african walking tour lisbon

Explore Portugal's Black History With The African Lisbon Tour

Created by Naky Gaglo, the African Lisbon Tour aims to educate people on African history & contributions in Portugal, particularly in Lisbon.

Ayah A. • Apr 15, 2022

Naky Gaglo, the creator of African Lisbon Tour, was born in Togo to parents of a mixture of various African cultures. For the past ten years, he has been an expatriate in Europe, and since 2014, he has lived in Portugal . When he’s not leading a tour, Naky works as a real estate consultant.

A self-taught jack-of-all-trades with a particular interest in everything that concerns the history of the African continent, Naky places the utmost importance on putting history back into context, so it can be re-discussed by all and completed to include the parts that have been omitted and ignored.

“One of the greatest writers of the African continent, Chinua Achebe, wrote ‘Until the lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.’ Colonizing Europe, which is largely responsible for the many difficulties Africa faces, has substituted the history of great kingdoms and great men with dark stories for which they attribute responsibility to Africans and pass themselves off as saviors,” said Naky.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Naky (@africanlisbontour)

“Even today this myth of the ‘good white man’ is widespread, not only in Africa, but also in Europe: an insult to the dignity and intelligence of Africans. We, the descendants of the lions, must correct what the hunters have written so that the legacy of our ancestors is not stained with lies. The descendants of the hunters must understand the dimension of the acts of their forefathers in order to understand the origin of certain theories aimed at dehumanizing the Africans, so that together we can create a better living space for all.”

The African Lisbon Tour is a guided tour about transatlantic trade and colonization, providing space for discussion and debate about this part of history that has been silenced in the media, textbooks, and public places in Portugal and elsewhere.

Naky started the tour company in 2014 after his expatriation to Portugal. His inspiration for creating it stemmed from his observation that although the African community seemed physically present in the streets of Lisbon, it did not seem present in the country’s history.

“Having noticed this, I became interested in the subject, as I wanted to know much more about their history. I then decided to educate myself through writing about the history of Portugal. In order to learn more, I participated in guided tours in the city, but none of them talked about the above-mentioned topics. This was the trigger.”

Thus, the African Lisbon Tour was born. The tour focuses on the Black diaspora in Portugal, and particularly in Lisbon . Though these tours, Naky aims to educate people on the history of Africans in Portugal, as well as their economic, social, cultural, religious, and other contributions to Portugal.

The visit is divided into two parts. First, there is a four-hour walking portion, during which Naky guides participants in exploring Black Portuguese history by bridging the past with the present. The second part consists of a delicious meal in an African restaurant. An optional third part can also be added.

“If people still have energy, and if the weather allows it, we can add a festive part where we do a bar crawl that can end in a club. It is important to remember that we only explore Black businesses.”

Interested in booking an African Lisbon Tour? You can reserve your spot by booking a tour on Airbnb , by emailing [email protected] , or by sending a message to the company’s Instagram or Facebook pages. It will also soon be possible to book directly on www.africanlisbontour.com by choosing your pre-set dates.

Related: African Artist Links The Past And Present With Exhibit In Lisbon, Portugal

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This walking tour helps you find the African side of Lisbon's history

Oct 25, 2019 • 2 min read

Originally from Togo, Naky Gaglo moved to Lisbon five years ago. Fascinated by the African presence in the city, he soon realised he couldn’t easily find accounts of that presence. His research eventually led him to create African Lisbon Tour (https://africanlisbontour.com), the first (and so far, the only one) walking tour in Lisbon that traces the African presence in the Portuguese capital since the early days of the slave trade.

African Lisbon tour explores colonialism and history of slavery

“Although that was a significant part of [the Portuguese] History, not a lot of people know much about it, so I decided to transform my findings into a tour of the city of Lisbon. ”, Naky told Lonely Planet. “I’m particularly interested in the history of slavery and colonialism, and I approach both topics on this tour”.

The meeting point for the tour is Praça do Comércio, a public square in downtown Lisbon, steps away from Tagus River and the former port of Cais das Colunas. After asking the participants to introduce themselves briefly, Gaglo positions the square as the old and main port of entry for African slaves in Europe. What follows, is a walking tour of three to four hours through six areas in Lisbon associated with different periods of African presence in the city. A lot more places are marked on the paper map he hands out at the beginning of the tour. As his research progresses additional information is added to the tour.

To keep the conversation going, Naky always ends the tour with a meal at a local African restaurant. Although not included in the price of the tour, most tour-takers don’t turn their backs on the opportunity. “[To me] It’s important to finish the tour at a local restaurant and taste their delicious food. It’s a crucial moment for the group to discuss the tour, exchange knowledge, and bond," he said.

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Lisbon Tours

The Slave Trade in Lisbon - A Historical Walking Tour

✓ Insta-confirmation on all reservations ✓

Group option

On this small group, 3 hour walking tour, you will learn how in the 15th century Portugal pioneered the Atlantic Slave Trade and how slavery went hand in hand with the journeys of exploration that Portugal is most famous for.

This educational experience covers the locations in Lisbon’s historical city center associated with the Slave Trade and African History, but will also address Portugal’s contemporary History and the recent fall of the country’s colonial empire in the mid 1970’s.

In the first half of the 15th century, Portugal under the guidance of Prince Henry the Navigator, began what we now refer to as the Atlantic Slave Trade. This trade saw approximately 12.5 million Africans sold into slavery and taken across the ocean to the Americas. It was a brutal trade that lasted for four centuries.

In this walking tour, you will learn how the Slave Trade shaped Portugal's development. You will be guided along back streets and main avenues, monuments, churches and public squares that have a connection with this history and can offer insight into how Lisbon was marked by slavery. We will address various topics such as the genesis of the slavery in the Iberian peninsula, the birth of the Atlantic Slave Trade, the Age of Discovery, the day to day aspects of the life of an enslaved person living in historical Lisbon, the importance of Brazil,towards the abolition of the trade in Portugal, the Portuguese colonies in Africa and the struggle for liberation by African nationalists.

This tour is conducted by a licensed local guide whose mission is to inform travelers what they need to know to enhance their stay in Lisbon, and to promote Portugal's culture and heritage. From recommendations of things to do in the city, to insider advice on public transportation, to other areas you would want to visit on your stay, feel free to ask your guide anything.

The maximum number of participants is 8 people. This way a personal and engaging experience is guaranteed.

Enjoy a leisurely stroll along the historical quarters of the city coupled with insightful commentary and information
Gain insight into a topic rarely addressed in the tourism industry
Visit the Church of São Domingues
A detailed explanation on Portugal’s role during the Age of Discovery and the African Slave Trade
Learn how Portuguese culture and contemporary history was shaped by Africa

Inclusions:

Professional tour guide
Local taxes and fees

Exclusions:

Meals and Drinks
Museum entrance fees
Hotel pick up / Hotel drop-off

In front of the fountain located in the Largo do Chafariz de Dentro

We provide our tours in this specific languages.

Other Tours

Vr experience, alfama tour.

Duration : 3 Hours (approx.)

Price per person: 30.00 € – adults; 15.00 € – youth and children; 0.00 € – infants vat included, schedule: choose between a morning (10:00 am – 1:00 pm) or an afternoon tour (3:00 pm – 6:00 pm), meeting point: in front of the fountain located in the largo do chafariz de dentro, certification.

Av. Óscar Monteiro Torres,

nº 60 2-D, 1000-220 Lisbon

(+351) 911 582 499

[email protected]

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The Lisbon Tour Unapologetically Exploring The City’s African History

Portugal is one of the travel industry’s perennial must visit destinations. But often omitted by copy writers’ descriptive, and remarkably inviting blurbs are references to the country’s strong African roots. That’s mainly because Portugal has a complicated history with its past, one it’s still coming to grips with.

When it comes to the business of kidnapping West Africans, enslaving them and selling them the highest bidders back in Europe, one country was first. Many of those slaves, perhaps even ancestors of mine, first disembarked in the Portuguese cities of Lagos, and later Lisbon. This was back in the 1500s, but even there’s been a concentrated African presence in the country’s cultural fabric since.

Still, some visit Portugal ignorant of the dark history that took place throughout its cities. The African Lisbon Tour run by Naky Gaglo aims to change that. His in-depth walking tour explores the historical landmarks of the slave era while celebrating the present African community.

TravelCoterie recently took the African Lisbon Tour and captured portions of the experience in the video below.

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Joy ( Atlanta)

This was such a great experience. Being able to learn about the African history of Portugal with Naky was undeniably touching. Naky is very knowledgeable about history and has a true passion for spreading the truth. He is also very welcoming and encourages connecting with new people. To top it all off, he supports the local Black owned businesses in the area and has a wonderful rapport with them all. I highly recommend this tour for anyone interested in Black people. Also, don’t be intimidated by the 4 hours of walking. It’s an easy pace and plenty of stops.

Enlightening

It amazing just what there is to learn about one’s ancestors but this tour. It gave me a new respect for being a decent of Africa just how resilient we are as a people. Because after all the atrocities we’ve endured we have yet to rise up and give back to the oppressors their just due. I’m glad too because it shows that we are the best in every aspect because we rise above their negative and harmful behaviors to still shine and prosper. I believe that’s exactly why they despise us so much because they are rooted to the core of their beings and they need negativity to live off. I hope from the knowledge learned on the tour you take it to heart and strive to be a blessing to all those you encounter from that day onward.

African Lisbon tour

Naky was so amazing and knowledgeable on the history of African people in Portugal . I would highly recommend this tour if you come to Portugal . You can tell how passionate Naky is when presenting the information and he made sure we got all the knowledge we needed. The best African tour hands down.

An amazing tour experience!

Navy does a great job of delivering a wealth of information on how Portugal helped to start the Transatlantic Slave Trade. He is very informative, knowledgeable and that helps foster great discussions among the attendees. We stopped several times to refresh ourselves. We finally culminated a glorious day by dining and supporting at a local African restaurant. The group was an amazing mix of people from all walks of life. We dined together, had meaningful conversations and a wonderful dinner. What a great day! I highly recommend taking this tour.

Simply Amazing

Naky, our guide is extremely knowledgeable. He has done his research. You’ll learn a lot. This was a wonderful experience for me. I could say so much, but I’ll just say thank you Naky. Be prepared to walk and talk. Naky interacts with his guests. This tour was amazing! I appreciate you Brother Naky!!!

A key highlight of my Portugal experience

You will not be disappointed. I didn’t know what to expect but I am so glad that we decided to do this tour! Nakay was wonderful, thoroughly knowledgeable and a fast walker. Definitely have your walking shoes on. The history was extremely insightful and thought provoking. We also met some amazing fellow travelers and had a wonderful dinner!

Highly recommend

I am so glad that we decided to do this tour! Nakay was wonderful and we learned so much more about the impact of colonialism. The history we are presented is very Eurocentric so it is important to know about how those powers marginalized other cultures. We also met some amazing fellow travelers and had a wonderful dinner!

An absolute must tour for everyone!!

This is probably one of the most informative and eye-opening tours I’ve done in recent years. Not spoken of much, but Portugal has quite the history in the slave trade. Naky was engaging and found the right level of interactiveness to get everyone involved in the learning process. This is a must tour for everyone!!

MUST DO TOUR if you are in Lisbon

Before I came to Lisbon, I knew about this tour. It was the first one I booked and it was amazing. Learning about the role Portugal played in slavery is something you won’t learn anywhere except on this tour. Naky’s tour is informative but allows for discussions that we all need to have. While this tour is focused on slavery and the role it continues to play in this world the experience is for everyone. You will leave with new friends and a new perspective on many things. Thank you Naky for this experience!

Definitely a must!

This tour was absolutely wonderful! You can’t fully understand Portugal and Europe without knowing the darker side of history and Naky is not afraid to discuss what no other tour in Portugal will.

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+351 932 273 536
[email protected]

The Transatlantic Slave Trade and Colonization: Two Troublesome Topics. Talking about the slave trade and colonialism continues to be a burden for most countries in the world.

Meeting Spot

Praça do comercio 1100-148, Lisbon

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