Lisbon is the city of seven hills and infinite views. It’s one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. We were there in April and the weather was perfect: 60s and low 70s every day.
Every guide book will tell you to bring comfortable walking shoes and they aren’t kidding. We rarely took public transportation. The best way to see the city is on foot, trekking up and down the hills and taking in block after block of beautiful tiled buildings, quaint streets, red roofs and panoramic views. You’ll burn enough calories each day to earn all the stops you’ll take along the way for a drink or snack at one of the outdoor kiosks looking down over the city and water.
Praça do Comércio
The first thing we did on arrival was walk down to the water to Praça do Comércio, an impressive square thats open to the river on one side and leads to a triumphant arch on the other. The arch is the entrance to the pedestrian shopping street Rua Augusta which is fun for a stroll (although a bit touristy).
It was a beautiful sunny day so we walked west from Praça do Comércio and picked one of the many waterfront hangouts for some sangria.
Going Up
To help navigate the steep hills, Lisbon has several elevators that take you from one street up to the next. Most of the public elevators are located in ordinary buildings and can be easy to miss. Just a couple doors down from where we stayed was an elevator down to the Rua Augusta area and across the street just beyond that elevator was the Baixa Elevator up to the castle. The elevators literally pick you up on one street and take you to another. The views on top of the Baixa Elevator are worth a ride and its a quick way to get up to the castle.
Its not just elevators that help you climb the hills, there are a couple picturesque funiculars too. The Ascensor Da Glora leads up a graffiti lined street to the garden of Sao Pedro de Alcantara which is another park with amazing views and a kiosk for food and drink.
The network of funiculars and elevators make walking around Lisbon feel a little bit like playing Chutes and Ladders.
Elevador de Santa Justa
The most famous elevator in Lisbon is the Elevator de Santa Justa. It takes you from the lower streets of Baixa up to Carmo Square. Its the Eiffel Tower of Lisbon (and designed by a student of Gustave Eiffel). Its the only elevator that has a fee and there will always be a line wrapped around the tower waiting for a ride to the top. We passed the elevator many times during our visit but never felt like waiting in the line. There is another less beautiful elevator near by if you don’t want to make the climb on foot. Once you’re on top of the hill, you can make your way to the walkway where the elevator drops you off and you can catch the views for free.
Carmo Convent
You’ll hear a lot about the great earthquake of 1755 while you’re in Lisbon. It happened on All Saints Day at 9:40am local time while many residents were in church. It had a magnitude of almost 9.0 and with the subsequent fire and tsunami it was one of the deadliest earthquakes in history.
At the time of the earthquake the gothic church at the Carmo Convent was the largest church in Lisbon. It caved in on the congregation as they were attending mass. The church was intentionally left roofless as a reminder of that day and is one of the most dramatic sights in Lisbon
View Alert:
Topo Chiado rooftop bar is behind the Carmo Convent and has an amazing view of the city looking towards lower Baixa and over to the hill with Sao Jorge Castle. You can see the Santa Justa elevator just to the right. The best time to go is during the ‘magic hour’ as the sun is about to set. The lighting is perfect and spot lights turn on to illuminate the Carmo Convent, Justa Elevator and Castle. Everything is glowing. Picture perfect!
Alfama
Alfama, the oldest district in Lisbon, was left largely in tact after the great earthquake, preserving its historical beauty. The buildings date back many centuries.
The best way to see Alfama is to get lost in its maze of narrow cobblestone streets. Have your camera ready at all times. We didn’t see many sights while we were there because we were so content just taking in the scenery.
View Alert: Portas Do Sol (Gates to the Sun)
Stop for a coffee or drink at the kiosk at the Miradouro (viewpoint) of Portas Do Sol. Its about half way up the hill to the castle and the views from the outdoor tables are amazing. While you’re there, make sure to go down a short flight of stairs to an archway with comic strip paintings of the history of Lisbon, another great photo opportunity.
Rumored View Alert: Sao Jorge Castle
Overlooking the Alfama, at the top of the hill, is the medieval Sao Jorge Castle. We didn’t wait in line to get in but we heard that although the inside of the castle isn’t that exciting, the views from the outer walls offer a great panoramic view of the city. We were tired and had taken in a days worth of views already so we’ll have to catch the castle on a future visit.
Tram 28
Tram 28 is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Lisbon. Thousands of tourists ride the vintage wooden street cars through the old neighborhoods. The guide books will all give you hints about how to squeeze yourself onto Tram 28 (get there early, use stops that aren’t as popular, ride at night, etc) but instead we decided to enjoy the tram from the outside instead of the inside. Tram 28 makes a great photo opportunity every time it goes by and hearing the bell ring and the tracks rumble takes you back in time. We really enjoyed the Tram even though we never rode it.
Belém
Belém is the western most area of Lisbon, right at the mouth of the river. Even though its still in Lisbon and only about 4 miles from the city center, it feels a like venturing off on a day trip because there are so many things to see and you’ll most likely spend the major portion of a day there. And so, it gets its own page: here.
Fado
The traditional music of Lisbon is called Fado and its a must hear for your trip. Many of the Fado places require a reservation and include a somewhat overpriced dinner. We didn’t have a reservation yet but decided to walk past the various Fado places in the Alfama neighborhood to check them out. We walked by Baiuca, a small intimate restaurant with a wide open door to the street. People were hanging out at the doorway listening to the singer who was standing against the wall amongst the tables. Across from the door was a bench on the opposite side of the tiny street. We ended up sitting on that bench for most of the night listening to the music and it was the best, most authentic experience we had in Lisbon. The guitar player ended up bringing us drinks! It turns out that the various singers will hang outside of the restaurant waiting their turn. We’d be sitting next to someone on the bench, then they’d get up and walk in the restaurant and start singing, we had no idea we were sitting next to a performer. I’m not sure if you can recreate the same experience, but if you’re in the neighborhood one night, walk by and see if there is a spot on that bench and see what happens.