Lx Factory Artists' District
and the Cristo Rei
Previously you may have seen our itinerary to explore and discover Lisbon in 3 days we visited the surroundings of Lisbon with the trendy LX Factory district and a visit to the Christo Rei . What do these two places have in common? Each one is located at the end of the April 25th bridge It takes about 15 minutes by car to get to these two places.
First of all we will talk about the good tips to know to visit the district. Lx Factory then explore typical monuments such as the Cristo Rei of Lisbon. Folk-Travel invites you to its sightseeing tour :
How to get to Lx Factory
For starters, if you love art, coffee, design and good food then the LX Factory neighbourhood is for you. Situated under the famous 25th April bridge (opposite the Vasco de gama bridge) a little bit the "Golden Gate" bridge with Lisbon sauce, stroll through the narrow streets of Lx Factory which is located in the Alcantara district rather far from the city centre and the historical Alfama district where Fado resounds. Depending on the traffic, you can be there in a few minutes.
To visit from Cais do Sodré (Lisbon's quays) near the shopping square, we took the bus 15E for 2€ stop at the Algés bus stop and you will see the entrance 100 meters on the left. You can also take the Tram to the Calvario stop.
For the sportsmen, who would be willing to go there on foot along the waterfront to the bridge of April 25th, it takes no less than 3 km of walking. Of course, you can choose to go to the LX Factory district by Uber or by Tram directly from Lisbon airport.
What to do at Lx Factory
What is Lx Factory? If we want to sum up this area, it is a kind of artistic entertainment venue. In the district of Alcantara there was a textile and food processing factory, the name of which was LX Factory. We stopped there before going to the Hieronymite Monastery observe the azulejos, admire the famous Belem Tower, taste a delicious pastry (Pastel de Nata) and to walk around Cascais. LxFactory is halfway between the historic centre of Lisbon and Cascais.
What is Lx Factory? If you want to sum up this neighborhood, it's sort of a place for artistic entertainment. In the district of Alcantara was located a textile and food processing factory, the name of this factory LX. Today it has been transformed into several restaurants, shops, bookshops, cafes, creative spaces and even pleasant coworking areas. We went there for an afternoon in May when it was over 35°C, the heat was stifling and a market was organized. The ideal opportunity to refresh ourselves with a freshly mixed fruit juice in front of our eyes.
Lx Factory Gift Shops
We didn't expect to find so many original souvenir shops in a rehabilitated place. The area is clean and tidy with several terraces where locals and tourists alike come to stroll.
We fell in love with the furniture shops that you can't find anywhere, you can have home accessories delivered or pack them in your suitcase. We recommend:
- The furniture shops : Muito Muito of the vintage deco we love it, Kare or June.
- A shoe shop Portuguese : Nae
- Taking care of yourself with the organic and ethical beauty shop : Organii
- enjoy in the tapas bars or have a drink
- Enjoy the nightlife at the "Bosq" for the right atmosphere and trendy music.
Street-Art Lx Factory
If there's one thing that struck us at Lx Factory it's the reign of Street Art! Free of charge we get a lot of it. Have fun looking for as much of it as you can, whether it's graffiti decorating the walls at the back of the old factory buildings in the shade or graffiti in full light.
The most beautiful bookstore Ler Devagar
What could be better than settling down here in this amazing bookstore in Lx Factory. It used to be located in the Bairro Alto district. Now it's located in an old printing house. There is a wide choice of reading material, the bookshop even organizes several events and concerts. Ler Devagar has thus become one of the 10 most beautiful bookstores in the world.
We were amazed by the size of the place, and the huge stairs. You can still see several printing machines. In the center you will see the flying bicycle and thousands of books. But stay there for a coffee while you read a book. It feels really good but we didn't have enough time to linger there. Let's continue our visit of Lx Factory with the best restaurants in Lx Factory.
Eating at Lx Factory
There's no need to go back to the centre of Lisbon, or to bring your sandwiches to Lx Factory, as the choice of food is so vast and there really is something for everyone. Folk-Travel introduces you to all the restaurants in Lx Factory, cafes or to take the dessert we enjoyed while passing by :
- drink an excellent coffee at WISH Slow Coffee House or at Café Na Fabrica
- enjoy a delicious cheesecake : Lxeesecake
- an ice cream or a pancake: Chef Nino - Creperie & Gelataria
- taste authentic Portuguese dishes at the 1300 Taberna or at Cantina with its wood-burning oven
- go vegan in The Therapist you can't miss it all in red.
- chicken lovers should definitely try the Cucurio and for hot dog lovers at the Dogs In Lisbon in the Burger Factory section.
Visit the Cristo Rei (Christ the King)
Let's leave Lx Factory for another must-see place in Lisbon: "I am a gigantic statue of Jesus, I stand south of downtown Lisbon on the other side of the Tagus at 215 meters above sea level in the district of Almada, I am... I am... I am... the... Cristo Rei of course!
Usually you will see his full name: Sanctuary of Christ the King (Sanctuario Nacional de Cristo Rei) but many people call him Christ the Redeemer in reference to the statue in Rio de Janeiro. It stands on the other side of the Tagus opening its arms to welcome the city with open arms. It took 10 years to build this monument, inaugurated in 1959 as a thank you to Portugal for not entering the Second World War.
In short, whether or not you're a practitioner, the view alone is worth the detour!
How to get to Cristo Rei
The most tempting option would be to take a taxi or an Uber but we do not recommend it because you have to take the April 25th bridge, where the traffic is the heaviest, and you will have an extra cost as you leave the area. So the most convenient and pleasant way is to take the ferry from Cais do Sodre to Cacilhas.
You have crossings every 10 minutes to 30 minutes for €1.30 (to be topped up on the Viva Viagem card €0.50). The journey takes only 10 minutes with a magnificent view. Find the ferry schedule to Cristo Rei here.
Once you've landed at Cacilhas Dock, you can either walk to Cristo Rei 3km of walk and in altitude in a district without much interest, we do not advise it to you. Take bus 101 in the large parking lot at the third bus aisle, the ticket can be bought from the driver 1,50€. He will drop you off in front of the entrance, you will have to walk a bit, there are toilets on the left side for free, and a small snack (tourist prices) to quench your thirst.
You also have an ATM in front of the toilets, but beware of the fixed ATM fee of €3.95! As you have to pay cash for the entrance ticket, please bring cash with you beforehand.
Alternative You can take the panoramic lift Boca do Vento 15 minutes walk from the ferry. Follow the shoreline like a sailor with the Tagus on your right, for 1€ ring the bell and the caretaker will open the lift which will take you to the top offering remarkable views of the estuary and the historic districts. If you arrive at the end of the day, you will be able to admire the sunset - a sumptuous sight!
Guide to Cristo Rei
You can see the statue of Cristo Rei from the entrance. You can approach it for free and then go behind it towards the edge to see the Tagus and especially the magnificent April 25th Bridge replica of the Golden Gate in San Francisco. Free of charge you can also visit the church inside and admire some of its works and relics.
Stroll around in the Cristo Rei Park, Many olive trees are planted there, in the hot weather we regretted not finding many shadows. We enjoyed walking along the cliff and taking pictures with the panoramic view just under Christ the King!
Take some height on the observation platform the entrance is 5€ a lift takes you to the top in small groups. The remaining climb on foot is narrow, at the top the view is grandiose in spite of fences for safety. It is fun to take a selfie with Christ above us with open arms. It is hard to imagine that we are at the foot of a statue weighing more than 40,000 tons.
Do we absolutely have to go to the top of Cristo Rei? Without a doubt it is with a big yes that Folk-Travel recommends it to you, as the best view of Lisbon. And if you have time, spend a day visiting the Sintra Castle and the Pena Palace, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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Founders of Folk-Travel
⛰️ Globetrotters and landscape photographer. We had a passion in common when we met, that of great landscapes. It was enough for us to travel all over the world in search of the most beautiful photogenic spots. We take time for details, authenticity while remaining natural. Back from our road-trips we reveal our best places.
We take time for details and authenticity while remaining natural. Back from our road-trips we reveal our best places.
Article published on :
- May 10, 2020
- 14:26
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