Lisbon travel guide: sights, food and transport

A warm capital of seven-hill views, yellow trams, azulejo façades and Atlantic flavours.

Summers are sunny and dry, winters mild but rainy; comfortable shoes matter on the hills.

• Cobbles can be slippery and hills steep.
• Reserve a full day for Sintra.
• Mind crowds and belongings on historic trams.

• Baixa/Chiado: First visits and central access.
• Alfama: Historic and atmospheric.
• Príncipe Real: Design and dining.
• Avenida: Larger hotels and Metro.

• Pastel de nata
• Bacalhau
• Sardinhas assadas
• Bifana
• Ginjinha

• Lisbon Carnival — February/March
• Santo António — June
• NOS Alive — July
• Lisboa na Rua — late summer
• Doclisboa — October

Belém Tower

A defensive tower on the Tagus, symbolising the Age of Discoveries.

Jerónimos Monastery

UNESCO heritage with Manueline stonework and an expansive cloister.

Pastéis de Belém

Taste the famous custard tart at its original bakery, dating to 1837.

Praça do Comércio

A grand yellow-fronted square opening onto the river, with a triumphal arch.

Alfama

Old Lisbon’s narrow stairways, washing lines and sounds of fado.

São Jorge Castle

Views over red rooftops and the Tagus from the castle walls.

Tram 28

A classic yellow-tram route through historic neighbourhoods.

Santa Justa Lift

A Neo-Gothic lift and viewing walkway above Baixa.

Bairro Alto

Evening bars, small restaurants and steep streets.

Chiado

An elegant shopping district of bookshops and historic cafés.

Time Out Market

Chef-led food stalls and Portuguese flavours under one roof.

MAAT

Contemporary art, architecture and sunsets on the riverfront.

Gulbenkian Museum

An art collection surrounded by peaceful modernist gardens.

LX Factory

Design shops, a bookshop and restaurants in a former industrial site.

Miradouro da Senhora do Monte

A broad viewpoint taking in the castle and the city’s hills.

National Tile Museum

Centuries of azulejo art presented in a former convent.

Parque das Nações

Contemporary architecture, a cable car and riverside walks.

Lisbon Oceanarium

One of Europe’s notable aquariums, with a large central tank.

Sintra

A day trip of Pena Palace, forests and romantic estates.

Cascais

A relaxed Atlantic town escape with beaches and a marina.

Use Metro, Carris buses and trams, funiculars and suburban trains with a navegante card.