COVID-19 transformed Lisbon into a ghost town. But like many other cities around the world, the Portuguese capital is easing its lock down.

On May 24th I  went out for the first time in more than 2 months to take some photos. I felt a little silly but I wore a mask, tried to keep a distance of people, and carried an endless supply of hand sanitizer, of course. As I hit the streets, I see signs of change that could become part of the new normal for a long time.

The first thing I noticed was that very few restaurants and cafes were open and most of the touristic places were totally empty or in some cases, still closed.

Also, face masks everywhere. Masks are compulsory when shopping or using public transport in this post COVID-19 life.

Portugal, which has been less affected by the outbreak than neighbors Spain and Italy, has started easing its lock down on May 4. And From May 18th has allowed restaurants, museums, and many stores to reopen but with preventative measures like; cleaning and disinfection of surfaces, conducting daily health checks, limiting capacity and encouraging employees to wear face masks. 

Portugal depends heavily on tourism, with about 30 million tourists visiting the country every year. The government here has said the country will reopen to international tourism in July. Hopefully, the preventative measures will help limit the spread of COVID-19 in the high tourist season.