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Series 2: 1. Lisbon

In the first of a new series of their city adventures, Janina Ramirez and Alastair Sooke head to Lisbon, rapidly becoming one of Europe's most popular tourist destinations. Winding through the city's cobbled streets, from its steep hills to the picturesque shore line, the cultural riches they encounter reveal the city's fascinating history.\n\nFrom a spectacular monument to the maritime globetrotting of Portugal's 'golden age' to the work of a photographer documenting the city's large African population, they discover a complex history of past glories and a darker, slave-trading past.\n\nTheir journey also uncovers the impact of twentieth-century dictatorship on the city's artistic and cultural life, through the work of contemporary artists Paula Rego and Joana Vasconcelos.\n\nAlong the way, Alistair also takes a boat trip on the River Tagus to discover how Portuguese sailors established the sea passage to India, an achievement that enabled Lisbon to capture the lucrative spice trade. And Nina visits the UNESCO world heritage site the Belem Tower, designed to protect the city and a symbol of 16th century Portuguese power.\n\nNina also explores the colourful streets and discovers a city with an obsession with tiles or 'azulejos', which can be seen all over the walls of the city. From church altarpieces to mythical scenes, decorative detailing and modernist geometries - collections of colourful tiles come in almost every shape and size. But the real highlight Nina discovers, is in the National Tile Museum, where she marvels at a vast panorama of Lisbon.\n\nLisbon's penchant for tiles on their building make it feel as if street art is part of the city's DNA so Alistair finds out why the walls of Lisbon have become the canvas form some the most innovative street art in the world and he meets up with the internationally renowned street artist known as Vhils, whose unique massive character murals are changing the face of the city.\n\nAnd together they discover how the city's location on the southern coast of Europe, looking out to the Atlantic, has shaped the cosmopolitan spirit of the city: in one of the city's fado clubs, Alastair and Nina enjoy the popular Portugese folk music, whose beautiful melodies celebrate a yearning for home, once sung by sailors dreaming of their return.

Source: BBC 4