# Lisbon

Portugal's capital on the Tagus estuary, with seven hills, sloping districts such as Alfama and Graça, trams that climb single-lane streets and the Manueline monuments of Belém beside the river.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/portugal/lisbon-region/lisbon · Revisado: 2026-11-12

## How do you get there from Spain?

By air, with direct flights from almost all large Spanish cities. The airport is inside the city: the red metro line takes you to the centre in about 20 minutes with one change. By car it is about 625 km from Madrid along the Badajoz and Elvas motorway; Portuguese motorways have electronic tolls on some stretches, so check how to pay before crossing.

## How do you get around the city?

On foot, uphill and downhill, and by public transport when your legs say enough. Buy the Navegante or Viva Viagem card at any metro station and top it up: with it a metro, bus or tram journey costs much less than on board, and the 24-hour pass costs €7.25. Tram 15 goes to Belém, the 28 crosses the old districts and the boat to Cacilhas uses the same card. A car in the centre is a nuisance: parking is difficult and the streets of Alfama are not made for it.

## What should you book in advance?

The Jerónimos and the Oceanário sell tickets for set times: book online and you avoid the queue at the door. The castle and the viewpoints don't need it if you go early. In spring and in June, with the Santos Populares festivities, accommodation in Alfama and the Baixa fills up early.

## Dónde está
- Zonas: Walkable Cities, Historic bookshops and libraries of Europe
- Cerca: Costa da Caparica (a 12.0 km), Sintra (a 22.2 km), Cascais and Estoril (a 23.7 km), Palmela and Azeitão (a 26.2 km)

## Qué hacer
- **Tram 28 from Martim Moniz to Campo de Ourique** (45 min · 7 km · Everyone; best early · Desde 3.3 € the ticket on board): It is a scheduled tram, not an attraction: locals use it and it goes through the narrowest streets in the city. That is why it is worth it, and why it is full by mid-morning.
What it is
The 28 is a tram line run by Carris, Lisbon's municipal transport company. It operates with the small yellow two-axle trams, the only ones that fit the slopes and tight bends of Graça and Alfama, where the track runs a hand's breadth from the façades. It links Martim Moniz with Campo de Ourique, next to the Prazeres cemetery, over about 7 km in between 40 and 50 minutes, and passes through the city's most visited districts on the way.
There is no guide, no audio and no stops designed for tourists: it is public transport, with locals getting off to shop and getting on with bags. That is its charm, and also the reason it makes no sense to stand squashed in: if you don't sit down, you see nothing.
Tickets and price
Paying on board, the ticket costs €3.30 and is valid for a single journey. It is much cheaper with the Navegante or Viva Viagem card loaded before boarding: €1.90 for the one-hour ticket, which lets you connect with the metro and Carris buses, or €1.72 per journey with zapping credit. If you are going to get around a lot during the day, the Carris and Metro 24-hour pass costs €7.25. The cards are bought and loaded at the machines in any metro station.
When boarding, validate the card on the reader by the front door. With the Lisboa Card the tram is also included.
Where it goes
After leaving Martim Moniz, the tram climbs towards Graça and goes down through Largo das Portas do Sol and the Santa Luzia viewpoint, which are the stops for walking to St George's Castle and the viewpoints of Alfama. It continues past the cathedral to the Baixa, climbs to the Chiado and Camões, passes São Bento and Estrela and ends at Campo de Ourique.
The route we suggest goes in that direction and starts early:
When to go
All year. What matters is the time: before 9 in the morning or as evening falls you ride seated; between 10 and 5 the queue at Martim Moniz grows and the carriage is full at the Alfama stops. In summer, first thing it is also less hot inside.
If you only want the photo of the tram between the houses, you do not need to get on: wait at Portas do Sol or on the slope by the cathedral.
With children and with reduced mobility
With children it is a short ride they like, but the carriages are narrow and have high steps at the door. It is not wheelchair accessible, and with a pushchair you will have to fold it. In that case, the Alfama district is better seen on foot from the viewpoints, and the Baixa and Chiado by metro.
- **From Senhora do Monte to Santa Luzia, walking down through Alfama** (2 h · 2 km · Everyone; with a pushchair, a baby carrier is better · On your own · free): Lisbon is understood from above: seven hills, red roofs and the Tagus so wide it looks like a sea. This route links its best balconies in the logical order, from top to bottom.
What it is and why it is worth it
Lisbon has dozens of miradouros, but four of the prettiest are in a row on the castle hillside, and can be linked on the way down. You start at the highest one in the centre, Senhora do Monte, continue to the one at Graça, which is a few steps away, and go down through streets and stairs to Portas do Sol and Santa Luzia, side by side above Alfama. From there, Lisbon's oldest district falls towards the river in a maze of alleys that ends at the cathedral.
Each viewpoint looks at a different place. From Senhora do Monte you see on the left the church of Graça and St George's Castle and, further off, the Mar da Palha, the broad estuary of the Tagus, the ruins of the Carmo, the green of Monsanto and the Avenidas Novas. It is also one of the least crowded. The chapel that gives it its name was founded in 1147, and tradition places here the camp of Afonso Henriques, the first king of Portugal, when he conquered the city.
At Santa Luzia, what you look at is at your feet too: tile panels by António Quaresma showing Praça do Comércio before the earthquake and the taking of the castle from the Muslims. There is a garden, a pond and a kiosk with a terrace. From the railing, the white dome of Santa Engrácia, the church of Santo Estêvão and the two towers of São Miguel help you get your bearings in Alfama.
Who it is for
For anyone who can go down slopes and stairs. You do not need to be fit if you do the route in the direction we suggest. With children it works well: it is short, there are stops every few minutes and the yellow trams passing through Portas do Sol keep them entertained. With a pushchair, not so good: bring a baby carrier. With reduced mobility, go up by transport to Graça and stay at the viewpoints at the top.
How to get to the start
Tram 28 or 12 takes you up to Graça, and from there it is five minutes' walk to Senhora do Monte. If you prefer to walk from the Baixa, it is a hard climb: precisely the one this route saves you. Don't come by car: Alfama and Graça are narrow streets with very little parking.
When to go
All year. The best time is the end of the afternoon: the sun sets in the west, behind the city, and golden light falls on the castle and the river. Portas do Sol and Santa Luzia are the most visited: first thing in the morning you have them quieter. In summer, avoid the middle of the day: there is little shade on the stairs.
How much it costs
Nothing. The viewpoints are public, open spaces. You only pay for the tram going up and whatever you have at the terraces of Graça or Santa Luzia.
If it rains
Lisbon's cobbles are very slippery when wet, especially on the slopes of Alfama. In rain, go up by tram, look from Graça and Senhora do Monte and come down by tram too. Leave Alfama for a dry day.
- **St George's Castle and its walls** (1 h 30 · Families · Desde 15 € per adult): What it is and what you see
St George's Castle occupies the highest hill in the historic centre of Lisbon, above Alfama. It was a Muslim citadel, the residence of the kings of Portugal after the Christian conquest of 1147 and then barracks; today it is a national monument. It preserves eleven towers and walls with the typical layout of Islamic military architecture.
The visit has four parts:

The walls: stone stairs climb to the wall-walk and the towers, and you can go right round the enclosure. It is the best part of the visit, with the whole city at your feet, the Tagus and the 25 de Abril bridge.
The gardens and the parade ground: pines, olive trees and shaded benches, with the viewpoint over the Baixa.
The museum site: objects found in the excavations of the citadel.
The archaeological site: remains of Islamic houses and of the palace of the Counts of Santiago, destroyed in the earthquake of 1755. You can only enter on the guided tour.

Opening hours
From March to October it is open every day from 9:00 to 21:00, with last entry at 20:30. From November to February, from 9:00 to 18:00, with last entry at 17:30. On 31 December it closes at 13:00. It is not open on 1 January, 1 May or 24 and 25 December.
Tickets and prices
General entry costs €15 for over-26s. Young people from 13 to 25 pay €7.50, over-65s €12.50, and children up to 12 enter free. With the Lisboa Card you do not pay. It is bought on the official website or at the ticket office at the entrance.
The ticket includes the one-hour guided tour "Discover the Castle" and the camera obscura session, of about 20 minutes, which projects a live view of the city and depends on the weather. Both have limited places and you sign up at the ticket office in order of arrival. The guided tour is in English and Portuguese: in English, every day at 11:00 and 15:00, plus 16:00 from March to October and 18:00 from May to August.
How long
An hour and a half to see the walls, gardens and museum. If you add the guided tour and the camera obscura, count two and a half hours.
How to get there
Walking up from the Baixa is a long climb. To save yourself the slopes, use the public lifts: the Castelo one is entered from Rua dos Fanqueiros 176, and the Chão do Loureiro one from Largo do Caldas, and it leaves you at Costa do Castelo, a few minutes from the gate. From Rossio metro it is about eleven minutes' walk this way.
By bus, the 737 leaves from Praça da Figueira and stops at Chão da Feira, two minutes from the entrance. On tram 28, get off at the Santa Luzia viewpoint or Portas do Sol and walk up about five minutes. The nearest car parks are those at Portas do Sol and Chão do Loureiro, about five minutes' walk away; the castle district has narrow streets and it is best not to drive in.
Accessibility and with children
The ground is earth and cobbles, with many stairs up to the towers; the walls are not wheelchair accessible, but much of the gardens is. People with reduced mobility arriving by car can park inside: you must request an access code from EMEL the day before and call the ticket office (+351 218 800 620). There are guided tours with audio description and in Portuguese Sign Language on announced dates.
Children like the walls and the peacocks that roam loose in the gardens, but keep an eye on them on the wall-walk and on the stairs of the towers. From May to October, on the last Sunday of each month there are family activities.
- **Jerónimos Monastery and the Belém waterfront** (3 h · Everyone · Cloister €18 · Belém tower €15 · Under-13s free): What it is and why it matters
Belém is the district on the bank of the Tagus from which the ships of the Discoveries set sail. King Manuel I ordered the construction here, in the early 16th century, of the Jerónimos monastery, paid for with the spice trade, and the Belém tower, which guarded the entrance to the port. Both are World Heritage Sites and the best examples of the Manueline style: limestone carved with ropes, knots, armillary spheres and marine motifs.
In the monastery church are the tombs of Vasco da Gama and the poet Luís de Camões, moved there in the 19th century. The cloister, on two floors and with arches covered in carvings, is what justifies the ticket.
What you see

The Jerónimos cloister: you walk round both floors. It is the paid part.
The church of Santa Maria de Belém: the nave with columns that open out like palm trees and the tombs of Vasco da Gama and Camões.
The Belém tower: about 15 minutes' walk along the waterfront to the west, with its bulwark over the water and rooms above.
The Monument to the Discoveries: between the two, beside the river, with the compass rose and the map of the Portuguese routes on the floor of the esplanade.

Between the monastery and the river stretch the gardens of Praça do Império, good for a break.
Opening hours
The cloister is open Tuesday to Sunday from 9:30 to 17:30, with last entry at 17:00. The church is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10:30 to 17:00, and on Sundays and religious holidays from 14:00 to 17:00. The Belém tower has the same hours, Tuesday to Sunday.
Everything is closed on Mondays and on 1 January, Easter Sunday, 1 May, 13 June and 25 December. The monastery may close for state events and the tower when the weather makes it unsafe.
Tickets and prices
The Jerónimos cloister costs €18 and the Belém tower €15. Young people from 13 to 24 and over-65s pay half, and there is a family ticket with the same discount, sold only at the ticket office. Children up to 12 enter free. With the Lisboa Card you do not pay, but you must reserve the time slot on the website with the card number.
Tickets often sell out and there may be none left on the same day: buy online on the official website, which assigns you a day and time. The ticket office closes at 16:30. There are no audio guides.
How long
Allow an hour for the cloister and the church, another for the tower and the walk along the waterfront, and a bit more if you stop in the gardens. Half a day covers everything without rushing.
How to get there
By tram, the 15 leaves from Praça da Figueira and passes through Praça do Comércio to Belém. By train, the Cascais line leaves from Cais do Sodré and stops at Belém station, a few minutes' walk from the monastery. From the centre you can also go by bike along the riverside path.
Public transport drops you at the door, so you do not need a car.
Accessibility and with children
The ground floor of the cloister and the church are wheelchair accessible; the upper floor of the cloister is not. The monastery lends wheelchairs and has accessible toilets. At the tower only the bulwark level is accessible, because the rooms are reached by a narrow spiral staircase.
With children, the tower is more popular than the cloister, and the esplanade of the Monument to the Discoveries, with the map on the floor, gives them something to play with. Under-12s do not pay.
- **Lisbon Oceanarium in Parque das Nações** (2 h 30 · Children of all ages · Adults from €25.50 to €29.90 depending on the time · Under-3s free): What it is and what you see
The Lisbon Oceanarium is the city's great aquarium, built for the 1998 World Expo over the water of the Doca dos Olivais, in Parque das Nações. It has more than 500 species and a clear idea: a single ocean that connects everything.
The permanent exhibition, "One Planet, One Ocean", revolves around an enormous central tank that you see from two levels and from many angles: sharks, rays, shoals of fish that move as one and, if you are lucky, the sunfish. Around it are four habitats representing the coasts of the North Atlantic, the Antarctic, the temperate Pacific and the tropical Indian Ocean, each with its surface fauna: puffins, penguins, sea otters and tropical birds. The otters are usually the favourites.
There are also temporary exhibitions in the annex building. At the time of writing this entry, the Oceanarium was advertising "Sea Monsters", on the great prehistoric predators, and "Submerged Universe". Check its website for what is on when you go.
Opening hours
Open every day of the year from 10:00 to 20:00, with last entry at 19:00. On 24 and 31 December it closes at 19:00 (last entry at 18:00), and on 25 December and 1 January it opens from 11:00 to 20:00.
Tickets and prices
The price depends on the time slot in which you enter: the later, the cheaper.

From 10:00 to 11:30: €29.90 adults (13 to 64), €17.70 ages 3 to 12 and €19.90 over-65s.
From 12:00 to 15:30: €27.70, €16.60 and €18.80.
From 16:00 to 18:30: €25.50, €15.50 and €17.70.

Children under 3 do not pay. Buying online gives a 10% discount. If you do not want to be tied to a time, the FlexiTicket costs €41 per adult and is valid for one visit within the following seven days. People with a certified disability of 60% or more enter free and their companion pays 60% less, showing the certificate at the ticket office.
How long
Allow two to three hours for the permanent exhibition without rushing. With the temporary one, a bit more. With small children it can be done in two hours.
How to get there
By metro, the red line drops you at Oriente, and from there it is about ten minutes' walk through Parque das Nações towards the river. Oriente station also has suburban and long-distance trains and buses: lines 705, 725, 728, 744, 708, 750, 759, 782 and 794 stop in the area.
If you go by car, the Oceanarium car park has 274 spaces, and nearby are the Doca (700), the FIL (830), the Vasco da Gama tower (250) and the Oriente station (2,000) car parks. All are paid.
Accessibility and with children
The building is fully accessible, with ramps and lifts. There are changing tables, lockers and a left-luggage service, and free wifi. With a pushchair you can get around without problems.
It is one of the activities in Lisbon that works best with children of any age, including on rainy days. Bear in mind that the exhibition is dimly lit and that at weekends it fills with families.
Combine it
On leaving, the walk along the waterfront of Parque das Nações is flat and has gardens. To see another side of the city the same day, St George's Castle or the boat to Cacilhas are half an hour away by metro.
- **The Cais do Sodré to Cacilhas ferry** (10 min · Everyone · Desde 2 € the crossing): What it is
It is the scheduled ferry that crosses the Tagus between Cais do Sodré, in Lisbon, and Cacilhas, on the south bank, in the municipality of Almada. It is run by Transtejo Soflusa, the public river transport company, and used daily by thousands of people who live on the other bank and work in the city. For you it is something else: the cheapest boat trip in Lisbon and the best way to see the city head-on, with the Baixa, St George's Castle high up and the 25 de Abril bridge on the right.
The crossing takes about ten minutes. There is no guide or commentary: you sit, look and in a quarter of an hour you are on the other side. If you want to see the whole of Lisbon from the water without paying for a tourist cruise, this is what you are looking for.
Where to catch it
In Lisbon, at the Cais do Sodré river terminal, next to the Cascais line train station and the green line metro stop. From Praça do Comércio it is about ten minutes' walk along the waterfront. Enter by the side of the terminal that says Cacilhas: boats to other destinations, such as Seixal or Montijo, leave from the same building.
At Cacilhas you disembark next to the bus terminal and the Almada surface light-rail stop, the Metro Sul do Tejo.
Timetable and frequency
Boats leave every 15 or 20 minutes during the day, more often at peak hours and less at night and at weekends. The full timetable and real-time departures are on the Transtejo Soflusa website: check it if you plan to come back late, because in the small hours the service thins out a lot.
Tickets and price
A single ticket costs €2. If you load zapping credit on the Navegante or Viva Viagem card, the trip comes to €1.60; the card itself costs €0.50 and also works for the metro, bus and tram. Children up to 5 travel free. Bicycles do not pay, and an animal over 5 kg pays €2.
You validate the card at the turnstiles in the terminal, as in the metro. With the same loaded card you can spend the whole day on public transport, including tram 28.
What to do in Cacilhas
When you get off, turn right and walk along Cais do Ginjal, a quay of old warehouses that runs at the foot of the cliff towards the bridge. It is a flat walk of about twenty minutes with Lisbon in front of you the whole time, and in the afternoon the sun sets behind the bridge. At the end of the quay, the Boca do Vento lift goes up to Almada's old town, with a viewpoint over the river.
At the top of Almada stands the sanctuary of Cristo Rei, which can be seen from all over Lisbon. If you want to go up to it, check opening times and access on its website before going; there is a bus from Cacilhas.
When to go and how long
Any day of the year. The prettiest light is at the end of the afternoon, when the sun goes down in the west and the city turns golden. Allow about two hours for the trip out, a walk along the Ginjal and the return. If you only want the boat, half an hour is enough.
With children it works very well: it is short, cheap and the boat has indoor space in case it is windy. Access to the terminal and the boat is level, suitable for pushchairs.
Combine it
From Cais do Sodré you are a step from the Baixa and one train stop from Belém. A good afternoon is to go up first to the viewpoints of Alfama and cross the river to see the same city from below.
- **Feira da Ladra at Campo de Santa Clara** (1 h 30 · The curious and early risers · Free entry): What it is and what you see
The Feira da Ladra is Lisbon's flea market and the best known in the city. It is set up in Campo de Santa Clara, on the edge of Alfama, behind the monastery of São Vicente de Fora and a short step from the National Pantheon. Turismo de Lisboa traces it back to 1272; since then it moved several times before settling here. Time Out speaks of more than three hundred years of history in this spot: the figures vary, but it is one of the oldest markets in the city.
What is sold is everything and almost all of it used: antiques and old junk, second-hand objects, vintage clothes, vinyl records, loose tiles, kitsch pieces and some crafts. Many sellers spread their goods on the ground. Between the stalls you see murals by well-known artists and, from the edges of the field, the Tagus and the white dome of the Pantheon.
The name has several explanations and none is confirmed: that many of the objects were stolen, that old junk had lice (“ladro”), that it comes from “Saint-Ladre”, the medieval fairs of Paris, or from “lada”, an old word for the riverbank.
When
All year, on Tuesdays and Saturdays, from about 9:00 to 18:00. On the other days there is no market. Saturday usually has more stalls. The hours are approximate and change with the weather.
How to get there
Campo de Santa Clara is at the top of Alfama, between São Vicente and the Pantheon. Tram 28 stops a couple of steps away; you can also walk from the Baixa, uphill, or come down from the Graça viewpoint. It is best not to come by car: the streets of the district are narrow and steep.
Price
Entry is free: you only pay for what you buy. Haggling is part of the game. Bring cash and small notes, in case the stall does not accept cards.
Practical tips
Go early. Time Out says it plainly: set your alarm. First thing the sellers are still setting up, there is more to choose from and it is easier to walk around. Bring a cloth bag if you plan to buy and check carefully what you are buying before paying: it is a flea market, not a shop.
With children it is a short, entertaining walk, but the cobbles and slopes of Alfama make a pushchair awkward. With a dog, Saturday's crowd makes it uncomfortable.
Combine it with the district. From the market you can go up to the viewpoints of Alfama, visit the National Pantheon or continue to St George's Castle. If you are on tram 28, it is a good place to get off and continue on foot.
- **Free Walking Tour of the Baixa and Bairro Alto, with SANDEMANs** (2 h 30 · All ages · Free; voluntary tip at the end): What it is
A free route from SANDEMANs NEW Europe with freelance guides: you don't pay at the start and the tip at the end is voluntary. It leaves from the statue in Praça do Comércio and moves through the Pombaline Baixa up to the Bairro Alto.
What it covers
According to the company, it tells the story of the 1755 earthquake, the rebuilt Baixa, the viewpoint of the Santa Justa lift, the Portuguese Inquisition, the age of discoveries, the Salazar dictatorship and the Carnation Revolution. The website gives between two and three hours, and where it ends is unclear: one part says Praça do Comércio and the itinerary ends in the Bairro Alto. Ask when you book. The slopes of Alfama are left for another morning, with the viewpoints route.
How to book
Online at neweuropetours.eu or by going to the meeting point. The company says it runs in any weather. It is not wheelchair accessible. It runs in English and Spanish.
- **Livraria Bertrand in Chiado, the world's oldest operating bookshop** (30 min · Readers and the curious · Free entry): What it is
The Bertrand bookshop in Chiado is a bookshop on Rua Garrett, in the heart of Chiado, which Guinness World Records recognises as the oldest operating bookshop in the world. The founding date that Bertrand itself accepts is 1732, based on a medallion bearing the founder's name, although recent research points to bookselling activity from 1727 or earlier. After the 1755 earthquake it reopened on Rua Garrett in 1773, and it has not moved since.
It is not a museum: it is a working bookshop, and you walk in without a ticket at any opening time.
Opening hours and price
Entry is free. The bookshop opens every day, from 9:00 to 22:00 according to the chain's website. The café, at the same address, has its own hours: Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 20:00 and Saturdays and Sundays from 9:00 to 13:00. These details come from the bookshop's page; check them if you are going late, especially on public holidays.
Guided tours
Bertrand runs guided tours of the bookshop with advance booking. The website's pages give different schedules (Thursdays at 11:00 and 17:00 on one, the second Saturday of the month on another), so write to the bookshop or check its events listing before counting on them. For an ordinary visit you do not need one.
Getting there
It is at 73 to 75 Rua Garrett, a few steps from Camões square and Baixa-Chiado metro station. From the Baixa you walk up Rua Garrett; if you arrive on tram 28, the Chiado stop is a minute away. Combine it with a stroll around Chiado and down towards the Tagus, or with the Alfama viewpoints.
Photos and rules
You can photograph the interior without a problem, but it is a shop with customers: do not block the aisles or the tables. We have not seen a more specific photo rule on its website.

## Dónde comer
- **Cervejaria Ramiro** (Restaurant, Lisbon, €€€). Qué pedir: some clams Bulhão Pato and the seafood by weight; ask for the toasted bread with butter.
- **Belcanto** (Restaurant, Lisbon, €€€€). Qué pedir: the tasting menu with Portuguese wine pairing, if it is your special dinner of the trip.
- **Pastéis de Belém** (Bakery, Lisbon, €). Qué pedir: the pastéis fresh from the oven, with cinnamon and icing sugar on top, and a coffee.

## Car-free: Lisbon without a car, by metro, tram and boat
In Lisbon a car is a nuisance: the streets in the centre are narrow, parking is scarce and expensive, and public transport reaches everything, including the airport and the train to Sintra.
Presupuesto orientativo: 70–140 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir without a car
- **Memmo Alfama** (Small hotel): Sleeping inside Alfama
Memmo Alfama is on Travessa das Merceeiras, a narrow street between the cathedral (the Sé) and São Jorge Castle, in Lisbon's oldest district. It is a small design hotel, white and understated, tucked among old houses, and what sets it apart is its terrace with a wine bar, hanging above the rooftops with the Tagus in front. From the door you walk down to the Baixa in ten minutes and up to the castle in another ten.
The rooms
It has seven room types: the attic ones (Mansard and Mansard Superior), the Alfama Standard, Comfort and Superior, the Premium and the Terrace Room, with a private terrace. The attic rooms have a sloping ceiling beneath the roof. If you book on its website, the hotel includes a daily guided walk around the district and yoga classes on Wednesdays and Fridays, and organises tile workshops and fado dinners.
Getting there and getting around
By car, better not: Alfama's streets are narrow with restricted access, so use a taxi or public transport from the airport. Tram 28 stops at the Sé, a few steps away, and the nearest metro station is Baixa-Chiado or Terreiro do Paço, downhill. The Alfama viewpoints and the castle are on foot.
- **Home Lisbon Hostel** (Hostel): A hostel with family dinner
Home Lisbon Hostel is in a building on Rua de São Nicolau, in the Baixa, beside Rua Augusta and five minutes from Praça do Comércio. It is run by a family and it shows: the cook is Mamma, the owner's mother, who prepares dinner for the guests who sign up. Among her dishes are salt cod with cream, duck rice, lemon chicken and her soups, always with dessert. It is the simplest way to meet people if you travel alone.
Rooms and common areas
There are shared dormitories with bunk beds and double private rooms, each painted a different colour. It has a reading and relaxing room, a bar and its own café, the Nicolau Café, on the same street. Breakfast is served from 8:00. They organise outings and activities around the city; the calendar is on its website.
Getting there and getting around
From the airport, the metro takes you to Baixa-Chiado with one change; the stop is about five minutes' walk away. From here you walk to almost everything: Alfama, the Chiado, the river. The train to Sintra leaves from Rossio, ten minutes away, and the boat to Cacilhas from Cais do Sodré.
### Servicios
- **Humberto Delgado Airport and the metro to the centre**: Lisbon airport (LIS) inside the city · Red metro line to the centre · Tourist office in arrivals from 7:00 to 22:00

## Backpacking: Lisbon on a backpack, on a small budget
Lisbon has very well-kept hostels and cheap transport. With a one-day pass, a dormitory bed and food from a tasca, the city works out quite a bit cheaper than other capitals.
Presupuesto orientativo: 40–75 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir if you're backpacking
- **Home Lisbon Hostel** (Hostel): A hostel with family dinner
Home Lisbon Hostel is in a building on Rua de São Nicolau, in the Baixa, beside Rua Augusta and five minutes from Praça do Comércio. It is run by a family and it shows: the cook is Mamma, the owner's mother, who prepares dinner for the guests who sign up. Among her dishes are salt cod with cream, duck rice, lemon chicken and her soups, always with dessert. It is the simplest way to meet people if you travel alone.
Rooms and common areas
There are shared dormitories with bunk beds and double private rooms, each painted a different colour. It has a reading and relaxing room, a bar and its own café, the Nicolau Café, on the same street. Breakfast is served from 8:00. They organise outings and activities around the city; the calendar is on its website.
Getting there and getting around
From the airport, the metro takes you to Baixa-Chiado with one change; the stop is about five minutes' walk away. From here you walk to almost everything: Alfama, the Chiado, the river. The train to Sintra leaves from Rossio, ten minutes away, and the boat to Cacilhas from Cais do Sodré.
- **Lisboa Camping & Bungalows** (Campsite): Camping inside Lisbon
Lisboa Camping & Bungalows is the city's campsite, inside the Monsanto forest park, the great pine wood in the west of Lisbon, about 8 km from the centre. It is the choice for anyone travelling by motorhome or with a tent who wants to sleep in Lisbon without fighting for parking in the centre: you leave the vehicle on the pitch and go down by bus.
Pitches, bungalows and glamping
There are concrete pitches for caravans and motorhomes, almost all shaded and with electricity, water, drainage and a wooden table; a wooded area for tents; 70 bungalows for four to six people, mobile homes, glamping and bunks in dormitories. It has a service area for filling water and emptying grey water and the chemical toilet, a self-service laundry, a minimarket and the Villas Monsanto restaurant. The pool, supervised and with small pools for children, normally opens from 1 June to 30 September. The 2026 and 2027 prices are published by season on its website; the peak season runs from 20 July to 16 August.
Getting there and going down to the centre
You enter by Estrada da Circunvalação, on the northern edge of Monsanto. From the gate, bus 714 goes down to the city centre and the 750 goes to Oriente station. Reception is open from 8:00 to 23:30. For Belém and the river, a taxi takes about fifteen minutes.

## Luxury: Lisbon at an easy pace: palace, terrace and two stars
The most refined Lisbon is split between a palace with a garden near Belém and the small hotels of Alfama. Book a special dinner well ahead: the good tables go fast.
Presupuesto orientativo: From €350 por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir in style
- **Memmo Alfama** (Small hotel): Sleeping inside Alfama
Memmo Alfama is on Travessa das Merceeiras, a narrow street between the cathedral (the Sé) and São Jorge Castle, in Lisbon's oldest district. It is a small design hotel, white and understated, tucked among old houses, and what sets it apart is its terrace with a wine bar, hanging above the rooftops with the Tagus in front. From the door you walk down to the Baixa in ten minutes and up to the castle in another ten.
The rooms
It has seven room types: the attic ones (Mansard and Mansard Superior), the Alfama Standard, Comfort and Superior, the Premium and the Terrace Room, with a private terrace. The attic rooms have a sloping ceiling beneath the roof. If you book on its website, the hotel includes a daily guided walk around the district and yoga classes on Wednesdays and Fridays, and organises tile workshops and fado dinners.
Getting there and getting around
By car, better not: Alfama's streets are narrow with restricted access, so use a taxi or public transport from the airport. Tram 28 stops at the Sé, a few steps away, and the nearest metro station is Baixa-Chiado or Terreiro do Paço, downhill. The Alfama viewpoints and the castle are on foot.
- **Pestana Palace Lisboa** (Hotel): A palace with a garden in Lisbon
The Pestana Palace occupies the Palácio Valle Flôr, which the marquis of that name had built from 1890 as a family residence. The Pestana group bought it in 1991 and, after ten years of works, opened it as a hotel in 2001. The palace is classified as a national monument, and so are its French-style gardens, which are the reason to sleep here: lawns, trees and two pools ten minutes by taxi from the centre.
Rooms, pools and spa
There are 194 rooms and suites. There is an outdoor pool among the gardens and a heated indoor pool, open from 8:00 to 20:00. The spa has a dry sauna, steam bath and massages; the gym opens from 6:00 to 23:00 (closed for works from 25 October to 30 November 2026). You eat at Valle Flôr, in the former ballrooms, with a breakfast buffet from 7:00 to 11:00; in summer the Casa do Lago opens, beside the pool, and the Allegro bar serves from 11:00 to midnight. Check-in is from 15:00 and check-out until 12:00.
Getting there and parking
It is on Rua Jau, on the slope of Alcântara, between the centre and Belém. There is paid parking for guests, so it is a good option if you arrive in Lisbon by car. The Jerónimos are about ten minutes away by taxi and tram 15 runs along the avenue below.

## By car: Lisbon by car, parked and on foot
If you arrive from Spain by car, the key is to sleep where you can leave it and not touch it again until you head for Sintra, the Arrábida or the Alentejo.
Presupuesto orientativo: 80–160 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir if you're driving
- **Pestana Palace Lisboa** (Hotel): A palace with a garden in Lisbon
The Pestana Palace occupies the Palácio Valle Flôr, which the marquis of that name had built from 1890 as a family residence. The Pestana group bought it in 1991 and, after ten years of works, opened it as a hotel in 2001. The palace is classified as a national monument, and so are its French-style gardens, which are the reason to sleep here: lawns, trees and two pools ten minutes by taxi from the centre.
Rooms, pools and spa
There are 194 rooms and suites. There is an outdoor pool among the gardens and a heated indoor pool, open from 8:00 to 20:00. The spa has a dry sauna, steam bath and massages; the gym opens from 6:00 to 23:00 (closed for works from 25 October to 30 November 2026). You eat at Valle Flôr, in the former ballrooms, with a breakfast buffet from 7:00 to 11:00; in summer the Casa do Lago opens, beside the pool, and the Allegro bar serves from 11:00 to midnight. Check-in is from 15:00 and check-out until 12:00.
Getting there and parking
It is on Rua Jau, on the slope of Alcântara, between the centre and Belém. There is paid parking for guests, so it is a good option if you arrive in Lisbon by car. The Jerónimos are about ten minutes away by taxi and tram 15 runs along the avenue below.
- **Lisboa Camping & Bungalows** (Campsite): Camping inside Lisbon
Lisboa Camping & Bungalows is the city's campsite, inside the Monsanto forest park, the great pine wood in the west of Lisbon, about 8 km from the centre. It is the choice for anyone travelling by motorhome or with a tent who wants to sleep in Lisbon without fighting for parking in the centre: you leave the vehicle on the pitch and go down by bus.
Pitches, bungalows and glamping
There are concrete pitches for caravans and motorhomes, almost all shaded and with electricity, water, drainage and a wooden table; a wooded area for tents; 70 bungalows for four to six people, mobile homes, glamping and bunks in dormitories. It has a service area for filling water and emptying grey water and the chemical toilet, a self-service laundry, a minimarket and the Villas Monsanto restaurant. The pool, supervised and with small pools for children, normally opens from 1 June to 30 September. The 2026 and 2027 prices are published by season on its website; the peak season runs from 20 July to 16 August.
Getting there and going down to the centre
You enter by Estrada da Circunvalação, on the northern edge of Monsanto. From the gate, bus 714 goes down to the city centre and the 750 goes to Oriente station. Reception is open from 8:00 to 23:30. For Belém and the river, a taxi takes about fifteen minutes.

## By plane: Fly to Lisbon and walk from day one
Lisbon is the easiest destination in Portugal to reach by air from Spain: there are direct flights from almost all the big cities, and Humberto Delgado airport is inside the city, about 20 minutes by metro from the centre. You need no car either to arrive or to get around; you only need one if you carry on to the Arrábida or the Alentejo.
### Dónde dormir if you're flying
- **Memmo Alfama** (Small hotel): Sleeping inside Alfama
Memmo Alfama is on Travessa das Merceeiras, a narrow street between the cathedral (the Sé) and São Jorge Castle, in Lisbon's oldest district. It is a small design hotel, white and understated, tucked among old houses, and what sets it apart is its terrace with a wine bar, hanging above the rooftops with the Tagus in front. From the door you walk down to the Baixa in ten minutes and up to the castle in another ten.
The rooms
It has seven room types: the attic ones (Mansard and Mansard Superior), the Alfama Standard, Comfort and Superior, the Premium and the Terrace Room, with a private terrace. The attic rooms have a sloping ceiling beneath the roof. If you book on its website, the hotel includes a daily guided walk around the district and yoga classes on Wednesdays and Fridays, and organises tile workshops and fado dinners.
Getting there and getting around
By car, better not: Alfama's streets are narrow with restricted access, so use a taxi or public transport from the airport. Tram 28 stops at the Sé, a few steps away, and the nearest metro station is Baixa-Chiado or Terreiro do Paço, downhill. The Alfama viewpoints and the castle are on foot.
- **Pestana Palace Lisboa** (Hotel): A palace with a garden in Lisbon
The Pestana Palace occupies the Palácio Valle Flôr, which the marquis of that name had built from 1890 as a family residence. The Pestana group bought it in 1991 and, after ten years of works, opened it as a hotel in 2001. The palace is classified as a national monument, and so are its French-style gardens, which are the reason to sleep here: lawns, trees and two pools ten minutes by taxi from the centre.
Rooms, pools and spa
There are 194 rooms and suites. There is an outdoor pool among the gardens and a heated indoor pool, open from 8:00 to 20:00. The spa has a dry sauna, steam bath and massages; the gym opens from 6:00 to 23:00 (closed for works from 25 October to 30 November 2026). You eat at Valle Flôr, in the former ballrooms, with a breakfast buffet from 7:00 to 11:00; in summer the Casa do Lago opens, beside the pool, and the Allegro bar serves from 11:00 to midnight. Check-in is from 15:00 and check-out until 12:00.
Getting there and parking
It is on Rua Jau, on the slope of Alcântara, between the centre and Belém. There is paid parking for guests, so it is a good option if you arrive in Lisbon by car. The Jerónimos are about ten minutes away by taxi and tram 15 runs along the avenue below.
- **Home Lisbon Hostel** (Hostel): A hostel with family dinner
Home Lisbon Hostel is in a building on Rua de São Nicolau, in the Baixa, beside Rua Augusta and five minutes from Praça do Comércio. It is run by a family and it shows: the cook is Mamma, the owner's mother, who prepares dinner for the guests who sign up. Among her dishes are salt cod with cream, duck rice, lemon chicken and her soups, always with dessert. It is the simplest way to meet people if you travel alone.
Rooms and common areas
There are shared dormitories with bunk beds and double private rooms, each painted a different colour. It has a reading and relaxing room, a bar and its own café, the Nicolau Café, on the same street. Breakfast is served from 8:00. They organise outings and activities around the city; the calendar is on its website.
Getting there and getting around
From the airport, the metro takes you to Baixa-Chiado with one change; the stop is about five minutes' walk away. From here you walk to almost everything: Alfama, the Chiado, the river. The train to Sintra leaves from Rossio, ten minutes away, and the boat to Cacilhas from Cais do Sodré.
### Servicios
- **Humberto Delgado Airport and the metro to the centre**: Lisbon airport (LIS) inside the city · Red metro line to the centre · Tourist office in arrivals from 7:00 to 22:00

## As a family: Lisbon with children, best on wheels and on the water

Slopes tire the little ones before the grown-ups. What works is alternating a stretch on foot with a tram, a boat or the metro, and keeping a whole morning for Parque das Nações, which is flat and has room to run.

### What works best
The Oceanarium: two or three hours under cover, with sharks, otters and penguins

The boat to Cacilhas: ten minutes on the Tagus with an ordinary ticket

St George's Castle, with walls to walk along; under-13s free

Tram 28 first thing, before it fills up

### Where to sleep
In the Baixa or the Chiado, near the metro and without steep slopes to the door

In Parque das Nações if you want wide, flat streets

### Where to eat
Pastry shops with pastéis de nata for a snack

Markets with varied stalls, where everyone picks their own

### Keep in mind
Alfama has stairs and cobbles: a baby carrier is better than a pushchair

Timed tickets for the Oceanarium and the Jerónimos should be booked online

On crowded trams, watch your wallets

### Qué hacer as a family
- Tram 28 from Martim Moniz to Campo de Ourique
- St George's Castle and its walls
- Jerónimos Monastery and the Belém waterfront
- Lisbon Oceanarium in Parque das Nações
- The Cais do Sodré to Cacilhas ferry
- Free Walking Tour of the Baixa and Bairro Alto, with SANDEMANs

## With friends: Lisbon with friends: viewpoints, trams and seafood by weight

Lisbon is done hill by hill, with a stop at every viewpoint and another at every terrace. For a group the good thing is that everything is cheap: a tip-based tour, a ferry for €2 and seafood you order by the kilo. Wear comfortable shoes, because you climb and descend all day, and note that the Feira da Ladra flea market only opens on Tuesdays and Saturdays, so it is worth fitting your trip around those days.

### What works best
Free tour of the Baixa: 2 to 3 hours, free with a tip and in Spanish or English.

Tram 28: 7 km in 40 to 50 minutes through Graça, Alfama and Chiado; €3.30 on board.

Alfama viewpoints: 2 km downhill, free, best at sunset.

Feira da Ladra: the flea market, Tuesdays and Saturdays, with antiques and vintage clothes.

Ferry to Cacilhas: ten minutes across the Tagus for €2, with Lisbon in front of you.

St George's Castle: €15 per adult, with the full circuit of the walls.

### Where to stay
Home Lisbon Hostel: a family-run hostel in the Baixa, with home-cooked dinner.

Memmo Alfama: a small hotel at the top of Alfama, with a terrace and a wine bar over the rooftops.

### Where to eat
Cervejaria Ramiro: a seafood restaurant from 1956 with garlic prawns and seafood by weight.

Pastéis de Belém: the 1837 pastry shop next to the Jerónimos, open every day.

### Good to know
Between 10 and 17 the queue for tram 28 at Martim Moniz gets long; first thing or at dusk you ride seated.

With seafood by weight, ask the price per piece before ordering: it changes with the season.

The hills and cobbles call for comfortable shoes.

### Qué hacer with friends
- Tram 28 from Martim Moniz to Campo de Ourique
- From Senhora do Monte to Santa Luzia, walking down through Alfama
- St George's Castle and its walls
- The Cais do Sodré to Cacilhas ferry
- Feira da Ladra at Campo de Santa Clara
- Free Walking Tour of the Baixa and Bairro Alto, with SANDEMANs

## Consejos

### Start your days at the top
Go up by tram or metro to Graça or the castle and walk down. Lisbon's hills are easier that way.

### Start early for the 28 and the Jerónimos
Before nine there are no queues at Martim Moniz and the cloister is emptier first thing.

### Shoes that grip
The white stone pavements are slippery, even more so in the rain.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### How many days do I need?
Three or four nights: one day for Alfama, the castle and the Baixa, another for Belém, half a day for Parque das Nações and the Oceanário, and another for Sintra.

### Can you see Lisbon with children?
Yes. They like the Oceanário, the boat to Cacilhas and the castle; children under 13 do not pay at the castle. With a pushchair, avoid Alfama and use a baby carrier.

### Is the Lisboa Card worth it?
If you are going to use transport a lot and enter the Jerónimos and the castle within a day or two, yes: it includes transport and entry to both.

### How do I get from the airport to the centre?
By metro, red line, changing at Alameda or Saldanha depending on your destination. It costs a normal ticket loaded on the Navegante card.

### When is the best time to go?
Spring and early autumn. June brings the Santos Populares festivities, with sardines in the street and lots of people.