Song of the Sea, Seafood and Tradition

On this food tour of Lisbon’s Port Zone, we’ll visit people and places in the historic port district to find the city’s very best seasonal bounty of the sea.

• Seafood and grilled fish
• Wine and cheese tasting
• Fish market visit
• all food consumed on the walk – almost a dozen different edible specialties

A day in search of the best seasonal bounty of the sea, sampling several preparations of fish and seafood. We’ll start with a pastel de nata fresh from the oven & a bica. We will then make our way through Lisbon’s most stunning fish market, Mercado da Ribeira, where Lisboeta shop for fish and seafood.  There we will check in with our favorite fishmonger to discuss the day’s catch before visiting a small shop in the market dedicated to saltcod and tinned fish where we will be treated to a tasting. We’ll then make our way through the neighborhood  to a small wine shop for a tasting with the shop’s boisterous owner, who happens to be a very good cheesemaker. Then we head down to the port for grilled fish at a hidden grill joint beloved by port workers. Finally, we will reach Alcântara, we will visit a few local favorites to find the best cod cakes, the prized shrimp of the northern coast, percebes, the barnacles that are harvested from the rocky coast of Portugal and clams.

Beyond the bustling districts of the centro, Lisbon’s port and the old neighborhoods clustered around it have always had a close connection with the waterfront and its industries, especially fishing. The city’s iconic varinas, itinerant fish vendors, lived and worked on the streets here until quite recently, selling their goods from a basket hoisted on their heads. Street life still remains a big part of the port zone’s narrow alleys, which are lined with small traditional shops and restaurants, many with a big charcoal grill out front for cooking up whatever fish is in season. No less scenic than more famous areas like Alfama, this is a lesser-explored part of the city with much to offer to the hungry and intrepid. On this Lisbon food tour, we’ll explore the people and places around the port district, where old traditions die hard and the day’s catch is always the discussion.  We’ll spend the day in search of the very best seasonal bounty of the sea, sampling several preparations of fish and seafood in a variety of neighborhood institutions.
We’ll start with the ultimate indulgence of any market excursion, a pastel de nata fresh from the oven and a bica, Portuguese-style espresso. We will then make our way through Lisbon’s most stunning fish market, Mercado da Ribeira, where the most discerning Lisboeta shop for fish and seafood.  There we will check in with our favorite fishmonger to discuss the day’s catch before visiting a small shop in the market dedicated to saltcod and tinned fish where we will be treated to a tasting. We’ll then make our way through the neighborhood on our way to a small wine shop for a tasting with the shop’s boisterous owner, who also happens to be a very good cheesemaker. Then we head down to the port for grilled fish – sardines, of course, when in season – at a hidden gem of a grill joint beloved by port workers. Finally, following the riverfront to the east, we will reach Alcântara, a working-class district where local workers nurtured a lively culinary culture that includes some of the city’s best cervejaria, no-frills seafood and beer halls, as well as venues for Fado, Lisbon’s unique musical tradition. Here we will visit a few local favorites to find the best cod cakes, the prized shrimp of the northern coast, percebes, the goose barnacles that are harvested from the rocky coast of Portugal and delicious local clams. In these humble neighborhood institutions we’ll do what Lisboeta do best: relax and enjoy the freshest seafood in the world with a cold glass of vinho verde, letting the vibrant life of the port zone provide the irresistible background music.

• Doca de Santo Amaro, Lisbon, Portugal
• Ponte 25 de Abril, Ponte 25 de Abril, Lisbon, Portugal
• Tapada das Necessidades, Calçada Necessidades, Lisbon, Portugal
• Time Out Market, Avenida 24 de Julho, Lisboa, Portugal
• LX Factory, Rua Rodrigues de Faria, Lisbon, Portugal
• B-MAD, Rua 1º de Maio, Lisbon, Portugal
• Museu da Carris, Rua 1º de Maio, Lisbon, Portugal
• Capela de Santo Amaro, Calçada Santo Amaro, Lisbon, Portugal
• Oriente Museum, Avenida Brasília, Lisbon, Portugal

Liability Waiver

By completing the reservation you acknowledge the following:

If you have food allergies, you are ultimately responsible to ensure your own health and safety. If you share information about your allergies, we can provide you with some guidance about the food purveyors on your tour, but we are not responsible for any allergic reactions that you may have. We are not responsible for any damages or losses incurred as result of acts by entities beyond our control, including but not limited to restaurants, shops, market stalls, eateries and food carts. We are not responsible for acts beyond our control, including but not limited to acts of God, act of nature, acts of war, or other unrest caused by state or non-state actors. If you are disruptive, we have the right to ask you to leave the tour without refunding you or providing you with a credit for your tour. You are aware of and responsible for all damages or losses that may arise during the course of the tour resulting from:

Risks associated with food, water or other drinks, including alcoholic beverages; physical accidents during the tour or at any of the locations visited; transportation failures; forces of nature; criminal activity; damage, loss or misplaced property; or accident or illness without means of rapid evacuation or availability of medical supplies or services. You agree that any claims that may arise will first go to arbitration and only if not resolved in that manner shall be heard in court. In both cases, grievances shall be heard in the jurisdiction of Washington, DC. You further agree to be responsible for your own welfare and property and accept any and all risks of delay, unanticipated events, inconvenience, illness, injury, emotional trauma or death. You further acknowledge that participation in Culinary Backstreets tours is based upon execution of this Liability Waiver. By completing the reservation process you release and discharge forever Culinary Backstreets, its employees, owners, affiliates, officers, directors, successors, agents, and assigns, from and against any liability arising from participating in this tour. You further agree that this release shall be legally binding upon you personally, all members of your family, all minors traveling with you, your heirs, successors, assigns, and legal representatives, to the maximum extent of the law.

I am aware that while on or traveling to or from my activity with Culinary Backstreets, I might be exposed to COVID-19 from other people, animals or objects. I assume all risk of any such contacts, including sickness, incapacity or death and agree to hold harmless Culinary Backstreets from any such developments. In addition, I recognize that the World Health Organization, U.S. Department of State as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention may have warnings concerning same and am choosing to travel and assume all risk myself.