The Guardian is talking about Lisbon Walker again!

No matter if it’s for the Portuguese as if it’s for the foreigners, to know Lisboa is something that we like to do and to bring to light every day. From all of the daily tours, which we have on a regular basis, at 10:00 a.m., in English, the one that most recently has attracted the attention of the British newspaper The Guardian was our Legends and Mysteries Tour

Who is the Patron Saint of Lisboa?

What’s the curse of the Jew that generated the famous Portuguese expression “the works of Saint Engrácia”? Where has lived the last hangman of Lisboa? Wandering around Baixa and Alfama, let’s (re)discover a mysterious Lisboa filled with stories to tell!

Having been practically habitated for the last 3000 years, the city that today we call Lisboa still gathers many traces and legacies of the many civilizations that have passed by in here: Phoenicians, Romans, Arabs… still, why must have been Ulysses the founder of Lisbon?

In the Greco-Roman Mythology nothing is impossible. According to the legend, Ulysses, the great hero of the Trojan War, eternized by Homer, would have passed in here, in one of his maritime adventures. In these territories, a long time ago, there was a reign named Ofiusa, which was governed by serpents. Their queen had both human head and body, although she had a serpent’s tail. Even though she was a serpent in her inner temper, the was gentle and kind, with a great sense of seduction, who attracted everyone who entered her own reign. In his long sea journeys, Ulysses, along with his sailor and adventurous companions, have passed along the Tagus River and, delighted with its beauty, they have docked and spent some days in here.

From the moment when she saw Ulysses, the queen felt in love with him. Therefore, she proposed him to remain in her reign, marrying him. The hero, fearing her anger, pretended to be in love with her, so that she could allow his companions to disembark and to settle in her lands. The latter have discharged cargo and tools to start to build up a city, and also have supplied their boat so they could carry on with their journey.

Early in the morning, when que queen was still asleep, Ulysses was able to mislead her and run away with his companions. While walking up, realizing that she had been deceived, the queen left from the hill where she was living and snaked down towards the beach, trying to reach the boat where her beloved one was. Behind her, she left with her tail the trace of the seven hills that still today form the city of Lisboa. Once in the river, she still swam through the sea, but she eventually gave up, exhausted to carry on chasing Ulysses, who was already far, far away… Olissipo would become the name given to Lisboa, as “the city of Ulysses”.

Having been practically habitated for the last 3000 years, the city that today we call Lisboa still gathers many traces and legacies of the many civilizations that have passed by in here: Phoenicians, Romans, Arabs… still, why must have been Ulysses the founder of Lisbon?

In the Greco-Roman Mythology nothing is impossible. According to the legend, Ulysses, the great hero of the Trojan War, eternized by Homer, would have passed in here, in one of his maritime adventures. In these territories, a long time ago, there was a reign named Ofiusa, which was governed by serpents. Their queen had both human head and body, although she had a serpent’s tail. Even though she was a serpent in her inner temper, the was gentle and kind, with a great sense of seduction, who attracted everyone who entered her own reign. In his long sea journeys, Ulysses, along with his sailor and adventurous companions, have passed along the Tagus River and, delighted with its beauty, they have docked and spent some days in here.

From the moment when she saw Ulysses, the queen felt in love with him. Therefore, she proposed him to remain in her reign, marrying him. The hero, fearing her anger, pretended to be in love with her, so that she could allow his companions to disembark and to settle in her lands. The latter have discharged cargo and tools to start to build up a city, and also have supplied their boat so they could carry on with their journey.

Early in the morning, when que queen was still asleep, Ulysses was able to mislead her and run away with his companions. While walking up, realizing that she had been deceived, the queen left from the hill where she was living and snaked down towards the beach, trying to reach the boat where her beloved one was. Behind her, she left with her tail the trace of the seven hills that still today form the city of Lisboa. Once in the river, she still swam through the sea, but she eventually gave up, exhausted to carry on chasing Ulysses, who was already far, far away… Olissipo would become the name given to Lisboa, as “the city of Ulysses”.

Come join us with this and many other stories in our Legends and Mysteries Tour!

Legends and Mysteries Tour: every Tuesday, in English, at 10:00 a.m. The meeting point is at Praça do Comércio, in front of the Tourism Office which is closer to Rua do Arsenal. Each ticket costs 15€ to 20€ (free for children under 12).