The best tips for the Lisbon Region
You would think that iconic landmarks like Elevador de Santa Justa, Castelo de São Jorge or Ascensor da Bica are the most visited sights of Lisbon. Apparently that’s not entirely true, we’ve been told that title goes to Portugal’s national coach museum, Museu Nacional dos Coches. When you visit the…
Looking to escape the many tourists in the city centre and Belém for a while, and still visit some of the best historical sights in Lisbon? Then Palácio Nacional da Ajuda is definitely a great choice to go see! The national palace of Ajuda is certainly not less grand than…
Situated on Monsanto’s highest mountain, the Panorâmico de Monsanto is a beautiful, deserted restaurant that has gained cult status over the years. This is the ideal place for urban exploring and taking beautiful pictures. Panorâmico de Monsanto kind of reopened in 2017. It is no longer an abandoned restaurant, but…
Everytime we drove back from Lisbon centre to our place in Colares, cruising along the Avenida da Índia, I noticed a number of sea containers with graffiti just before passing under the 25 de Abril bridge. Curious about what it was we went to investigate. This is how we discovered…
In the middle of the city lies the bullring Campo Pequeno. Yes, they still have bullfights in Portugal. But this place is much more than just a bullfighting arena. For instance they also have big concerts here. Moorish facade The facade is quite striking with the 19th century neo-Moorish facade….
Red, high and impressive. That’s the 2 mile long bridge over the Tagus river. Ponte 25 de Abril bridge has been designed by the same architect who drew the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco. Although the bridge looks red, the color is actually ‘International Orange’. This color is often…
Just a stone’s throw away from cathedral Se Lisboa you will find Igreja de Santo António de Lisboa. This church is built in the place where António de Padua was born in 1195. The church is entirely dedicated to St. António (St. Anthony). Santo António is the patron saint of…
The Miradouro da Graça viewpoint, also known as Miradouro Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen, is especially popular with young people who seek some cooling down in the shade of the pine trees on the terrace of the café. Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen This miradouro contains a bronze statue of…
Ginjinha Sem Rival literally means Ginjinha without a rival. It’s funny that this little bar is called this way, because just a stone’s throw away you’ll find enough other Ginjinha bars. Maybe they think they’re without any competition… We don’t think it matters much if you get your Ginja at…
On the western edge of Lisbon is one of the city’s two larger cemeteries, Cemitério dos Prazeres. After a cholera outbreak in Lisbon in 1833 two cemeteries were established on either side of the city centre (back then it was far outside the centre). To the north the Cemitério de…
The Avenida Fontes Pereira, almost 1 kilometer or .6 miles, is the important avenue for the transit of cars in the city. This avenue runs from Praça Marquês de Pombal to Praça Duque de Saldanha. Striking street art So why is this avenida so interesting? Well, halfway through the avenue…
Near the end stop of elétrico 28 (Prazeres) you pass a huge church, built in neo-gothic style. Every time again I’m surprised that this imposing church: Igreja do Santo Condestável. stands in the middle of a residential area. The church is located in Campo de Ourique and you probably pass…
Opposite Igreja São Cristóvão in the district of Mouraria, a group of artists has paid tribute to the district: Escadinhas de São Cristóvão. Escadinhas de São Cristóvão is not only a tribute to the Mouraria district, but also to Fado, the Portuguese song of life that originated in this district….
The English photographer Camille Watson runs her studio in one of the oldest neighbourhoods of Lisbon: Mouraria. “A Tribute” shows a series of portraits of the older inhabitants of this district. Inspired by the district, the old houses and the original inhabitants of this district, she decided to start this…
When you’re enjoying a city break in Lisbon with the family, be sure not to miss a day at the Lisbon Zoo: Jardim Zoológico de Lisboa. This is definitely one of the most beautiful zoos we have ever seen. It’s a very big place but it doesn’t feel like it….
For everyone who is not too afraid of heights there is an observation deck in Lisbon you must have been to: the Amoreiras 360º Panoramic View. The Amoreiras 360º Panorama Deck is part of the Amoreiras shopping centre, where you can find more than 200 shops and 50 restaurants. All…
Hidden under the pond in the park Jardim do Príncipe Real you will find Reservatório da Patriarcal, (Patriarcal Reservoir). From 1864 until the mid-twentieth century, this reservoir was an important part of the water supply for large parts of Lisbon’s city centre. The reservoir, also known as Praça de D….
Santuário da Peninha is a hidden gem in the Pena mountains where few tourists come. Which makes this a very nice and quiet place. Especially for an attraction in the middle of the Pena. Actually, Santuário da Peninha is not completely hidden, the shrine of Peninha is next to Palácio…
Many times I walked past Igreja de São Roque, never really noticing this church. Why is that?! I don’t get it either. It’s a massive building on the corner of a very narrow road (R. São Pedro de Alcântara) that leads to the Ascensor Gloria and Instituto Dos Vinhos Do…
n the Rua Santa Justa, right in the centre, stands the iron, Elevador de Santa Justa, 45 Meters high, connecting the lower city of Baixa with the upper city of Bairro Alto. The elevator was built at the beginning of the 20th century. The steep hills formed a major obstacle…
Want to see Lisbon through the eyes of the locals? You can! Take tram 28 (official name: Elétrico 28E). It is quite an experience to go with this tram through the narrow streets. Line 28 frequents all the historic neighbourhoods of the city. But hold on tight, because even though…
Boca do Inferno (“mouth of hell”) is a cliff / rock just outside of the city centre of Cascais. The name is partly due to the shape of the cliff (a small cave created by a natural collapse of the rock) and the droning sound that the Atlantic makes when…
When you book a trip to Lisbon and read all the things in your travel guides you want to see and do, you will sometimes forget that almost everywhere you go or stand in Lisbon, art is literally in the streets. The streets of Lisbon are often beautifully covered with…
Parque Eduardo VII might not be the most spectacular park in Lisbon, but the view that the park offers definitely makes it worthwhile to go here. The park is located on a slope and sports some beautiful views over the Baixa and the Tagus river. In clear weather you can…
The city of Óbidos, surrounded by castles walls, is an one hour’s drive north of Lisbon. In Óbidos time appears to have stood still. This city is located near the sea and had an important strategic function in defending the Portuguese territory in the past. The city is built on…
If it’s romance you want, you have to go to Miradouro de Santa Luzia. This beautiful vantage point is next to the eponymous church: Santa Luzia. The view of this miradouro covers the oldest part of the city, Alfama en de Taag. Even though this miradouro is located on a…
Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara is not only a very nice vantage point, it also doubles a small park. It is one of the largest viewpoints of the city and that is just as well, because it is always busy with tourists. In the park of the miradouro there’s…
Miradouro da Nossa Senhora do Monte is the highest miradouros in Lisbon. If you want to come back from Lisbon with beautiful panoramic photos of your holiday, this is definitely the place to go to! Miradouro da Nossa Senhora do Monte offers a beautiful view of Baixa, Tagus river, Ponte…
So your doll is sick, what do you do? In Lisbon, people have been going to the doll doctor at the dolls hospital for generations: Hospital de Bonecas, right in the centre of town. The dolls hospital has existed since 1830 and has cured all kinds of dolls over the…
Traveling from Sintra to Praia das Maças by tram is a wonderful tourist attraction. Do take time because a ride with this 100 year old tram takes a bit over 45 minutes. Hang on! When you start in Sintra you start at the top of the mountain and the tram…
Arco do Triunfo da Rua Augusta is the gateway to the Baixa district, with Rua Augusta as its main street. DThe arch was built after the 1755 earthquake that destroyed a large part of Lisbon, in particular the Baixa. The arch rests on six Corinthian columns. Various statues can be…
Rua Nova do Carvalho, is better known with tourists as Pink Street. Currently it is one of the most famous and favorite nightlife areas of locals, but you will also find tourists there. The bars in Bairro Alto in Bairro Alto close earlier than in Rua Nova do Carvalho, making…
For years, shipping was very important for Portugal in general and especially for Lisbon. So important that one of the largest churches in the city is named after the patron saint of sailors: Igreja de São Vicente de Fora. São Vicente de Fora is a church with an adjacent monastery…
II still remember the first time we went to Oceanário de Lisboa. We were in the car, with the smell of chicken around us. We’d bought some at Jardim dos Frangos in Cascais and took it with us for lunch during our trip to Lisbon. I was truly a bit…
In 1846 one of the largest factories in Lisbon moved to the place where now the LX Factory is. At that time, it was just outside the city. More than 23,000 m2 of industrial complex was present there during the golden times that Lisbon had at that time. The site…
his place is definitely not to be missed on your tour through Alfama: the church of Santa Engrácia, better known as the Panteão Nacional. Legend has it that the place where the Pantheon stands is cursed. Apparently, back in the day when it was still a church, an innocent man…
Torre Vasco da Gama is named after one of Portugal’s most important figures in history, the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama. Not only is the building named after this famous seafarer, it’s also built as a ship. Built like a ship The tube where the elevator is located, resembles the…
Ascensor do Lavra is the oldest cable car in Lisbon still in use. This tram is not yet widely known by tourists, and it is definitely worth a ride! At 188 meters this route is the shortest ride with any cable tram in Lisbon, and with an average gradient of…
Need a transfer from Praça dos Restauradores in the Baixa to the Bairro Alto!? Take the Ascensor da Gloria! This is one of the steepest rides (20%) that you can take in Lisbon. If you are a daredevil, don’t wait for the tram and just walk up the hill. I…
The Ascensor da Bica tram runs through Rua da Bica de Duarte Belo and is, together with the Ascensor da Gloria, a popular place for tourists to take a nice picture with the yellow tram. What makes Ascensor da Bica so special is that it runs straight through a street…
Elevador Castelo has been in use to get from Baixa to Castelo de São Jorge since 2013. These lifts are freely accessible. As early as 2009 a decision was made to connect the Baixa with Castelo de São Jorge. In the end they chose a lift over an escalator or…
Miradouro de Santa Catarina is also known as Miradouro do Adamastor and lends itself to take beautiful pictures of Ponte 25 de Abril and Cristo Rei. I do not think it is the most spectacular view of the city, but there is always something going on here. In the evening,…
A visit to Miradouro das Portas do Sol feels like you’re standing on the balcony of a regular house. Despite the fact that it looks like a large observation deck, it feels cozy and cozy. Miradouro das Portas do Sol is a perfect stop when you are discovering Alfama. When…
In the middle of the city of Lisbon, between Chiado and Bairro Alto, you can find Convento do Carmo, the Carmo monastery. This impressive ruin mainly shows the traces of the great earthquake of 1755. But there is a lot more more than just that. At first you might think…
Basílica da Estrela is often skipped by tourists, probably because it’s not in the city centre. Big mistake, because for me this basilica is one of the most beautiful churches in Lisbon. The Basílica da Estrela distinguishes itself with the white dome that rises high above the surroundings and is…
Less than 10 miles west of Lisbon is Palácio Nacional de Queluz, or Palácio Nacional e Jardins de Queluz. The palace is named after the place where it’s located, Queluz, a small suburb to the west of Lisbon. Impressive, lots of restoration work During a previous visit in 2015, we…
Lisbon is built on seven hills, so there is always a place with an overlook of the city. Miradouros (scenic viewpoints) are often tiled with azulejos (Portuguese tiles). You won’t just find tourists here, the locals also like to enjoy the view of their city. Especially couples in love make…
The monument Padrão dos Descobrimentos was built in 1960 on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the death of Henry the Navigator, who inspired the Portuguese discovery voyages. This monument is in honour of all Portuguese explorers of the 15th and 16th centuries, when Portugal was a global force…
Castelo de São Jorge is one of our favorite sights of the city. The ruins of this castle are very impressive, but the main reason for us to go here is the splendid view over the city. The castle stands on a 110 meter tall hill in Alfama, providing a…
In many travel guides and on various travel blogs we read that Palácio de Monserrate is not as spectacular as the other sights in Sintra. We respectfully disagree with that. The atmosphere in this palace is indeed very special. On the ground floor there are Arab influences that definitely recreates…
The whole city smells like chestnuts
Restaurante Zambeze – gastronomia Portuguesa and Moçambicana
Museu Nacional dos Coches – finest historic carriage collection in Lisbon
Rui dos Pregos – pregos and seafood
Andorinha – Swallows in Lisbon
Palácio Nacional da Ajuda – palace of great splendour
Livraria Bertrand Chiado – the world’s oldest bookstore
Museu da Carris – Lisbon public transport museum
