Lovely Lisbon is very visitor-friendly, with a holiday atmosphere in a compact, very walkable footprint. Even the public transport is charming! Lisbon’s central neighbourhoods are the best places for visitors to stay. While they all have their own character and plenty of visual variety, they’re all alike in being welcoming and easily navigated.
From lisbonportugaltourism.com
One of Lisbon’s edges is the wide expanse of the Tagus River, and Lisbon’s historic, post-1755-earthquake architecture runs all the way to the water’s edge. The Cais do Sodre neighbourhood, known for its Time Out Market, and the Chiado neighbourhood, which is where you’ll find Lisbon’s stunning main square, the Praça do Comercio, line the river directly.
After those neighbourhoods it’s up hill — Lisbon famously sits across seven hills — to the elegant historic centre Baxia, which is a fantastic place to stay for anyone who enjoys glamorous surroundings and a spot of shopping. The Chiado and Alfama neighbourhoods sit on either side of Baxia. Both are historic, but Chiado’s neater grid system of streets exposes it as the younger of the two. Chiado has its share of elegant architecture too, and the steepness of this neighbourhood has its edge knocked off by a cute single-street funicular, which passes through on its way to the hip Bairro Alto neighbourhood.
The older neighbour, Alfama has streets and alleyways that wind, and open out surprisingly onto impressive churches all but hidden by the buildings that tightly surround them. Or onto squares lined with cafes and bars. This neighbourhood sits underneath the castle, and is a great place to hunt for traditional tile shops, unusual boutiques and fado bars.
Bairro Alto also runs uphill, towards one of Lisbon’s wonderful miradouro viewing points and squares, and the botanical gardens. This is a fantastic neighbourhood for foodies, shopping, and anyone who enjoys a tipple in the later afternoon or evening. The atmosphere is fantastic.
Image by Pedro Grão from Pixab
Cobbled and winding, the streets of Alfama run between Lisbon’s Moorish-built castle and the river — you’ll often get a glimpse of one or both landmarks. It’s easy to get lost amidst the tangle of churches, cafes, historic shops and fado bars. As well as the wonderful hilltop castle, Alfama’s landmarks include Lisbon’s cathedral; the National Pantheon; St. Anthony’s Church; the remains of a Roman amphitheatre; the Museu do Fado; and a number of miradouro, or worthy views. Alfama also hosts an excellent twice-weekly market. And hidden amongst these streets are some of the most traditional tile producers in Lisbon. You can hitch a ride on the number 28 tram if you grow tired of the hills.
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Baixa was one of the neighbourhoods almost entirely destroyed in the 1755 earthquake, and when it was rebuilt it was reimagined into an elegant, orderly grid of neo-classical architecture and grand boulevards. It has remained largely unchanged, with carefully patterned stone pavements opening out onto magnificent plazas — some now lined with some of the most luxurious hotels in Lisbon — and a collection of cafes, bars and restaurants. The Rua da Augusta is this neighbourhood’s grandest avenue, and runs all the way from the river and the Praça do Comercio to the Praça Dom Pedro, along one side of which is the Teatro Nacional. A block across in one direction is the impressive Elevator de Santa Justa, and a block in the other direction takes you to one of Lisbon’s marketplaces, and a fantastic traditional bakery. Trams run throughout this neighbourhood, and you can use the Metro at Rossio.
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The bijou Chiado neighbourhood spreads out from a charming square called the Largo do Chiado, sandwiched in between Baixa and Bairro Alto. Chiado is a very popular base: it’s picturesque, within a short stroll of many of Lisbon’s main sights and the river, and it’s known for its cafes, restaurants and bars. There’s a marketplace, and live music of an evening, and it’s served by the number E28 tram — the wonderful wood-clad, yellow Remodelado tram. Chiado is an easy walk from the the Praça do Comercio and the Praça Dom Pedro, and several of Lisbon’s best known miradouro, but local landmarks include the atmospheric ruins of the Convento do Carmo, the Chiado Contemporary Art Museum, the opera house, and the Igreja de Encarnacao church. Chiado is also known for having one of the world’s oldest book stores and elevators!
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If you want to experience as much of Lisbon as you can, day and night, then Bairro Alto is the neighbourhood for you. It’s one of the larger areas, running up the side of one of Lisbon’s hills between Chiado and the botanical gardens at the top. Bairro Alto is a bit of a bohemian rambler, with narrow streets and alleyways — so narrow in places that the number E28 tram has to wait in traffic behind cars on the single lane roads. Within these streets are a collection of wonderful restaurants and cafes, hole-in-the-wall bars and traditional bistros, with something open at almost any hour. But there are also cool independent boutiques, several impressive churches, and the São Pedro de Alcântara miradouro, which is one of the most magical of all of Lisbon’s viewpoints: overlooking the castle and the river, with a little marketplace which opens up in the evening to serve food. Bairro Alto also lays claim to two of Lisbon’s charming little funiculars, the Bica Funicular, and the Gloria Funicular.
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Belém is a bit outside of central Lisbon, a 15-20 minute tram ride along the waterfront. It’s probably best known for the Belém Tower, which is a small, but very historic, fortification and ceremonial gateway into Lisbon — 16th century sailors travelling the world would know they were back in Europe when they spotted Belém Tower. Just along the riverfront from the tower is the Monument of the Discoveries, across the park and road is the stunningly beautiful and well preserved Jerónimos Monastery, and beyond that is a Museum of Coaches, the Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology, and the Quake Museum — an interactive museum bringing to life the 1755 earthquake that changed Lisbon forever. Because of its off-centre location, it’s a quieter place to stay. Belém is busy during the day, but as it gets later you’ll have more and more of the place to yourself. Hotels and aparthotels sit in amongst residential blocks, and it’s leafy too.
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The best known landmark of the Cais do Sodre neighbourhood is the Time Out Food Market. Formerly the Mercado da Ribeira, this is one of the world’s great food courts, a collection of fantastic local restaurants and producers, and a place to both shop and imbibe in relative comfort and style. It’s busy, but seats do turn over, and it’s worth the wait for what you can taste here. On one side of the market is the river, on a second side is a park with its own marketplace, and behind the market is the famous Bica funicular or elevator, which takes you all the way up to the Rua do Loreto on the edge of Bairro Alto. Before you head upwards, take a stroll around the Praça de São Paulo and pop in to the São Paulo church to see the painted ceilings. Guests staying in Cais do Sodre are within a pleasant stroll of many of Lisbon’s main sights, and this is a great hub for great restaurants, and bars that know how to show you a good time. It remains family-friendly, though much of the accommodation is more boutique and romantically dressed.
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The small and smart neighbourhoods of Lapa and Madragoa are steep, with narrow roads lined with colourfully painted mansions and elegant terraced houses — some of which have been converted into boutique hotels, or aparthotels, and some of which are embassies. These are still residential neighbourhoods, so a good choice if you’d prefer to stay somewhere more peaceful, and outside the centre of Lisbon, while still being on the tram line. There are enough local places to eat and drink, and some charming options you wouldn’t come across if you stayed somewhere more central. There are also a couple of smaller museums — the Museu Nacional de Arte Antique in particular is worth looking up, as it has an impressive collection that includes many big names in historic art.
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Príncipe Real is a stylish and leafy neighbourhood in Lisbon’s north, on top of a couple of hills, and overlooking the city and the river. This is a great neighbourhood for anyone who likes to potter around independent art galleries and high-end patisseries. If you like shopping for locally produced items, then head for Príncipe Real’s Embaixada STAT. The townhouses here were always beautiful and traditional, but over the last few decades they have been made over with an eye for grandeur and historic details, making the neighbourhood even more desirable than it used to be. There are plenty of green spaces, kept lush and inviting by fountains and vast ancient trees. From Príncipe Real it’s a downhill stroll to the miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara, which is a lovely place to spend your evenings, complete with food vendors, cafes and bars, and a friendly, sun-downer atmosphere.
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