podtour
Príncipe Real and Rua do Século: presses, fires and newspapers
Up above the Bairro Alto, away from the crowds, Lisbon printed its laws, its playing cards and its newspapers.
Belém: the Jerónimos, the Padrão and the hidden side of empire: audio walk in Lisbon
Twelve almost flat stops through Belém: the palace of the zebras, the alley where building was banned for ever, the monks' pastry with no monastery, the 1940 garden where people were put on display, the tomb of a king who may not be in it, and the Padrão that fell into the Tagus before it was ever made of stone.
What this walk is about
In 1759 the ground of a Belém palace was salted and a column put up forbidding anyone ever to build there. Today there are houses all around it. This walk tells what Belém celebrates and what it keeps quiet: a palace with wild animals and presidents who paid rent, a pastry born from the closure of the monasteries, a garden where, in 1940, people brought from Africa were put on display, a monastery whose most famous tomb isn't sure of itself, a poet who placed on this beach an old man cursing the whole adventure, and a monument that fell into the river and came back in stone. If the day allows, it ends with you looking out for the distant tower that was built in the water.
- Start
- The queen who kept the carriages
- Finish
- A tower in the water and a rhinoceros
- Who it is for
- A walk for anyone curious about history of the empire and the Age of Discovery and critical memory. You can also enjoy it as a family. You don’t need any prior knowledge.
- Languages
- Spanish and British English
- Underfoot
- The walk is mostly level. The route notes mention stairs or steps on the walk or its approaches.
The route, stop by stop
An outline of the walk. The full stories are in the app.
Loading the map…
Open a marker to see its page. Use two fingers to move the map on mobile.
- 1
The queen who kept the carriages
- 2
Zebras, presidents and a flag
- 3
The friars who lost a monastery and left a pastry
- 4
Salt beneath your feet
- 5
The garden of wooden fences
- 6
A monastery by the beach, two heroes' tombs
- 7
If the story is true
- 8
Coats of arms planted in the garden
- 9
The old man on the shore
- 10
The monument that fell into the river
- 11
The figures without names
- 12
A tower in the water and a rhinoceros
Walking directions are based on mapped pedestrian routes. Check local access and signs; the route is not an accessibility guarantee. Times are approximate.
Lisbon, before you go
Light over the Tagus, patterned pavements and streets that change gradient without warning. Lisbon rewards a mixture of walking, shade and a pause to look at the river.
More walks nearby
Cais do Sodré and the Bica: spies, sailors and a giant of stone
Cais do Sodré has been a filthy beach, a quay for distinguished arrivals and Lisbon's roughest street.
Chiado and Bairro Alto: 25 April, the Fire and Pessoa
On 25 April 1974, in the middle of the afternoon, a captain gave the head of the government ten minutes, by megaphone, to surrender.
Good to know
What is Podtour?
An app for self-guided audio walks. Choose a city and a route, then listen to the stories behind its streets. You decide when to start and when to stop.
When can I download the app?
Podtour is coming to iOS and Android. There is no confirmed launch date yet. Join the waitlist and we will let you know when it is ready.
Does Podtour include attraction tickets?
No. Street walks and monument audio tours do not include admission tickets, transport or a guide accompanying you.
Can I listen without an internet connection?
Download the audio in the app before heading out, then listen offline. Loading the online base map and calculating a new route from your location require a connection.
What languages are included?
Every route includes Spanish and British English. The English version is adapted for English-speaking travellers, rather than translated word for word.
How do I get a whole city for free?
Join the waitlist, choose a city and confirm your email address. When the app launches, we will email you with access details. No card is required. You can also try one free route in every city.
Can I buy for myself or for a group?
Yes. Your own access is included and you can choose 0–5 guests: up to 6 people including you. Each guest saves up to €0.50 on a walk, €1 on a pack or €2 on a whole city compared with buying separately. The counter shows the total before you confirm one payment.
How do I share, and when must guests accept?
After paying, share your purchase’s invitation link. Each guest opens it in Podtour and accepts their place on their own iPhone or Android phone. They must redeem it within 30 days of purchase. Unclaimed places then expire and cannot be recovered or renewed. Access accepted in time is kept. Opening the link does not use a place; one account takes just one place, and no more people can join once all places are taken.
Can I add guests after buying?
No. Choose all your guests before confirming the first purchase. Afterwards you can share the places you paid for, but you cannot increase their number or restart the 30-day deadline.
Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist. When we launch, your chosen city is yours to explore.
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Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist and get one whole city free when Podtour launches. You choose where.
Podtour manages your launch request with your consent. You can withdraw it and exercise your rights as explained in our privacy policy. Privacy details.
One city per person. All its Podtour routes in Spanish and English. Available at launch. Offer details.