Fabled castles and monasteries, monuments, historic neighborhoods, a bustling waterfront, and delicious cuisine make this exciting city a must-see
Lisbon is one of the buzziest European capitals. This city of about a half-million residents now welcomes more than four million visitors each year. That’s largely due to a recent infusion of energy that’s led to the restoration of Lisbon’s waterfront, its fabled castles and convents, as well as its maze of historic neighborhoods that thread the hills. Perched along the Tagus River, the city blessed by gentle sea breezes and nearly perpetual sunny skies, making every season the perfect season to visit.
Trams are a traditional method of navigating the city and, in recent years, tuk-tuks, motorized three-wheelers, have become a regular part of traffic. The Number 28 tram, a distinctive yellow tram, is a particularly excellent and inexpensive way to explore the cobbled streets that wend amid the medieval heart of the city, where you can take in the iconic creamy pastels of the city’s stuccoed buildings, many of which have facades emblazoned with artistic blue and white tile work known as azulejos.
To Do
You simply cannot go to Lisbon and fail to fall in love with the famed tiles. These gorgeous porcelain pieces are found throughout the city. Learn about this art form at the Museu Nacional do Azulejo, a calm space housed within an old convent just outside the thrum of the city, where you’ll follow along the chronology of tile making and see examples dating to the 15th century. There’s even a studio where you can make your own tile to take home.
One of the best (and cheapest, about six euros) ways to get an overview of Lisbon and its red-tiled rooftops is to take a gondola ride ON the Tagus River. The gondola provides a good vantage point of the iconic 25 de Abril Bridge, which looks like the twin of San Francisco’s Golden Gate since it was designed by the same firm.
Not far from the base of the bridge you’ll find LX Factory, the cultural core of the city. Over 200 creative incubators, studios, designers, boutiques and restaurants are housed within a formerly derelict industrial complex. A highlight is a two-story bookshop called Ler Devagar.
Belem Tower is one of those unmistakable landmarks of the city. Jetting into the Tagus River, this UNESCO-listed structure, with its ornate turrets and cupolas, was built as part of a 16th-century fortification. It’s well worth the steep climb up narrow stairs to reach the open terrace on top for a majestic view.
Also along the Tagus River sits one of the city’s most photographed monuments: the Padrao dos Descobrimentos, a massive stone sculpture depicting 33 figures on the prow of a ship, carved as a tribute to Portugal’s world explorers.
Monasteries and castles are the architectural heroes of the city. Jeronimos Monastery dates to the 1500s and displays all the grandeur you’d expect: a tall stone portal and finely carved stonework. It also has a rare two-story cloister and a lush garden overlooking the river. And, set upon a strategic spot atop one of the city’s highest peaks sits San Jorge Castle, which has been occupied since the 8th century BC, although the existing fortification you’ll see today is distinctively Moorish, built in the 11th century AD. While the views are spectacular, so too are the finds from the on-going archeological dig on site.
To Eat
Like neighboring Spain, food defines Portugal.
Try local specialties like pastel de nata, Lisbon’s famous pastry, a warm custardy creation dusted with cinnamon, that’s sold in bakeries and cafes. Another local treat, bifana, a soft bun topped with thin slices of pork stewed in a garlicky broth, is a popular grab ‘n go snack found in kiosks and bars.
You can’t walk far without encountering sturdy cafes with a few chairs and tables spilling out among the public squares. One of the most charming is Café A Brasileira, an Art Nouveau-era restaurant that serves demitasses of bica (a powerful espresso) in the chic Chiado neighborhood.
For a traditional meal, head to one of the city’s best-known squares, Placa do Comercio where you’ll find Martinho da Aracada, which has been in business since 1782. The kitchen turns out Portuguese classics like cod cakes paired with a crisp Vinho de Monte.
Another way to dive into tradition is to spend an evening at a restaurant that features fado, that melancholic traditional music that’s central to the soul of Portugal. You can sample the sound in the bohemian neighborhood of Bairro Alto at a joint called Mascate da Atalaia, where the music comes with a rustic side of chorizo with peas.
A relatively new addition to the food scene is Time Out Market, a cavernous food hall with wooden communal tables that offers an affordable way to sample some of the city’s best cuisine from myriad vendors. And, of course, Portugal is world-renowned for its sardines. For a big smile and a souvenir before flying out of Lisbon’s airport, stop in at the Fantastic World of Portuguese Sardines, an Instagram-worthy shop popping with a kaleidoscope of color that sells a specialty of the city: tinned sardines. For kicks, you can even get a can of the fish emblazoned with your birth date. When you’re back home and longing for a taste of Lisbon, simply crank open the tin and savor the memory.