Sights in Lisbon
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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.
First stop should be the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, a Manueline masterpiece whose intricate decoration and peaceful spaces will leave you inspired.
A short walk away is the Torre de Belém, the much-photographed symbol of Portugal's maritime glory. The imposing limestone Monument to the Discoveries, also facing the river nearby, is shaped like a caravel and features key players from the era.
If you have time, look around the Centro Cultural de Belém, one of Lisbon's main cultural venues, which houses the Mu…
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Praia do Guincho
The long, wild Praia do Guincho is a surfer's and windsurfer's paradise (the site of previous World Surfing Championships) with massive crashing rollers. The strong undertow can be dangerous for swimmers and novice surfers.
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Palácio Nacional da Pena
Rising up from a thickly wooded peak and often enshrouded in swirling mist, Palácio Nacional da Pena is pure fantasy stuff. The wacky confection is a riot of onion domes, Moorish keyhole gates, writhing stone snakes, and crenellated towers in sherbet-bonbon pinks and lemons. Ferdinand of Saxe Coburg-Gotha, the artist-husband of Queen Maria II, commissioned Prussian architect Ludwig von Eschwege in 1840 to build the Bavarian-Manueline epic (and as a final flourish added an armoured statue of himself, overlooking the palace from a nearby peak).
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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.
As far back as the 5th century, the Alfama was inhabited by the Visigoths, and remnants of a Visigothic town wall remain. But it was the Moors who gave the district its shape and atmosphere. In Moorish times this was an upper-class residential area. After earthquakes brought down many of its mansions (and post-Moorish churches) it reverted to a working-class, fisherfolk quarter. It was one of the few…
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Torre de Belém
Jutting out onto the Rio Tejo, the World Heritage–listed fortress of Torre de Belém epitomises the Age of Discovery. Francisco de Arruda designed the pearly-grey chesspiece in 1515 to defend Lisbon’s harbour and nowhere else is the lure of the Atlantic more powerful. The Manueline show-off flaunts filigree stonework, meringue-like cupolas and – just below the western tower – a stone rhinoceros. The ungulate depicts the one Manuel I sent Pope Leo X in 1515, which inspired Dürer’s famous woodcut. Breathe in to explore the poky former dungeons and climb a narrow spiral staircase to the tower, affording breathtaking views over Belém and the river.
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Museu Condes de Castro Guimarães
The grounds of Parque Marechal Carmona harbour the Museu Condes de Castro Guimarães, the whimsical early-19th-century mansion of Irish aristocrat Jorge O’Neill, complete with castle turrets and Arabic cloister. But the clover leaves inside didn’t bring him luck – he went bankrupt and had to sell up. His successor, Count of Castro Guimarães, lavishly decorated the abode with 17th-century Indo-Portuguese cabinets, Oriental silk tapestries and 17th-century azulejos. Don’t miss the rare 16th-century manuscript depicting pre-earthquake Lisbon. Admission is with half-hourly guided tours.
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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.
Built in 1902 by Gustave Eiffel follower Raul Mésnier du Ponsard, the lift has more than a passing resemblance to the Eiffel Tower.
Avoid the touristy umbrella-topped cafes below and save your coffee break for this still touristy but far more elegant architectural gem. Time your visit to enjoy a drink at sunset.
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Parque Eduardo VII
An urban oasis with British roots, Parque Eduardo VII is named after his highness Edward VII, who visited Lisbon in 1903. The sloping parterre affords sweeping views over the whizzing traffic of Praça Marquês de Pombal to the river. The estufas are a highlight, with lush foliage and tinkling fountains. Look out for tree ferns and camellias in the estufa fría (cool greenhouse), coffee and mango trees in the estufa quente (hot greenhouse) and cacti in the estufa doce (sweet greenhouse).
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Castelo dos Mouros
Soaring 412m above sea level, this mist-enshrouded ruined castle is a Great Wall of China in miniature. Like a dragon’s backbone, this 9th-century Moorish castle’s dizzying ramparts wriggle across the mountain ridges and past moss-clad boulders the size of small buses. When the clouds peel away, the vistas over Sintra’s palace-dotted hill and dale to the glittering Atlantic are – like the climb – breathtaking.
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Castelo de São Jorge
Towering dramatically above Lisbon, the hilltop fortifications of Castelo de São Jorge sneak into almost every snapshot. These smooth cobbles have seen it all – Visigoths in the 5th century, Moors in the 9th century, Christians in the 12th century, royals from the 14th to 16th centuries, and convicts in every century. Roam its snaking ramparts and pine-shaded courtyards for superlative views over the city’s red rooftops to the river.
reviewed
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Mosteiro dos Jerónimos
Belém’s undisputed heart-stealer is the Unesco-listed Mosteiro dos Jerónimos. The monastery is pure fantasy stuff; a fusion of Diogo de Boitaca’s creative vision and the spice and pepper dosh of Manuel I, who commissioned it to trumpet Vasco da Gama’s discovery of a sea route to India in 1498.
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Elevador de Santa Justa
If the lanky, wrought-iron Elevador de Santa Justa seems uncannily familiar, it’s probably because the neo-Gothic marvel is the handiwork of Raul Mésnier, Gustave Eiffel’s apprentice. It’s Lisbon’s only vertical street lift. Get there early to beat the crowds and zoom to the top for sweeping views over the city’s skyline.
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Praça do Comércio
Marquês de Pombal’s grandest design, this is a square to out-pomp them all: a whirl of 18th-century lemon-meringue edifices and arcades with vistas across the Tejo. The biggest crowd-puller is Verissimo da Costa’s Arco da Vitória, a mighty triumphal arch crowned with bigwigs including explorer Vasco da Gama, which leads onto Rua Augusta.
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Jardim da Estrela
Anyone seeking green respite should head for Jardim da Estrela. This garden is perfect for a stroll, with paths weaving past pine, monkey puzzle and palm trees, rose and cacti beds and the centrepiece – a giant banyan tree. Kids love the duck ponds and animal-themed playground.
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Oceanário
The closest you’ll get to scuba-diving without a wetsuit, Lisbon’s Oceanário is mind-blowing. No amount of hyperbole about it being Europe’s second-largest aquarium, where 8000 species splash in 7 million litres of seawater, does it justice.
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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.
For a hint of Cascais' former life as a fishing village, head for the fish market, between Praia da Ribeira and Praia da Rainha, where an auctioneer sells off the day's catch in an unintelligible rapid-fire lingo.
The atmospheric back lanes and alleys to the west of the câmara municipal (town hall) are also worth exploring. In a shady square southwest of the câmara municipal is Igreja de Nossa S…
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Museu Calouste Gulbenkian
Famous for its outstanding quality and breadth, Museu Calouste Gulbenkian showcases an epic collection of Western and Eastern art. The chronological romp kicks off with highlights such as gilded Egyptian mummy masks, Mesopotamian urns, elaborate Persian carpets and Qing porcelain (note the grinning Dogs of Fo). Going west, art buffs bewonder masterpieces by Rembrandt (Portrait of an Old Man), Van Dyck and Rubens (including the frantic Loves of the Centaurs ). Be sure to glimpse Rodin’s passionate Spring Kiss. The grand finale is the collection of exquisite René Lalique jewellery, including the otherworldly Dragonfly. Don’t miss the free classical concerts at noon on Su…
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Museu Do Oriente
Lisbon’s new kid on the dock is the stunning Museu do Oriente, highlighting Portugal’s ties with Asia from colonial baby steps in Macau to ancestor worship. The cavernous museum occupies a revamped 1940s bacalhau warehouse. Strikingly displayed in pitch-black rooms, the permanent collection focuses on Portuguese presence in Asia, and Asian gods. Standouts on the 1st floor feature rare Chinese screens and Ming porcelain, plus East Timor curiosities such as the divining conch and delicately carved umbilical-cord knives. Upstairs, cult classics include peacock-feathered effigies of Yellamma (goddess of the fallen), Vietnamese medium costumes and an eerie, faceless Nepale…
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Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga
Set in a lemon-fronted, 17th-century palace, the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga is Lapa’s biggest draw. It presents a star-studded collection of European and Asian paintings and decorative arts. Keep an eye out for highlights such as Nuno Gonçalves’ naturalistic Panels of São Vicente, Dürer’s St Jerome, Lucas Cranach’s haunting Salomé and Courbet’s bleak Snow. Other gems include golden wonder the Monstrance of Belém, a souvenir from Vasco da Gama’s second voyage, and 16th-century Japanese screens depicting the arrival of the namban (southern barbarians), namely big-nosed Portuguese explorers.
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Igreja de São Vicente de Fora
Graça’s serene, gorgeous Igreja de São Vicente de Fora was founded as a monastery in 1147, revamped by Italian architect Felipe Terzi in the late 16th century, and devastated in 1755’s earthquake when its dome collapsed on worshippers. Elaborate blue-and-white azulejos dance across almost every wall, echoing the curves of the architecture, across the white cloisters and up to the 1st floor. Here you’ll find a one-off collection of panels depicting La Fontaine’s moral tales of sly foxes and greedy wolves. Under the marble sacristy lie the crusaders’ tombs. Seek out the weeping, cloaked woman holding stony vigil in the eerie mausoleum. Have your camera handy for the s…
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Sé
One of Lisbon’s biggest icons is the fortresslike sé, built in 1150 on the site of a mosque soon after Christians recaptured the city from the Moors. It was sensitively restored in the 1930s. Despite the masses outside, the rib-vaulted interior, lit by a rose window, is calm. The treasury showcases religious gems, and the Gothic cloister houses archaeological excavations, including stonework from the 6th century BC, a medieval cistern and the Islamic foundations. Stroll around the cathedral to spy leering gargoyles peeking above the orange trees; the sé looks its best when the late-afternoon sun makes its bricks glow honey-gold.
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Centro de Recuperação do Lobo Ibérico
There’s no need to be afraid of the wolves at the Centro de Recuperação do Lobo Ibérico located near Malveira, 10km east of Mafra. The centre is home to a pack of around 20 wolves that can no longer live in the wild. Set in a forested valley, the centre aims to boost the rapidly dwindling numbers of Portugal’s Iberian wolf population (now just 300 in the wild) by affording them safe shelter in a near-to-natural habitat. As the wolves are free to roam in their large enclosures, there’s no guarantee that you’ll spot them, but encounters are frequent. Advance bookings are essential. The sanctuary is best reached by private transport.
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Museu Colecção Berardo
Culture fiends get their contemporary art fix for free at Museu Colecção Berardo, the latest addition to the Centro Cultural de Belém. The ultrawhite, minimalist gallery displays billionaire José Berardo’s eye-popping collection of abstract, surrealist and pop art. Don’t miss Warhol’s blue-eyed girl Judy Garland, Lichtenstein’s utterly dotty Interior with Restful Painting, Paula Rego’s magical realism in The Barn and Magritte’s fantastical The Silvery Chasm. Outside in the sculpture park, Niki de Saint Phalle’s buxom Swimmers hog the limelight.
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Museu do Design
This superlative design museum, in the Centro Cultural de Bel�m, displays furniture and product design from the 1930s to the present. This very cool collection features the masters - Capelo, Panton, Gehry, Starck, Newson and the Eames - and there are frequent temporary shows, as well as a decent bookshop.
Not only are these beautiful, humorous pieces of design, but the museum also puts their development in a social context. The contest for the most uncomfortable-looking chair is also impressive, but we think Philippe Starck's WW stool has the edge. Other halls feature changing modern art exhibitions. There's an excellent bookshop and disabled access.
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Igreja de São Roque
The plain facade of 16th-century Jesuit Igreja de São Roque belies its dazzling interior of gold, marble and Florentine azulejos – bankrolled by Brazilian riches. Its star attraction is Capela de São João Baptista, to the left of the altar, a lavish confection of amethyst, alabaster, lapis lazuli and Carrara marble. Its four mosaics depicting scenes from the saint’s life are as elaborate as oil paintings. Portugal’s extravagant king, Dom João V, had the chapel built in Rome in 1742, then shipped it over to Lisbon for a cool UK£225,000.
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