Places
- Terreiro do Paço (Praça do Comércio) + Arco da Rua Augusta
- Elevador de Santa Justa
- Praça Dom Pedro IV (Rossio Square) and the Railway Station architecture!
- Castelo de São Jorge
- Sé de Lisboa
- Panteão Nacional
- Elétrico 28 Tram, but it’s really busy usually, in the evening is a little better.
- Jardim Amália Rodrigues, with a look on Parque Eduardo VII till the Statue of Marquês de Pombal
- Convento do Carmo, church in ruins after heartquake, if you can get a “projected light show spectacle” ticket do it, it’s amazing.
- Aqueduto das Águas Livres, if you have time, it’s just a few arches.
Don’t forget that there are lots of “miradouros” giving a nice view of the city, most famous is “Miradouro da Senhora do Monte” or if you really wanna trek “Lookout Point (in Monsanto Park)”
Museums
- Museu Nacional do Azulejo (try to book in advance the practical activity, I suggest)
- Museu do Fado
- Museu Nacional de História Natural e da Ciência, in university of Lisbon
- Lisbon Story Center (multimedia museum in Praça do Comércio)
- Museu Calouste Gulbenkian (art and artifacts)
- Museu do Oriente (is actually a Museum of the Orient, cause Portugal was trading with Asia)
Neighborhoods
Lisbon is THE city of neighborhoods, each one with a different soul:
- Baixa for downtown, wide boulevards, Rua Augusta, the main pedestrian street, is a popular shopping and dining destination.
- Alfama for tradition, oldest neighborhoods, narrow streets, colorful buildings. Definitely look for a dinner with Fado music, experience suggested.
- Bairro Alto for nightlife, gets alive by night so check it out after dinner! Check out “O Bom O Mau e O Vilão” for some drinks and chill music vibes, it’s on Pink Street.
- Chiado, there is “Kong restaurant” with Portuguese food but vegan.
- Saldanha for business and fancy shopping, but I loved to take a bread snack in “Pão com Calma”
- LX Factory for artistic atmosphere
- Campo Grande/University for university life
- Belem (a little out of the city, see below)
- Sintra (a little out of the city, more nature, see below)
If it’s summer, I suggest also going to Costa de Caparica for surfing! You can book a lesson and get in touch with the ocean, which is definitely part of Lisbon and Portuguese culture.
Belem
I suggest a full day reserved here to Belem:
- eat the “Pastéis de Belém” (probably queue)
- Jardim Vasco da Gama
- Monastero dos Jerónimos
- Padrão dos Descobrimentos (check Cristo-Rei and the Bridge on the left, on the right the Torre de Belém)
- Torre de Belém (better at sunset)
- Ajuda National Palace (if you have some spare time extra and you wanna see a palace)
- Museums are all good but not impressive, one is enough: Museu Nacional dos Coches, Museu de Marinha, Museu da Carris (transportations), MAAT (modern art, but little for the price), Museu Coleção Berardo, Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga (art). Museu da eletricidade - Central Tejo (I suggest, different than usual, a big factory with interactive exhibits and interesting facts about how they get electricity from the Tejo river)
Sintra
- Palácio da Pena (Pena Palace), the colorful castle! (must)
- Quinta da Regaleira, the iconic well with underground tunnels, my favourite.
- Palácio Nacional de Sintra (Sintra National Palace) relly well preserved medieval royal palaces, it has some nice rooms.
- Castelo dos Mouros (Moorish Castle) ruins of a really ancient castle, has a nice view, there is a walk path made of rocks.
Cabo da Roca, if you have time (and maybe a car), it’s the westernmost point of continental Europe and it’s next to Sintra
Food
- Bacalhau a bras (I love it)
- Soups: Caldo Verde, Sopa de Pedra, Açorda
- Amêijoas à Bulhão Pato (seafood, clams)
- Sardinhas Assadas (grilled sardines)
- Francesinha (bread, meat, egg, cheese, tomato sauce,.. you must have a big stomach)
- Galão, Portuguese coffee drink (1/4 espresso + 3/4 skimmed or foamed milk).
Desserts
- Pastéis de Nata
- Pão de deus (my fav)
- Arroz Doce (my fav, sweet rice with cinnamon)
- Ovos Moles (fun sweet eggs)
- Queijadas
- Bolo de Bolacha (a no-bake biscuit cake)
- Toucinho do Céu (almond cake)
- Fatias Douradas (bread+milk and egg, fried and served with sugar and cinnamon) (your diet disapproves)
- The Best chocolate cake in Landeau Chocolate
- Broa de Mel
- jesuíta
- bolo de arroz
- bolo de berlim
- pi go de mel
- ferradura de chocolate
- guardanapo
- cavacas de resende
Sardines are the symbol of Lisbon, if you want a fun souvenir, get a cute sardine box in “Conserveira de Lisboa” (next to Praça do Comércio)
If you are under Christmas period look for “Bolo Rei” cake or “Bolo Rainha” (with almonds)
If you have any correction/suggestion, I’m happy if you contact me.