podtour
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.
Príncipe Real and Rua do Século: presses, fires and newspapers: audio walk in Lisbon
Twelve stops across Lisbon's hill of words: the royal press that also made packs of cards, the day in 1978 when a museum burned, a Mexican cypress that calls itself a cedar, the convent that didn't want to be seen, the house where Pombal was born, the poet locked up over some papers, and the newspapers that argued over Fátima and dodged the censor.
What this walk is about
Up above the Bairro Alto, away from the crowds, Lisbon printed its laws, its playing cards and its newspapers. The walk begins at the king's printing house and on a plot of school buildings that burned twice; in 1978, firefighters saved a laboratory precisely because it was dangerous. It carries on through a square with four names, a pond that traces what lies beneath it and a tree with the wrong surname, then heads down the Rua do Século: a convent that withstood the earthquake, the house where Pombal was born, and the daily that gave the street its name and sent an anticlerical reporter to Fátima. In a narrow lane, the house where a poet died who'd been locked up over some papers. It ends where journalists shared the pavement with their censors.
- Start
- The printing house that made playing cards
- Finish
- Cut, banned and held back
- Who it is for
- For another visit, when you want to look beyond the familiar sights. For the curious looking for a less touristy Lisbon. A walk for anyone curious about press and twentieth-century history.
- Languages
- Spanish and British English
- Underfoot
- The walk has slopes or changes in level.
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 printing house that made playing cards
- 2
One site, very different students
- 3
1978: too dangerous to destroy
- 4
A square with four names
- 5
The railings that reveal a reservoir
- 6
The cedar that's really a cypress
- 7
The convent that wanted privacy
- 8
Where the marquis was born
- 9
The newspaper that named a street
- 10
The dancing sun on the front page
- 11
The poet imprisoned for his papers
- 12
Cut, banned and held back
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
From the Rossio to the Mouraria: the Inquisition, 1506 and fado
In 1506, in a chapel by the Rossio, someone said the glow on a crucifix was only a candle.
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.
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.
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One city per person. All its Podtour routes in Spanish and English. Available at launch. Offer details.