Alfama
Search results
Discover the best sights and experiences in Lisbon, from World Heritage monuments to modern art museums. Explore the city's history, culture, and cuisine with this comprehensive guide.
- Wonder at The Torre de Belém
- Ride Tram 28
- Get Lost in The Alfama District
- Make A Trip to Sintra
- Enjoy The Azulejos in The National Tile Museum
- Conquer The Bulwarks of St George’s Castle
- Trace Glorious History in The Monastery of Jerónimos
- Go Underwater in The Lisbon Oceanarium
- Wonder at The Master Works of The National Museum of Ancient Art
- Get A Taste of The East in Museu Do Oriente
If there is just one landmark you visit when touring through the Portuguese capital, make it this one. Soaring high above the seafront of the Lisbon quays, this great tower displays a veritable fusion of architectural styles from the Mudejar to the Moorish, the Gothic to the Romanesque. It has stood watch over the mouth of the Tagus River since its...
Like San Francisco in the United States, Lisbon is a city famed for its historic, rattling tram lines. None are more iconic than Tram 28 which has been working its way up the steep, cobbled roads and into the old Alfama district for decades. The journey starts below the palm-spotted hills of Graça, and weaves toward the hair-pin alleys of Escolas G...
The compact little Alfama District is Lisbon’s answer to the old town centers of Europe’s other ancient capitals. Like the Forum of Rome, it’s hailed as the oldest part of the city, although this one dates back to the Moors of Africa instead of the kings of Latium. Delving into the warren of winding streets and alleys that forms the district is one...
‘Did you go to Sintra?’ is the usual question asked by veterans of Portugal’s capital. Despite being a totally different city and situated more than half an hour away from Lisbon by car, the glorious town of Sintraremains one of the major attractions here. Daytrips are common, while others will want to spend a couple of days exploring this UNESCO W...
Ask any ceramic aficionado and they will tell you that Portugal is the place to go for tiles. Cue Lisbon’s great National Tile Museum, which is dedicated to everything fired in a kiln. The institution traces the important history of tile making and its associated technologies from the days when the Moors first brought it to Iberia. Of course, the b...
St George’s Castle is unquestionably the most visible landmark of Lisbon’s historic center. Standing tall and firm above the streets of the old Alfama District, the great citadel was first built more than 2,000 years ago by the Romans. Since then, it has been developed by subsequent rulers of the city, from the Berbers to the Reconquista knights. T...
Just a glance at the ornate spires and grand carvings of the great Monastery of Jerónimos should be enough to deduce the raison d’être for this massive landmark which is nestled close to the banks of the Tagus River. It was built to mark Portugal’s most glorious age which was called ‘The Age of Exploration’. The fusion of architectural designs, kno...
Located out in the blue waters of the Tagus Estuary, the huge Lisbon Oceanarium rises like a hulking aircraft carrier. Inside, the structure houses countless exhibits related to marine life, which together pull in over one million visitors each year. You can get up close to colorful puffer fish as well as watch the marauding sharks. You’ll see curi...
The National Museum of Ancient Art is the home of Portugal’s prestigious national art collection. Pieces here range from pious saintly depictions by Nuno Gonçalves to chiaroscuro portraiture by Josefa de Óbidos. Most of the canvasses date from between the 16th and 19th centuries, and came into public ownership following the Liberal Wars that rocked...
You only need to set foot in places like Sri Lanka and Goa to realize how far the reach of Portugal’s great Renaissance Empire stretched. These far-flung eastern corners of the realm are the subject of Lisbon’s Museu do Oriente and the space itself is huge. It is housed in a colossal former fish processing factory, which now enjoys up-to-date exhib...
- Praça do Comércio. Let’s get started with one of Lisbon’s most iconic sights, Praça do Comércio (Commerce Plaza), also called Terreiro do Paço. Sandwiched between the Tagus River and Rua da Augusta, this is one of the largest squares in Portugal.
- Arco da Rua Augusta. This arch was built to commemorate Lisbon’s reconstruction after the 1755 earthquake. It sits on Praça do Comércio and from here visitors can stroll along Rua Augusta, one of Lisbon’s famous pedestrian streets.
- Rua Augusta. This pedestrian street is a very busy place to visit in Lisbon. Photographing Arco da Rua Augusta with the statue of King Jose I attracts a lot of visitors, as do the shops and cafes that line this street.
- Tram 28. Tram 28 is Lisbon’s most famous tram. It runs through the Alfama, Baixa, Estrela, and Gracia districts, taking riders past several of Lisbon’s top tourism sites.
- Address: Tv. Oliveira à Estrela 19. Less than 1 hour. TIME TO SPEND. San Francisco has its cable cars, London has its red double-decker buses and Lisbon has its trams.
- Address: Belém. Free, Neighborhood/Area, Sightseeing. TYPE. Half Day to Full Day. TIME TO SPEND.
- Address: Estrada do Cabo da Roca s/n. Free, Hiking, Tours, Sightseeing. TYPE. Half Day to Full Day. TIME TO SPEND.
- Address: Alfama. Free, Neighborhood/Area, Sightseeing. TYPE. 2 hours to Half Day. TIME TO SPEND.
Things to Do in Lisbon, Portugal: See Tripadvisor's 1,966,943 traveler reviews and photos of Lisbon tourist attractions. Find what to do today, this weekend, or in July. We have reviews of the best places to see in Lisbon. Visit top-rated & must-see attractions.
Jun 14, 2022 · Our top recommendations for the best things to do in Lisbon, Portugal, with pictures and travel tips from the editors at Condé Nast Traveler.
Discover the best attractions in Lisbon including Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, Castelo de São Jorge, and Alfama.
