Lisbon World War II Spy Walk

This walking tour traces the secret history of neutral Lisbon during World War II, visiting the hotels, cafes, and train stations where Allied and Axis spies operated in broad daylight.

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1. LX Boutique Hotel

The LX Boutique Hotel occupies a tall, slender building on the corner of Rua do Alecrim, recognizable by its bright yellow facade and the wrought-iron balconies that line its front. It stands where a long-running bookshop and stationary…

2. Grémio Literário

The Grémio Literário occupies a yellow, nineteenth-century mansion marked by a wrought-iron gate and a formal, shuttered façade on Rua Ivens. Founded in eighteen forty-six by prominent intellectuals like Almeida Garrett, it began as a…

3. A Brasileira

The bronze statue of Fernando Pessoa sits permanently at a corner table outside A Brasileira, his metal hand resting on a chair for anyone who cares to join him. This coffee house opened in nineteen oh five to sell authentic beans from…

4. Casa do Alentejo

A grand, ornate Moorish-style courtyard sits behind the unassuming entrance of Casa do Alentejo on Portas de Santo Antão. During the nineteen forties, the building housed a social club, but its real activity took place in the shadows of…

5. Teatro Eden

The former Teatro Eden features an ornate Art Deco facade topped with a massive, arched metal frame that once held a glowing marquee. Inside this shell, the open-air theater opened in nineteen thirty-one, inviting audiences to watch films…

6. Foz Palace

The Foz Palace wears a coat of deep red paint and stands out for its ornate, eclectic facade featuring stone carvings of mythological figures. Constructed in the eighteenth century, the building served as the primary residence for the…

7. Estação do Rossio

The Estação do Rossio features a facade dominated by two interlinked horseshoe-shaped portals, carved in a dense, swirling Manueline style that looks like stone lace. King Luis the First commissioned this station in eighteen eighty-six to…

8. Avenida Palace

The Avenida Palace stands out for its grand, nineteenth-century beaux-arts facade, capped with a mansard roof and ornate stone carvings that distinguish it from the surrounding buildings. It opened in eighteen ninety-two as a luxury hotel…

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