You could stay in Lisbon for a month and still find new things to do. The beautiful Portuguese capital, on the banks of the River Tagus, has enough museums, churches and historic sites to keep you busy no matter how long you’re here. Indeed, the city can feel like an open-air museum in itself, particularly when you set out to explore the labyrinthine old streets of the Alfama district. But it’s not all about the past, and there are plenty of newer attractions to keep you entertained, be it modern art in landmark galleries to coffee shops and flea markets on redeveloped industrial sites. And don’t forget to make time to relax, with a sunset drink at a rooftop bar or some retail therapy in high-class boutiques. Here’s our pic of the best things to do in Lisbon.
Main photo: traditional pastel de nata (Alamy)
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1. Retreat to a monastery
The Jerónimos Monastery, or Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, is a Unesco world heritage site, and it’s easy to see why — from the moment you first step into the vast medieval complex, you’ll wander around with your jaw open. Built to commemorate the first voyage of explorer Vasco de Gama to India in 1497, the building is an architectural marvel, with delicate carvings in its white-stone church and cloisters, and a new detail to discover wherever you look. Da Gama himself is interred here, and you can see his ornate tomb in the lower choir. Be sure to book ahead to avoid the ticket queues.
2. Go on a voyage of discovery
Portugal was once one of the greatest maritime nations in the world — its seafaring adventurers setting out to chart unexplored corners of the world from the port of Belém in Lisbon. The nautical exploits of voyagers such as Vasco de Gama heralded the country’s Age of Discovery from the 15th century, and theirs is one of the stories well told at the Museu de Marinha. The city’s maritime museum is in a wing of the Jerónimos Monastery, and displays more than 17,000 maritime artefacts, from model ships and old globes to astronomical equipment and ceremonial barges.
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3. Eat in an old market
Experience the best of Lisbon’s dining scene under one roof with a visit to the Mercado da Ribeira. The giant domed hall has been home to the city’s fruit and veg market way back to 1892, and to some of the city’s finest food stalls since 2014. You could spend an entire day here, sampling something from every vendor — pancakes for breakfast from Tartine, octopus stew for lunch from Conzinha de Felicidae, and suckling pig for dinner from Michelin-starred Henrique Sà Passoa, followed by cocktails at Licor Beirao. The hall also hosts club nights and cooking courses; check the website to see what’s on.
4. Walk along the river in Belém
A lovely way to spend an afternoon is to wander the waterfront in Belém, gazing out over the river that marked the start of the country’s seagoing explorations in the 15th and 16th century. You’ll pass two tributes to those voyages: the Padrão dos Descobrimentos (Monument of Discoveries), a mighty stone tribute to the Age of Discovery, with its main players carved in limestone at its base; and the Torre de Belém. The Unesco-listed tower has served as a fortress, lighthouse and customs house, and has long been something of a symbolic gateway to the city.
5. Sample the city’s famous custard tarts
It would be impossible to come to Lisbon and not sink your teeth into at least one pastel de nata. The flaky Portuguese custard tarts are thought to originate in the 18th century from the Jerónimos Monastery in Belém, and the recipe passed to a local sugar refinery to reproduce. The only place you can now get their version is at the Pastéis de Belém: a beautiful blue-tiled bakery right next to the monastery, which makes 20,000 tarts a day. The recipe remains a closely guarded secret — only three confectioners are believed to know it.
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6. Ride Tram 28
Rattling through the streets of Lisbon since 1890, Tram 28 is the most charming way to get around the city. The historic yellow-and-white tram is still a means of public transportation, but is used increasingly by tourists for sightseeing as it passes through some of Lisbon’s prettiest neighbourhoods, including Alfama and Sao Bento. Try and board at either end of the line (Praça Martim Moniz or Campo Ourique) to avoid the crowds piling on in the city centre, and to bag yourself a seat in the atmospheric, wood-panelled carriage.
7. Find your perfect view
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As you’d expect from a settlement built on seven steep hills, Lisbon is not short of stirring viewpoints. These are officially known as “miradouros” and are scattered across the city, with views stretching over the red-tiled roofs of the city and out over the River Tagus. Good ones to help you get your bearings (and some Instagram-worthy snaps) are the Miradouro de Santa Luzia, which offers a striking perspective of the district of Alfama, and Miradouro da Senhora do Monte, the highest point in Lisbon and the perfect place to head for sunset.
8. Command a castle
The 11th-century Moorish Castelo de Sao Jorge (St George Castle) sits proudly on a hilltop in Alfama, and dominates the city’s skyline — wherever you are in Lisbon, it’s to be in sight. Having served variously as a defensive fort, a palace and a barracks, the castle is now a museum, with displays covering Lisbon’s archaeology and history. The real highlight, though, is the building itself, with its 11 towers and ramparts still intact. There are terrific views from the latter. There are multiple guided tours available, some of them free; check the website for timings.
9. Catch a lift
The Elevador de Santa Justa (St Justa Elevator) is a wonder of early 20th-century engineering — a neo-gothic wrought-iron tower that rises incongruously from street level in the Baixa district and takes its occupants in a clanking wooden lift to a platform 45 metres up. Once at the top, you’ll enjoy 360-degree views of the city. Only 20 people can ride the lift at one time; note that if queues are long, you can access the viewing platform by climbing the steps next to the Bellalisa Elevador restaurant, and then catch the lift back down.
10. Explore the LX Factory
Experience modern Lisbon by heading to the foot of the 25th of April Bridge in the Alcântara district and making a beeline for the LX Factory. The cultural complex has taken over an old manufacturing site that once housed the city’s textile and printing industries. Now, it’s home to a myriad small creative businesses, as well as restaurants, bars, shops and galleries. It’s a lively place to visit at any time, but aim for the weekend if you can — there’s a flea market held on Sundays and a regular calendar of events.
11. Listen to fado
The melancholy songs known as “fado” are the soundtrack to the Alfama district, and you can hear its wistful strains echoing down its streets most nights. Don’t miss the chance to catch a traditional performance while you’re here. There are several venues to see a live band, usually a singer accompanied by one or more guitars, and Mesa de Frades is one of the most atmospheric. The tiny, beautifully tiled venue used to be a chapel, and serves a menu of traditional Portuguese dishes, such as salt cod, before the music starts.
12. Discover Bairro Alto
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Bairro Alto is one the city’s liveliest nightlife districts, its maze of ramshackle streets home to tiny hole-in-the-wall wine bars and vast rooftop terraces alike. You should plan to have at least one evening here. Highlights include the BA Wine Bar do Bairro Alto, which serves Portuguese wines alongside cheese and wine plates; Park, a rooftop bar on the fifth floor of an old car park and an excellent spot for a sundowner; and Pavilhão Chinês, a characterful, antique-strewn cocktail bar. By day, take a walking tour to discover the roots of the bohemian neighbourhood.
13. Walk through Alfama
The tightly packed, winding cobbled lanes of Alfama are some of the most atmospheric in Lisbon, and are ripe to discover on foot. You could easily spend your entire holiday getting pleasantly lost here, stumbling across little courtyards, churches and restaurants as you pad up and down its hilly streets. For a more structured exploration, there are plenty of walking tours to lead you through the city’s oldest district. Most will include a visit to the castle, cathedral and a viewpoint or two, and perhaps a visit to a fado restaurant serving traditional dishes.
14. Admire a private art collection
Lisbon has an Armenian businessman to thank for one of its most fascinating museums. The Museo Calouste Gukbenkian contains the private collection of Gukbenkian, who amassed his extraordinary haul of art and artefacts in the 19th and 20th centuries. Such is the breadth and variety of objects on display here, you’re bound to find something in the permanent exhibitions to satisfy. Examples of treasures include ancient Egyptian funerary masks, Armenian bibles, paintings by Rembrandt and JMW Turner, Lalique glasswear and Persian carpets. You’ll find the museum is in a strikingly modern building north of the centre.
15. Buy Portuguese souvenirs
A Vida Portuguesa is a veritable treasure trove of Portuguese products, and is the place to head to for unique, well-crafted mementoes of your trip. There are three stores — the first is in an old perfume factory and warehouse in the district of Chiado, with its stock displayed in the original, wonderfully preserved cabinets. You’ll find everything you might possibly desire here, and a lot more besides — from toy scooters for kids and embroidered linen tablecloths to sardines in striking tins and Claus Porto soap, all of it in beautiful packaging.
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16. Go on a cruise
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For a fresh perspective of the city — and to get a proper understanding of all those hills you’ve been climbing on your visit — hop on a boat and see it from the water. Tagus Cruises offers regular and private tours, with daily departures. Its guided Sunset Tour is a particular highlight, taking passengers out on a yacht for two hours at dusk and passing Belém Tower, the 25th of April Bridge and the city’s giant statue of Christ, inspired by the famous monument of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro.
17. Understand a local icon
One of the hallmarks of Lisbon are its glazed ceramic tiles, and you’ll spot them everywhere — adorning the façade of magnificent churches and tiny grocery shops alike. These are “azulejo” tiles, which have been used to decorate the city from as early as the 13th century. Learn about their history and the craft behind them and admire many beautiful examples of the art form at the Museu Nacional do Azulejo (National Museum of Azulejo). Housed in an old convent, one of the highlights is its chapel, covered in blue-and-white tiles and gilded wood.
18. Soak up the sunset
Its setting on seven hills means that Lisbon is made to make the most of the sunset, and finding the best spot to view it is something of an obsession in the city. Some of the best places are rooftop hotel bars, with a glass of vinho verde or a cold Portuguese beer adding to the experience. Among our favourites are the Terrace at the Memmo Alfama, with views over the red-tiled rooftops of the district and down to the river, and BAHR at the Bairro Alto hotel, with a delicious snack menu to accompany the vista.
19. Visit a dolls’ hospital
You’ll find one of Lisbon’s more unusual attractions in a warren of rooms on a handsome square south of the castle. The Hospital de Bonecas, or Dolls’ Hospital, has been mending children’s toys for close to 200 years. It’s still a functioning repair shop, with local kids (and adults) bringing their broken treasures to be fixed by a team of “surgeons”, and now also operates as a museum. Step inside to discover drawers and cabinets bursting with old parts — among them a slightly macabre collection of dolls’ heads, limbs and eyes.
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20. Find shade in a tropical garden
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Lisbon’s tropical botanic gardens are a dreamy, cool spot to retreat to on a sunny day, or simply to escape the hubbub of the city for a while. Close to the Jerónimos Monastery in Belém, the Jardim Botânico Tropical was created in the early 20th century to showcase the flora of Portugal’s former colonies. There are over 500 species of plant on the seven-hectare site, including gingko, palms, dragon trees and bamboo, and several tumbledown old glasshouses, including ones specialising in tea and coffee plants. Keep an eye out for the roaming peacocks as you wander.
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21. Get your modern art fix
One of Lisbon’s newest museums, the first remarkable thing about the Museu de Arte, Arquitetura e Tecnologia (MAAT; the Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology) is its setting. It’s housed in two parts — in a futuristic new building that looks like a giant white wing settled on the banks of the Tagus, and in an old power station. Inside, it has four galleries hosting exhibitions on subjects as diverse as pop art, the science of aquariums and the history of electricity. There’s also a café, with sweeping views over the river.
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