I’ve been to Lisbon only twice, but I can’t get it out of my mind. And I can’t really tell you exactly why. One reason is almost certainly because I felt really good there, almost at home, because it is such a human place – despite its occasional showiness. But another reason may be that I never quite got to its soul, though I tried.
It’s not because of the language, because understanding a place is done with the eye and the skin. I suspect that it’s because the city has a depth to it – a unique culture and identity – that you have to work at in order to feel. And maybe that is so because of the city’s history of earthquakes.
In 1321, 1531, 1755 and, much more recently, on February 28, 1969, Lisbon and Portugal were hit with massive earthquakes. (Apparently, just going by the history, the city can expect another big quake around 2185.) The older ones resulted in massive loss of life, with an estimated 30,000-40,000 dying in the 1755 disaster. In the 1969 quake, which registered a magnitude of 7.8 on the Richter scale, which means that it was very powerful, only 2 deaths occurred in Portugal, because buildings had been prepared for quakes and suffered little damage.
A Vibrant and Affordable Destination
I mention the city’s tectonic history not to frighten you, but because that history is part of its identity. That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it. On the contrary, the capital of Portugal is a great place to visit because (1) it’s beautiful, (2) it’s delicious, (3) it has a deep and vibrant culture, (4) it is both cosmopolitan and uniquely itself, (5) there’s lots to see and marvel at and (6) it doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg.
Plus, Portugal itself is a vastly underrated tourist destination, with an amazing coastline of lovely fishing towns, astonishingly colorful rock formations and great beaches. Try to go there outside the main season, when the beaches are less crowded (if you’re going for a beach holiday), and Lisbon’s sidewalks are less jammed with tourists.
Lisbon is the second-oldest European capital city, after Athens, and some old cities simply cannot comfortably manage tourist hordes because their sidewalks are narrow and their streets cannot handle heavy traffic.
Ironically, since my last visit, I have come to understand the city’s soul a little because I’ve read the works of the poet Fernando Pessoa and the novelist José Saramago, both of whom remain living presences in the city.
Three Neighborhoods
Bairro Alto
The Bairro Alto is, as the name implies (it means ‘upper neighborhood’), a district that sits atop a high hill. (But, then, much of Lisbon sits atop a high hill.) It has lovely stairways, inexpensive restaurants and great views, especially from the Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara. There is also an elegant and richly appointed church, the Igreja de São Roque, which is supposed to possess the most expensive chapel in the world.
It is also the neighborhood where you will spend many of your evenings and nights, as it also has many cool bars. You’ll find lots of people hanging out in the street outside popular places, soaking up alcohol and the fado music spilling into the street through open doors.
For a real fado show, reserve a table at the Tasca do Chico. It’s free and you can have an inexpensive little dinner there while listening to the music. As I understand it, fado is the Lisbon equivalent of the American blues or Greek rebetika and, like those musical forms, had its beginnings in outcast neighborhoods.
It is melancholic and often nostalgic, filled with regret and loss and the longing for what might have been if what we call fate had not interfered. It is usually, though not always, sung by women because it is believed the style originated as a lament for men lost at sea. Don’t leave Lisbon without getting to know it just a little.
Also check out the street art at the mural at the Travessa dos Fiéis de Deus, Rua da Vinha, Rua de São Boaventura and Calçada da Glória.
Two funiculars can take you up to it and down from it, but the stairways are fun and not difficult at all. The funiculars are yellow, as are the lovely, 1930s-style trams – my favorite trams in the world.
And speaking of trams, if you want to see as much of the city as possible in less than an hour, take the 28 tram from its starting point at the Martim Moniz Park. [NB: When traveling by tram, be alert for pickpockets. Don’t keep your wallet or phone in a back pocket and carry purses/handbags under your arm.)
If you’re staying in Lisbon for at least a week, you may want to purchase the Lisboa City card, for public transport and/or attractions. We didn’t and we were fine. Your call.
NB: The Bairro Alto is not the only hilltop neighborhood in the city. Be prepared to do lots of climbing and descending, as Lisbon is a hilly town. But we walkers don’t mind that. On the contrary, we live to walk up hills and mountains, don’t we?
Alfama
Because it survived the 1551 earthquake, Alfama is the oldest neighborhood in Lisbon and the one that best represents its historic identity. Formerly, home to a working-class and poor population, the neighborhood has actually benefited from the attention of tourists and has become both iconic and trendy.
With its narrow, twisting streets and alleys and its hills, Alfama is a walker’s paradise (or hell). For non-walkers, the 28 tram snakes its way through it and is a convenient means of saving shoe leather (or plastic) because, seriously, exploring this district can be physically challenging.
You’ll be climbing steep stairways and narrow footpaths and walking over narrow, cobbled streets not meant for traffic. Carry some water, stop occasionally to shop or have a coffee in one of the classy cafés. But persevere. Remember, it’s the arrival that matters, not the journey. 😊
But if you are walking, this is a delightful area to test my Get Lost & Discover method of sightseeing. Think of the neighborhood as a maze and your task is to start down on the banks of the Rio Tejo and then navigate through the maze, without map or tour guide, all the way up to the São Jorge Castle at the top of the hill.
And to spice up the game a little, you get points for every iconic building you stumble on, such as the Lisbon Cathedral, aka Sé de Lisboa. This Romanesque church was built in the 12th century and is easily the city’s oldest and most important church.
The Museu do Teatro Romano (Roman Theatre Museum) is situated on the site of an ancient Roman amphitheater dating back to the first century AD, when the city was called Olisipo.
I love the Casa Dos Bicos because of its lovely façade and because it houses the personal library of one of my favorite writers, José Saramago, winner of the 1998 Nobel Prize for Literature. His ashes are buried under an olive tree in front of the house. Try his brilliant novel Blindness.
The Museu do Fado (Fado Museum) is a must-see, if only to get a little insight into the Portuguese character and culture and to learn this marvelous and haunting music.
The interior and cloister of the Sao Vicente de Fora Monastery and Church has beautiful tiled panels illustrating scenes from LaFontaine’s Fables. To view them, go through the gate on the right of the façade. Then climb to the roof for yet another awesome panoramic view of the city.
The National Pantheon, aka the Santa Engracia Church, took some three centuries to build, allegedly because of a curse. It contains the tombs of presidents, writers, painters and Portugal’s greatest footballer, Eusébio da Silva Ferreira. For a 360-degree view of Lisbon go up to the terrace.
Congratulations if you made it to the São Jorge Castle, which sits atop Lisbon’s highest hill. Its first iteration was built in about 200 BC by the Romans and was subsequently held by the Visigoths, Moors and Crusaders. It became the seat of royal Portuguese power in 1256.
Baixa
Baixa is considered the heart of the city because of its central location, because it is always lively and because it has some iconic sites. For example, you can buy your breakfast pastries here at the Confeitaria Nacional (National Bakery), which has been in business for nearly 200 years.
The Sao Domingos Church dates from 1241 and survived the great earthquake of 1755 and a 1959 fire that badly damaged its interior and which you can still, somehow, smell today. It was also the site of an Easter Mass massacre in 1506 and, not long after that, the victims of the Inquisition were captured inside and burned alive in nearby Rossio Square.
Other than that, Rossio Square is known for its beautiful Baroque fountains, the lovely wave pattern of its cobblestones and the traditional Café Nicola, a great place to linger over um abatanado or um cimbalino.
The Praça do Comércio is a magnificent public space. It was built along the Rio Tejo and welcomed travelers and royalty arriving by boat with an image of Portuguese wealth and power. Under the northern arcade, adjoining the entrance to Rua do Ouro, look into the Martinho da Arcada café-restaurant.
First opened in 1782, this was where Portugal’s most revered poet (and a favorite of mine), Fernando Pessoa, liked to meet friends and eat his meals. Pessoa is not for everyone’s taste. He wrote poetry under at least four names (some sources say as many as seventy-five), including his own. He was playful, eccentric and maybe a little mad, and the Portuguese adore him.
As long as you’re there, why not have one of their specialties, the pastéis de bacalhau (cod cakes), which are delicious here. I’m sure you can get them for less elsewhere, but maybe you just want to indulge yourself a little in a venerable place like this.
Also try to check out
Marvila is located on the riverfront, between downtown Lisbon and the modern Parque das Nações district. It is mostly made up of abandoned warehouses and crumbling industrial architecture, but it’s undergoing a cultural renovation, with artists and, more important, investors opening new galleries, restaurants and craft breweries.
There you’ll also find the Museu Nacional do Azulejo (National Tile Museum), which is housed in a convent from 1509 and has a magnificent collection of tiled art. And have a look and a bite at the spacious and very hip 8 Marvila.
The district can only be reached by bus. Take the 728, which goes past the waterfront, the Praça do Comércio and Santa Apolónia Station, before stopping in Marvila.
For amazing street art, visit the Estrada de Chelas, where entire buildings have been turned into works of art.
But, in fact, Lisbon is another city in which you can find magnificent street art just about everywhere. Just keep your eyes open.
Lisbon Street Foods
Bifana is a sandwich made with thinly sliced pork marinated in white wine, garlic, and paprika and accompanied by mustard, chili oil, and sometimes some fried onions. It is as delicious as it sounds, if you are a carnivore. To get the real deal, head to Vendas Novas, a town located 85km from Lisbon — the place where every local gets their bifanas.
Salgados is what you want if you want a quick, delicious bite or two. They can be purchased from food trucks, kiosks, bars, and everything in between serve these deep-fried goodies. Meat, cheese and fish, especially codfish, are the usual fillings of choice.
Pastéis de Nata are small custard tarts and are as basic as food gets, as they are made with egg yolks, flour, butter and cinnamon. If you’re in the Bairro Alto, get some at Manteigaria – and a lot of other great pastries too. There’s usually a long line, but it’s worth it, just for the experience.
Caldo Verde is a simple soup made from kale, potatoes and olive oil and, traditionally, sausage or pork. It’s sold on street corners as a filling fast-food lunch option.
Frango assado (roasted chicken) is eaten as a sandwich or with fries or salad or both.
When you’re in the street and hungry and looking around for a quick street bite, look for vendors with a menu of suggestions chalked on their boards. They are businesspeople and know what their customers have been buying, so they will recommend dishes that they believe will have you coming back. Also eat where locals are eating and where you might have to wait a few minutes.
And don’t shy away from asking locals about their preferences regarding street food dishes and/or where they tend to eat when they eat in the street. Every exploration of a new city must include the stomach, so consider Lisbon’s street food as one of the essential sites on your itinerary. And, of course, it’s cheap to eat in the street.
Where to Stay
Lisbon has many budget options, especially if you don’t mind sharing a bathroom. Check out the many hostels, such as the WOT New Lisbon in the Bairro Alto, or budget accommodations such as SATURdAYS. Always reserve well ahead because inexpensive accommodations are popular even in the off-season.
Final Words
If you haven’t already been there, do visit Lisbon soon. Portugal is not Spain and Lisbon is nothing like Barcelona or Madrid. It is truly unique and is one of those places that often takes you by surprise. I remember smiling a lot as I walked through and up and down the city. It is both grand and unpretentious, deeply serious but terrific fun and, though the Portuguese go nuts over football, they also love their writers and painters. I guarantee that – unless you fall ill, perish the thought – you will leave the city feeling much better than when you came.