Lisbon and Its Tiles
If you’re looking for something special to do in Lisbon I got the perfect idea for you – a tile painting workshop!
Portugal’s capital city is famous for many things. For example gorgeous weather, hilly streets or delicious pastry like pastel de nata. But one thing you will see all over the city are tiles. Beautiful colourful tiles decorate the walls of houses all over the city.
These tiles have detailed patterns that sometimes even connect and create a beautiful bigger picture. Like here on the Miradouro de Santa Luzia, which is definitely worth a visit.
(Btw let’s ignore that the weather in this picture is kind of bad, usually, it’s much better in Lisbon, trust me).
About the Workshop
In Lisbon, there are different options if you want to do a tile painting workshop. I decided to book one at Loja dos Descobrimentos. The idea of doing a workshop was rather spontaneous because I wanted to surprise my mum with it. Although it was easter weekend the store was able to fit us in.
If you are interested in a workshop while you’re here on vacation make sure to book it in your first days as it takes around 24h – 48h for the tiles to be burned.
We paid 40€ per Tile. For that, they will guide you through the process of painting the tile, provide all the materials and they will burn the tile afterwards. You just have to pick it up a few days after. Most of the other places I saw had a price range of 30€ – 50€.
Loja dos Descobrimentos has been around since 1986 and they started out by selling tiles from other artists. Nowadays they paint their own and through the workshop, they also show tourists and locals how to do it.
The store is located very centrally in Alfama. It’s a perfect area to have a stroll around before or after the workshop (and it’s actually not far from the Miradouro de Santa Luzia I mentioned earlier). Sometimes Loja dos Descobrimentos even has artists painting live.
The Experience
The booking process was super simple. We just sent the store an email inquiring about the specific date and time we wanted to attend. In other places, you can only sign up for specific workshop times. In Loja dos Descobrimentos, however, they are a lot more flexible and gave us the time we asked for. We were only three people and basically got a private lesson in painting the tiles. The host was super friendly and even remembered my name when I later went to pick up the tiles.
The workshop area is set up in the back of their shop and you’re painting the tiles surrounded by these beautiful artworks. The atmosphere in the shop is super relaxing and quiet, which is perfect to paint and concentrate on your project.
You will get two options; either you can create your own design or pick a template (which is what I did).
If you decide to use a template they will show you how to transfer the design to the tile. You will end up with these little dots that will work as a guideline. What colours you use is completely up to you. Although the host will show you the difference between the darker and lighter colours.
If you want to create your own design, you can sketch it with a pencil on a piece of parchment paper, which you afterwards have to punch little holes into. They will later show you how to transfer the design onto the tile so you’ll have the same little dots as guidelines.
Then you start painting until you’re happy with the design. While you’re doing that the workshop host will give you useful tips and guide you through the process. In the end, they collect the tiles and burn them for you.
Overall the workshop took us around an hour. Depending on how much time you want to invest into painting this can also take a little longer.
If you are looking for something unique to do in Lisbon I would definitely recommend this workshop. It’s not as hard as it looks and it’s a great souvenir to take home (I’m currently using mine as a coaster for my coffee cups). Also, it’s an awesome memory that I got to do this with my mum and sister.
Angela
Angela, the mastermind behind theslowtravelista, is a passionate traveler who embraces slow travel's essence. With a knack for immersing herself in diverse cultures, she treasures connections formed across the globe. Beyond her adventures, Angela's vibrant personality shines through her love for spontaneous hair changes, hitchhiking escapades, and culinary delights. Join her for travel insights, laughter, and unforgettable adventures.
