Lisbon » Entertainment » Attractions

Notable districts of Lisbon are:

Alfama: A hilly district located east of Baixa district can be reached by yellow trams. Important attractions include St. George's castle and Lisbon Cathedral

Bairro Alto: Also called Upper District, is famous for its nightlife and luxury shopping. Must-see sights are the São Bento Palace, the Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga and the Lisbon Botanical Gardens.

Baixa: This is a downtown of Lisbon popular for noteworthy squares: Praça dos Restauradores, Praça Dom Pedro IV, and Praça da Figueira. Major sights are Praça do Comércio.

Belém: Located on the western side of Lisbon features famous monuments like Torre de Belém, Monument to the Discoveries, and Jerónimos Monastery, Navy Museum, Museu Colecção Berardo, and the National Coach Museum.

Northern Lisbon: This area of Lisbon contains Parque Eduardo VII, the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, and the zoo.

Parque das Nações: This modern residential and commercial area is mainly famous for Oceanarium, Pavilion, aerial cable cars.

Belem Tower (Torre de Belem)

The Belem Tower is Lisbon's popular attraction, located on the banks of the Tagus river. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, built around 1521 as a fortress to protect Lisbon harbour. The tower looks like a miniature castle. It is the best example of Manueline architecture influenced by the Gothic and Renaissance periods.

Address: Av. Brasília, 1400-038 Lisbon, Portugal

Photo Credit: Alvesgaspar / CC BY-SA 3.0

Jeronimos Monastery (Mosteiro dos Jeronimos)

The Jerónimos Monastery is situated in the Belém district of Lisbon. Built around the 16th century, it took around 50-70 years to complete the construction. It exhibits stone tombs of Vasco da Gama and Luí's de Camões and archaeological museum. The structure is the best example of Manueline architecture.

Address: Praça do Império 1400-206 Lisbon, Portugal

Orient Station (Estação do Oriente)

Orient Station is the main transportation hub of Lisbon for trains, metro, buses, and taxis. Its glass-steel columns look fascinating in sunlight and are illuminated at night. Park of the Nations (Parque das Nações) is just across the street where the 1998 World Expo was held.

Address: Av. Dom João II, 1900-233 Lisbon, Portugal

Restauradores Square (Praça dos Restauradores)

Restauradores Square is located at the south end of the Avenida da Liberdade & just next to the Rossio train station. The place exhibits a sculpture that honours the restoration of Portugal's independence from Spain. Elevador da Glória is available here that helps one to land up to Bairro Alto.

25th of April Bridge (Ponte 25 de Abril)

One of the popular landmarks of Lisbon, the suspension bridge connects Lisbon to Almada. Due to its colour and style, it looks similar to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Fransico. The original name Salazar Bridge was renamed as 25th of April Bridge after the Carnation Revolution.

Address: Pte. 25 de Abril, Lisbon, Portugal

St Georges Castle (Castelo de Sao Jorge)

The Castle of São Jorge is located on the highest hill in the historic centre of Lisbon. It has a great view of the city and the river. It is the most visited historical and tourist site of the city.

Address: R. de Santa Cruz do Castelo, 1100-129 Lisbon, Portugal

Christ the King (Cristo Rei)

Cristo Rei is a shrine and a Catholic monument overlooking Lisbon city. Located in Almada, the monument was inaugurated in 1959. It was inspired by the statue of Christ the Redeemer of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Address: 2800-058 Almada, Portugal

Commerce Square (Praça do Comércio)

Commerce Square, also known as 'Terreiro do Paço', is situated opposite the river. Lisbon's downtown starts from this point. It has an arch from the 19th century on Rua Augusta that leads to the Rossio square. It also features a statue of King D. José I.

Address: Praça do Comércio, 1100-148 Lisbon, Portugal

The Discoveries Monument

Built in 1960 in honour of the 500th death anniversary of Prince Henry-The Navigator. Also, statues of world-famous Portuguese explorers like Vasco de Gama and Magellan over there attract a large number of tourists.

Address: Av. Brasília, 1400-038 Lisbon, Portugal

The Santa Justa Elevator

The Santa Justa elevator is located in the Baixa District of Lisbon. It is one of the most famous sites in Lisbon. This 45m tall elevator, built in 1892, connects lower Lisbon city with the upper one.

Address: R. do Ouro, 1150-060 Lisbon, Portugal