Portugal’s’ capital is way more than just Torre de Belem, Tram No. 28 and hilly. It’s hip, young and fresh and offers amazing cafés, bars and restaurants.
IN A NUTSHELL
MY TOP 3 SIGHTSEEING TIPS:
Exploring Belem by bike
Visit to LX Factory
Enjoying the stunning views from Miradouro da Graça
MY TOP 3 FOOD RECOMMENDATIONS:
Pois Café, ideal for brunch, cosy atmosphere, reservations highly recommended
LX Factory with an urban industrial vibe, many restaurants to choose from
Mercado da Ribeira, a covered market with a large food court
STAY
Generally spoken, Lisbon is a destination that can be visited anytime. In my opinion however, the best time of the year to plan a visit to Lisbon is either during spring (March – May) or in autumn (September – October) as you can expect decent temperatures and less tourists than in the hot summer months.
LENGTH OF STAY
If you want to have sufficient time to explore the city mainly by foot (which is the best way in my opinion), I recommend to stay at least 3 full days. Add another day if you wish to visit beautiful Sintra, a World Heritage site located about 30 minutes north-west of Lisbon.
WHERE TO STAY
The range of accommodations that can be found online is almost infinite. Whether you are a hotel, hostel or apartment person, there are tons of suitable options. I personally love to stay in neighbourhoods, where I can discover small restaurants, cosy cafés and hip bars. With that in mind, the perfect areas in Lisbon are either Bairro Alto or Alfama, the old town.
The place I booked without having had any prior recommendations turned out to be the exact jewel I was looking for. Stay Inn Lisbon Hostel is a small accommodation and way more guesthouse than hostel, with 9 double rooms, some of them en-suite, some with private bathroom on the floor. It’s perfectly located in trendy Bairro Alto and is available at a fantastic value for money!
NEIGHBOURHOODS
Lisbon consists of several different neighbourhoods, all with their specific sights, highlights and peculiarities. What they all have in common though, is the way they are built along the historic seven hills, which is characteristic for this beautiful city! So, the choice is yours…doing some workout while climbing the hills via steep alleyways and awry stairs or taking the comfortable way of the many tramways! No matter how you decide, your effort will be rewarded when reaching the top, which is usually one of the famous “miradouros”: Epic views over the rooftops of Mediterranean Lisbon are guaranteed!
BELEM
One of the most famous areas of Lisbon is probably Belem. The world renowned “Torre de Belem” (tower) as well as the monumental “Mosteiro de Jerónimos” (monastery) are located there. Be aware that both distinctive signs are closed for public on Mondays as well as on public holidays (which was exactly what we had not considered).
A great way to reach the quarter located in Lisbon’s west is by bike along the shores of the river Tagus (Rio Tejo). It’s approximately 7 kilometres on an all flat bike way which gives you lots of opportunities to stop and take pictures along the way. Amongst others you will pass the impressive suspension bridge “Ponte 25 de Abril”, the state-of-the-art MAAT (Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology Lisbon) as well as the historic monument “Padrão dos Descobrimentos”.
A visit to the top of the monument rewards you not only with stunning views over the river and the city of Lisbon, but most importantly on the breathtaking mosaic display right in front of the memorial which represents a compass rose and a world map indicating the route of the Portuguese discoverer in the 15th and 16th century. If all these highlights did not yet convince you to include Belem into your Lisbon itinerary, there is one more and clearly very persuading reason to go: the mouth-watering “Pastéis de Belem”, a sweet puff pastry with a secret recipe for which Lisbon is very famous for.
On your way back from Belem to the city centre make sure to include a stop at the LX Factory (near the Ponte 25 de Abril). This former textile manufacture has been converted into an area of creativity and is a fantastic little town in itself, where you can find a range of cafés, bars, restaurants, concept stores and art studios. It’s such an inspiring and laid-back area with lots of street art as well – perfect for those eager to take fancy pictures. One of the most instagrammable places of Lisbon can also be found here: the Ler Devagar Bookstore.
There are many bike rentals in Lisbon. The one we picked is located near the train station Cais do Sodré which makes it very convenient. After a few meters you are directly on the bike trail without having to cross too many streets in the busy city centre: Bike Iberia.
BAIXA / CHIADO
Baixa is the CBD and shopping district in the centre of Lisbon. It is also the neighbourhood, where you will find the train station Rossio (to catch the train to Sintra, mentioned earlier). At first, it seems to be a not so spectacular area, however there are some major distinctive sights which are well worth a visit.
Probably one of the most famous attractions is the splendid elevator “Elevador de Santa Justa” which connects the neighbourhoods Baixa and Chiado. Due to the long queues we skipped the experience to catch the lift, but went by foot to still enjoy the nice views from up there.
At the top of the elevator you’ll find the next tourist attraction, the “Convento do Carmo”, a former convent that fell victim to an earthquake back in the late 18th century. The remains are a popular and photogenic place to visit. As per many other landmarks, make sure to check the opening times in advance.
Some more places of interest that are located in the neighbourhood of Chiado are the “Praça do Comércio”, the Pink Street as well as the “Mercado da Ribeira”. The latter is basically a big, covered market with a huge food court where you can get any dish you have in mind. They serve from fast food to local produce to Nouvelle Cuisine…even if you are not hungry, well worth a visit.
BAIRRO ALTO
During the day, the quarter looks rather boring and run-down and the cobblestoned streets are rather extinct. As soon as the sun sets it feels like a completely different world. It’s basically the place to have dinner, listen to the traditional Fado music and to go out and have some drinks in diverse bars and clubs.
Nevertheless, there are some “miradouros” worthwhile a visit. The “Miradouro de San Pedro de Alcântara” is one of the biggest viewpoints with great sights of the city. Next to it, you’ll find the “Elevador da Glória” which connects Bairro Alto with the lower parts of Lisbon.
Also located in Bairro Alto is the renowned “Elevador da Bica”, one of the photogenic funiculars of Lisbon. You’ll need some patience if you are striving for the perfect picture without any other tourist!
ALFAMA & GRACA
Alfama is the oldest part of Lisbon and absolutely charming with its tiny, cobblestoned alleyways. Its also rather hilly which makes it the neighbourhood with the most breathtaking views, that you can enjoy from one of the many “Miradouros” (viewpoints).
The Miradouro das Portas do Sol is easily reachable by famous tram no. 28 and thus you can expect a lot of other tourists trying to get a nice picture. Just steps away is the Miradouro de Santa Luzia which provides basically the same view over the Alfama quarter, but often gets a bit less crowded.
From there, it’s a rather strenuous 10-minute uphill walk to reach the Castelo São Jorge, the Moorish castle built in the 11th century. Don’t forget to purchase your ticket in advance in order to skip the usually hour-long queue at the entrance.
Another great area to discover in Alfama is the “Feira da Ladra”, which basically means market of thieves (originates from the fact that it is a flea market). This market takes place on a weekly base, always on Tuesday and Saturday all day long. Be aware that during market time the Campo de Santa Clara is overcrowded which obviously also attracts the attention of pickpockets.
A bit further north lies the area of Graça. Here we visited one of the most breathtaking viewpoints, the “Miradouro da Graça” from where you can see all the way to the Rio Tejo and the Ponte 25 de Abril. Also views on the Castelo São Jorge and the neighbourhoods Alfama and Bairro Alto are granted. Directly on the viewpoint you will find the catholic church “Igreja da Graça”, which is well worth a visit (even if you are not into churches, like me 😉). The entrance hall is lined with the most beautiful glazed tiles, so called “azulejos” in blue and white, which makes another great photography location!
DAYTRIP
If you have sufficient time to add a daytrip to your itinerary make sure to visit beautiful Sintra, located about 30 minutes outside Lisbon. It is a World Heritage Site highly recommended to visit. If you don’t want to take part in a guided day tour, the easiest and probably cheapest option is to take the train from Rossio station (€ 5 for a return trip). If you only spend one day in Sintra you should be aware that not all sights can be covered within that time.
Here are my favourite places of interest in the fairytale town of Sintra :
MOORISH CASTLE
A nice pedestrian route leads from the village of Sintra up the hill via the beautiful villa Sassetti to the ancient military fort built in the 10th century. The walk takes about 45 minutes and offers great views over the Atlantic coast. The Moorish Castle is a stunning example of architecture and especially the walk along the massive stone wall provides great photo opportunities. Consider enough time to explore this awe-inspiring place!
PALACE OF PENA
The most distinctive sign of Sintra is the colourful Pena Palace which is another 15 minutes’ walk from the above-mentioned Moorish Castle. It is highly recommended to buy a combined ticket for these 2 attractions, as you can save a significant amount of money and also some waiting time (especially in peak season). The Palace of Pena really is a masterpiece of architecture and simply beautiful to explore. Make sure to bring enough time and patience if you love taking pictures. This really is a fairytale castle!
QUINTA DA REGALEIRA
The third place you absolutely should consider when visiting Sintra, is this luxurious, lush garden with a pretty residence near the village centre. It consists of many mysterious corners, such as the monumental initiation well or the chapel of the Holy Trinity. You’ll be caught in its magical spell!
Comments