This was my second time visiting Lisbon so I was able to walk around more of the neighborhoods. We stayed close to the Barrio Alto neighborhood which was definitely the right choice. There were various restaurants to choose from and the walk to the Alfama neighborhood was not too bad. So here is what not to miss while you are visiting Lisbon.
Viewpoints:
It seems that Portugal has good viewpoints no matter what city you are in and Lisbon was no different. We headed to Miradouro Sao Pedro when we first arrived in Lisbon. The views of the city are incredible from here. When we went they had tents selling food and drinks at the top. So we decided to stop for a drink while up there.
The next day we decided to check out Miradouro da Senhora do Monte. While there is a bit of a hike up to this view, it is totally worth it. This was one of our favorites in Lisbon. In the Alfama district there are two other viewpoints that are right next to each other making it easy to see both. There is the famous view of Miradouro de Santa Luzia and right around the corner is Miradouro das Portas do Sol. Santa Luzia will most likely be the most crowded as it was for us but with the bougainvilleas its quite beautiful.
Carmo Convent:
This is a former Catholic convent that is located in Lisbon. Why is this a unique stop? Earthquakes have caused it to be ruins and have left the convent without a roof. I stopped here on my first visit and just happened upon it on my last trip. I have not seen a church/monastery/convent without a roof and was still impressed with the gothic architecture that remains.
Jerónimos Monastery:
The architecture of this monastery is absolutely stunning. I had not seen such detail like I did while here. On my next trip to Lisbon I need to visit the inside as I made the mistake of not checking the hours of operation and went on a day it was closed. So be sure to double check that it will be open!
Lx Factory:
While I have not been here yet, this place has been suggested to me by multiple people. It is not right in the middle of town so if you are short on time it makes it a little bit harder to reach. On my next visit to Lisbon I will definitely be checking this artistic space out.
Sintra:
While technically not in Lisbon, I think I can speak for everyone that this day trip can not be missed. Sintra is home to castles/palaces that have been built over the years by Portuguese royalty and Moorish princes. The main palace not to miss in Pena Palace. We arrived around 9:30am which gave us about 30 minutes before the tour groups started to arrive. The palace does open at 9am so you can arrive earlier to miss the tours altogether. We pre-brought our tickets online here. Two other castles/palaces that I visited were Quinta da Regaleira and the Moorish Castle. The Moorish Castle and Pena Palace have the best views of Sintra and you can even see the other while looking around. Quinta da Regaleira was unique as there were underground tunnels that you can go through and the gardens of the palace were stunning.
How did we get to Sintra? We opted to take the train from Rossio Station in Lisbon and then once in Sintra hop on the bus that will pick you up right outside of the station. You have to buy your train ticket which round trip was under 10 euros and then a bus ticket once you are boarding. These buses will take you around the whole area of Sintra so its worth the 15 euros if you do not want to climb. Overall it is cheaper to do it this way but you can opt to take a tour or a taxi to visit Sintra as well.
To me these are some key places that you should not miss while visiting Lisbon. This. city has so much to offer so I am sure I left off some hidden gems that I’ll discover on my next trip.
Are you heading to Porto as part of this trip? If so you should check out this blog.
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