Postcards from Futsol — Lisbon
Portugal-based stylist Teresa Sousa takes a break in the city she calls home (with a few Futsol pieces in her backpack) for The Last Holiday Of Summer. Check out her insider tips - plus our new 90s-inspired shorts - below.
Where to eat: Galeto, Café São João, Pastelaria Panicova, O Velho Eurico, Solar dos Presuntos, Tasca Pete, Magnolia
Where to drink: Vago, Machimbombo, Toca da Raposa, Vino Vero
What to do: Costa Caparica, Cova do Vapor, Fonte da Telha
With its cobbled alleyways, white-domed cathedrals, grilled sardines, vinho verde and almost double the sunshine hours of London, the capital of Portugal has long been one of the European cities of choice for those in search of a languid pace of life, and the early symptoms of gout.
In recent years, this has reached somewhat of a peak, with visitor numbers doubling in the last decade, and reports last month of two-tier menu prices at some of the more popular restaurants. As far as tourist deterrents go, it’s not quite as blatant as the water pistols they use in Barcelona, but it’s good to know when your presence is being felt.
We love Lisbon and we spend a lot of time in Portugal - the country where Futsol was founded. Our latest collection was inspired by the coastal towns of Alentejo. But if we’re going to visit, it’s important to do so responsibly, and to avoid the crowds, with someone who knows their way around, like our friend Teresa Sousa.
As a girl from a city near Porto, I should dislike Lisbon, it's what we do, it's in our northern blood.
Even more if you care about football and are a major FC Porto fan. "The best time I had in Lisbon was when I took the train to Porto," I hear some people say.
But Lisbon has always drawn me in. I've loved it since I was a little girl. My father, an SL Benfica fan, brought me here many times, in a slightly desperate attempt to convert me to his tribal allegiances. But, it simply made me want to move here as I remained a supporter of his rival club.
It's easy to fall in love with Lisbon... Everyone knows about its light, I've never seen it anywhere else.
Supposedly it comes from the reflection of the sun on the typical Portuguese "calçada" made of limestone, but for me, the sun simply shines brighter here. I'm happier here.
I moved to Lisbon for work in 2022 and after wandering alone in these crooked, dirty, sloped but beautiful streets, I found love.
In between dates in Alvalade, going to the stadium for his team matches (Sporting CP) and late dinners at Galeto, I’ve lived and loved Lisbon with João.
But it’s not always that easy. Unfortunately, Lisbon has become overbooked and filled with tourism. Portuguese people barely have the money to pay the rent, even less to enjoy the cool restaurants and bars that pop up by the minute at the hands of the expat community.
The peaceful streets where you could listen to Fado are now filled with bachelorette groups, scooters or tuktuks.
Just like any other relationship, my love affair with Lisbon takes a lot of work and commitment.
Galeto opens at 7:30am and closes at 3am.
You can tell that it’s a very peculiar place since it’s heaven for both early birds and the night owls. You can have a croissant for breakfast and some fish for dinner.
For me, it’s where I go for a late snack after a football match,
live show or movie. You can find everyone there, from taxi drivers to the President of Portugal (no joke).
I love the shiny metallic surfaces contrasting with the dark wood panels, the fast pace of the staff and the feeling that it has stopped in time and hasn’t aged a day.
If you’re up for a treat, I highly suggest croquetes de vitela or rissóis de camarão, prego a martelo, canja (chicken soup), and the most random dish that is the “meia-meia” (half-half), which is basically french fries with spinach puree.
João is from the other side of the river and he showed me the laid back side of Lisbon, away from all the tuk tuks and trams. Sometimes you have to get away and once you cross the bridge, you immediately feel the fresh air on your face.
I missed the suburban life, the lack of tourists, the feeling of going to work and getting back to your family at the end of the day in a peaceful environment. The morning walks in the woods or on the beach.
The beach is one of the few places where one can be alone because the sand is infinite, it’s dozens of kilometers side by side with the Atlantic Ocean. It allows us to escape the chaos of the city. The best suggestion I can give is to take a walk along the old beach train which is no longer operational.
This train connected the beaches between Costa da Caparica and Praia do Rei.
But Caparica is not only about the beach. Its flora reminds me of a post-apocalyptic scenario with dense vegetation contrasting with the sandy colours of the fossil cliff alongside the Californian style palm trees.
This city, made by the hand of people from the sea, is also a jungle of colourful buildings with weirdly shaped balconies. A surprise on every corner.
In July and August, you’ll find the streets filled with families going to the beach and lots of traditional parties. The popular fair, filled with food trucks, rides and games such as foosball tables, opens next to the football pitch of Grupo Desportivo dos Pescadores da Costa da Caparica— a historical green and white club created by fishermen. It’s as if the stadium is part of the fair.
Cova do Vapor, the fishing spot on outside Lisbon, between Costa da Caparica and Trafaria, is one of the best kept secrets for surf lovers and grilled fish.
It’s like you’re hours and hours away from a big city, kids are playing on the street, beach towels are sold by an old lady yelling their price.
There's another big secret: the Portuguese pastry that everyone eats at the beach and gets sugar all over their faces, called Bola de Berlim. Find it at Pastelaria Panicova.
This one is the best I’ve ever tried, and trust me... I’ve tried too many to count throughout my life.
If you go a little bit down south, you’ll find the beach Fonte da Telha nestled under the fossil cliff. With its wild vegetation, it seems like it’s untouched by humans.
You can only access it by one road by car but there’s a lot of brave people that descend between the trees to the sea.
You can walk on the sand until Praia do Meco. Between the dunes, you’ll find boats, a little dock and houses for the fishermen.
On a beach day there's nothing like a crunchy and salty snack such as Choco Frito. It’s something you can’t find in the north of Portugal and I’m obsessed. In Café São João, you’ll have the best Choco Frito served on a little boat! It couldn’t get any more kitsch than this. The fish is great, so are the desserts—a must go.
At the end of the day, going back home when the wind at the beach is a bit too much, there’s always time to swim in the family pool or practice some football with our dog, Roma.
I feel like in Lisbon you get the best of both worlds, fast and slow living, connected by a red bridge.
And that’s how life should be.
