Lisbon

Portugal·Europe

Currency

EUR

Language

Portuguese

Timezone

Lisbon

Continent

Europe

Our guide

Discover Lisbon

Lisbon is built on seven hills and you will feel every one. The city reads in three parts: Belém and its Manueline monuments to the west, the Alfama and its medieval lanes to the east, and the Baixa rebuilt on a grid between them after the 1755 earthquake. The Tower of Belém and the Jerónimos Monastery, both 16th century, are the images you already know.

When to go

March to June, September to October. Summer is hot but tempered by the Atlantic; the problem is the crowds. Winter stays mild — one of the gentlest European capitals in January — with rain and far fewer people.

Getting around

The metro covers most of it, but the hills change everything: the funiculars and the Santa Justa lift are transport, not attractions. Tram 28 crosses the finest districts and serves residents as much as visitors, which is why it is packed. Bring shoes with grip — Portuguese calçada is slippery in the rain.

Where to eat

A Brasileira, open in the Chiado since 1905, is the city's literary café; you pay for the history as much as the coffee. Cervejaria Ramiro is the seafood address Lisboetas name first. Tavares claims to be the oldest restaurant in Lisbon, open since 1784.

Good to know

Admission runs from 2 to 45 €, most of it at the lower end. Twelve halal addresses are listed. Only one beach appears in our data for the city itself: the real ones are along the Cascais coast and Costa da Caparica, half an hour by train.

Smart Planning