Lisbon What to do: Lisboa Visiting Guide

Or, perhaps, you prefer museums like this? I’ve seen many people getting very excited, seeing this museum!:) You can have a meaningful cultural experience of visiting a museum ;) while observing famous Lisbon attraction – The Square of Commerce: the double win!

Lisbon’s tropical, beautiful, and plentiful gardens are lifesavers during hot weather. They often have fountains that will make Rome jealous.

Lisbon is one of my 3 favorite cities in the world and I stay here often, so you will hear me talking about it a lot on Alonga Travel.

Interesting facts about Lisbon

Here are a few interesting facts about Lisbon to get you started with this wonderful city and its history.

• Lisbon is one of the oldest cities in Western Europe, predating London, Paris, and Rome by centuries.

• The city is built on seven hills, similar to Rome.

• The city experienced a devastating earthquake in 1755 that destroyed much of its historic architecture, but the Águas Livres Aqueduct survived it intact and continued to supply water to the city.

• The Bertrand Bookstore in Chiado is the world's oldest operating bookshop, established in 1732.

• Lisbon's Santa Justa Lift was designed by a disciple of Gustave Eiffel… you know, the Eiffel Tower in Paris guy?

• Lisbon's Baixa district with its Pombaline architecture was one of the world's first examples of earthquake-resistant architecture.

• The Torre de Belém Tower was originally built in the middle of the Tagus River, but the riverbank has since moved. Imagine falling asleep for 100 years and waking up to the tower being moved.:) You would think that is a bit unusual... well, besides your 100 years sleep unsual, that is...

• The famous Pastéis de Belém bakery produces over 20,000 custard tarts daily! I help these numbers when I'm in Lisbon, do you?:)

• Lisbon's Oceanário is one of the largest aquariums in Europe, with its tank holding 5 million liters of seawater.

• The city's iconic yellow trams have been operating since 1901 and Lisbon's famous No. 28 tram route passes by many of the city's main attractions.

• Lisbon's Vasco da Gama Bridge is the longest bridge in Europe at 10.7 miles (17.2 km).

• The city's famous Calçada Portuguesa (Portuguese pavement) is hand-laid using small cube-shaped stones. It’s basically road art, that’s why it’s so attractive!

Best neighborhoods in Lisbon and what to visit

To learn what to do in Lisbon, you need to know where are the best neighborhoods in Lisbon and what to visit there. Lisbon has so many amazing neighborhoods and interesting places to explore that will keep you busy!

Here is a list of the best neighborhoods in Lisbon and a brief description of what to visit and do there, with more details to learn in my other post.

If you like what the neighborhood offers, then this will also help you decide which part of Lisbon you should stay in to be close to the things you want to do and see. So, this post will also help you decide the best neighborhood to stay in Lisbon.

Pictures of Alfama narrow streets and whitewashed houses from my walk in Alfama

Alfama

- The oldest district in Lisbon with delicious maze of narrow alleys and authentic looking old buildings

- Numerous Fado houses

- St. Jorge Castle and incredibly beautiful viewpoints like Santa Luzia (my favorite), Porta do Sol (see the title image) and others. 

You can buy similar Portuguese azulejos with the view of Castelo de São Jorge for a token of Lisbon back home. Read my full list of the best souvenirs to buy in Lisbon here. 

Graça

- Hilltop neighborhood with panoramic viewpoints, uneven exciting street grid and old cute houses.

- Authentic lively local atmosphere and cafes, less touristy than Alfama.

- Known for 28 scenic tram, great informal cafes and traditional restaurants. There are a few small farmers markets there as well. 

Me enjoying Graca Viewpoint

Lisbon Garden Of Graca. It's 1 minute away from the viewpoint above, and I really love this area, it's very cute. 

Belém

- Famous for historical monuments like Belém Tower, Jerónimos Monastery and Coaches Museum (above). I love walking on the streets of Belem away from attractions as well. 

- Home to Pastéis de Belém, the original famous custard tarts Pastel Nata. They have another small shot in  Baixa, you can try there as well. 

- Several great museums and beautiful gardens, also many old historical houses, like Belem Palace.

One of the carriages displayed in an awesome Lisbon Museum of Coaches. I loved this museum more than any other museum in Belem. 

Baixa

• This downtown district is the first example of great urban planning in Europe with perfect grid well-organized streets.

• Cute modern streets with endless restaurants, Santa Justa Elevator, and Teatro Nacional Dona Maria II.

• Big squares like Rossio, Praça do Comércio and lovely Dom Pedro IV square with fountains, lovely day and night.

One of the many restaurants in Baixa, right outside of my hotel I stayed there. If you're staying in Baixa Lisbon keep in mind it could be noisy until late. 

Lovely fountain on Dom Pedro IV square. I loved returning to his square every day I was staying in Lisbon Baixa area. 

Bairro Alto

- Bohemian quarter known for nightlife (many blocks of nightlife together!). This is quite an experience, don't miss it! They also have a few Fado bars there. 

- Narrow cute streets with street art, permanent street decorations and small shops

- Lively atmosphere, especially at night, but many cute restaurants during the day as well, grand São Pedro de Alcântara Viewpoint.

Me enjoying a cake and Pastel de Nato in one of the cafes in Bairro Alto. 

One of the old  cool streets in Bairro Alta I love walking on with very authentic atmosphere.

Chiado

- Elegant shopping district with a nice feel, it’s sometimes compared to Paris’ Montmartre district. The houses are very pretty, like the one above on the pic. 

- Many historic cafes with delicious pastries (many variations of Pastels de Nato) and theaters. The streets are very pretty as well. 

- Culturally significant area with many bookshops

This is not a famous street in Chiado, but just one of many, and yet everything looks very cute. Look at sunlight shining through this tree on the pink house and around. Isn't it lovely? I love walking in Chiado aimlessly with no agenda, soaking the atmosphere. 

Cais do Sodré

- Former red-light district turned trendy nightlife area, Pink Street known for bars and clubs, this where you go for nightlife.

- Timeout Market, a gourmet food hall is a popular place to eat in Lisbon.

- Wonderful riverfront promenade (picture above) – this is my favorite part of this neighborhood. There are many bars to get a drink and drink it either there or right by the river. The sunsets here are so pretty!

Estrela

- Quiet, upscale residential area, a great place to explore to get away from the busy streets of Lisbon

- Estrela Basilica and Estrela Garden are main attractions, and the garden provides lots of shade with its tropical overgrown trees, I love resting here when it's hot in Lisbon. 

- Offers a more relaxed, local experience

Multi-colored marble star on a floor of Estrela Basilica. Read my other post to learn about some interesting facts about beautiful church.

Avenida da Liberdade

- Broad, tree-lined sunny boulevard with pretty pavement and nice, modern feel.

- Beautiful grand buildings, some of them won prestigious Architectural awards, like the Valmor Prize awarded to Lima Mayer Palace 

- High-end shops and hotels, here is the list I made of some of the best hotels on and right next to Avenida da Liberdade. These hotels are located in both this neighborhood and Principe Real (below). If you are a first time visitor or your stay is short, stay in the center of Lisbon. Otherwise, this is the area I prefer to stay in Lisbon. 

Avenida da Liberdade neighborhood and the boulevard. This area of Lisbon makes me so happy, I love walking here and sitting on these many benches to enjoy the sunshine. There is some seriously happy vibe going on here, and I'm not the only one who feels this way, judging by everyone's happy faces there!

Look at this beautiful blue building! This is one of the houses on Avenida da Liberdade. I love walking on this boulevard so much to see all the pretty houses. 

Príncipe Real

- Sophisticated neighborhood with 19th-century mansions, gay bars, and stylish shops and houses. 

- Moorish-style Embaixada palace, stylish hotels (see my description of hotels in Avenida da Liberdad neighborhood (above)  and the former Entertainment center Parque Mayer

- Príncipe Real Garden, beautiful Tropical Botanical Garden of Lisbon and small garden on Praça da Alegria (pic below)

Look at this elegant house. There are so many of pretty old houses in Principe Real area of Lisbon. I love walking in this neighborhood!

Local park on Alegria Square in Principe Real 

Ajuda

- Pretty and quiet traditional working-class neighborhood on a hill. I love walking here to feel the  authentic vibe of this quiet area. 

- Greatly decorated Ajuda Palace (one of my favorite palaces in Portugal!) and proximity to Monsanto Park

- The hidden gem - Botanical Garden of Ajuda - my favorite garden in Lisbon (below). 

Wonderful Ajuda Palace

Ajuda Botanical Garden in Ajuda neighborhood will probably be wonderfully pleasant surprise for you!

There is also a newer neighborhood, away form the center, worth checking out.

Parque das Nações

- A modern waterfront district with cutting-edge architecture, almost feels like a different city

- Beautiful scenic promenade by the Tagus River with nice sunny vibe

-Pretty Marina Parque das Nações, Casino Lisboa and Lisbon Conventional Center.

To learn about what else to visit, read my guide on attractions on the Tram 28 Route and other topics about Lisbon on my blog. Plan to visit museums during your stay, some are truly outstanding, including Lisbon Museum of Ancient Art.

Don’t miss Lisbon’s beautiful churches either, especially such unusual ones as São Vicente de Fora and the National Pantheon.

Read my post about popular festivals in Lisbon and the 2024 schedule of events to get some ideas on what else to do if your visit coincides with a festival in town.

I also have a very detailed guide on public transport in Lisbon (the Lisbon area is huge, so my guide is extensive as well). One of the means of transportation - funicular -  makes getting around Portugal particularly fun!

I explain in another post that you don’t even need to use transit; you can walk everywhere in Lisbon and also use inexpensive Lisbon rideshare. But if you decide to use public transit, you should use Navegante Electronic Card to pay for it to save time and money.

I loved this museum in Cascais, Portugal, decorated with beautiful Portuguese tiles. 

I also explain how to travel around Portugal between its cities, including from Lisbon to Sintra (don’t miss the beautiful Sintra Royal Palace!) and Lisbon to Cascais.

When it comes to where to eat in Lisbon, there are so many places that it will almost be shorter to list where not to eat. And most all restaurants in the center are very picturesque, like this one, located right outside of Lisbon Cathedral in Alfama District.

Try traditional octopus and other seafood, including the tasty cod fish Bacalhau perogy. Local farmers sausage is also delicious, don’t miss farmers markets in Lisbon! I had lots of fun sampling these sausages!

Ginjinha

I’m sure you’ll figure out your eating options, but did you know Portugal and Lisbon in particular have a cultural tradition of drinking ginja? Ginjinha (ginja) is a strong and sweet alcoholic liqueur. Sometimes it is consumed as a shot, and sometimes it is poured into a chocolate “shot glass.” In whichever form it is consumed, it’s a very interesting and delicious tradition, often enjoyed at special small shops.

Best souvenirs to buy in Lisbon to bring back home

You will likely adore Lisbon so much that you'll want to bring a piece of it home. I resisted buying too many souvenirs, but ultimately settled on a few items that were perfect for me and as gifts. They were a big hit!

Here is my list of souvenirs to buy in Lisbon:

• Portuguese Azulejos, beautifully hand-painted ceramic tiles, are a unique and even practical souvenir you can bring home, as they can be used as hot pan holders. They can be found in almost any small souvenir shop, or you can buy them at the Sant'Anna Factory or National Tile Museum if you visit them.

• Fridge Magnets of Lisbon's skyline view from its famous viewpoints are obvious items, but also buy the ones with the yellow tram, then it’s a must! The trams are just so cute! You can go further and buy a small toy model of the yellow tram – it’s such an iconic item and will be the winner for any child in your life for sure!

• Now, for the grown-up gift, Ginjinha (Cherry Liquor), the traditional cherry liqueur will bring you sweet memories of your time in Lisbon! Remember when you had to visit the ginjaria to have a sweet shot of it? You can also buy an entire bottle to take home with you.

• Local artisan Olive Oil you can afford the weight or just a kitchen towel if you’re traveling with a carry-on.

• These souvenirs not only remind you of your time in Lisbon but also contribute to the local community.

How many days in Lisbon

How many days to spend in Lisbon? At least 3-5 days.  You can see that even listing highlights of Lisbon takes many pages. This is because there is just so much to do in Lisbon!

It's better to plan for at least 5 days, and you’ll be able to see some of the best parts of Lisbon. However, there were times when I just stayed for one day on the way to another place in Portugal, and it was still quite worth it for me to stop by.

There are many more things I'm planning tell you about Lisbon and Portugal soon, I’m just warming up! 😊 But I’ve been to so many places in Lisbon, and taken so many pictures and videos, that it will take some time to post everything. Thank you for being patient!

By the way, any support with helping with software costs and monthly website membership is much appreciated!

I hope this post will be helpful for planning your trip to Lisbon.

There are many more things I will tell you about Lisbon and Portugal soon, I’m just warming up! But I’m just one person who does everything, and I’ve been to so many places in Lisbon and taken so many pictures and videos, that it will take some time to post everything. Thank you for being patient!

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