsquo;s a Galeria de Arte Urbana initiative that works to combine heritage with contemporary art... and street art.</p>

    Calçada da Glória

    Another must-see stop on this route is Calçada da Glória, famous for the funicular of the same name that climbs up to the Bairro Alto. Along this steep street, several huge canvases were created a few years ago for local graffiti artists to paint on periodically. It’s an initiative by the Galeria de Arte Urbana that achieves a perfect fusion between historical heritage and contemporary —and urban— art.

    <h2>Marvila</h2> <p>Vhils not only encourages and creates; he&rsquo;s also managed to <strong>make Lisbon street art more sophisticated. </strong>A few years ago he opened Underdogs, an art gallery dedicated to his fellow graffiti artists where he exhibits the most important works and trends in the medium. Its presence has enhanced the Marvila neighborhood, turning it into the new go-to spot for the most creative travelers and <strong>brightening its walls with works like those of Okuda San Miguel </strong>(pictured). The reason is simple: whenever an artist exhibits work in this gallery, they also commit to painting something on the walls outside.<br /> &nbsp;</p>

    Marvila

    Vhils not only inspires and creates but has also managed to elevate Street Art in Lisbon. A few years ago, he opened Underdogs, an art gallery dedicated to his fellow graffiti artists, showcasing some of the most important works and movements in this art form. His presence has transformed the Marvila district into the new place to go for creative travelers and has brightened its walls with works such as those by Okuda San Miguel (pictured). The concept is simple: every artist who exhibits in his gallery commits to creating a piece outdoors.

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