As a result of its cultural and commercial revitalization, Marvila Portugal is becoming one of Lisbon’s most interesting districts. The area is characterized by renovated factory warehouses and street art.
Old industrial buildings are now home to restaurants, cultural spaces, and breweries. The neighborhood is also attracting digital entrepreneurs looking for trendy apartments.
1. Artisan Beer Neighbourhood
The old factories and warehouses of Marvila are experiencing a cultural regeneration with restaurants, galleries, coworking spaces and craft breweries. As a result, this area is becoming one of the most sought after areas in Lisbon. With a high demand, property developers have started to build new homes in the neighborhood. These are highly sought after by young people looking to live near the trendy restaurants, bars and breweries in the area.
In the nearby Beato, there’s a grand church from 1680 with gilded woodwork and baroque tile panels that attracts art lovers. In addition, the National Tile Museum (Museu Nacional do Azulejo) houses a fascinating collection of 15th-century tiles.
The nearby Fabrica Musa brewery, which aims to ‘revolutionize beer’, is worth a visit. Its 17 beers include a blonde, IPA and porter. In addition to their brews, the owners have collaborated with friends in nearby Lince to create a sour ale with an Iberian lynx theme.
2. Musa
With breweries like Fabrica Musa popping up in the area, it’s no surprise that this trendy neighbourhood has been dubbed Lisbon’s beer district. The brewery is housed in an old warehouse, and the owners are dedicated to music: the names of their brews (Mick Lager, Red Zeppelin Ale) are puns on musical icons. They also host live gigs here.
The bar has a cool ambiance and a great selection of craft beers, so you can get a drink or two while hanging out with friends or working on your laptop. It’s a must-visit for anyone who loves craft beers and is looking for a place to relax or meet new people.
The neighborhood has a lot to offer and is becoming increasingly popular with locals and tourists alike. It’s an up-and-coming area where entrepreneurs are opening restaurants and coworking spaces in old warehouses. It’s also a great place to go jogging or bike riding, and it offers beautiful views of the Tagus River.
3. Dois Corvos Brewery
In the past few years Marvila’s long-neglected industrial buildings have been renovated and repurposed into bars, restaurants, cultural complexes, and artisan breweries. The area’s new hotspots include Little Chelsea Experience, a hybrid store-bar-gallery where you can shop vintage clothes and quaff wine while admiring a roster of contemporary artists.
Located on Rua Capit
4. Underdogs Art Gallery
One of the newest spots in the area, this cafe entices with a pleasant atmosphere, great drinks at reasonable prices and fantastic background music. A must-see!
Many of the murals you’ll see in Marvila Portugal emerged during MURO, but there are always new statement pieces cropping up. Look for Portuguese duo Pichiavo’s take on the Indigineous culture of Brazil, or Kobra’s depiction of Poseidon overlooking the railway.
The Underdogs Art Gallery opened in 2013 in a large warehouse and aims to be a space within the contemporary art scene for artists connected with new languages of urban-inspired graphic and visual culture. It has hosted solo exhibitions by local and international artists such as Vhils, Wasted Rita, Add Fuel, Akacorleone and more.
Along a single block in Marvila, you might stumble into Galeria Francisco Fino’s gleaming white house with two levels of exhibition space and a roster of mostly Portuguese and Brazilian contemporary artists, or clink glasses at Dois Corvos’ beer hall adorned with art. In between, the spirit of 1970s New York punk and glam infuses Little Chelsea Experience, a hybrid retail boutique-bar-gallery.
