Blue Street, Tourist attraction and pedestrian street in Lisbon, Portugal
Rue Bleue is a pedestrian street in Lisbon, Portugal, where the pavement has been painted a bright blue. Shops, cafes, and restaurants line both sides of the street, and with cars kept out, they are able to set tables and chairs directly on the colored surface.
The street was first painted pink before taking on its current blue color as part of a city project to expand pedestrian space. This shift happened around the time cities were rethinking how streets could be used during periods of social distancing.
The blue paint on the ground carries a direct message: a text painted at the entrance of the street reads "The street belongs to you." Pictograms on the pavement reinforce this invitation and make the space feel open to anyone passing by.
The street is easy to reach on foot and requires no particular preparation to visit. Coming in the evening is a good option, as cafe and restaurant terraces tend to fill up and the area becomes more lively.
The blue color on the asphalt does more than signal pedestrian use: lighter pavement colors can reduce heat absorption, making the surface cooler underfoot in summer. The city was still evaluating whether this street and others like it would become permanently car-free.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
