Curiosity, an occupational ailment of traveler, brought us to the other side of Tagus. By chance, a ferry brought us to Cacilhas. Some say that true Lisboetas (a.k.a. the natives of Lisbon) may never ever cross the river in their lifetime. True or false, it’s their choice. I am glad that we did.
From the other side of the river
Cacilhas, the tiny speck on a map where ferry brought us, is mostly overlooked by travel guides. They would laconically advise an adventurous tourist to eat lunch at a local seafood place and trot over along the river toward the famous National Shrine of Christ the King. Good for them.
In truth, it’s laughable to think about it as boring even for a second. As small as it is, Cacilhas is a fascinating place.
An ode to Cacilhas
∗ A wag of a tail. A friendly smile.
∗ A field of flowers. A child’s laugh.
∗ A submarine and a frigate. A church that survived an epic earthquake. An ancient castle encased in soulless concrete.
∗ A cradle of the local labor movement.
∗ An old lady carrying shopping bags while climbing steep stairs.
∗ A fisherman who destined longingly looking across the river. The river that is a source of life and sorrow.
∗ The land that is immune to time.
∗ A Guinness world record. An abandoned warehouse.
∗ A tiny flower growing between cold stones.
Street art and graffiti are prominently present in Cacilhas. We found some outstanding murals and thought-provoking pieces there.
If ruins could talk
I always was a sucker for good old ruins and urban decay photography. Cacilhas has some interesting old warehouses and abandoned buildings worthy further exploration.
This building looked abandoned but when I tried to get further inside a ferocious barking warned me to stop.
Up inside the town, there are plenty of abandoned buildings too
Likely, you landed here because you are interested in Portugal. There is more to read about my favorite country here:
Sines In One Day: Come For The Lunch, Stay For The History
Almourol Castle: Totally Dragonless… Or Is It?
Beauty, Simplicity, and Imperfection
Livraria Lello, A Beautiful Casualty Of Mass Tourism
Sagres Fortress (Fortaleza De Sagres)
Share this article on Pinterest by clicking Pin it button
Excellent shots Elena. I hear you on the bright blue sky. I am almost blinded cyber looking at some of these snaps 😉
Thank you, Ryan 🙂 I forgot how blue skies were there, much better than washout grayness that settled over my window now. Cheers!
Fascinating, I had no idea such a cool island was so close to Lisbon, hopefully we will visit again soon and I would love to explore this village, thank you for sharing!
You are welcome 🙂
Portugal has so many hidden gems! We didn’t get to Cacilhas when we visited. It looks worthwhile to add to our list for next time. I really like how it also has murals. It was one of my favorite things to look for when we visited.
Thank you, Christina. Cacilhas definitely worth a visit if you are interested in street art 🙂
Thank you for sharing this with us, Elena! I love the gate to nowhere and the stairs to nowhere: you have a good eye to pick it, I don’t know if I would have thought about taking a photo of it 😉 White/Blue combination would make me think of Greece more than Portugal, but it’s good to shake a bit the cliches 😉
Thank you, Eloise. I am happy that you liked some photos 🙂
Your pictures are striking! Cacilhas doesn’t look like a typical tourist destination, but it has a lot of beauty. I particularly like the doors and the abandoned warehouses with the water in the background.
Thank you, Natalie 🙂
You never know what beauties are hidden right across the river from a big town, do you? I discovered an amazing non-touristy part of Havana too, just by crossing the river into the community of Regla. I love exploring places where tourists don’t even think about going. I love the picture with the submarine. How cool is that, seeing a real submarine? 🙂
Thank you, Joanna. It was the first time ever I looked closely at the real submarine. Super cool!
What an endlessly fascinating place … Bet you are glad you decided to cross the river after all, hey?
Thank you, Ronny. Oh, yes! It was an amazing experience 🙂