Lisbon Travel Guide

Lisbon has been on my travel bucket list for years, and what excitement I had when preparing for this trip—after very long "pandemic" lockdowns and the cancellations of the year 2020 and pretty much the first half of 2021.

After my friend's wedding in Portugal was postponed multiple times, they finally decided on the date as July 2021, and I promised to do my best to be there on their very special day. I can genuinely say, even though I was so desperate to just jump on a plane and go anywhere in the world—and in this case, it was this beautiful country, Portugal—it was quite stressful and required extra careful planning. You know the reason why.

Especially traveling from the UK, due to the traffic light system (red/amber/green countries they came up with, based on their COVID stats & variant risks) and with every country having different entry requirements—planning a trip is officially a puzzle in this new world we live in! Changing rules and coming up with additional rules (for instance, Portugal suddenly announcing a 14-day quarantine upon arrival, unless one has double vaccination) has given my 15-month long very ordinary & "staying home" life very much drama and a bit of stress.

All that being said, is it worth it? ABSOLUTELY.

First, hello airports & planes. I missed the "I need to pack, how am I going to squeeze everything into carry-on luggage" thoughts. Researching where to go and what to see. That feeling when you're up in the sky, above the clouds, just feeling happy and free. Ready to explore.

So here I am. I've filled out my passenger locator form, have my negative PCR test and NHS double-jab status, Euro-zone Schengen Visa stamped in my passport - safely passing the border and... Olá & Bom Dia Portugal!

Yellow trams, colorful mosaics, famous puff pastry, seafood, river with a bridge - these were mainly what I'd been picturing in my head when I thought about Lisbon before. Yet this coastal capital city of Portugal, full of hills and stairs, has provided me with much more.

Here is the first part of my ultimate guide to Lisbon. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Wander around Baixa & Chiado districts and Bairro Alto

This is probably the area where you might want to kick off your Lisbon tour. Quite touristy, you'll find many cafes/restaurants and shopping places (especially on Rua Garrett and Rua Augusta streets) - but also a few historic spots you wouldn't want to miss.

Praça do Comércio is one of the largest squares that faces the harbor and River Tagus, with bright yellow-colored adjacent buildings. At the center of the plaza, Arco da Rua Augusta is a symbol of the Portuguese capital's recovery from the destruction of the earthquake (with an estimated magnitude of around 8.5) in 1755 that destroyed the city and was followed by fires and tsunamis - truly the most catastrophic day in the history of Portugal.

Carmo Convent, Lisbon's once most important church, was founded in 1389, after Portugal's independence from Spain. However, a deadly earthquake left this church in ruins. Today, Carmo Convent stands in the heart of the city, with its beautiful skeleton and soaring archways.

Elevador de Santa Justa, the city's only remaining 47-meter vertical elevator, was inaugurated in 1902. The elevator is a cast iron tower decorated in Neo-Gothic style, with a resemblance to the Eiffel Tower, as the architect was one of the apprentices of Gustave Eiffel.

Rossio Square is one of the liveliest squares in the city, with several atmospheric outdoor cafes.

Ascensor/Elevador da Glória, one of the three funiculars in Lisbon, connects Baixa to Bairro Alto in a steep alley.

Praça de Luís de Camões is a small square that connects Chiado and Bairro Alto. Its center features a monumental statue of the 16th-century epic poet Luís de Camões standing on a pedestal with other smaller statues of classical Portuguese authors.

Walking with a bit of uphill from Baixa is Lisbon's main boulevard: Avenida da Liberdade, constructed after the major 1755 earthquake and full of designer shops along the way up to the Marquês de Pombal square and Parque Eduardo VII park, which offers a panoramic view of the city from the Central Park of Lisbon.

Watch the sunset & get lost in the streets of Alfama

Be prepared to climb MANY stairs as both viewpoints/terraces (Miradouro da Senhora do Monte and Miradouro da Graça) are obviously and expectedly in high points of the city. Trust me - you'll be stunned by the view! Also, you can explore the streets of Alfama, the most traditional neighborhood (or called 'bairro') in Lisbon, with narrow streets beautifully covered with Calçada (small square stones) in colorful mosaic patterns. Have a look around, you will see Castelo de S. Jorge and Lisbon Cathedral along the route.

Pro tip 1: You'd definitely want to have a drink by this scenic view. There are mini vans that sell cocktails, but most don't accept cards - so be mindful of having some cash with you.

Pro tip 2: The Uber app is really easy to use in Portugal, relatively cheap, and easy to navigate around. So, once you feel like "Ehm, don't feel like climbing that hill" - you know what you can do now (as I did a few times).

Explore the history of Portugal in Belem

Another famous and touristic area, Belém, is a 20-minute drive to the west of Lisbon. Originally, this place was the location where sailors departed on voyages to discover sea routes all the way to India and Brazil back in the 15th century. Here are some places that you would want to see during your walking route:

Torre de Belém, probably the most photographed monument in Lisbon, was built in the 16th century as a military fortress and ceremonial entrance to the city.

Since you are there, you might want to take a quick visit to Monumento aos Combatentes do Ultramar and Museu do Combatente (memorial and museum for Portuguese soldiers who died overseas).

You will also pass by the Sacadura Cabral e Gago Coutinho, the first aerial crossing of the South Atlantic, which was made by Portuguese aviators in 1922 to mark the centennial of Brazil's independence.

Old Belem Lighthouse: This red brick lighthouse stands at the waterfront of Belem, dating from the first half of the 20th century, and is now preserved as a souvenir of the former navigation system (also, spot the plane?)

Padrão dos Descobrimentos or the Discoveries Monument, symbolizes the explorers and navigators from the 14th and 15th centuries who pioneered Portugal's role during the Age of Discoveries. Among the people represented are Vasco da Gama (the first person to reach India by sea routes) and Ferdinand Magellan (the first person in the world to circumnavigate the globe).

Time to cross to the other side of the road, as there are a few historic places you wouldn't want to miss:

Jardim da Praça do Império (Gardens of the Empire State) is a public square and a nice city park just opposite the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos (Jerónimos Monastery). This Manueline-style (so-called Portuguese late Gothic) building was completed in the 17th century, which was designed to commemorate the return of Vasco da Gama from India. Igreja Santa Maria de Belém (Santa Maria de Belém Church) is also located in the grounds of the monastery.

Pro tip: Don't forget to get some of Portugal's most famous pastry 'Pastel de Nata' from its original place Pastéis de Belém right across the monastery. See the 'Eat & Drink guide' section for more details.

For art lovers, here are some museums and galleries to visit in this area:

Museu Coleção Berardo, or Berardo Collection Museum, is the main modern and contemporary art museum in Lisbon and the most visited museum in Portugal. It includes works from artists such as Warhol, Kapoor, and Picasso.

Museu Nacional dos Coches, or National Coach Museum, has one of the finest collections of historical carriages in the world.

MAAT (Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology) establishes a connection between the new building and the Central Tejo, or Tejo Power Station, with really cool architecture standing by the River Tagus.

LX Factory, not a museum but like an outdoor gallery full of wall art; as well as shopping areas and cafes to hang around, right beside the bridge - worth visiting to see this hippie side of the city in the Alcântara district, on your way from Belém to the city.

Jump into a ferry from Cais do Sodre and take a visit to Cacilhas

This part of my trip happened as a result of me talking with people in the hotel and asking for local tips/places to go ("Time Out Market is for tourists, please skip it. If you really want to eat some real Portuguese seafood with a great view, just go to Ponto Final in Cacilhas and you'll thank me later") and also finding myself randomly around the station around 6 p.m. on Day 2, and the next ferry happened to be going to Cacilhas, the opposite bank of the Tagus River.

So I found myself on this ferry, crossing the river. I must admit it was one of the many moments that made me think, "It's true what they say: Lisbon IS Istanbul's twin sister," as I had flashbacks of all those ferry journeys across the Bosphorus.

A 15-minute journey and here it is: Cacilhas. Walking by the riverside, one side is just a wall full of graffiti and the other side is the river, Lisbon, and the bridge - you'll finally arrive at a nice destination: Ponto Final.

Keep walking by the river and you'll pass Jardim do Rio, where people come to sip their drinks and enjoy the sunset - what a view and colors!

Finally, during your last walk around Cacilhas by the river, you'll be able to have a closer look at the famous statue that is looking from high above at the city, Sanctuary of Christ the King, and also Cais do Ginjal, the former marina with cool wall art.

Also, a plus point of this alternative tour is that you can take advantage of visiting the other side of the river and drive through the 25 de Abril Bridge on your way back to the city center (Uber, obviously).

I'm sure there is much more to visit and explore in this beautiful city, but I tried my best throughout my 3-day stay. I hope this guide will be useful for your future visits. Don't forget to share your comments and add local tips/recommendations.

But for now, no goodbyes for you Lisbon as we will meet again, so: Até mais ver, Lisboa!

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