UltimateCity Guide Lisbon
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Lisbon’s red roofs falling to the Tagus, with the dome of the National Pantheon and the church of São Vicente de Fora under a clear blue sky

The city guide to Lisbon, Portugal

Best of Lisbon

Seven hills above the Tagus: the Manueline cloister at Belém, the castle over Alfama, palace hotels, Belcanto’s two stars and a warm pastel de nata. Lisbon, checked place by place.

Launch edition · Autumn 2026

Where to eatWhat to see
The red carriages of the Glacier Express crossing the stone arches of the Landwasser Viaduct below a snow-capped peakSister guideULTIMATE Rail JourneysThe story of the train, the great journeys and where to book themA cruise ship in the Bay of Kotor, MontenegroSister guideULTIMATE CruisesLines, ships and itineraries, from river to expeditionThe Matterhorn in winter above ZermattSister guideULTIMATE Ski ResortsSeason dates, hotels, après and ski schools, resort by resortThe Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild and its gardens, Saint-Jean-Cap-FerratSister guideULTIMATE PropertyLapa’s palaces, the Avenida, the riverside and how the deed works

Lisbon, from the river up

Lisbon climbs from the Tagus over its hills: the Baixa and Chiado, Alfama under the castle, Príncipe Real, the Avenida da Liberdade, and Belém out along the river. Here are its palace hotels and the 2026 MICHELIN stars, the pastelarias and seafood halls, the monasteries, museums and miradouros, and day trips to Sintra, Cascais, Comporta, Évora and Óbidos. Every listing is checked against the venue’s own website or an official source, and anything we can’t confirm is left out.

The city on seven hills: Lisbon’s great sights

In depth

The city on seven hills

Lisbon·In depth

Belém’s monastery and tower, the castle above Alfama and the Baixa rebuilt after 1755: how to read Lisbon in three walks.

Read the story

Arts + Culture

All of Arts & Culture

Calouste Gulbenkian’s collection, the tiles of the Madre de Deus, opera at São Carlos and fado in Alfama.

The royal box and gilded tiers of the Teatro Nacional de São CarlosArts + CultureArts & Culture in LisbonMuseums, tiles, opera and fado

Lisbon, hill by hill

Seven quarters, each with its own guide: the grid of the Baixa and the cafés of Chiado, Alfama’s stairways under the castle, Príncipe Real’s palaces, the Avenida, Belém on the river, the embassy streets of Lapa and the Expo city of the Parque das Nações.

The Rua Augusta Arch and the yellow arcades of the Praça do Comércio under a blue skyNeighbourhood guideChiado & the BaixaCafés, theatres and the river squareThe walls of the Castelo de São Jorge and its pines above the rooftops of the old cityNeighbourhood guideAlfama & the CastleStairways, fado and viewpointsThe Castelo de São Jorge on its hill above the rooftops of the BaixaNeighbourhood guidePríncipe Real & the Bairro AltoPalaces, gardens and late barsThe tree-lined promenade and water channel of the Avenida da Liberdade, with patterned pavingNeighbourhood guideThe Avenida da LiberdadeThe grand boulevardThe Tower of Belém on the Tagus under a blue sky with white cloudsNeighbourhood guideBelémThe monastery and the tower

On foot

Lisbon is a city of hills: walk downhill whenever you can, and let Tram 28 or the Metro carry you back up.

  1. Neighbourhood guideLapa, Estrela & SantosPalaces and old masters
  2. Neighbourhood guideThe Parque das NaçõesThe river city of Expo 98

Before you go

Arrival by Metro from the airport, the lifts that are closed this year, booking Belém, and three days that work for a first visit.

Before you goLisbon essentialsEntry, the tourist tax, the lifts and 112The tree-like steel canopy over the platforms of the Gare do OrienteGetting aroundGetting aroundThe airport, the Metro, trams and trainsThe blue-and-white counter room of Pastéis de Belém under stucco ceilingsItineraryLisbon in three daysBelém, Alfama, Chiado and the GulbenkianA suite at the Verride Palácio with white rococo stucco, a carved marble fireplace and an arched mirrorLuxury guideLUX LivingThe finest addressesThe lobby lounge of the Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon: velvet sofas, a tapestry, orchids and a sweeping staircaseItineraryThe Gold weekendThe Ritz, CURA and Belcanto
  1. ItineraryThe Platinum weekendVerride, Belém and Fifty Seconds

Our advice

Check the lifts before you climb

Carris lists the Glória, Bica, Lavra and Santa Justa lifts as closed in 2026, with replacement buses. Check carris.pt on the day, and wear flat shoes with grip for the polished pavements. Lisbon essentials

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Beyond Lisbon

Sintra’s palaces and the coast at Cascais are a train ride away; Comporta and the Alentejo lie south and east across the Tagus, and Óbidos to the north.

The red and yellow Pena Palace on its wooded peak above SintraBeyond LisbonSintraPalaces in the forestThe Santa Marta lighthouse and a seaside villa in Cascais at duskBeyond LisbonCascais & EstorilThe coast by trainHolm oaks, vineyards and golden fields of the Alentejo plainBeyond LisbonComportaRice fields and dunesThe Corinthian columns of the Roman temple in Évora under a blue skyBeyond LisbonÉvora & the AlentejoA Roman temple and the wine plainA cobbled lane of whitewashed houses with bougainvillea inside the walls of ÓbidosBeyond LisbonÓbidosA walled town

Our advice

Start Sintra early

Take an early train from the Rossio, book a timed slot for Pena on parquesdesintra.pt, and choose two palaces rather than four. Sintra

Lisbon in depth

The great sights, the table, the arts and fado, the hotels, the railways and where to buy: the stories behind Lisbon.

Sardines grilling over charcoalThe back storyLisbon at the tableBelcanto, Bibs and the cervejariasThe gilded church of the Madre de Deus at the Museu Nacional do Azulejo, with blue-and-white tile panelsThe back storyTiles, fado and the GulbenkianLisbon’s arts

Iberia and beyond with the ULTIMATE guides

Lisbon is the western end of Iberia: east to Madrid and Andalusia, out to sea from its cruise terminal, and the great train journeys beyond.

ULTIMATE MadridMadridSpain’s capitalULTIMATE AndalusiaAndalusiaSeville, Granada and the south

The ULTIMATE City Guides around the world

See all Europe

Planning a longer journey? Each city in the network has its own independent guide, written with the same care and checked place by place. Here are the guides that are live, with more on the way.

Canal houses and bridges in Amsterdamthe NetherlandsULTIMATE AmsterdamThe canal ring, the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum, canal-house hotels, twenty MICHELIN-starred tables, brown cafés, and day trips to Haarlem and Keukenhof.The Alhambra in Granada in the evening lightSpainULTIMATE AndalusiaSeville, Granada and the Alhambra, Córdoba, Málaga, Cádiz and Jerez, Ronda and the white villages, Doñana and Cabo de Gata.The floodlit Acropolis and Parthenon at dusk, seen from Philopappos HillGreeceULTIMATE AthensThe Acropolis and the Plaka, rooftop bars facing the Parthenon, the Athens Riviera and the Greek islands: our original guide, and our deepest.The road winding out to the lighthouse on Cap de Formentor, Mallorca, above the open seaSpainULTIMATE Balearic IslandsMallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera side by side, and how to hop between them by ferry.The Sagrada Família lit up at nightSpainULTIMATE BarcelonaGaudí and the Sagrada Família, the Gothic Quarter, four Three-Star MICHELIN kitchens, the beaches and day trips to Montserrat and Girona.Belgrade's old town and the spire of the Cathedral Church of St Michael above the Sava at sunsetSerbiaULTIMATE BelgradeWhere the Sava meets the Danube: a buzzing capital of art, classical music and famous nightlife, with a new waterfront and the mountains of Zlatibor and Kopaonik.

See all 81 guides

HOT TOPICS · Have Your Say

From our readers: Lisbon’s visitors and locals on its tascas and starred tables, fado houses, trams, hills and day trips.

    Have your say in HOT TOPICS

    This week's pick

    Óbidos Vila Natal

    Óbidos·Christmas village

    Óbidos turns its walled streets into a Christmas village from 27 November 2026 to 3 January 2027: book on obidosvilanatal.pt and go on a weekday.

    Find out more

    Every list in the guide

    Plan your day

    The entrance of the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga on the Rua das Janelas VerdesItineraryTiles, old masters and fado in a dayOne dayThe stone battlements of the Moorish Castle on the ridge above SintraItineraryBy train to SintraOne day, by trainA stepped street under trees between yellow tiled housesItineraryA property viewing day: Lapa, Príncipe Real and the AvenidaOne day
    1. ItineraryA day trip: Cascais and GuinchoOne day

    Know your neighbourhoods

    Our favourites right now

    Restaurants

    1. 1Lisbon at the table: the stars, the tascas and the seaLisbon · In depth
    2. 2BelcantoChiado · Fine dining
    3. 3Henrique Sá PessoaCampo de Ourique · Fine dining
    See all 34

    Cafés

    1. 1Pastéis de BelémBelém · Pastry shop
    2. 2ManteigariaChiado · Pastry shop
    3. 3Confeitaria NacionalPraça da Figueira · Pastry shop
    See all 7

    Bars

    1. 1Red FrogAvenida da Liberdade · Cocktail bar
    2. 2CINCO LoungePríncipe Real · Cocktail bar
    3. 3Monkey MashPríncipe Real · Cocktail bar
    See all 6

    Hotels

    1. 1Where Lisbon sleeps: palaces, the Avenida and the riverAvenida da Liberdade · In depth
    2. 2Four Seasons Hotel Ritz LisbonMarquês de Pombal · Grand hotel
    3. 3Tivoli Avenida Liberdade LisboaAvenida da Liberdade · Grand hotel
    See all 25

    Sights

    1. 1The city on seven hills: Lisbon’s great sightsLisbon · In depth
    2. 2The Jerónimos MonasteryBelém · Monastery
    3. 3The Tower of BelémBelém · Fortress
    See all 11

    Arts & Culture

    1. 1Tiles, fado and the Gulbenkian: Lisbon’s artsLisbon · In depth
    2. 2Calouste Gulbenkian MuseumAvenidas Novas · Museum
    3. 3CAM – Centro de Arte Moderna GulbenkianAvenidas Novas · Museum
    See all 25

    Parks

    1. 1The Gulbenkian GardenAvenidas Novas · Garden
    2. 2Jardim Botânico de LisboaPríncipe Real · Botanic garden
    3. 3Jardim da EstrelaEstrela · Garden
    See all 6

    Walks

    1. 1Alfama and the miradourosAlfama · Walk
    2. 2The Baixa to ChiadoBaixa · Walk
    3. 3Príncipe Real and São Pedro de AlcântaraPríncipe Real · Walk
    See all 5

    Shopping

    1. 1The Avenida da LiberdadeAvenida da Liberdade · Shopping street
    2. 2JNcQUOI AvenidaAvenida da Liberdade · Fashion, deli and restaurant
    3. 3El Corte Inglés LisboaSão Sebastião · Department store
    See all 8

    Health

    1. 1Emergencies: call 112Lisbon · Emergency number
    2. 2Hospital de Santa MariaCidade Universitária · Public university hospital
    3. 3Hospital da Luz LisboaCarnide · Private hospital
    See all 8

    Property

    1. 1Buying in Lisbon: hills, palaces and the deedLisbon · In depth
    2. 2Your NIF: the Portuguese tax numberPortugal · Official step
    3. 3Casa ProntaPortugal · Official step
    See all 7

    Developments

    1. 1The Metro’s Linha CircularEstrela · Transport
    2. 2The new Glória liftRestauradores · Transport
    3. 3CAM: the Gulbenkian’s new garden frontAvenidas Novas · Culture
    See all 5

    Motoring

    1. 1Rádio Táxis de Lisboa (Retális)Lisbon · Taxi
    2. 2AutocoopeLisbon · Taxi
    3. 3CooptáxisLisbon · Taxi
    See all 6

    Getting Around

    1. 1Lisbon by rail and riverRossio · In depth
    2. 2Lisbon Airport (Humberto Delgado)Lisbon · Airport
    3. 3CP – Comboios de PortugalLisbon · Railway
    See all 8