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Lisbon is a beautiful, walkable city with a fantastic food scene and tons of culture to experience. Portugal’s capital has more sights than you can fit into a short vacation, so here’s what I think are the best things to do in Lisbon.
I visited Lisbon as part of a longer trip to Portugal, so I’ve tried to narrow it down to things that feel unique to the city.
Visit Jerónimos Monastery
If there’s one cool building worth visiting in Lisbon, it’s the Jerónimos Monastery (Mosteiro dos Jerónimos). Built during Portugal’s age of discovery, the monastery’s architecture combines gothic style with Moorish design and fanciful elements that reference exploration. You’ll see nautical elements like ropes and sea shells incorporated into the stone tracery. The monastery’s cloister and adjacent church are both amazing spaces to wander. The church is also holds the tombs of explorer Vasco da Gama and poet Luís de Camões.
You can buy timed tickets online or at the ticket office around the corner. Either way you’ll likely have to wait in a (long) line at this popular sight. Tickets are $13 USD, but entry to Church of Santa Maria next door is free. Open 9:30-6:00 (5:00 off season). Closed Mondays.
Go on a Food Tour
Food tours are an awesome way to explore any city, but Lisbon’s food scene is perfect for culinary exploration. Portuguese food combines a bit of everything: meat, seafood, rice, potatoes, and spices from around the world.
The most popular dish has to be cod (bacalhau) which is prepared in many different ways. Personally I liked bacalhau a bras, made with eggs and potatoes. Portugal is also home to cheeses and cured meats that pair well with local wines. It’s a good situation.
Two tour companies I can recommend are Eating Europe and Inside Lisbon. Check them out!
Explore the Lisbon Oceanarium
Visiting an aquarium may not be what you think of when planning a trip to Portugal, but hear me out. The Lisbon Oceanarium (Oceanário de Lisboa) is one of the best aquariums in the world. The main exhibit is a humongous 1.3 million gallon tank that makes you feel like you’re looking into the ocean. As you walk around the exhibit you’ll see sharks, rays, and schools of fish gliding by the multi-story viewing windows.
The oceanarium also has exhibits recreating habitats of the North Atlantic, Antarctic, Temperate Pacific, and Tropical Indian Ocean. It’s all beautifully presented with English signage and a focus on ocean conservation. The oceanarium is open daily 10:00-7:00. Adult tickets are $27 and you can buy them online.
Walk Up to the Viewpoints
With its characteristic architecture and hilly landscape, Lisbon is a beautiful city. And there is no shortage of perfect viewpoints (miraduoros) to take in the scene.
My favorite spot had to be Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara. It’s in the neighborhood of Bairro Alto, close to the top of the Glória Funicular. You get a panoramic view of the city with the hilltop Castelo São Jorge in the backdrop. I visited in June, when the area was busy with festival stands.
Another memorable spot was Miradouro de Santa Luzia in Alfama. You can see the tangle of Alfama’s red rooftops sprawling toward the river (and possibly a huge cruise ship docked there).
Listen to Fado Music
One thing about me is that I love to check out unique music scenes when I’m traveling. And fado is uniquely the music of Lisbon. Fado is a traditional music that originated in the 19th century. It usually involves a singer called a fadista accompanied by guitars, one of which is a special Portuguese guitar with 12 strings.
Fado means “fate,” and that’s sort of what this melancholy musical genre deals with. Singers belt out emotionally charged lines about loss, unrequited love, or feelings of nostalgia. If you’d like to hear a bit, here’s one from Amália Rodrigues, the queen of fado.
There are many places to see fado in Lisbon, from touristy concerts to informal shows at local bars. Often, restaurants will offer dinner with the fado performance included. For an easy option, I think one of the dinner shows like the one at Adega Machado is your best bet. I also wrote a whole post about fado that you can check out here!
Eat Pastries
The pastry game in Lisbon is strong. Walking down the street, you’ll see cases full of tempting treats perfect for breakfast or a quick snack anytime.
The most famous is the pastel de nata, an egg custard tart in a flaky crust. Add the cinnamon on top, trust me. The most famous place to get one is at Pastéis de Belém, but you can find them practically everywhere.
And don’t stop with pastel de nata. There are many other pastries to try!
Drink Ginjinha
Speaking of things you should try, make sure to sample the local liqueur called ginjinha or simply ginja. It’s made from a neutral spirit infused with sour cherries, cinnamon, and sugar. You can get a shot of ginjinha with or without one of the sour cherries included.
Lisbon’s original ginjinha place, simply called A Ginjinha, is located right across the square from São Domingos Church. It was founded back in 1830! Alternatively, head a block down the street to Ginjinha Sem Rival, which opened as an early competitor. Maybe try both shops just to be safe.
See the Azulejo Tiles
One of the first things to catch your eye walking through Lisbon are the beautiful azulejo tiles on many of the building facades. These painted ceramic tiles were first created by Moorish craftsmen and became a favorite decoration of Portugal’s monarchs. They were beautiful and practical, sturdy enough to stand up to the weather over time. Azulejo tiles changed with the different artistic styles of the times, and today you can even find modern murals around Lisbon.
If you want to learn more about azulejos, the best place is the National Tile Museum. For modern tiles, you can also see some amazing murals throughout Lisbon’s metro stations! And of course, you’ll see azulejos throughout Lisbon’s historic neighborhoods.
Visit Carmo Convent
Carmo Convent (Convento do Carmo) is a place that reverberates with echoes of Portugal’s past. Built in 1407, the gothic cathedral was badly damaged in Lisbon’s 1755 earthquake. The roof caved in and left the nave of the church open to the sky as it remains today.
Part of the monastery was repurposed to house the Royal Police Guard in the early 19th century. Fast forward more than a century to 1974, and this headquarters became the focal point of the revolution that overthrew Portugal’s dictatorship. Prime Minister Marcelo Caetano was holed up in Carmo Headquarters when military leaders converged on the building. On April 25th, Caetano surrendered to a new democratic regime.
Admission to the church ruins and the attached archaeological museum is $7 USD. Open 10:00-7:00, closed Sundays.
Ride the Trams and Funiculars
This one is a huge cliche, but honestly the old-school public transportation in Lisbon is too charming to leave out. Lisbon’s trams started as horse-drawn trolleys in the late 19th century, and they were changed to electric trams at the beginning of the 20th century. This nostalgic transportation system has become a symbol of Lisbon and a popular way to see the city.
Today, there are several historic tram lines to choose from. The most famous is Tram 28, which starts at Martim Moniz at the base of the Mouraria neighborhood and goes through most of the historic center on its way to Campo de Ourique. Beware: it gets extremely packed during the day!
I enjoyed riding the funicular Elevador da Glória that connects Praça dos Restauradores with the Bairro Alto neighborhood. It’s a quick but fun trip uphill that saves you a steep walk.
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