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LISBON
This guide divides Lisbon into six colour-coded sightseeing areas: the four shown on this map, Beyond the Centre and the Lisbon Coast. Find out more about each area on the following pages.
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Alfama
Lisbon’s oldest district, the labyrinthine Alfama tumbles downhill towards the river, hiding tiny bars, secret squares and a traditional way of life amid its narrow streets. This is the birthplace of fado, Portugal’s mournful style of music, and the neighbourhood still hosts the Feira da Ladra, an authentic, twice-weekly street market packed with everything from postcards to antiques. Some of Lisbon’s best viewpoints can also be found in the Alfama, with both the castle’s ramparts and the Miradouro de Santa Luzia offering sweeping panoramas over the rest of the city.
Best for Getting lost amid winding alleys and drinking in the city’s atmosphere
Home to The towering Castelo de São Jorge
Experience Great views from the dome of Santa Engrácia, or an evening of music at a fado house
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t A cheerful yellow tram winding its way through Alfama’s narrow streets
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Baixa and Avenida
The Baixa (lower town) is the heart of the city, comprising a grid of streets dotted with shops, cafés and boutiques, and culminating in the wide, waterfront Praça do Comércio. Running through the centre of the district is the pedestrianized Rua Augusta, where throngs of visitors and locals alike gather to shop, graze and gossip. Also in this area is the imposing Avenida da Liberdade, a wide avenue lined with Art Deco buildings that stretches all the way to Parque Eduardo VII.
Best for Shopping and grand squares
Home to The quirky Elevador de Santa Justa and the Praça do Comércio
Experience Coffee and cakes at the Confeitaria Nacional, one of Lisbon’s historic cafés
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t The wide Rua Augusta cutting through Lisbon’s Baixa district
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Bairro Alto and Estrela
The Bairro Alto is Lisbon’s nightlife district. By day it’s relatively tranquil, but at night the neighbourhood comes alive with restaurants, cafés and bars that spill revellers out into the streets until the early hours. In Cais do Sodré you’ll find the literally named Pink Street: once Lisbon’s red light district, but now populated with stylish cocktail bars and clubs. The area offers culture, too, from Estrela’s grand domed basilica to the impressive Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga in Lapa, home of Portugal’s national art collection.
Best for Lively restaurants and late-night bars
Home to The Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga
Experience Some of Lisbon’s finest street food – from traditional to experimental – at the Time Out Market
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t Strolling through a street in the Bairro Alto quarter
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BelÉm
Once the embarkation point for Portugal’s intrepid seafaring explorers, this scenic waterfront suburb is perhaps best known for its dramatic Manueline monuments from that period. Belém also features more modern attractions – such as the Berardo Collection of contemporary art and the imposing Padrão dos Descobrimentos – which combine with the neighbourhood’s spacious streets and well-maintained, leafy parks to make it a pleasant place to wander.
Best for Awe-inspiring architecture
Home to The ornate Mosteiro dos Jerónimos and the Torre de Belém
Experience A pastel de nata fresh out of the ovens at the original Belém bakery
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t The ornate arches of the cloisters at the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos
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Beyond the Centre
Outside the city centre, there are still an impressive number of sights to be found. Parque Eduardo VII, with its sharply edged hedges and expansive miradouro, is a welcome green space for visitors to Lisbon, while the astounding collections of the nearby Museu Calouste Gulbenkian make for a rewarding visit. The brick-red Ponte 25 de Abril also stands in this area, stretching dramatically to the opposite bank of the Tagus, where the Cristo Rei monument towers above the city.
Best for Wide parks and a break from the city’s bustle
Home to The Museu Calouste Gulbenkian and the colourful Museu Nacional do Azulejo
Experience Panoramic vistas from the viewing platform atop the Ponte 25 de Abril
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t The Cristo Rei sculpture glimpsed through the red towers of the Ponte 25 de Abril
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The Lisbon Coast
With so much on offer in the city itself, it can be easy to forget that pristine beaches and shady woodland lie just a short distance away. Head northwest to the palace-dotted hills of Sintra, a must-do trip that can be squeezed into a day – although in this atmospheric town packed with spectacular architecture and exotic gardens, there’s plenty to keep you there longer. Also within reach are the golden sands of Caparica and the Tróia Peninsula, while south of the Tagus sits the Serra da Arrábida, a wild, wooded mountain range that’s ripe for exploring.
Best for Fairy-tale palaces and surfing hotspots
Home to Sintra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the beautiful Palácio Nacional de Queluz
Experience Gorgeously painted rooms in the Palácio Nacional de Sintra
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t The old fishing port of Carrasqueira, on the Península de Tróia