Lisbon is an absolutely beautiful city! We really enjoyed our time in the city and would love to visit again! There is so much great food and drinks to be had, culture to dive into and so much more.
Our trip started and ended in the city. We spent the first two nights in the Graça neighborhood. This area was very nice, close to many restaurants and a short walk to most of what we wanted to see. At the end of our trip we stayed just outside of Barrio Alto. The Barrio Alto neighborhood its self is a nice area full of restaurants and shops. Where we stayed was a bit on the outskirts. The area we stated worked well for us on our last night in the city but ideally we would recommend staying in Graça, Barrio Alto or Alfama.
City Lookouts:
There are many lookouts around the city that offer great views and can be a great way to orient yourself to what is around you. We visited a few and would highly recommend all of them.
Miradouro da Graça- The Graça neighborhood is one of the highest in the city so this view really gives a great overview of the entire city.
Miradouro Sao Pedro de Alcantara- We happened upon some really amazing street performers here. There is a kiosk here where you can get snacks and drinks. We grabbed a glass of wine and sat on a bench to enjoy the music and the city view.
Miraduoro de Santa Canatrina- This one is closer to the water. There is also a kiosk here to grab snacks and drinks.
Food and Drink:
10 dish tasting dinner at A Taberna do Mar– We stumbled upon this place on our first night in the city. It is a very small restaurant in the Graça neighborhood. We lucked out and got in without a reservation but it is likely a good idea to reserve your table as this place is likely to gain in popularity.
The chef was wonderful and the food was some of the best we have ever had! Our waitress and the chef were also able to speak to us in English to explain each dish. They also helped recommend wine to pair with tasting. They do only take cash or local credit cards as of the writing so come prepared for that.
Maria Catita- Our second night in the city we had reservations here for dinner. We were with friends so we shared a fish cataplana and a shellfish cataplana. This dish is a rich, Portuguese stew and a must try!
Time Out Market– Another must while in Lisbon. This place is crowded but the food was excellent! Everything we saw looked very good. The market has multiple small restaurants/food stalls so you can chose where you want to order from. The center is full of tables so you can grab seats and eat wherever you can find a spot. Be sure to grab some pastéis de nata while in the market. The best ones we ate on our trip were the ones we ate here.
Pastéis de Nata- These little custard pastries are an iconic Portuguese treat! Pastel de nata originated in the Belem area of the city. If you don’t mind waiting in line, you should try the original recipe in Belem- https://pasteisdebelem.pt/en/. We passed on this as the line was extremely long when we went by.
Ginjinha- Another iconic Lisbon treat is ginjinha which is a cherry liquor. It is basically brandy with different spices and sour cherries. We visited two of the oldest establishments in the city- Ginjinha Sem Rival and A Ginjinha Espinheira. We enjoyed both and they are right around the corner from each other so it is easy to visit both. These are small, hole in the wall places. You walk in, tell the man behind the small bar how many you want and then enjoy your shot out on the street.
PanorámicaTejo- This seems to be a newer set up. If you walk from Barrio Alto, down the hill all the way to the water, you will see several beer and drink tents set up along the waterfront. This place was full of locals sitting around enjoying a drink by the water. It was a really nice place to see the sunset and just relax. We enjoyed watching the ferries and all the sailboats pass by.
Ninja buns- This place was right across the street from the last place we stayed in the city. Although not the best area to stay and explore the city this place was really good! We grabbed lunch here and killed some of our final time in the city before heading to the airport. The bao buns were very good. If you find yourself in this part of the city we would recommend stopping in for lunch.
Lebanese Corner- Again this place was very close to the last place we stayed, also would be a short walk from Barrio Alto. We grabbed take out here after walking around the city our final evening. The shawarmas were very good and a nice change after eating so much seafood throughout the trip!
Walk the City and Explore:
While you wander you will notice the sidewalks are cobblestone and many of them feature detailed designs, adding to the city’s beauty. You will also notice the tiles that line many of the buildings. The colors and patterns are a site to see. You won’t have to wander far to see these important parts of Portugal’s culture. We do have some specific recommendations for things to see in the city, listed below. There are many more things not included here. We only had a couple days in Lisbon so we couldn’t get to everything!
Igreja de São Domingos– This church experienced a fire in 1959. It has been reopened but the much of the walls are still black and you can see the affect the fire had on the original building and decor. We didn’t spend much time inside but it is free to enter and worth a quick stop. Apparently neither of us took any photos while inside, so you will just have to visit yourself to see it.
Lisbon Cathedral– This is the oldest church in the city. It is beautiful to walk by and is located in the center of the city. You won’t miss it if you’re wandering around, exploring.
Castelo Sao Jorge– You can’t miss this large castle while looking out on the city. We wandered up the hill towards the entrance and found quite a long line of people. We decided to skip the line and view the castle from the outside only. We did see several peacocks roaming the grounds which was unexpected.
If you do really want to go inside the castle, tickets can be purchased ahead of time to help save time and avoid some of the line. Use the website linked above.
Praca (Plaza) Dom Pedro IV– This is also referred to as Rossio Square and is the main square within the city. It is a beautiful to see and a nice place to sit and relax for a bit. The area around the square is paved with cobblestones in a traditional wave pattern. There is a large marble monument in the center and surrounded by beautiful buildings.
Alfama– This is one of the oldest parts of the city. It features narrow, cobblestone streets that wind the hills. Traditional houses and small cafes and shops line the streets. We walked through on a Sunday morning so alot of the shops and cafes were closed. You will see the streets narrow and the whole look of the area change. That is when you know you are in the right place. It isn’t a place where you need a plan, just wander and take in the people and the neighborhood.
Belem– The Belem area is a bit outside of the city. You can get there on public transportation however ubers are cheap in the city so we took an uber right from our booking. We took the free walking tour of the area. We always recommend free walking tours, we have taken them in many different cities and have never been disappointed. Belem has alot of history and we never would have learned without the tour.
The entire area holds significance in the age of discovery when Portugal was exploring and building colonies all over the world. On the tour you will see the Jerominos Monastery, where the pastel de Belem originated. You will also see the Belem Tour and The Padrão dos Descobrimentos (Monument to the Discoveries).
The ground as you approach the monument to the Discoveries is a marble map which was a gift from South Africa in remembrance of Portugal’s rounding of the Cape of Good Hope, which led to a new sea route to the East. The map shows the routes and dates of the Portuguese voyages, which essentially covered the entire globe. The entire area is quite small and you can also easily see everything on your own in an afternoon if you prefer not to take the tour.
We aren’t usually big city people but we really enjoyed our time in Lisbon and would love to go back! What is your favorite thing about Lisbon, what did we miss. Leave us a comment below.
More from our Trip to Portugal- Southern Portugal Roadtrip