During our road trip in Portugal, we hesitated a lot about coming to discover Lisbon… Traveling with our van and our dog (who really isn’t very comfortable in the city), it wasn’t exactly the best conditions for exploring the capital… However, we had a friend we really wanted to visit, so we decided to spend a day at the LX Factory, a former industrial site located a stone’s throw from the city center. It was a small “compromise” that still allowed us to get a little taste of Lisbon.
LX Factory: introduction
Located under the 25 de Abril Bridge, this former industrial area has been converted into a creative village and is now one of the most original places in the Portuguese capital.
With street art, an incredible bookstore, trendy cafes, and designer boutiques, people come here as much for the atmosphere as for the discoveries. It’s not an “attraction” in the traditional sense, but rather a lively place where it’s nice to hang out for a while.
In this article, we offer a comprehensive guide to visiting the LX Factory: its history, what you can do there, when and how to get there, and where to stay nearby.
History of LX Factory
Located in the Alcântara district, LX Factory dates back to the mid-19th century when several factories were established there. This area of over 20,000 m² was home to industries including textiles, printing, and heavy industrial production. The location was not chosen at random, as it is close to the river, the city center, and major transportation routes.
With the industrial decline of the 20th century, the buildings were gradually abandoned. For several years, the site remained half empty, which was a real shame for such a large space located close to the center of Lisbon.
In 2008, a redevelopment project breathed new life into the site. The concept was to transform the old warehouses into an open creative space, hosting workshops, restaurants, bookshops, design studios, and cultural events. This type of industrial redevelopment can be found in many cities, but we think Lisbon’s is particularly successful.
For anyone visiting the capital, the LX Factory is an interesting place to see that really contrasts with the more traditional historical sites.
What to do at the LX Factory?
The LX Factory isn’t like a museum. It’s best to go without a specific plan and just see where it takes you. But here are what we think are the must-sees. For more info, you can also check out the LX Factory website.
Stroll through the colorful alleys and observe the street art
The first thing to do? Just walk around, look up, and explore. The walls are covered with murals, installations, and graffiti. During our visit, I personally fell in love with the creations of artist O Gringo, a Frenchman living near Lisbon who creates works inspired by Azulejos (traditional Portuguese tiles). His creations were on display in several places throughout the LX Factory, and there was a shop in one of the galleries. To find out more about this artist’s world, check out his Instagram.
Eating and drinking
Amidst the shops and galleries, there are also numerous cafés and restaurants. Honestly, we thought the selection was really great. So yes, it’s a bit hipster/bobo and the prices are quite high for Portugal, but there’s a really wide variety and the bars all have incredible decor (special mention to Casa Portuguesa do Pastel de Bacalhau and Ni Michi for their interiors!).
In the morning, we also stopped for a delicious coffee accompanied (of course) by a pastei de nata. 🙂
Discover the various boutiques and designer workshops
As I mentioned earlier, the LX Factory is home to dozens of small, original designer boutiques. Many of them change regularly (the aim of the space is to offer artists a temporary venue), and we absolutely loved it!
Unlike traditional shopping areas, here you’ll find mainly local brands and designers. Fashion, illustration, design objects, crafts, and so on. It’s a really good place to find a souvenir that’s a little different (we brought back several, haha).
Don’t miss the Ler Devagar bookstore
This is clearly the most famous address at the LX Factory, but quite honestly, it’s easy to see why. Ler Devagar is an absolutely crazy place! This bookstore (which also serves as a café) is housed in a former printing plant and still has several impressive industrial machines. There are thousands of books stacked up to the ceiling and a bicycle hanging in the middle of the room. Without a doubt, it’s one of the most unique bookstores we’ve ever seen!
To help you find your way around, you can view the map of the LX Factory available here.
The LX Market
If you’re in Lisbon on the weekend, try to come on Sunday. Unfortunately, we weren’t there on the right day, but we’ve heard great things about it! Every Sunday morning, a market sets up in the LX Factory with secondhand clothes, designers and artists, illustrations, and local product stands. The atmosphere is apparently livelier than on other days, and it’s a great way to combine this with brunch at one of the restaurants in the neighborhood. On the other hand, it’s also more crowded, so you’ve been warned. 😉
Practical information for visiting the LX Factory
How to get here?
Getting to LX Factory is really easy! It’s not far from the city center. Located in the Alcantara district, it’s about an hour’s walk from Belem or Lisbon’s historic center. Of course, you can also get there by tram or bus. The easiest way is to use Google Maps to find the best route from your starting point.
If, like us, you are just passing through by car, we recommend parking in this lot. It is easily accessible from the 25 April Bridge. We stayed for about five hours and paid €5.60, if I remember correctly. Not cheap, but still relatively reasonable considering we are in a capital city.
Where to stay near the LX Factory?
If you want to stay in this neighborhood, there are plenty of options! 🙂 There is even a youth hostel located right in the LX Factory, the LX Hostel. Expect to pay around €25 per night for a dorm room or €80 for a double room for two people.
For more options in the surrounding area, you can use the map below by entering your search criteria:
That’s it for today! Unfortunately, we didn’t get to explore Lisbon any further, but that will have to wait until next time. In any case, one thing is certain: this place has made us want to come back one day to see more. 🙂
See you soon for more articles on the rest of our road trip in Portugal.
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