LAPA

Author:

Dr. Paulo Lowndes Marques

Report:

13

Page:

25

Year:

1986

Excerpt:

Lapa is an area of Lisbon usually associated with embassies and is generally considered the "best" area of city linked to the addresses of noble names. Perhaps a sort of Belgravia. Curiously it has historically many links with Britons. Several merchants lived here in the late XVIII and early XIX century. It was not far from Estrela with its Protestant cemetery and indeed many houses in the area (several for example in the west side of Rua São Domingos a Lapa) are built very much in a London style - quite high and narrow. Also in the early part of last century it was an area where the best hotels existed (although much complained about as we shall see), usually kept by English or Irish ladies. So it was in this part of the city where travellers usually stayed.

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