Exploring Lisbon: A Colorful Guide to Portugal's Capital

Lisbon offers a multitude of attractions, from picturesque azulejos and colorful houses to beautiful viewpoints, spectacular bridges, and, of course, historical landmarks and excellent cuisine (typical of all Portugal). This guide to Lisbon includes essential information to plan your trip to the capital of Portugal, along with accommodation suggestions and practical tips. I haven’t forgotten to mention interesting excursions in the surrounding area, which I’ll suggest at the end.

And if you don’t have tickets to Portugal yet, check the website for the best prices, for example, here.

What do you need to know about Lisbon?

Unfortunately, a significant part of Lisbon, as well as its surroundings, was destroyed due to the earthquake in 1755. At that time, most buildings were destroyed.

Tourist Map of Lisbon:

25th of April Bridge

It is one of the most recognizable points in Lisbon. At the same time, its appearance evokes associations with the iconic Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. It’s worth admiring it from numerous viewpoints, but also crossing it at least once. ?

Christ the King Monument

This Catholic monument and sanctuary dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus is not only a religious site but also an excellent viewpoint, in my opinion, offering the best panorama of Lisbon. More precisely, the monument towers just in front of Lisbon in the town of Almada. The gigantic figure was erected as an expression of gratitude because Portugal avoided the direct consequences of World War II (maintaining neutrality).

Praça do Comércio

Praça do Comércio, also known as Terreiro do Paço or Commerce Square, will undoubtedly be a place you visit multiple times during your stay in Lisbon. The buildings around the square served as royal residences for many years, and now they house offices, hotels, cafes, and restaurants. The Arch of Augusta, one of the more famous viewpoints in Lisbon, is located here.

São Jorge Castle

From São Jorge Castle, a fortress built in the 11th century, you can admire numerous tourist attractions in Lisbon, such as squares and churches. The view at sunset is particularly enchanting. However, this Lisbon attraction offers visitors much more: exploring walls, and towers, and discovering local archaeological sites.

Santa Justa Lift

Opened in 1902 to facilitate communication between the Baixa Lisbon district and Bairro Alto, the Santa Justa Lift has become over the years one of the main tourist attractions in Lisbon. This iron construction is 45 meters high and was designed by the Portuguese architect Raoul Mesnier, a student of Gustave Eiffel. Above, there is an observation deck with a beautiful view of the entire Baixa district and the impressive landscape with São Jorge Castle.

Tip: During the season, there are a lot of tourists there, so if you don’t like crowds, you might want to skip this attraction.

Carmo Convent

Decorated arches and a Gothic facade are remnants of the earthquake in 1755. This church, located atop one of Lisbon’s hills, currently houses the Carmo Archaeological Museum, which collects tombs sculpted in stone, mummies, and a collection of ceramics and azulejos.

Se Cathedral

Built around 1150, the Sé Cathedral is one of the oldest medieval monuments in Lisbon. Legend has it that it was erected on the site of an old mosque as a symbol of Christian triumph after the expulsion of the Moors. The interior of this church presents various architectural styles that the cathedral adopted over the years.

National Pantheon

Santa Engrácia Church, originally known as the National Pantheon, stands out with its impressive white dome. The National Pantheon is the final resting place for prominent figures in Portugal, such as the poet Almeida Garrett and fado singer Amália Rodrigues.

Fun fact: In this area, Campo de Santa Clara hosts the oldest and most recognizable flea market in Lisbon, Feira da Ladra, which takes place on Tuesdays and Saturdays. It’s a place where antique dealers and craftsmen showcase their goods.

Rossio Square

This square is one of the liveliest places in Lisbon, located at the end (or according to some, at the beginning) of Rua Augusta Street. Surrounding the square are the National Theatre Dona Maria II, Rossio Railway Station (from where trains to Sintra depart), the monument of D. Pedro IV, and the iconic Nicola café, known as one of the most renowned places in Lisbon.

Avenida da Liberdade

This is one of the most important and beautiful avenues in Lisbon, connecting Restauradores Square (near Rossio Square) to Marquesa de Pombal Square. The entire Liberdade Avenue is densely lined with trees, with numerous restaurants, hotels, and exclusive shops.

Eduardo VII Park

This is the largest park in central Lisbon, located near Marquesa de Pombal Square, at the end of Liberty Avenue.

Bica Funicular

While strolling through the main streets of Lisbon, you will see colorful trams – the means of transportation for city residents and tourists from lower areas to higher neighborhoods. One of the most famous is undoubtedly Ascensor da Bica, which runs between Cais do Sodré and Bairro Alto, traversing a very narrow street. If you don’t want to use the funicular, it’s worth visiting Bairro Alto to photograph the yellow tram, which is one of the characteristic elements of Lisbon’s landscape. Two other famous funiculars in the capital of Portugal are Lavra and Glória funiculars.

Belém Tower

Built-in 1520 to defend the mouth of the Lisbon River from potential invaders, Belém Tower served various functions, such as a prison, customs office, and lighthouse, before becoming one of the most recognizable symbols of Lisbon. Due to the limited number of visitors, the queue may extend on the bridge leading to Belém Tower. However, the view from the top compensates for the wait!

Padrão dos Descobrimentos – Monument to the Discoveries

This monument honors Portuguese explorers such as Vasco da Gama, Pedro Álvares Cabral, and poet Luís Vaz de Camões.

Lisbon Cable Car

One of the best places to admire Lisbon is to visit the former industrial district, which has been completely modernized for Expo 1998. Take a cable car ride there; the journey takes only a few minutes and also offers a beautiful view of the Tagus River.

Vasco da Gama Bridge

Portugal is undoubtedly associated with incredible bridges. Vasco da Gama Bridge is impressive: its length is 17.2 km, and traveling on it is an amazing experience. Opened in 1998, the bridge is named after Vasco da Gama to commemorate the five-hundredth anniversary of his discovery of the maritime route from Europe to India.

Azulejos in Lisbon

Walking the streets of Lisbon, you can come across azulejos in practically every neighborhood.

Azulejos are ceramic tiles, hand-painted and fired, decorating the facades of famous buildings, public institutions, and some houses. Their patterns tell stories of Portugal, from religious scenes to maritime and floral motifs.

Where to admire Azulejos in Lisbon?

Azulejo Museum
Igreja e Convento da Graça
Medeiros e Almeida Museum

Accommodation in Lisbon

Where to stay in Lisbon? Much depends on your budget and whether you want to stay in the center. Hotels and guesthouses offer different standards, and on the outskirts, you will usually find cheaper options.

Interestingly, breakfasts in Portuguese hotels are an opportunity to try local delicacies, but very rarely will you find vegetables or eggs there. The reason is not the health department, as some may wonder, but simply Portuguese people don’t eat these products for breakfast.

You can find a selection of interesting accommodations here:

Parking in Lisbon

There are plenty of parking lots in Lisbon; we used:

Campo das Cebolas Parking – EMEL.

Good location, card payment is only at the security window.

Attractions in Lisbon and the Surroundings

Are these all the attractions of Lisbon? Of course not! The city has many museums, interesting places, cafes, and restaurants. Moreover, the Lisbon area is incredibly interesting.