This week there’s an initiative that deserves your attention: European Mobility Week.
European Car-Free Day kicked off on the 16th and runs through September 22, with most of the events taking place over the weekend.
The initiative is promoted by the European Commission and is celebrated every year with the goal of encouraging more sustainable modes of travel— on foot, by bike , and via public transportation.
The theme of this year’s event is “Mobility for All – Intergenerational Justice,” which the Lisbon City Council has translated as “Mix It Up and Get Moving! – Intergenerational Justice”: a city accessible to everyone, whether they’re 8 or 80, without passing the bill on to future generations.
The tours of the Metro Circular Line construction sites on Sunday are already sold out, but you still have time to enjoy plenty of other activities, especially over the weekend. That’s why we’re highlighting some of the activities we find most interesting. Shall we take a look?
“Long Live the Street!”: The program to expand the Chiado pedestrian zones gets underway
The first day features a walking tour of the Chiado district led by Carlos Moedas , marking the start of “Viva a Rua!”, the municipal program designed to give pedestrians more space in the historic center.
Seven streets in the neighborhood are included: Garrett, Nova do Almada, do Carmo, Calçada do Sacramento, Ivens, Anchieta, and Serpa Pinto.
Where: various streets in Chiado
When: September 16 at 10 a.m.
Organized by: The “Viva a Rua!” program, run by the Lisbon City Council
“Zero City”: over 100 free events at Eduardo VII Park
For two days, Eduardo VII Park will host Cidade do Zero, an event dedicated to the ecological transition and how we will live in cities.
There are over 100 events, all free of charge, ranging from talks and roundtables to hands-on workshops, activities for families with children, and swap meets. Saturday and Sunday, at the same times.
Where: Eduardo VII Park
When: September 19 and 20, from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Organized by: Cidade do Zero, with support from the Lisbon City Council
“Cycling the Old-Fashioned Way”: Vintage Bicycles from the Gulbenkian on Avenida da Liberdade
A parade of vintage bicycles with cyclists dressed in period costumes, in the style of bygone eras, crosses the city from north to south: it starts at the Municipal Police Headquarters, continues along Calouste Gulbenkian Avenue, Praça de Espanha, Avenida de Berna, Campo Pequeno, Avenida da República, Saldanha, Avenida Fontes Pereira de Melo, and Marquês de Pombal, ending at Avenida da Liberdade.
Only 50 to 60 people participate, invited by partner organizations, but the entire route takes place on city streets.
Where: From the Municipal Police Headquarters to Avenida da Liberdade
When: September 19, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Organized by: Lisbon Municipal Police and the Santo António Parish Council
Summer Community Market & BrincArroios
Local creators, artisans, and neighborhood food vendors set up stalls at the Forno do Tijolo Market, while BrincaArroios keeps the little ones entertained with activities for children and families.
The Neighborhood Council wants people to spend the day on foot, with the streets given over to those who live there.
Where: Forno do Tijolo Market, Arroios
When: September 19, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Organized by: Arroios Parish Council
“The Street Is Yours,” in Penha de França
Between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m., Rua Professor Celestino da Costa will be closed to cars and will become a space for children: a place to play, run, and socialize without traffic.
Where: Rua Professor Celestino da Costa 6B
When: September 20, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Organized by: Penha de França Parish Council
European Car-Free Day: If this street were mine…
What if you had to cross the city in a wheelchair, with a stroller, at 80 years old, or without being able to see? This course inside the Alvalade Market recreates, with real obstacles, the daily lives of those with limited mobility, seniors, parents with babies, and people with motor or visual impairments.
Where: Alvalade Norte Market
When: September 22, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Organized by: Accessibility and Safety Working Group – Alvalade Parish Social Commission
And outside Lisbon: Sintra, Oeiras, Loures, and Almada
In Sintra, the Kidical Mass departs at 3:30 p.m. from the Palácio da Vila and heads to the Oeiras Municipal Park in Mem Martins.
In Oeiras, the SATUO Station in Paço de Arcos will be open for guided tours from the 19th to the 22nd, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., and the Navegantes Parking Lot will be transformed into a movie theater on the 21st and 22nd at 7:30 p.m.
In Loures, Mobility Weekend will take place at Santa Iria de Azóia Urban Park on the 19th and 20th (from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.), featuring a free Escape Bus.
And in Almada, Car-Free Day will take place at the Vila Nova de Caparica Elementary School, with the creation of a School Zone next to the building.
Note: These are just a few of the initiatives for European Mobility Week. The full schedule for Lisbon is available on the Lisbon City Council’s website.
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