Lavadouro das Francesinhas

Príncipe Real, Santos & Estrela


Most folks walk right past one of Lisbon's only surviving public laundromats – there's no sign other than 'CML' inscripted across the doorframe – and this historic 1876 landmark sees little action these days (there's a coin-operated facility inside). But it's worth popping your head in and imagining hundreds of lavadeiras (washerwomen) giving the city's sheets a once over. The huge water tanks are still occasionally in use today.

And while this bygone human-powered washing machine is no Dhobi Ghat (Mumbai's insanely fascinating public wash facility), it's a faded piece of Lisbon history that most folks don't know about.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Príncipe Real, Santos & Estrela attractions

1. Museu da Marioneta

0.12 MILES

Discover your inner child at the surprisingly enchanting Museu da Marioneta, a veritable Geppetto’s workshop housed in the 17th-century Convento das…

2. Palácio da Assembleia da República

0.21 MILES

The columned, temple-like Palácio da Assembleia da República (Palácio de São Bento) is where Portugal’s parliament, the Assembleia da República, makes its…

3. Atelier-Museu Júlio Pomar

0.26 MILES

Set in the same street where Júlio Pomar lives and works, this museum, with two spaces housing temporary exhibitions, feels like an art gallery showcasing…

4. Igreja de Santa Catarina

0.37 MILES

Igreja de Santa Catarina is a gilded baroque masterpiece, originally part of a convent built in 1647. Pay particular attention to the stucco rococo…

5. Miradouro de Santa Catarina

0.38 MILES

Students bashing out rhythms, pot-smoking hippies, stroller-pushing parents and loved-up couples all meet at this precipitous viewpoint in boho Santa…

6. Basílica da Estrela

0.4 MILES

The curvaceous, sugar-white dome and twin belfries of Basílica da Estrela are visible from afar. The echoing interior is awash with pink-and-black marble,…

7. Casa Museu de Amália Rodrigues

0.41 MILES

A pilgrimage site for fado fans, this is where the Rainha do Fado (Queen of Fado) Amália Rodrigues (1920-99) lived; note the calçada portuguesa …

8. Praça das Flores

0.42 MILES

One of Lisbon's loveliest squares, Praça das Flores is a leafy gem surrounded by some of Príncipe Real's trendiest hot spots.