SO WAS THE OLD TOWN IN LISBON. As was all parts of Lisbon..
Our cruise in 2014 started in London, sailed from Southampton, went to Lisbon, Gibraltar, Barcelona, Monte Carlo, Elba, Livorno, and Rome. Every single one of these towns was filthy and defaced with graffiti, with the exception of Monte Carlo. There was a stark difference. It just shows that these towns could have stayed pristine, but THEY CHOSE NOT TO!
I wonder if this graffiti has anything to do with the influx of Muslims into Europe.