It’s pretty clear that Lisbon is one of the hottest capitals in Europe these days. Craft beer breweries, small but exciting restaurants that have the Portuguese roots in high esteem, and of course barber shops that make you take on the city with a stylish and modern new look.
Barbearia Oliveira on the Rua dos Remédios number 27 in Alfama is an excellent example of the latter category.
Finding a hairdresser in Alfama
It was an early Monday morning in Lisbon and I decided it was time to get my hair done. At home I usually just go to the hairdresser around the corner. The guy knows exactly what I want and delivers in less than 10 minutes, resulting in an ok hairdo for about six weeks.
This time I decided to treat myself to a hip and sleek new haircut. And what better place than Barbearia Oliveira in Alfama? Well actually, maybe their shop on Rossio.
Vintage hipster barbershop
Anyway, on that specific Monday morning I was sitting in the barber’s chair around noon. The whole joint had an atmosphere of “the old days”, with lots of woodwork, leather upholstery and old hairdresser’s stuff, all in a very masculine way. If you’d walk in here for a tin of oil for your Harley Davidson, I’m sure they’d have a can of 60s vintage lubricant for you.
The two guys on duty also looked like they came with their Harley bikes in the morning: baig hair, big beards, awesome tattoos and just the right nonchalant look. Kind of like Fonzies, actually.
Tough Fonzies with a small heart
I was there with my daughters of 3 and just under 1 at the time, and it was clear that these Portuguese Fonzies can handle children just as well as beards. Our eldest especially got a lot of responses to her bad boy pranks.
In the end the whole operation of cutting and styling took at least half an hour. Almost every individual hair was modeled in minute detail, not a single detail escaped my barber’s eyes . Rarely did I look as hip and happening as I did at that moment. And the bill? Less than £14 for half an hour of pure indulgence.
Also on Rossio
The next time we walked around Lisbon we passed the store of Barbearia Oliveira at Rossio. I almost walked in but in the end I didn’t think it was necessary at the time. In hindsight I’m sorry of course, because such a makeover is always pleasant!
(I tried to get my hair in the same model every day in the days that followed. I didn’t succeed)
Where to find Barbearia Oliveira
Address:Rua dos Remédios 27, Alfama
Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 9:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. | Sunday closed
Address:Rua Dom Antão de Almada 4H, Baixa
Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. | Sunday closed
Address:Rua João de Deus 13A, Estrela
Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. | Sunday closed
