Every year since 2016, Lisbon has hosted the Web Summit. The perfect opportunity to combine business with pleasure and discover the wonders of this city… A look back at 4 days of exploration under sunny November skies ☀️
Lisbon in a nutshell
Lisbon, in Portuguese Lisboa, is Portugal’s capital and largest city (2.2 million inhabitants in the Greater Lisbon area in 2021). With a GDP per capita above the European Union average, Lisbon is also Portugal’s richest city.
Divided into 24 districts(freguesias), the city of Lisbon is located on the right bank of the Tagus estuary. Two bridges link the city to the south bank: the April 25th bridge and the Vasco da Gama bridge. The historic center is made up of seven hills (São Jorge, Estrela, Santa Catarina, São Pedro de Alcantra, Graça, Senhora do Monte and Penha de França), making it difficult or impossible to get around by car. The town is also equipped withan elevator and three funicular railways.
A little history…
First occupied by the Romans, Lisbon was taken by the Moors around 719. They built the city walls – Cerca Moura – and several mosques. The town was home to a mixed population of Christians, Berbers, Arabs and Jews.
The re-establishment of Christianity in 1147 by Alfonso I is one of the most significant events in the history of Lisbon. The Muslim population was expelled, and mosques were transformed into churches. Only the Mouraria district retained a Muslim population until the 5th century.
In 1255, Lisbon replaced Coimbra as Portugal’s capital. Between the 15th and 17th centuries, the majority of Portuguese maritime expeditions departed from Lisbon. From then on, the city established itself as the center of European trade with the Far East.
In 1580, Portugal became part of the Crown of Philip II of Spain, but Portugal finally gained its independence in 1640, marking the end of the Iberian Union.
On November1, 1755, Lisbon was almost completely destroyed by an earthquake, followed by fires and a tidal wave that killed almost 100,000 people. The city was rebuilt according to the plans of the Marquis of Pombal, and facades were covered with azulejos – decorated earthenware tiles – to protect buildings from fire.
Following three attempted invasions by Napoleonic troops between 1807 and 1810, the Portuguese royal family fled to Rio de Janeiro, which became theonly European capital outside the continent.
In 1910, Lisbon rose up against the monarchy: the population formed barricades in the streets and distributed weapons. The first Portuguese Republic was proclaimed on October 5, 1910.
In 1926, a military regime put an end to parliamentary rule. This marked the beginning of the Second Portuguese Republic or “national dictatorship”. In 1928, Salazar was appointed Minister of Finance, then President of the Ministry on June 25, 1932. In 1933, he established a new constitution and set up theEstado novoan authoritarian, conservative and nationalist regime.
Forced to relinquish power in 1968 after suffering a stroke, Salazar was replaced by Marcelo Caetano, who remained in power until 1974, when he was overthrown during the Carnation Revolution. Thecurrent Portuguese constitution was adopted on April 2, 1976.
Lisbon – Practical info
How to get to Lisbon
Lisbon’s only airport serves a number of direct flights from major European cities. The cheapest flights from Lisbon to Brussels generally cost between €95 and €280 for a round trip.
Located just 6 kilometers from the city, Lisbon airport offers easy access to downtown Lisbon by metro, Aerobus, bus or cab:
- The red metro line ( Aeroporto – Saldanha) takes you to the historic center in just 20 minutes. The cost is €1.65 for a one-way ticket.
- Several bus routes run from the terminal to various parts of the city. The cost is identical to that of the metro, i.e. €1.65 for a one-way ticket. Please note that the maximum luggage size allowed on these buses is 50x40x20cm.
- Depending on traffic, the cab ride to the city center is quick and costs between €10 and €15.
➜ Arrivals for low-cost flights (Ryanair, Easyjet, Transavia, Vueling) are usually at Terminal 2, located 1 kilometer from the main airport. A free shuttle bus runs between the two terminals.
Getting around Lisbon
Lisbon is very well served by a public transport network offering inexpensive journeys by metro, streetcar, bus and funicular. Here are the main companies according to the type of transport used:
- Metro de Lisboa for subway journeys
- Carris for travel by bus, streetcar, funicular and elevator(Elevador de Santa Justa)
- CP for commuter train journeys
- Transtejo Soflusa for boat and ferry trips to the other side of the Tagus river
Depending on how often you use public transport, you canbuy one-way tickets or 24-hour passes.
- Carris/Metro ticket at €1.65 – valid for unlimited travel on the Carris and Metro networks for 60 minutes after validation
- Carris/Metro 24h ticket at €6.60 – valid for unlimited travel on the Carris and Metro networks for 24 hours after validation
- Carris/Metro/Transtejo ticket at €9.70 – valid for unlimited travel on Carris, Metro and Transtejo networks for 24 hours after validation
- Carris/Metro/CP ticket at €10.70 – valid for unlimited travel on the Carris, Metro and CP networks (Sintra, Cascais, Azambuja and Sado) for 24 hours after validation.
➜ When you like to walk, using public transport really isn’t essential. Reaching the furthest point by metro or bus and walking the rest of the way allows you to see a great deal while taking the pulse of this wonderful city.
And while the narrow streets of the city center can be explored via a number of staircases, a ride on an old-fashioned tramway is undoubtedly one of the most popular tourist attractions. Cost: €3 one way, with very basic comfort and little or no seating! To be avoided… unless you board tramway 28, which passes through the main points of interest in the historic center.
➜ For those planning to visit several museums, the Lisboa Card allows you to use the metro, streetcar, bus, elevator, funicular and commuter train network while accessing 39 museums, monuments and places of interest. The basic price of the card is €22 per adult for one day.
When to visit Lisbon
With a Mediterranean climate strongly influenced by the Atlantic Ocean, Lisbon enjoys pleasant temperate conditions all year round, with few days of intense heat and few days of frost. Average temperatures fluctuate from 15°C in January to 29°C in July.
In winter, the climate is relatively mild and sunny, although rain is possible from November to February. With sunny weather, pleasant warmth and almost no rain, the best time to visit Lisbon is from May to October.
Nevertheless, the summer season is synonymous with high tourist numbers, and this has an upward impact on flight and hotel prices. In spring and autumn, prices are more affordable and tourist numbers moderate, with temperatures around 20°C in April and between 20 and 25°C in October.
Where to stay in Lisbon?
Lisbon is full of picturesque neighborhoods offering different atmospheres and experiences. While it’s always best to stay close to the historic center so as not to waste too much time on public transport, here’s a quick overview of the best areas to stay in Lisbon, according to your needs…
- Completely rebuilt following the earthquake of 1755 and the historic heart of Lisbon, Baixa is packed with neoclassical buildings, shops, trendy bars and restaurants spread along wide, perpendicular avenues. The most visited district in Lisbon, accommodation here is generally a little more expensive than elsewhere, but it’s still possible to choose between boutique hotels and youth hostels.
- Less affected by the earthquake, Alfama is home to most of the city’s major historic sites, including the famous São Jorge Castle. Home to the city’s poorest inhabitants in the Middle Ages, Lisbon’s oldest district is a veritable labyrinth of narrow winding streets lined with authentic houses.
- An extension ofAlfama, Graça is a former working-class neighborhood perched on a hill. The superb panoramas you can admire here come at a price: you have to love climbing or manage to find a seat on the famous tramway 28!
- Home to a young, rather bohemian population, Bairro Alto is a noisy, festive district, home to the Bica funicular, the Botanical Garden and pretty lookouts (Miradoudro São Pedro de Alcantara and Miradouro Santa Catarina).
- On the heights of Bairro Alto, the Príncipe Real district has an air of the Parisian “Marais “, with its restaurants and very chic boutiques. It’s also a popular spot for the gay community.
- Located not far from Príncipe Real and often compared to the Champs-Élysées in Paris, Avenida da Liberdade is Lisbon’s upscale district, home to refined accommodation, luxury boutiques and trendy restaurants in sumptuous 19th-century buildings.
- In the immediate vicinity of Baixa and Bairro Alta, Chiado is Lisbon’s cultural center and middle-class district. Its many “chic” boutiques make it a popular spot for shopping aficionados.
- Cais do Sodré used to be one of Lisbon’s least popular districts, but today it’s one of the hippest. The fishermen’s shacks have given way to gin bars and the mercado da ribeira is no longer a fish market, but has become the famous Time Out Market. Pink Street is also home to a number of lively nightlife venues.
- Further away from the city center, but well served by public transport, Belém is a quiet district with many green spaces and home to a number of museums and historic buildings. Belém is also famous for its pastéis de nata.
- Mouraria, Intendente and São Vicente are among Lisbon’s most fashionable neighborhoods, but are still undergoing major development and therefore not very popular with tourists. The atmosphere is local and authentic. The magnificent convent of São Vicente de Forade stands alongside numerous works of street art, as well as trendy bars, nightclubs and typical restaurants. The Feira da Ladra flea market also offers a colorful shopping experience.
➜ Theapartment we rented is located in the heart of Mouraria, just below São Jorge Castle. Bright and pleasant, the apartment offers two bedrooms, a shower room and a small, fully-equipped kitchen. We chose it for its very central location, making it an excellent starting point for exploring the surrounding area on foot. Perfect for the 4-day tour…
Itinerary – What to see in 4 days in Lisbon
First evening, first rooftop overlooking the castle. On the way, we pass by the Santa Justa elevator. A thing of beauty! We’ll be back during the day to admire it even more.
Late in the day, we decide to grab a bite to eat before going to bed. We chose VdB Bistronomie by chance… What a discovery! The place is cosy and already packed when you arrive. We’re offered a seat at the bar, with a front-row seat to what’s going on in the kitchen. The culinary experience offered by Clément Van Den Bergh and his small team is both upscale and respectful of the quality of the ingredients used. Here, we eat organic, local and seasonal produce… And it’s all delicious!
Day 1 – Alfama
On the program for this first day explore theAlfama, Mouraria and Graça districts on foot.
TheAlfama district isone of Lisbon’s most picturesque neighborhoods, renowned for its winding streets, city views and authentic atmosphere. The Castelo de São Jorge, Lisbon Cathedral, Fado Museum, Ladra Flea Market and Santo António de Lisboa Church are just some of the must-see sights in this district.
We take advantage of the fine weather to lose ourselves in the district’s narrow streets, discovering colorful buildings and several miradouros offering magnificent views over Lisbon.
First stop miradouro de Santa Luziaa panoramic viewpoint overlooking the Tagus, the red roofs ofAlfama and the two white towers of São Miguel church.
A little further on, the mosteiro de São Vicente de Fora impresses with its Renaissance facade and cloisters withazulejo-decorated walls.
Inside, more than 220 panels made up of over 100,000 azulejos make it the largest collection of Baroqueazulejos in the world, with 38 panels even depicting fables by La Fontaine! The roof terrace also offers one of the finest views of the city 🤩
Passage through the mercado de Santa Clara before reaching the Graça parish church at the top of Graça hill, near the lookout point of the same name. A few hundred metres further down, São Jorge Castle, the last stop on this first day of sightseeing.
➜ Full details of our day’s visit to Alfama can be found in the article“Lisbon: Discovery itinerary in Alfama, Mouraria and Graça“.
Day 2 – Parc des Nations and Bairro Alto
We start our second day with a visit to the Web Summit, held at FIL(Feira Internacional de Lisboa), in one of the city’s new districts, Parque das Nações (Park of Nations).
With over 70,000 attendees and 1,200 speakers spread over 20 different stages, it’s not always easy to find your way around the many aisles of the Web Summit 🤯
We leave the crowded alleys for a leisurely stroll through the Parc des Nations. Disused in the 1990s, the former industrial zone was given a new lease of life thanks to the1998 International Exhibition – whose theme was “The oceans: a legacy for the future” – and the urban regeneration project that gave rise to numerous contemporary-style buildings.
Today, the Parc des Nations is without doubt Lisbon’s most modern and futuristic district, contrasting with the historic charm of theAlfama.
Not-to-be-missed points of interest in this neighborhood include:
- the Pavilion of Portugal, an architectural jewel designed by Siza Vieira, famous for its roof made of a layer of concrete only 20 centimeters thick, stretching 65 meters without a single column or supporting wall;
- visit Gare do Orientedesigned by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, known for his organic design;
- the emblematic Torre Vasco da Gama – the city’s tallest building – and its cable car, which takes in the entire area;
- l’Oceanário de Lisboaone of the world’s largest aquariums and one of Portugal’s most important tourist attractions;
- the Vasco de Gama Bridge – one of the longest in Europe – linking north and south Lisbon across the Tagus estuary.
We leave the Parc des Nations to reach the miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara. The two-storey belvedere offers superb views – of São Jorge Castle, the Mouraria districtdistrict,Avenida da Liberdade and the Baixa district below – as well as a garden dating back to 1864, several remarkable statues and an azulejo orientation table.
Pass through the lively streets of Bairro Alto before taking the Calçada do duque staircase to Praça Dom Pedro IV – formerly known as Rossio – the nerve center of Baixa.
To see on Praça Dom Pedro IV: two Baroque fountains installed in 1889, an impressive installation of undulating paving stones – put in place after the earthquake of 1755 – and an amazing sardine store 🎪
Si O Mundo Fantástico da Sardinha Portuguesa isn’t the only store where you can buy tins in Lisbon, it’s certainly one of the most colorful. And with good reason: the store’s entire decor is based on the world of the circus. Another original feature: cans of sardines bearing the number of a year between 1916 and 2016, mentioning one or more significant events of the year in question. Each box is sold for €7.
Not being fans of sardines, we stopped for a few minutes to sample local cheeses and hams at the O Bar da Odete, which has unfortunately been closed since our visit.
We leave the Praça Dom Pedro IV to go up to the Santa Justa elevator.
Designed by Raoul Mesnier du Ponsard in the early 1900s to link the Baixa and Bairro Alto districts, theSanta Justa elevator is a 45-metre-high wrought-iron structure decorated in neo-Gothic style. First powered by a steam engine, then electrified in 1907, it is the only entirely vertical urban elevator – the city’s other elevators being funiculars.
On the upper landing, a belvedere and café, accessible via a spiral staircase, offer magnificent views of São Jorge Castle, Rossio, Baixa and Tagus.
The belvedere also offers a fine view of the ruins of the Convento do Carmo – founded in 1389 – which collapsed in the earthquake of 1755 and was never rebuilt. However, the main body of the church and the choir have been restored and now house an archaeological museum.
Good to Know
- The Santa Justa elev ator is located in Rua do Ouro.
- The elevator is open to visitors every day from 7am to 9pm. As a means of transport, it is open every day from 7am to 11pm.
- The ticket costs €5.3 and gives access to the climb and the lookout point.
A last-minute walk to enjoy the sunset from the Park’s terrace. Access to this trendy rooftop, hidden away on the top floor of a parking lot, isn’t the most obvious – no external signage and a very unpleasant smell in the elevator shaft – but the view at the top is just insane 🤩
On the way back, the Bica funicular catches our eye, but as its route isn’t really on ours, we head straight back to bed…
Day 3 – Príncipe Real
After another morning of conferences at the Web Summit, we take the metro to Lisbon’s green lung, Eduardo VII Park. Located on a former basalt quarry, the park extends over 25 hectares north ofAvenida da Liberdade and Marquis de Pombal Square. Here you’ll find the city’s largest greenhouse, theEstufa Fria.
While many choose to head back down to Baixa viaAvenida da Liberdade – also known as “Lisbon’s Champs Elysées” – to admire the luxury signs, we take Rua Marquês de Fronteira to pass by the Amoreiras Wall of fame – one of Lisbon’s best-known street art spots – featuring frescoes in tribute to celebrities as well as recent murals.
A little further on, another fresco adorns the walls of Cabo Verde’s Centro Cultural.
We continue towards Príncipe Realone of the areas of Lisbon that has changed the most in recent years. Here, several palaces have been converted into high-end boutiques, while cafés and organic restaurants welcome tourists and local bobos…
A visit to theEmbaixadaa shopping mall located in the Palais Ribeiro da Cunha, one of the district’s most emblematic buildings. This 20th-century neo-Arabic palace is home to national stylists, designers and artists, in a blend of innovation and preservation of architectural heritage that’s well worth a visit. Prices are not given, but admission is free 😉
To round off this third day of sightseeing, we head down to the Cais do Sodre district to join the Night Summit festivities on Pink Street.
Once reserved for prostitutes and rather dubious bars, the area underwent a major renovation and refurbishment project in 2011, making Rua Nova do Carvalho – known as Pink Street since its floor was painted pink – a mecca for Lisbon’s nightlife.
On enquiry, we found several establishments worth a visit for their unusual ambiences – Sol e Pesca for its fishing net decor, Pensao Amor for its naughty old brothel decor – but the crowds at Night Summit soon put us off…
A quick stroll through Praça do Comércio before returning to our bed 😴
Day 4 – Belém
Our fourth and final day of sightseeing takes us to Belém, in the footsteps of the great explorers. We begin by skirting the banks of the Tagus, with the Torre de Belém and the impressive Monument des Découvertes.
After a quick stroll through the alleys of the peaceful Jardim da Praça do Impériothe Hieronymites Monastery is a sight to behold.
With its 55-meter-long sides and architecture featuring thousands of sculpted details, the monastery’s cloister is a true masterpiece of Manueline art, as is the interior of the nave of the Santa Maria church.
You can’t leave Belém without tasting the famous pastéis de Belémcreated by the monks of the monastery in the 18th century, and still made to a secret recipe in the bakery established in 1837.
And so ends our discovery of the “city of seven hills” 😍
➜ Our entire Belém itinerary is detailed in the article“Lisbon: visit Belém in 1 day“.
➜ Full details of our day’s visit to Alfama can be found in the article“Lisbon: Discovery itinerary in Alfama, Mouraria and Graça“.
