Lisbon Travel Guide
Ditch the guidebooks and explore Lisbon like we do. Here’s our curated list of personal recommendations to help you discover the local spots and escape the tourist traps.
In the city
Praça do Comércio: Nice square by the river.
Rua Augusta: Bustling street filled with shops and cafes, with a nice arch at the end, going into above mentioned Praça do Comércio square.
Rossio Square: A lively square with its beautiful fountains and historic buildings. Lots of shopping around here. Very touristy but a must see.
Castelo de São Jorge: A historic castle with panoramic views of Lisbon. Requires a steep walk uphill - bring water.
Time Out Market: Vibrant food market for dinner. Very touristy, however great DJs in the little gazebo just outside for sunset drinks.
Alfama: Lisbon’s historical district. Stroll the Soa Vicente area to see the nicest tiled buildings. There are lots of great wine bars at the top.
Gulbenkian Garden: A nice and peaceful local park. It’s a little further out from the city centre but worth a visit. If you’re in this area check out the shopping, restaurants and cafes guide as there are plenty of spots to see nearby.
A couple of extra lookouts in Alfama:
o Miradouro das portas do sol
o Miradouro da Graca
Cathedrals
Se Cathedral: An impressive cathedral with its mix of architectural styles.
Basilica of Our Lady of the Martyrs: An amazing fresco - green, white and red.
Church of Saint Sebastian: Very unassuming from the outside. Check out the sunset inside…
Daniel’s neighbourhood
Parque da Quinta das Conchas: Our favourite park, complete with ducks, a pond and a small cafe to have some coffee and snacks.
A Padaria Portuguesa cafe: A popular spot for pastry treats and fresh orange juice. It’s also air conditioned.
Pizzaria Luzzo: I’ve lost count how many times we’ve been here.
Edo Sushi: I would recommend the sushi boat (though it’s more a sushi ship!!)
Parque das Nações
Oceanário de Lisboa: One of the largest and best aquariums in Europe.
Torre Vasco da Gama: Daniel said there’s a nice restaurant here. This place is also accessible by car.
Belém
Mosteiro dos Jerónimos: A UNESCO World Heritage site featuring Manueline architecture.
Padrão dos Descobrimentos: A monument dedicated to the Age of Discoveries.
Torre de Belém: Lisbon’s iconic tower for its rich history.
Pastéis de Belém: Famous custard tarts - very touristy, but still a must do.
Centro Cultural de Belém: A local spot, with a nice olive tree garden. Good for a drink and a rest.
How to get to Belém
Take the train from Cais do Sodre to Belem Station, and once you get here hire a bike or a scooter and ride alongside the river for a nice scenic journey. Or if you’re driving, there is paid parking in front of Centro Cultural de Belém.
Shopping, restaurants & cafes
Café No Chiado: We went here on a date once. It’s nice.
Chiado: This is the best district for shopping. Check out Zilian for Portuguese boots and Portugal Jewels for Portuguese filigree jewellery. Also worth a visit is Joalharia Ferreira Marques - James Bond’s jewellery store featured in ‘On Her Majesty's Secret Service’.
El Corte Inglés: Located Campolide about 4km away from Chiado. This is Lisbon’s largest department store.
If you’re visiting Campolide, we recommend you take a detour to Gourmet House Caviar & Deli for champagne and caviar (just as we did when we were buying our Christmas tree), or stop for coffee at Linha d'Água - a cafe next to a quiet pond on top of the hill.
Outside Lisbon city
Sintra: An enchanting town known for its palaces and gardens (Palácio da Pena and Quinta da Regaleira are the best spots, and we recommend you take a train to Sintra followed by an Uber, taxi or bus between sites). Beware, it’s very touristy and somewhat expensive. Also, don’t bother paying extra for ‘skip the line’ ticket - there is so no such thing! Lastly, if you feel like rock climbing - check out this route.)
Cascais: A cute coastal town for a relaxing day by the sea. Hire a bike near the train station and cycle alongside the coast. There’s Plenty of fancy restaurants overlooking the beaches along the way. Lots of expats live around here.
Tomar: Home to the Knights Templar world headquarters. Visit the Convent of Christ and see the famous Manueline window.
Setubal: Another place outside of Lisbon. Octopus is the local delicacy here.
Porto: Great port wine. Visit the Harry Potter staircase at Lello Bookstore, however you’ll need to book tickets in advance. Very touristy.
M Maison Particulière Porto: We stayed here in this boutique hotel, it’s very nice although a bit expensive - https://www.m-porto.com/