Essential
Viewpoint· Alfama
Miradouro de Santa Luzia
A tiled terrace with a pergola looking out over the Alfama rooftops and the river. It sits right on the tram 28 route, next to Portas do Sol.
Collection · Lisbon
Lisbon essentials
9 placesFreeUpdated November 5, 2026
First time in Lisbon? Start here: Praça do Comércio, the castle, two classic viewpoints, a food hall for an easy lunch and the Belém route with its tower, monastery and custard tarts.
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Places in this collection
9 places
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- Essential
Viewpoint· Bairro Alto
Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara
A two-level garden facing the castle hill, at the top of Calçada da Glória on the edge of Bairro Alto.
- Essential
Museums & culture· Castelo
Castelo de São Jorge
A hilltop fortress overlooking the Baixa and Alfama, with walls you can walk along. From its towers you can see the whole city and the Tagus.
- Essential
Museums & culture· Belém
Torre de Belém
A 16th-century riverside tower that became the symbol of Portugal's Age of Discovery.
- Essential
Museums & culture· Belém
Mosteiro dos Jerónimos
An early 16th-century Manueline monastery with an intricately carved stone cloister. Vasco da Gama's tomb lies inside its church.
- Essential
Museums & culture· Xabregas
Museu Nacional do Azulejo
A museum devoted to Portuguese tiles in the former Madre de Deus convent. Its highlight is a long tiled panorama of Lisbon before the 1755 earthquake.
- Essential
Restaurant· Cais do Sodré
Time Out Market Lisboa
A food hall inside Mercado da Ribeira, with stalls from many different kitchens and long shared tables. It faces Cais do Sodré station.
- Essential
Café· Belém
Pastéis de Belém
The historic bakery most associated with the custard tart, minutes from Jerónimos.
- Essential
Museums & culture· Baixa
Praça do Comércio
Lisbon's grand riverside square, rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake and open to the Tagus on one side. The Rua Augusta Arch leads into the pedestrian street running up to Rossio.
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Before you go
How to see Lisbon's essentials
Split it in two
These places are spread between the centre and Belém, about 6 km apart. Give them two days, or at least a separate morning and afternoon. The National Tile Museum has been closed for renovation since November 2025, so check its website to see whether it has reopened.
Castle and Alfama
Start early at Castelo de São Jorge: it opens at 9:00 and the queue builds by mid-morning, so buy your ticket online. Walking downhill, Miradouro de Santa Luzia is about ten minutes away.
Belém
Take tram 15E, or the train from Cais do Sodré, which takes about ten minutes. Jerónimos and the Belém Tower are closed on Mondays, and the tower now runs timed half-hour entries, so book ahead. Stop at Pastéis de Belém in between: the takeaway queue moves fast.
End of the day
Save Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara for sunset, when the castle catches the last light across the valley. For an easy dinner, Time Out Market is right next to Cais do Sodré station.
Checked on November 3, 2026. Opening hours and tickets can change, so check each place’s website before you go.
