Visited by Ulysses, conquered by Afonso Henriques and sung about in centuries of songbooks, Lisbon is also the city of hills and ubiquitous Portuguese cobblestones, of steak at Café and sardines that feed all the saints every June, of fado and gingões that linger in historic neighbourhoods, with words and intentions made of half-spoken phrases.
And everything, or almost everything, always with the Tagus as company. Here is the postcard with the city's unmissable attractions.
It was on the sands of Belém that globalisation began to take shape – and the Tower of Belém, a small Lisbon landmark and Portuguese icon, once standing in the middle of the river, continues to function as the main gateway from the city to the world and vice versa, even though today it is predominantly visited by tourists.
Also in the parish of Belém, which was once outside Lisbon, there is the Jerónimos Monastery, the most visited attraction known as the Coach Museum, the presidential Belém Palace and the pastéis, which are named after the place despite all the competition that calls them pastéis de nata.
Also in Belém, you will find the Museum of Ethnology, the Earthquake Museum (Quake), the Museum of Popular Art and the EDP Foundation Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology (MAAT), which also includes the Electricity Museum. On the other hand, football and sports fans in general may want to visit the Restelo Stadium, home of ‘Os Belenenses’, and possibly the sports venue with one of the most attractive settings in the country. Sports fans may also be tempted to take advantage of the flat terrain of these neighbourhoods to cycle along the riverfront or go for a run – and even try to sign up for the famous Lisbon Marathons.
Belém is well worth a visit, but before leaving the historic neighbourhood, it is worth checking out what is on offer at the exhibition halls and auditoriums of the Belém Cultural Centre (CCB). At this point, visitors who can do without the hardships of Lisbon's many hills can head towards Alcântara to visit the National Museum of Ancient Art, which almost everyone knows for its ‘green windows’, or the gardens of Tapada das Necessidades.
On the way to Alcântara, and always with the pleasant company of the Tagus, you can discover the Lx Factory, which is a mixture of work and leisure space, the Museu do Oriente, the Docas and the restaurants and bars under the 25 de Abril Bridge, or further on, on the way to Santos, the Clube Naval de Lisboa for water sports enthusiasts.
On the other hand, if your preferences lie with gardens, agriculture or flora in general, then the western part of the city is the place to visit, with the Monsanto Forest Park as a reference point.
Those coming from Belém can start with a visit to the Tropical Botanical Garden and, going up the hill, will reach the Ajuda Botanical Garden and, halfway there, visit the exquisite Church of Memória.
The unmissable National Treasure, permanently housed in the Ajuda National Palace, is also worth the walk for its historical value, but also because it offers an admirable view over the houses and the Tagus River. Once there, visitors will realise that they are not far from the Ajuda Sports Complex, which belongs to the University of Lisbon and complements the University Stadium, located in another part of the city (the latter is a stone's throw from the CIÊNCIAS Campus), with gyms and other sports facilities.
In the vicinity of Monsanto Forest Park and on the way to the Santo Amaro neighbourhood, fans of the incredible world of plants can discover Tapada da Ajuda, which includes the D. António Xavier Pereira Coutinho Natural Botanical Reserve, as well as the Lisbon Astronomical Observatory, which is linked to the National Museum of Natural History and Science.
Those who prefer longer walks in natural settings can continue climbing until they see the aforementioned Monsanto forest to discover the reason behind Lisbon's ‘green lung’, with abundant shade, spaces dedicated to socialising and exercise, and an amphitheatre that regularly hosts concerts and other events.
On the other hand, those who really enjoy urban gardens should descend and head towards Estrela to find the garden of the same name – and also the Basilica opposite. From there, you will be entering the most central area of Lisbon, which includes Baixa and other historic neighbourhoods.
Part of the charm of the capital comes from its misconceptions: a city inflated by a strong accent that no native admits to having, Lisbon is known for place names that do not appear on the map. And it is in the historic and most central area that misleading place names are most common: Praça de Comércio, which continues to be nicknamed Terreiro Paço; Rossio, which no one knows as Praça do Pedro IV; Areeiro, which is Praça Francisco Sá Carneiro; Largo Trindade Coelho, which is known as “Largo do Cauteleiro”; Chiado, which designates an area much larger than the square that honours it, and in some people's minds extends to the elegant Príncipe Real, where the old Polytechnic School once housed CIÊNCIAS and now houses the Natural History Museum; or even Parque das Nações, which some insist on calling Expo; not to mention the Convento do Carmo, which is now unimaginable without its ruins.
Still maintaining the modernist aura and artistic vein of times gone by, Chiado gives way, a few metres away, to the prominence of ‘Camões’, which is said without upsetting anyone, in the same way that, further down, Cais do Sodré is usually pronounced by everyone as ‘Cachodré’ and is only usually referred to correctly by those who are not from Lisbon. It is near the square with the statue of the greatest poet of the Portuguese-speaking world that the border and rivalry between the bohemian Bairro Alto, where fado still reigns supreme for tourists and aficionados, and Bica, where everyone seems to be fighting gravity due to the slope on which the houses are built along the hill, begins. On the other hand, those who don't want to waste time with local rivalries while in the area should not forget the following: opera is at São Carlos, while on the next street, São Luiz provides theatre and concerts of other kinds.
Leaving Chiado as you climb the hill, you come to the Jardim de São Pedro de Alcântara and the unmissable view of Graça, Rossio, Mouraria, São Jorge Castle, Alfama - and other areas where the city actually began more than 3000 years ago, possibly on the initiative of the Phoenicians.
If the aim is to descend from Chiado towards the country's political history, then it makes sense to take Calçada do Combro and then continue on to the Assembly of the Republic or the Prime Minister's official residence in São Bento, and eventually come across some of the remaining joy of the Cape Verdean community that lived there for many years.
Further down, by the river, is the nightlife area known as 24 de Julho, just a few minutes' walk from Cais do Sodré railway station. It is along this route, not far from the river, that you also reach Praça do Município and then Praça do Comércio, with the iconic Cais das Colunas and the statue of D. José I in the centre, as well as a few offices and ministerial departments operating on site.
From Praça Comércio to the neighbouring Campo das Cebolas, it takes just a moment to visit the Casa dos Bicos / José Saramago Foundation – and entering the maze of streets and alleys that climb the hill, you will find your way to the Lisbon Cathedral.
Alternatively, if you want to see how Lisbon was rebuilt after the 1955 earthquake, it makes more sense to follow the grid pattern of Baixa, where Rua Augusta stands out, and further on, enter Rossio, which is dominated by the D. Maria II National Theatre and leads to Avenida da Liberdade, known for its select shops and brands.
The Coliseu and Teatro Politeama, parallel to Avenida da Liberdade, are known for the wide range of shows they put on. On the opposite side, also parallel to Avenida da Liberdade, is the renovated Parque Mayer, which includes the Teatro Variedades and the Capitólio theatre. Halfway down the avenue are the São Jorge Theatre and the Tivoli Theatre, and at the top is Praça Marquês de Pombal, followed by Parque Eduardo VII, which is the annual venue for the Book Fair and home to the Estufa Fria.
From Marquês de Pombal to Avenidas Novas, there is almost nothing to know – but it is not the only route to reach the city's newer neighbourhoods. Those who start their journey at Praça da Figueira, pass through Martim Moniz and continue along Avenida Almirante Reis will also reach Avenidas Novas. The route may be longer, but it is certainly more cosmopolitan, without neglecting detours to Avenida da República, and then to the neighbourhood of Alvalade and Campo Grande, where the Aula Magna and Rectory of the University of Lisbon are located, as well as the CIÊNCIAS campus.
From our campus, you can see the Alvalade Stadium, home to Sporting Clube de Portugal, but to fully experience the greatest national rivalry, you must follow the Segunda Circular to reach the Estádio da Luz, home to Sport Lisboa e Benfica.
Those who prefer to play sports rather than watch them don't need to stray far from the CIÊNCIAS Campus and can pop over to the University Stadium and its Olympic swimming pool and various sports facilities to choose the sport that suits them best. If the goal is to stay in Avenidas Novas, then it makes sense to visit the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, which currently houses the Modern Art Centre and hosts classical and contemporary music concerts, as well as the famous Jazz Festival in August.
If you want to leave Lisbon, then the Segunda Circular can be used as one of the fastest routes to Humberto Delgado International Airport or, at the end, decide whether to take the Autoestrada Nº1 (or A1) motorway, which leads to Porto, or the Vasco de Gama Bridge, which connects to the Setúbal Peninsula and, like the 25 de Abril Bridge, also provides access for those heading to the Alentejo and Algarve.
But let's go back to the beginning: the Alfama neighbourhood, which served as the city's nucleus, still echoes with fado music – and when the doors of restaurants and taverns are closed, it is the Fado Museum that honours saudade. Climbing up Alfama, you reach the Castelo neighbourhood, and it is important not to confuse the two neighbourhoods with the locals, just as between Bica and Bairro Alto, but with a much more difficult border to detect. It is at São Jorge Castle that the most emblematic view of the city appears, followed by another auspicious view at the Monte Agudo viewpoint, already close to Graça.
The Feira da Ladra flea market and the National Pantheon are not far away, and night owls will not want to miss a visit to the Lux nightclub, near Santa Apolónia Station, which connects to the rest of the country. Once there, visitors know they are entering the eastern part of the city.
In the eastern part, there is a city that has been reborn since the 1990s – notably the Beato Creative Hub and the many start-ups that are based there. It was following this regeneration of formerly industrial neighbourhoods that Lisboa Ao Vivo (LAV) was born, which is now one of the city's main concert halls. Closer to the Tagus, the Parque das Nações stands out, with the Pavilhão do Conhecimento (Pavilion of Knowledge) and the unmissable Oceanário (Oceanarium) among its biggest attractions, not to mention the Pavilhão de Portugal (Portugal Pavilion), now used by the University of Lisbon.
When it comes to sports or concerts, the former Pavilhão Atlântico, now called Meo Arena, is one of the biggest names on any Lisbon bill. Next to the river, there is a cycle path that leads to Papa Francisco Park, with a stage and roof for shows, which owes its name to a visit by the former Supreme Pontiff on the occasion of World Youth Day – and is now outside the city.
The Cascais line is well worth the trip for its picturesque scenery and the ride to the city beaches of the Estoril/Cascais line - or to the Jamor sports complex (Cruz Quebrada station). Those who choose other railway lines can explore the Serra de Sintra and the Pena Palace – less than an hour's journey from the centre of Lisbon, it should be noted.
In the Sintra area, which begins at the very Lisbon-esque Rossio Station, there is no shortage of beaches – but in these areas, the sea and climate are less predictable. And so fans of less urban beaches may prefer to head south, on the train that crosses the river on the iconic 25 de Abril Bridge, to top up their tan or surf the waves of Costa de Caparica, which maintains a healthy rivalry with Carcavelos or even Guincho (Cascais) when it comes to daring water sports that are just a stone's throw from Lisbon. Still on the south bank, the Arrábida Mountains and the city of Setúbal, with boat connections to Troia, are destinations to keep on the radar – but they require time and money to explore. The same logic applies to those who want to head to Santarém or Óbidos for a getaway, about an hour away for those with a car, among monuments and castle battlements.