You could devise a few dozen walks around Greater Lisbon and, conceivably, they'd all be equally interesting. Some for the striking contrasts they'd present; the majority for the recent history they'd entail; but most because they'd serve as a practical laboratory to those who like to think about the purpose and use value of a city, and who'd see in Lisbon's Metropolitan Area many living examples of what not to do and, occasionally, the very opposite of that, the small to large wonders that make a city just about liveable. The walks I design are a small sample of what's possible within this relatively vast, chaotic region - a region maybe too large and macrocephalous for such a small country, but also deeply segmented and forever a work-in-progress. They're conceived as a conversation-by-foot, a walking dialogue between those who take part, informed by the recent history of such places, the ideas of some of those who have dedicated their time to think about cities and the built environment, and many other tangents, from situationist psychogeography to the Mumfordian megamachine, to Lacaton & Vassal's "never demolish..." architectural philosophy, to the ideas and experiences participants will bring along with them that will certainly enrich our group expeditions.
Big print
Daytime walks are designed for dryish weather, when the temperature’s not overly high (cold is fine, as you can always layer up). Although I try to schedule walks for weekdays when the weather's likely to be dry and not too hot, conditions can change rapidly in Lisbon in autumn, winter and spring, so rescheduling or cancellation is sometimes unavoidable. I will always try to reschedule first, offering an alternative date to all who have booked. When rescheduling is not possible with a part of the group, a full refund of the booking fee will be issued to those who cannot take part. If a minimum of two pax cannot be met or the weather’s not likely to improve soon, the walk will be cancelled and the full deposit (30 €) will be refunded to all. High summer walks are always designed to start late in the afternoon due to how hot it can get during the day in Lisbon. I will always contact everyone as soon as any change is likely and every time there’s fresh news about rescheduling or cancellation;
Meeting points, how to get to those and other important details are always sent by email when booking is confirmed;
These are walking and public transport day or evening trips. Some are designed as a walk only trip with optional return to meeting point or centre by public transport, others with a mix of walking and use of public transport in mind. Either way, they're adequate for anyone 18+ (teenagers can also join if accompanied by an adult) who enjoys walking and is willing to do so for quite a few km in a single day. I'm sorry but, due to the nature of our walks, I cannot accommodate people with special mobility needs or who cannot walk for long periods;
Day walks include lunch and a few morning/afternoon coffee breaks. Lunch is typically ‘CPLP’ (Portugal, Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, Macau or Goa, maybe East Timor, Guinea-Bissau or São Tomé and Príncipe if at all possible) and always 'proletarian', to give you a feel for how most locals actually eat during the weekday. It normally consists of soup/starter/salad, mains, dessert, drink and coffee or tea. High summer walks include stops for drinks and snacks, but no dinner or sitting down meals unless these are planned for the very end of the walk, when we can all relax over some nice summer food and a beer or two;
The places we go to for lunch and dinner will offer at least one vegetarian and a few pescatarian options. I’m sorry but, due to the nature of our routes and how we’re meant to engage with the city, vegan dishes may not always be available or suitable. Please contact me if in doubt;
You may need to buy an occasional "navegante" travel card in case you don't already have one. This should be credited with either a 24h hour ticket, some "zapping" pay-as-you-go or both. There are different modalities available, but the most cost-effective for anyone who doesn't already have a monthly pass is the daily 24 hour ticket. There are three 24 hour ticket options: one covering Metro and Carris inner city buses and trams; one for Metro, Carris and Transtejo Cacilhas boats; and one covering Metro, Carris and CP trains (24 hour tickets do not cover all modes of transport or every single available route, so it's always best to add some "zapping" credit to the "navegante" card too, as this will continue to be valid and can be used on other days after your daily ticket has expired). I will inform everyone well in advance about what modality best fits the specific walk they've booked, but you can also contact me if in doubt (I can also help you buy the right ticket on the day when we meet);
Please do not expect the pace, rigidity and prepackaged feel you get from any of the generic sightseeing tours that go around Lisbon's touristy areas. These are half-day or evening walks designed as an antidote to those, in an effort to show you an entirely different aspect of Lisbon and to articulate this with some wider perspectives on urbanity, architecture, what cities are meant to be for, walking, etc;
Although routes are generally planned, there’s always space for a bit of improv, sometimes to take a breather or a detour, others when we're all feeling we should stay longer in a certain place and continue a bit longer, others still when we've all agreed we should explore more of a particular aspect of the city and have therefore decided to skip a stage or two and head into an area we'd not planned to go to initially — no such thing as rushing to quickly get to the next point to check another box: the important thing is how we engage with the city, not the number of boxes we tick;
Wear comfortable clothes and shoes. Bring your own water bottle. Layer up and bring gloves and a beanie or hat if it’s going to be cold, and sunscreen and a summer hat if the forecast is sunny and hot. Bring a rain-jacket, if you have one, for days when there might be a shower or two;
I will offer a partial (50%) refund, minus expenses, if, for some reason, you've suddenly decided this is boring and would rather leave midway to go shopping, drink cocktails or to the beach;
You will need to pay a deposit of 30 EUR to secure your booking and then the remainder when we first meet on the day of the walk. I accept Tap to Pay and wallet digital payments on the day (Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, etc), but you can also bring cash, in case you don't have the means to make an electronic payment on the spot;
I will return your deposit in full (30 €) if, for some reason, I have to cancel the walk or you can't make the new date I've had to reschedule it for. But I will only refund 50% of the deposit (15 €) if the walk is on for the original date it was scheduled for but you've suddenly changed your mind and decided not to join;
Meals, snacks, coffee, etc are all included (within reason). The only extra you have to pay for is travel;
Walks are normally in English, but we can switch to Portuguese if everyone speaks the language fluently and agrees this will be the best option on the day;
Walks are designed for between two and five pax. Less than two is impractical, more than five and we start to loose the cohesion of a small group;
I always email everyone a digital toolkit (usually the day after), with information relating to the walk they've just completed. This will contain a bibliography, references to concepts and ideas, links to different resources available for free and to recorded presentations on YouTube and other platforms, bits of info about Lisbon and the places we've been to, a list of heterodox places to visit around Lisbon, and so on;
Any doubts, before or after you've booked, or any particulars not addressed here, please contact me with your query, even if it sounds trivial. I'm always here to help and will reply quickly.