The Must-Sees Of Lisbon: The City Of The Seven Hills
Lisbon is one of the perfect cities in Europe to see and enjoy in a weekend. It has everything you need to attract tourists: gastronomy, history, interesting places to see and lots of nightlife. After having visited it twice, we would like to bring you the list of must-sees of Lisbon to help you if you are thinking of going there.
If you want to complement the information we give you here about Lisbon or if you are thinking of doing a route around Portugal, we leave you some links to other posts in our blog that will help you a lot:
- 4 days in Lisbon: The Most Complete Experience (post where you will find how to divide the places to see in Lisbon in 4 days).
- Where to stay in Lisbon: Best Areas and Accommodations
- 9 Days in Portugal: Porto to Lisbon by Car
- 3 Days In Porto
- 15 Must-Sees in Porto
That’s it for the introduction, let’s get to the must-sees of Lisbon!
Praça do Comercio
The Praça do Comércio is one of the must-sees of Lisbon and its main meeting place and the start of many of the city’s tours. It is a huge square (one of the largest in Europe) located in front of the Tagus River. This location affords it incredible views of another of the city’s landmarks, the 25 de Abril bridge.
Historically, this place has been the main economic and political centre of the city and of Portugal as many commercial transactions took place here in previous centuries.
One of the most important events in the history of the country and the city was the earthquake of 1755, which destroyed most of the city and meant that the Praça do Comércio had to be rebuilt to its current version.
Just because of its importance and central location, you are sure to pass by the Praça do Comércio at some point during your stay in the city and it is one of the main places to see in Lisbon.
Praça dos Restauradores, must-sees of Lisbon
This square is another of the must-sees of Lisbon for its symbolic and historical importance. Its main focal point is the Monument to the Restorers, which commemorates Portugal’s independence from Spanish rule. These Restorers are those revolutionaries who led the independence.
The square itself is surrounded by historic and emblematic buildings such as hotels, restaurants and theatres, so it is also a place of great activity and importance in the city of Lisbon.
Santo Domingo Church
The Church of Santo Domingo is a very special place in the city and one of those must-sees of Lisbon.
The first reason for its importance is its historical trajectory. It was built in the 13th century and has undergone numerous alterations due to earthquakes and other misfortunes. Having suffered all this, the church has various architectural styles such as baroque, gothic or renaissance.
But for us, the main reason why we were surprised by this place is that it suffered a devastating 6-hour fire in 1959 and, inside, you can still see the walls burnt and destroyed by it. It had to be remodelled inside, especially the upper part, in order to be able to readmit the public, but the walls were left in such a way that you can see what this place went through.
The last reason why it seems to us a very important place in the city is its history during the Inquisition. It had an episode called the Massacre of 15th January 1503, where a monk saw a sign in the form of a light inside the church and used it to incite the faithful to kill anyone who was not a Christian. 2000 Jews and new Christians died.
As you can see, this is one of the places we liked the most in the city for its relevance and history. Admission is free from 7.30am to 7pm every day.
Praça do Rossio
We continue with the emblematic squares in the city of Lisbon. In this case, it is Rossio Square, one of the most important and lively squares in the city. It is located in the centre of the most central district of the city, making it its main nerve centre and the place where many important markets and events in Lisbon take place.
Architecturally, it is a symmetrical square with a cobblestone floor and a monument in the centre to King Pedro IV.
As in the case of Commerce Square, it is practically impossible not to pass by it while visiting Lisbon, as it is in the path of several places such as the Santa Justa Elevator or the Church of Santo Domingo.
Convento do Carmo
The Convento do Carmo is one of those must-sees of Lisbon. It is a historic Gothic-style convent built in the 14th century that belonged to the Catholic Order of Carmelites.
As you will see if you visit it, it is one of the historic buildings most affected by the Lisbon earthquake, as the roof and walls collapsed completely. In the case of this Convent, it was not rehabilitated and was left in a state of ruins as a historical monument. It is very interesting to see the interior with its arches still standing as remains of the ruins of the Convent.
Finally, in the square of this Convent, one of the most important recent events in Portugal took place, the Carnation Revolution, which put an end to almost 50 years of Salazar’s dictatorship.
Within the enclosure, you can also see the Carmo Archaeological Museum, with remains of ruins from prehistoric times to the present day.
A visit to the Convento do Carmo costs €7 and you can get it at the ticket office or through its official website. Opening hours are from 10am to 6pm, except on Sundays, when it is closed.
Elevador de Santa Justa, must-sees of Lisbon
It is one of the icons of the city. The Elevador de Santa Justa is a lift that was built between 1900 and 1902 and connects the districts of Baixa Pombalina and Bairro Alto.
Its structure is made of wrought iron with a lot of ornamental details that give it an elegant look. We were surprised because it doesn’t fit in too well with the surroundings, it is a structure that you come across when you turn down a rather surprising street.
One of the attractions of the place is its viewpoint to see the views of the city. TIP: Many people queue to take the elevator up to the observation deck, but you don’t have to pay to go up. You can walk up the hill and enter directly from the back. So if you don’t want to go up the elevator specifically, you can go to the lookout for free 🙂
In case you want to go up with the elevator, it costs 5.30€ for two trips and is open from 7am to 10.45pm.
Walking along Rúa Augusta and see its Arch
Rua Augusta is one of the main streets of the city as it connects Rossio Square with Praça do Comercio, the two most important in the city. It is a street with numerous shops, restaurants and souvenir shops, making it a great place to stroll around to see its great atmosphere and making it one of the must-sees of Lisbon.
Just at the end of the street, a Monumental arch gives access to the Praça do Comércio, in one of the typical photos when you visit the city.
Bica Funicular
As mentioned in the introduction, Lisbon is known as the City of Seven Hills. This name explains the geography of the city, as it is situated between hills and has numerous ups and downs to get around. For this reason, a large part of the city is connected by the famous yellow tramways, a typical image of the city.
The most famous one is located on Bica Street, a super steep street that has a yellow tram that runs along the most famous route in the city. The truth is that there can be long queues to get on, so the most interesting thing to do is to see the street and photograph the curious vehicle.
For us, we think that looking at or seeing one of the yellow trams is one of the must-sees of Lisbon. It could be at Bica or elsewhere in the city, there are so many lines.
Visiting a viewpoint, must-sees of Lisbon
We leave this point a little more open, because as you can imagine, Lisbon, being between hills, has a lot of viewpoints. One of the most famous is located at St. George’s Castle and is called Miradouro do Recolhimento. We met a Spanish guy who was a tour guide and he told us that it wasn’t the most famous but it was one of the most touristic and he recommended others that were really cool, less crowded and better.
We visited the following viewpoints and would recommend them 100%, especially at sunset:
- Mirador de Señora del Monte
- Viewpoint of Gracia
- Sao Pedro de Alcántara Viewpoint
- Alfama viewpoint
Torre de Belem
One of the emblems and must-sees of Lisbon and Portugal in general. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983.
Why is it so important? After its construction in the 16th century it was an important fortification protecting the entrance to the port of Lisbon and a symbol during the period of discovery when Portugal was one of the most powerful countries in the world. It has a strategic position for the defence of the city and is located at the mouth of the Tagus. Throughout history, it has served as a lighthouse and prison as well. Architecturally, it is a Manueline tower with details in the stone that decorate it.
That said, it’s located in the Belem neighbourhood, quite far from the city centre, so you’ll have to transport yourself there. We used Bolt, a great (and cheap) way to get around Portugal, but if you have time, a 1-hour walk from Praça do Comércio along the banks of the Tagus is a great way to visit it as well.
Padrao dos Descubrimientos, must-sees of Lisbon
We highly recommend this place as we were surprised by its size. It is located in front of the Tagus and a few metres from the Belem Tower. It is a monument built in 1960 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the death of Infante Don Enrique, one of the key figures in the Age of Discoveries.
It has the shape of a caravel and several characters guiding its navigation, which makes it a very eye-catching and interesting monument. Another aspect is its magnitude, as it is 52 metres high.
Inside the monument you can visit its viewpoint and the Belem Cultural Centre, with exhibitions, concerts and different events. You can get in for €5 at the ticket office or on the official website. Its opening hours are from 10am to 7pm.
Hyeronymites Monastery
Another of the must-sees of Lisbon and also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is located near the Belem Tower.
It is a 16th century monastery, to commemorate the famous Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama after his return from India. Its style is Manueline, a combination of Gothic, Renaissance and Mudejar elements.
The key landmarks of the site include the Chapel of Santa Maria de Belem, an impressive and beautiful church. You can also find several tombs of Portuguese royalty and a beautiful cloister, the Cloister of the Kings.
We had the misfortune to buy tickets at the ticket office and the queue was kilometres long, so we didn’t get to see it. Our recommendation is to buy your ticket in advance so that you know for sure that you will be able to get in, as it is one of the busiest places in Lisbon.
You can get a ticket on the official website or book a GetYourGuide tour with entrance + Belem Tower.
25 de Abril Bridge
An emblem of Lisbon. It is a bridge that connects Lisbon with Almada and is named after the day of the Carnation Revolution. It is said to be the little brother of the San Francisco Bridge and, to be honest, it has a certain air about it.
It is a place that can be seen from many parts of the city and if you go, it offers excellent panoramic views of the city of Lisbon and the Tagus River. For us, its surroundings are also beautiful, with a very pleasant walk along the banks of the Tagus. Therefore, we would say that one must-sees of Lisbon is the surroundings of the bridge to take a picture of it and have a nice walk.
Alfama, must-sees of Lisbon
If we had to choose a place of the must-sees of Lisbon that has what we really love about travelling, it would be the Alfama neighbourhood. Although it is already a very touristy place and many of its lifelong inhabitants have had to leave because of this tourism, the neighbourhood still maintains its essence, the Lisboners who have lived there all their lives.
It is a neighbourhood of narrow streets and old buildings located on one of the hills of the city, where you will see many old people in their houses greeting you and living in their lifelong neighbourhood. And this is the real charm of Alfama. We liked the neighbourhood so much after the free tour we did that we went back the next day to see it on our own. I recommend you to do a free tour in this neighbourhood, it’s worth it. We would recommend this Guru Walk tour.
We would say that the key points of the neighbourhood (although it is best to get lost in it) would be:
- Casa dos Bicos
- Stairs of Sao Cristovao
- Fado Wall
- Chao do Loureiro viewpoint
- Santa Luzia viewpoint
- Sé Cathedral
- Pantheon
- Feira da Ladra, Lisbon’s most famous flea market that only takes place on Saturdays
Visit Sintra
Sintra is a town located 1 hour from Lisbon and is considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its architectural and cultural richness. It is a place with several points of interest to visit.
There are several ways to visit it:
- Visit it on your own by train from Lisbon. It costs €4.5 and departs from Rossio station.
- Take a full day tour to Sintra.
- On your own transport
Our top recommendation in Sintra is the Pena Palace. Unfortunately, we had a very bad day and couldn’t admire its exterior façade, which is super colourful and spectacular, but we took the full tour inside to see all the rooms of the palace. We liked it too, so it is 100% worth it. You can get tickets at this GetYourGuide link and you have to select the time of entry (there are 4 hours to visit).
Another very interesting place is Quinta da Regaleira, a huge estate with several points of interest, surrounded by large gardens that are amazing. Our favourite place was the Initiatic Well.
If you have time, we recommend you save a day to see Sintra, as it is super beautiful and something different from what you can see in a big city, making it a great day trip from Lisbon.
Map of places
Lisbon is a perfect city to visit in a weekend, as it is a perfect size to walk around, you can enjoy good food, great atmosphere all the time, friendly people and beautiful places.
If you have any questions about Lisbon, you can contact us in the comments or on our social networks 🙂
