We were far from imagining how much we’d have in common with this young woman, who curiously and passionately discovers and shares the heritage of this city. In Lisbon in Us by Vanessa Miranda, this walking tour guide reveals how she moved from Barcelos to the capital and how she uncovers the femininity of this captivating Lisbon on a daily basis.
My earliest memories of Lisbon take me back to my childhood in a small village in Barcelos, in the Minho region of Portugal. The soap operas on the national channels were almost always set in the Portuguese capital. And as a little girl, sitting with my grandmother and mother, I got to know a city that seemed so far away.
I was far from imagining that fate (or not) would bring me to Lisbon. A visit became routine, and the final decision took me to my new home. And so it was, and it welcomed me so well.
When people ask me what I like most about the city, I always firmly reply that it is its cultural life. There is always another museum to see, another palace to visit, another bookstore to find myself in, a theatre play to applaud and a woman to give voice to. The multiculturalism of Lisbon fascinates me and feeds my curious soul.
Recently, through my work, I began to look at Lisbon with a new perspective. I dare say that my view has become bolder, more intuitive, inspiring and empowering.
Is Lisbon a feminine city?
Of course it is. And I went looking for the answers. In fact, I am still in search of the answers! Lisbon is a feminine city, and it proves it through the verses sung in “Lisboa menina e moça” or “princesa do Tejo”. The city, a public space, also belonged to and was built by women, who have been immortalised in (a few) streets, in collective memories and in places.
With this new perspective of Lisbon, I can see even more beauty, a new side of the city that until now had not been (re)discovered. The city is a guardian of stories and memories. Countless women have made Lisbon the city of today. They marked their time and, even today, leave their mark.
I am moved by every story told. Because even though I did not live during their time, I feel their story, their emotion and their struggle.
A stop at the Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen viewpoint in Graça, accompanied by her bust, makes us forget the steep hills, just to be in the presence of an inspiring poet. From up there, “Lisbon with its name of being and not being”, “Lisbon cruelly built along its own absence”.
Therefore, I always leave that challenge: look for women everywhere. The result will be beautiful and transformative.
As a woman from a village, Lisbon always seemed too big for me, with its constant hustle and bustle. However, the city does not know that to me it is small, because I carry within me the vastness of the tranquillity of the countryside.
Some of my poems
Story
It’s hard to tell a story
when words remain
unsaid…
In mute language
the full stop is not placed.
Cutting words
Tearing up feelings
Telling and retelling
a story, when the words insist
to come back
to stay.
Time
Time…
that crazy thing that has no other name
but time.
The empty space between birth and death.
Time that is nothing but time.
That makes us win and lose
time…
that universal void of life.
It’s when we run out of time that
we wish we had more time…
But we never have more time.
because time has its own time and we are nothing,
but passengers.
We’re made of this crazy thing that exists
and we don’t realise it.
Never wish for time or sigh for it.
It’s not yours. It belongs to time.
Live your time around time.
Because unlike the timelessness of time,
We are temporary.
| Lisbon in Us by Vanessa Miranda | |
|---|---|
| Mini introduction | My name is Vanessa and I’m from Barcelos. I have a degree in Tourism Management and in 2023 I finished my master’s degree in Cultural Heritage. I have worked for a newspaper and when I was a teenager my job during the summer holidays was to weave and sell rugs, a legacy left to me by my maternal grandmother. But my real passion is telling and writing stories. I am currently working on my women’s walking tour project in Lisbon, where I give a voice and stage to countless women’s stories. I’m also a consultant producing tourism and heritage content for a number of companies. Writing a book is a goal and dream that was born with me and my mind is buzzing with ideas. In my spare time I dedicate myself to volunteering, reading, writing and discovering my beautiful country. I believe that we are all born to make history, and this is a small part of mine. You can follow me on Instagram and on my website and blog. |
| An inspiring place | It will always be my beloved village in Barcelos. Besides inspiring me, it always reminds me of my origins. In Lisbon, the Estrela Garden is an inspiring place and a true refuge. |
| An unmissable visit | The National Palace of Mafra and the Bertrand Bookshop in Chiado. |
| Her mouth waters with… | All my mum’s food |
| A song… | A Minha Estrada by João Pedro Pais |
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