I did little research (ok, none) on Portugal, let alone Lisbon, before booking my ticket. Needless to say I was pleasantly surprised when I realized that the city is FULL of art, especially one of my favorite genres, street art. One of the popular places to check out street art is called the LX Factory, which is in the Alcantara neighborhood, just about a 45 minute walk from downtown Lisbon. The LX Factory is a former manufacturing complex once occupied by the “Companhia de Fiação e Tecidos Lisbonense” company. Now it is home to numerous cafes, design studios, and walls full of street art. It’s a short distance around the complex, but it is full of individual pieces of art and murals, seemingly one right after the other.
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While walking around, be sure to constantly look all around you. Some art may be high up on the exterior walls of buildings, whereas some may be lower, behind a door, or even hidden behind barred gates in hallways. You have to really pay attention, as some pieces of art are on the small side and can be hidden in small areas around doors or walkways.
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Even though I did not go into any of the shops or cafes, I really enjoyed walking around the complex and looking at all the pieces of art. The majority of them were very picture worthy, and one of them…well, one of them was a bit more risque as you can see here:
The LX Factory is a fun and entertaining area to check out while you are visiting Lisbon. Make sure you take an hour or two to fit it into your travels, or stay longer and eat at one of the many cafes. The location is even convenient if you are making the long walk (about 4 miles/6.5 km) from downtown to Belem, which is home to one of the most famous Pastel de Nata pastries in Lisbon (Pasteis de Belem) and several museums. And keep in mind, even if you cannot make it to the LX Factory, just keep your eyes peeled as you walk around town as there is street art EVERYWHERE. If you want to see more, check out my Gallery of Lisbon Street Art (hyperlink).
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The LX Factory is open daily from 6 am to 2 am, and you can find more information at LX Factory Lisbon.