Lisbon Sights

  1. Alfama

    Wander down (to save your legs) through Alfama's steep, narrow, cobblestoned streets and catch a glimpse of the more traditional side of Lisbon before it too is gentrified. Linger in a backstreet cafe along the way and experience some local bonhomie without the tourist gloss.

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  2. Aqueduto das Águas Livres

    The 109 arches of the Aqueduto das Águas Livres lope across the hills into Lisbon from Caneças, more than 18km away; they are most spectacular at Campolide, where the tallest arch is an incredible 65m high. Built between 1728 and 1835, by order of Dom João V, the aqueduct brought Lisbon its first clean drinking water.

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  3. Baixa

    Rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake, the Baixa's wide avenues and pedestrianised Rua Augusta are a great place to shop and have coffee. The area's highlight is the Elevador de Santa Justa. This imposing wrought-iron lift offers an easy ride up to the Bairro Alto, plus a rooftop cafe with views to kill for.

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  4. Basílica da Estrela

    At the top of Calçada da Estrela bulge the dome and belfries of the Basílica da Estrela. Completed in 1790 by order of Dona Maria I (whose tomb is here) in gratitude for a male heir, the church is all elegant neoclassicism outside and chilly, echoing baroque inside, with fabulous views from the dome.

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  5. Belém

    Portugal's caravels sailed off to conquer the great unknown from Belém, and today this leafy riverside precinct is a giant monument to the nation's Age of Discoveries.

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  7. Casa do Fado e da Guitarra Portuguesa

    Fado was born in Alfama. To learn more, visit the Casa do Fado e da Guitarra Portuguesa, a vibrant museum tracing fado 's history from its working-class roots to international fame and finishing at a recreated fado house.

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  8. Casa dos Bicos

    This whimsical 16th-century mansion was one of the few to survive the 1755 earthquake. Built by Afonso de Albuquerque, former viceroy to India, it's known as the House of 'Points' or 'Spikes' because of its diamond-shaped stone facade. As it houses the Comemorações dos Descobrimentos organisation, the interior is not open to the public, except for special events.

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  9. Casa Museu de Amália Rodrigues

    More of a pilgrimage site than a museum, this ochre house is where fado diva Amália lived - along the street you'll notice graffiti announcing it Rua Amália. The short tours include recordings of performances.

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  10. Cascais

    This former fishing village ('Kush-KAISH') has been tuned in to tourism since 1870, when the royal court first came here for the summer, bringing a train of nobility in its wake. It's now the liveliest beach resort on the Estoril Coast, attracting a young and international crowd.

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  11. Castelo de São Jorge

    The Castelo de São Jorge has stupendous views across the city. From its Visigothic beginnings in the 5th century, it was later fortified by the Moors in the 9th century, sacked by Christians in the 12th century and used as a royal residence from the 14th to 16th centuries - and as a prison in every century.

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  13. Cemitério dos Ingleses

    Across from the Jardim da Estrela, the British Cemetery, founded in 1717, is notable as the burial place of novelist Henry Fielding, best known for Tom Jones . Fielding left London to better his health in 1753, but died in Lisbon in 1754. At the far corner is all that remains of Lisbon's old Jewish cemetery. To be let in to the cemetery, you need ring the buzzer.

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  14. Centro de Arte Moderna

    The Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian's other major museum, the Centro de Arte Moderna is a white, warehouselike space showing an unparalleled collection of modern Portuguese art, including influential Amadeo de Souza Cardoso, who caused a scandal with his experiments in cubism, expressionism and futurism; abstract works by iconic modernist José de Almada Negreiros; the haunting grotesque fairy tales of Paula Rego, Portugal's best-known contemporary artist; and the geometric brilliance of Angelo de Souza. Works by modern British artists such as David Hockney, Bridget Riley, Anthony Gormley and Julien Opie serve as points of reference. The café is a Lisbon institution, and good for vegetarians.

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  15. Convento do Carmo

    In the Chiado the graceful ruins of the Convento do Carmo, uphill from Rua Garrett along Calçada do Sacramento, are Lisbon's only remaining example of Gothic architecture, mostly devoured by the 1755 earthquake. Just the tall slender pillars, arches, walls and flying buttresses remain of one of Lisbon's largest churches, built in 1423; it's now regularly used as an open-air theatre.

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  16. Culturgest

    A versatile exhibition venue is Culturgest.

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  17. Elevador da Bica

    For a quick ride up some of the city's steepest hills, Lisbon operates three bee-yellow elevadores or ascensores (funiculars), which were originally water-powered, and a wonderful bit of 19th-century elegance. Perhaps the most charming ride is on the Elevador da Bica which creeps up to the Rua do Loreto through the Santa Catarina district.

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  19. Elevador da Glória

    From Praça dos Restauradores, the Elevador da Glória climbs up to a superb viewpoint atop one of Lisbon's seven hills, Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara, and is a less tiring way of getting to Bairro Alto.

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  20. Elevador de Santa Justa

    The Elevador de Santa Justa is a charming, eccentric wrought-iron lift designed by Raul Mésnier du Ponsard (a follower of Gustave Eiffel) and completed in 1902. It will elevate you around 45m to a café with a superb view across the rooftops, the ruins of Carmo and the river.

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  21. Elevador do Lavra

    Opened in 1884, the Elevador do Lavra was the first street funicular in the world. It runs from Largo de Anunciada, on the eastern side of Restauradores.

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  22. Estádio da Luz

    SL Benfica plays at this 65,000-seat stadium in the northwestern Benfica district. Euro 2004's big games were played here. The nearest metro station is Colégio Militar-Luz.

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  23. Estádio José de Alvalade

    Sporting's attractive new stadium (which hosted Euro 2004 matches) seats 54,000 and stands just north of the university.

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  25. Gare do Oriente

    Fabulous Gare do Oriente station was designed by world-renowned Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. With the redevelopment of the area for the '98 Expo, this station was many people's first glimpse of the Expo site - and of Calatrava. Famed for his open buildings and bridges, Calatrava created an airy, vaulted structure with an almost skeletal frame.

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  26. Graça

    On a hill northeast of the Castelo de São Jorge is the area known as Graça. Following Rua de São Tomé up from Largo das Portas do Sol, you pass Largo de Rodrigues de Freitas and reach Calçada da Graça, which leads to the splendid Miradouro da Graça (with a brilliant views and a café).

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  27. Igreja de São Domingos

    In the Igreja de São Domingos the Inquisition's judgments, or autos-da-fé, were pronounced. Inside it's imposing, with gashed pillars like a damaged rockface. The much-battered church (just about) survived earthquakes in 1531 and 1755, and fire in 1959. The high altar, designed by the Mafra architect Friedrich Ludwig dates from 1748.

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  28. Igreja de São Roque

    The 16th-century Jesuit Igreja de São Roque has a plain façade, designed by the architect of São Vicente, hiding a dazzling interior of gold, marble and Florentine azulejos - an elaborate canvas bankrolled by Brazilian riches.

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  29. Igreja de São Vicente de Fora

    Founded in 1147, this monastery - 'St Vincent of Outside', as it was outside the city walls - was built on the burial sites of foreign crusaders and later, between 1582 and 1627, reconstructed by the master of the Italian Renaissance, Felipe Terzi. In 1755's earthquake, the roof and dome collapsed on worshippers. Building works continued until the early 18th century, when finally the canons got to live here in peace, that is, until 1834 when religious orders were banished.

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