Until this year, we had never visited the LX Factory in Lisbon. If you haven't heard of it, it is an industrial textile complex from 1846 that was reborn in 2008 as a 'factory of creativity'. It is now home to cool shops, restaurants, bars, and office spaces. It is located in the West of the city, in the neighbourhood of Alcântara, underneath the famous Ponte de 25 Abril bridge.
One of the most iconic shops is Ler Devagar - a bookstore in a former printing shop. Books are stacked right up to the ceiling, where a bicycle by the artist Pietro Proserpio hangs, and in the centre is a fantastic old printing press - worth going in and wandering around even if you don't want to buy a book!
There is plenty of street art all around LX Factory, and one of the most striking pieces is the giant bee by the entrance. It is made of rubbish, and was created by the artist Bordalo II - who also created the giant rabbit in Porto that we blogged about recently. If you missed that post, click here.
The best day to visit is Sunday, which is market day. There are stalls with crafts; fashion (both vintage and new) accessories and a lot of food stalls from various producers. You can get bus 714 from Praça da Figueira and stops very close to LX Factory, and tram 15 also stops nearby.
We actually walked all the way from Bairro Alto (about 45 minutes) along the front by the waterside, and it was a really interesting walk if you fancy a Sunday stroll. It is the perfect way to spend a few hours in Lisbon and the earlier you get there the better, as it is popular!
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