Make it more fun with creative and cultural life.
Embrace the opportunity to live a creative life. Participate in activities like walks, hikes, savor delicious food, explore art, and dive into history (not necessarily in that order!). All these things can serve as fantastic gateways to immerse yourself in a new culture, try new creative things, become more creative, help your mental health, and connect with people.
@50andrisingMuseu do Oriente in Lisbon. The Japanese exhibit is wonderful and will be up until December. #museodeoriente #lisbonart #art #lisbon #over50traveler ♬ original sound – 50andrising
Discovering hidden gems beyond the tourist attractions takes time. A great starting point is online searches, while word of mouth remains the ultimate way to unveil a city’s best-kept secrets.
If you live alone or are a solo traveler, making an extra effort to find like-minded individuals and integrate into a community is essential, but don’t worry, we have ideas for you.
If you are in a place known for uniqueness, like tiles, tapestry, knitting, biking, or street art, learn the craft!
2. List things you want to learn, like, and what you find challenging but always want to do.
3. Now, pick something from the list monthly.
You are going to create a more fun and creative life!
You can scout for such opportunities at home (and when traveling) on Eventbrite, Meetup, Trip Advisor, and Google. Facebook and Instagram are also valuable resources, offering avenues for creating new adventures.
Airbnb’s “Experiences” section presents excellent choices to familiarize yourself with a place. Look for walks, cultural things, painting, or cooking classes. Their short events will allow you to get a taste of something- if you like it, you can get more involved.
Marguerite at the Fundação Oriente, Lisbon
Online sources are a great way to find events and classes. Connect with people on social media and ask them for tips. Join interesting online groups.
Museums and galleries also provide special tours and classes for those with an appetite for knowledge.
Museums and galleries have cultural events such as workshops, art talks, guided tours, and music.
Photo by Helena Lopes on Unsplash
Time Left is an app that allows you to join others for supper in Lisbon.
Supper clubs can be a fantastic option for over 50 foodies who want to dine with others.
Join the Drink and Draw Meetups with a Twist
Foodie Tours
Foodie tours are a great way to get to know a city. It’s usually touristy, but it will allow you to meet people, and many residents take foodie tours, too.
Search and Research for local art and photography clubs, book clubs, or any club that ignites your passion.
I have a creative life but am a loner because of my favorite activities. I love to photograph, paint, sketch, and swim. These activities require silence and thinking- not swimming, but one can’t chat when one swims, but it’s a lone sport.
I actively seek out activities that align with my interests, allowing me to connect with vibrant individuals while doing something I love. I go to live drawing sessions at Lisbon Drawing Club, hike with Sandra from Sintra Hikes, cultural lectures with Giro Cultural, and more.
If I don’t forge a deep connection at an event, I always walk away having learned something new or experienced something remarkable, and I always learn things about my new culture and city. Everything helps me be a more creative person and enjoy life.
Ana Cecilia Mazza
Let me introduce you to Ana Cecilia Mazza, a friend I met over lunch at my favorite neighborhood tasca in Saldanha. Ana Cecilia and I chatted about bringing creativity to life, starting a new life, connecting with people, and adapting to a new culture.
Ana Cecilia found that moving to a new country, alone or with a family, was challenging. Still, she was determined to ensure a smooth transition for her family, particularly her children. She actively sought activities to make her family feel at home, including finding suitable schools for her kids based on their personalities and educational preferences, having a creative life, and care for their needs.
Ana Cecilia was on a mission to create a vibrant social and cultural life for everyone in her family, which presented its own challenges. However, their determination paid off, making their move to Lisbon successful- and Lisbon is home to all.
It’s not easy to meet locals, and it’s easy to understand why. We are all on different paths, but they can eventually merge.
Ana Cecilia told me that the Portuguese have an intense family life; they already have a circle of friends and are in a different social situation than ex-pats or immigrants. They don’t need to make friends; newcomers must create a social and cultural life to call their new city home.
People criticize this situation, but if you stop to think about your life in your country before becoming an ex-pat, you may understand this situation better. You probably had your circle of friends, were busy with your family, and didn’t have much time or mental space for new friends, ex-pats, and immigrants.
Art openings are a fun way to meet people: Ana Kesselring’s art exhibit in Lisbon
Ana Cecilia decided that culture was the best way to connect with her new country, and she attended seminars, classes, and workshops about Portugal’s history and art. Her intention was to create lectures for other newcomers to connect in Lisbon and feel at home in Portugal.
It turned out to be quite an interesting challenge to find professors or monitors, and she met many people who introduced her to more lovely people who gave her lots of tips but she couldn’t find a person to teach.
During her quest, she met the renowned Professor Fernando Antonio Baptista, the President of Faculdade de Belas-Artes da Universidade de Lisboa, and asked him to help her find lecturers- he offered to do it himself, and she was ecstatic so this is how Giro Cultural Cursos started.
At first, the cultural groups were small and intimate; they met at each other’s homes for art history and history chats. Participants shared their experiences with other newcomers. Ana Cecilia went from five or ten participants to forty, and her groups became seminars.
Photographing Paula Rego’s painting
Ana Cecilia and Giro Cultural created a wonderful way for many Brazilian newcomers to connect in a safe and fun manner and for everyone to have a more creative life..
The Pandemic lockdowns and online life
The Pandemic’s lockdown forced Ana Cecilia to move her seminars online. Her children stepped in, helped people set up Zoom, and she conducted four or five workshops weekly.
Participants said these workshops saved them because some had just moved to Lisbon and were trying to adapt to a new city while all in the middle of a lockdown. It was lonely and difficult, and the online courses helped them feel welcome and connect with other ex-pats.
It turns out that art is a great connector!
Ana Cecilia is not just an ordinary admin, but the fearless captain steering the ship of GAM – a close-knit online enclave that thrives on exclusivity.
This isn’t your run-of-the-mill group; it’s a high-octane haven where active participation is the golden ticket to membership and relevance.
In the heart of Lisbon’s secrets, they’ve carved out a sanctuary for sharing, seeking help, and dishing out the juiciest insider tips.
GAM, short for “Grupo de Ajuda Mutua” (the Collective Help Group), birthed in the vibrant lands of Brazil, found its guardian angel in Patricia Centuriano.
She extended the golden scepter to Ana Cecilia, anointed her the keeper of Lisbon’s secrets, and bestowed upon her the mantle of administration. Together, they’ve woven a tapestry of connections, where art shows, gastronomic adventures, retail therapy, medical expertise, plumbing saviors, cinematic gems, and the hottest events in Lisbon collide in a spectacular dance of shared experiences.
Ana Cecilia’s Giro Cultural group at the Palacio de Belem
Ana Cecilia’s journey serves as an inspiration, demonstrating that by focusing on your passions and interests, you not only enrich your life but also have the opportunity to meet remarkable people.
Here are some additional tips for newcomers looking to fit into their new environment who want a more creative life.
Free Tours: Embrace your curiosity and join city and museum tours. I was fortunate to encounter a knowledgeable tour guide pursuing a master’s degree in history who generously shared his insights. These tours gave me ideas for solo walks and invaluable recommendations for shops and restaurants.
Exploring Local Cuisine: Dive into local cuisine by trying out trendy, traditional, new, and pop-up restaurants, food trucks, and foodie events. Food offers a captivating window into your city’s culture.
Stay Curious: Make an effort to explore something new in your city every week. Take your camera to document your experiences and become your cultural journalist.
Alternatively, express your surroundings through sketches. Documenting your environment fosters a personal connection with your city, making it feel like home.
Events: Fever
Restaurants and events Time Out
Courses Giro Cultural Cursos
What to do Lisboa Secreta
Marguerite Beaty, Blogger, Photographer & Artist
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