Lisbon – a city on the hills, s covered with colorful tiles, pompous palaces, delicious cuisine and vibrant cultural life. Lisbon used to be known for its low prices for Western Europe, but the flow of tourists, which has doubled over the past 10 years, has changed a lot. We will tell you where you can relax, get the maximum impressions and not spend a single euro.
1. Learn the history of the city on guided walking tours
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Lisbon has interesting and exciting walking tours that require some stamina because during the two-hour tour you will have to go up and down the steep hills of Lisbon.
Lisbon Chill-Out Tours claim that their guides are native Lisbonians who will take you to interesting places, tell you the history of the city and tell you where the locals go to eat, drink and have fun. For groups of less than 5 people registration is not required, the tour starts at Praça Luís de Camões at 10.00 and 15.00 from October 1 to March 31, and at 10.00 and 16.30 from April 1 to September 31.
Lisbon Literature Tour will introduce you to the literary Lisbon of the 20th century and show you where such famous Portuguese (Fernando Pessoa, Jose Saramago) and foreign (Erich Maria Remarque, Pascal Mercier) writers lived and created their works. The tour starts at 10.00 and 16.30 on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays at Praça Luís de Camões. Registration is required at least 3 days in advance by email lisbonliteraturetour@gmail.com.
Interesting excursions from local residents in Lisbon
2. Go on a bike ride along the ocean coast
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Cascais is a town in the suburbs of Lisbon, where people from the capital come for wide beaches and fun nightlife. In just one day you can explore the museum-library Palacio de Conde de Castro Guimaraes, the underground grottoes of Grutus do Poço Velho, the ancient citadel and the Boca do Inferno cave on the coast by renting a bicycle from the BiCas network. It’s completely free – just come to one of the rental points, leave your passport or driver’s license as collateral, and you can ride from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. We recommend renting a bike in the morning; they are often sold out by midday.
3. View Lisbon from the roof of the abandoned restaurant Panoramico de Monsanto
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There are dozens of observation decks in Lisbon with excellent views, but locals consider the one on the roof of Panoramico de Monsanto to be the best. The building itself also deserves attention – it was built in 1967 at the highest point of Parque Florestal de Monsanto, but by 2000 it had fallen into disrepair. From 2016 to 2017, the building was reconstructed and now everyone can see the frescoes and mosaics of the 60s and street art of the early 2000s, which cover all 5 floors, as well as get on the roof and see Lisbon from a bird’s eye view.
4. Visit the Cemitério dos Prazeres – the largest and most beautiful cemetery in Portugal
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The cemetery was founded in 1833, during a cholera epidemic that claimed thousands of lives. It is located in a wealthy area and most of the graves are lavishly decorated crypts and tombstones with marble sculptures of aristocrats, writers and politicians. Cemitério dos Prazeres is called by locals the “City of the Dead” because of its size and layout – in the center there are several churches, from which diverge alleys lined with marble crypt houses with windows made of multi-colored glass.
5. See the city and its surroundings from observation platforms on the hilltops
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Viewpoints in Portugal are called miradouros. In Lisbon, which lies on seven high hills, there are more than thirty of them.
The most popular Miradouros are: Miradouro São Pedro de Alcântara (with views of the Tagus River, the city center and the Castle of St. George), Miradouro Santa Luzia (one of the highest platforms overlooking the river, the Church of St. Stephen and the dome of the National Pantheon), Miradouro do Torel (a comfortable area with lush trees and benches, the best place to watch the sunset) and Miradouro Portas do Sol (from here you can see the old Alfama district, going down to the Tagus River).
Observation points unknown to most tourists: a cafe on the 9th floor of the Pollux department store, from where you can see the elegant Elevador di Santa Justa elevator and the ruins of the Carmo Monastery (the cafe is open from 10 to 19 hours from Monday to Sunday). Another secret area is a bar, open every day from 15 to 2 a.m. on the top floor of the Sheraton Hotel, which offers panoramic views of Lisbon.
6. Relax in the shade and silence of gardens and parks
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Tapada das Necessidades is a quiet, beautiful garden with romantic gazebos. There are always few people here; narrow paths run along the shore of a pond in which geese and ducks swim. Rare flowers also grow in the garden, there is a greenhouse with tropical plants and a small lake.
Jardim da Estrela is a large park in the city center with excellent infrastructure, rare flowers and beautiful sculptures. Locals love to spend their weekends here: having picnics, taking their children to arts and crafts exhibitions in the morning, and having fun at evening concerts on the bandstand in the center of the park.
Jardim Botânico da Ajuda is an 18th century botanical garden built in the likeness of palace parks. It is symmetrical and well-kept, with fountains, gazebos and smooth paths along which peacocks walk. About 1000 exotic plants grow here.
7. Attend a classical music concert in an 18th century palace
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The Baroque palace Palácio Foz was built in the 18th century, and then rebuilt several times. The inside is decorated with colored marble, frescoes and carved panels. Now it houses government offices and a tourist center. The Hall of Mirrors, with gilded panels, mirrors and crystal chandeliers, hosts free concerts of classical, organ and choral music 2-3 times a month. Concerts start at 18.00 and last about an hour. Registration is not necessary, but the number of seats in the hall is limited, so you should arrive 30-40 minutes before the start. Children under 6 years old are not allowed.
8. Explore the most beautiful and ancient churches of the city
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Igreja Santa Maria de Belém is the church of the monastery of dos Jerónimos, built in the Manueline style (a Portuguese architectural style of the 15th and 16th centuries, which mixed Gothic, Renaissance and Moorish styles). Its interior resembles a fairy-tale sea grotto, supported by carved columns, and is also home to the tomb of Vasco da Gama. Entrance to the monastery costs 10 euros, but admission to the temple is free.
Igreja de Sao Roque is the oldest Jesuit church in Portugal, it has a strict and simple facade and a very lush interior. The interior of the temple is divided into 8 chapels, each of which is decorated with multi-colored azulejo tiles, marble sculptures, mosaics and carved gilded panels.
Igreja de São Vicente de Fora is a church in the late Renaissance style. Inside the church there are striking 18th century azulejos that tell the history of the monastery, a magnificent Baroque canopied altar and carved sarcophagi of the kings of the Braganza dynasty.
9. See stuffed animals, ancient dresses and manuscripts at the Feira da Ladra flea market
Photo: Helissa Grundemann/Shutterstock.com
This flea market has existed in the same place for 135 years. It operates from early morning until 2-3 pm on Saturdays and Tuesdays at Campo de Santa Clara. It is loved by Lisbon residents and tourists alike. This market is like a huge museum of fashion and everyday life in Portugal: dresses with crinolines and ladies’ hats, children’s toys from the 19th century, souvenirs from colonial times, soap and perfume from the 20th century are sold here. Antique shops display stuffed crocodiles and gilded carved furniture, and in jewelry stores you can buy the cheapest gold and silver jewelry in Europe.
10. See great street art
Photo: @warwallsandlovewalls/@timjentsch/Instagram.com
Lisbon is one of the capitals of European street art. The streets are covered with graffiti, open-air galleries are set up in destroyed houses, and the facades of houses are painted by world-famous muralists. The best street art is located near the Calcada da Gloria lift, where the GUA gallery is located, in the Alfama district, on Rua das Gaivotas, Rua Rodriques Faria and near the 25 April bridge, where the LX factory gallery is located. And if you have the time and desire to further explore Lisbon street art, then on this map you will find the addresses and names of most of the best murals and murals in the city.
11. Museums
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With free entry
- Museu Colecção Berardo is a museum of modern art, its collection includes works by Picasso, Dali, Warhol, Rothko, Bacon and others;
- Núcleo Arqueológico is an archaeological museum where you can, with a guide, see houses, household items and the only Roman mosaic in Lisbon from the 3rd century AD. The visit must be reserved in advance by email fundacao@milleniumbcp.pt;
- MUDE – Museu do Design e da Moda. This museum houses a huge collection of clothing and interior items from Portuguese designers of the 20th and 21st centuries.
With free entry on certain days
- Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology (MAAT) – first Sunday of the month;
- Maritime Museum (Museu da Marinha) with a collection of ancient maps and ships – first Sunday of the month;
- Museum Calouste Gulbenkian with a collection of European, oriental and ancient art – on Sundays after 14:00;
- Marionette Museum (Museu da Marioneta) – on Sundays until 13:00;
- House-Museum of Medeiros and Almeida (Casa-Museu da Fundação Medeiros e Almeida) with a collection of antique clocks, furniture and ceramics – on Saturdays from until 13:00.
Preview photo: @timstief
