Must see and must do list for Lisbon

07/14/2014

Discovering Lisbon from Destination Hostel Lisbon

Follow our tips on what to see and to do during your Lisbon adventure. Where to get the best sweets and the best fish? Insider tips to best enjoy Lisbon coming up!


#Tram28 (Elétrico)

Tram28 (big)


Yes, it's a public means of transport, but travelers say it's also an attraction. For a small fee, you can ride Tram 28 to the top of the Alfama district, see city squares, red rooftops, the Sé Cathedral and finally end up at St. George's Castle. Some travelers recommend taking the tram up the steep hill and then walking back down to explore the neighborhood. Many travelers say that though the tram tends to be crowded, it's a must-do.

#Alfama


Founded long ago with a history that dates back to the Moors, Alfama is characterized by narrow, winding streets that pass by shops, restaurants, Fado clubs, as well as popular attractions like St. George's Castle and the Sé Cathedral.

#Baixa

Centre of Lisbon (big)


Downtown Lisbon is an 18th-century district, completely rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake which had destroyed most of it. Its grid was given precise geometric specifications and each street was named after different trades (shoes, gilding, saddlery, gold and silver).
Still, the neighborhood oozes an atmosphere with stuck-in-a-time-warp shops, Art Nouveau signs, kitschy souvenirs, old men yelling out lottery ticket numbers to sell, African immigrants hanging by Rossio, young skate-boarders in Praça da Figueira, flower vendors, street performers, peddlers, shoe shiners and glimpses of the river.
Some of the streets are pedestrianized and connect a number of monumental neoclassic squares, from Praça dos Restauradores to Rossio and its cafes, to the riverfront Praça do Comércio overlooked by a triumphal arch, to the attractive Praça do Município.

#Chiado


Lisbon's most elegant and trendy neighborhood is where everyone meets for coffee, shopping, or before dinner and a night out in neighboring Bairro Alto.
Most of the buildings are from the 18th century but the neighborhood is a flashback to the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the "Belle Époque" when writers such as Fernando Pessoa and Eça de Queiroz used to write at the now-historic cafes.
This is also the neighborhood of theaters, charming old bookshops, local fashion designers and major international brands, giving it a lively cosmopolitan ambient at any time of the day.

#Bairro Alto

Night Life in Bairro Alto (big)


Bairro Alto is a place that truly changes from night to day. In daylight this bohemian district is a sleepy place, hangover from the previous night, with not much going on except for the trendy shops down Rua do Norte. When the sun sets a new life begins, with restaurants opening their doors and crowds showing up to spend their bar-hopping night.
Rua da Atalaia, Rua do Diário de Noticias, and Rua da Barroca become filled with caipirinha-sipping crowds, most under 40, but mixing preppies with rockers and goths, gay and straight.
It's a place inhabited by old ladies and young artsy hipsters, giving it a vibe that is simultaneously old-fashioned and avant-garde, a shabby-chic neighborhood that really needs no name. It's simply the "bairro," the neighborhood where everything happens – at night.

#Belém


Belém is known as the historical district of the Age of Discovery. The sensational architecture of the Tower of Belem and Jeronimos Monastery (both World Heritage Sites) is the result of the discovery of the sea route to India, the opening of trade with Japan, and the colonization of Brazil and parts of Africa and China, as are the heroes of the age on the colossal Discoveries Monument.
This is also Lisbon's Berardo museum showcasing a world-class collection of international contemporary and modern art including works by Warhol and Picasso.
Despite all these attractions, it is a pastry shop that receives the most visitors. At Antiga Confeitaria de Belém (simply known as "Pasteis de Belém" or "Belém pastries") you can devour one or several of Lisbon's famous custard tarts that originated on this site and are still unlike any others found around Portugal, made here with a secret recipe.

#Parque das Nações (Oriente)


Eastern Lisbon used to be an ugly industrial area until it was chosen as the site to host the last world fair of the 20th century, Expo 98. It has since then reborn into a futuristic glass-and-steel district, home to some wonderful examples of modern architecture.
One of them is Oriente Station, a landmark with the signature of Santiago Calatrava, while Pritzker-award winning architect Alvaro Siza Vieira is the man behind the fantastic Pavilhão de Portugal known for its remarkable undulating roof.
Many of the other constructions have an ocean theme (the twin towers São Gabriel and São Rafael resemble ships and are named after two of Vasco da Gama's vessels), and there is also one of the world's most spectacular aquariums nearby.

#Cais do Sodré

Cais do Sodré (big)


Sodré is the name of a 15th century family with businesses in this neighborhood which has always been linked with the maritime trade. Over time the entire area from the riverfront to the two blocks north of it became known as "Cais do Sodré."
The "Wharf of Sodré" is a terminal of the ferries that link Lisbon to Cacilhas and Almada across the river, and is also a train and metro station as well as a major bus stop. Across the station is Praça Duque da Terceira, a square named after the Duke of Terceira whose bronze statue stands in the center.
To the west of the square is a huge dome under which stands the city's main food market, Mercado da Ribeira, and next to it is another square, Praça de Dom Luis. It is filled with palms and other trees, and is overlooked by a 19th century statue of the Marquis of Sá da Bandeira.
Rua Nova do Carvalho behind the market was for decades known as the city's "red light district" with bars named after northern European capitals to attract their sailors who stepped off their boats here. It's now a seedy-chic street lined with hip bars and clubs that become especially crowded after 2 a.m. when the bars in Bairro Alto start to close.

3 best places where to eat in Lisbon:

# Restaurante Uma Marisqueira ( Rua dos Sapateiros 124)

Fish soup in Restaurante Uma Marisqueira (big)


Undoubtedly the best seafood rice I have ever eaten in the town, the rice is super yummy, takes a full of seafood flavor. Prawns, crabs, crayfish and mussels are worth it all. The service is simple, normal for a restaurant like this. Typical Portuguese house. Very cheap. Well worth.

#Casa da India (Rua do Loreto 49)

Portuguese menu in Casa da India (big)
Despite its name, this is a traditional joint with a Portuguese menu. It's a local haunt with a buzzing, downmarket atmosphere (the green and beige tiles aren't winning any design awards) and a grillmaster in front who whips up tasty grilled meat and seafood; the choco (cuttlefish) is excellent.

#Restaurante Rio Coura (Rua de Augusto Rosa 30, Sé)

Typical dish in Restaurante Rio Coura (big)

The service is typical of a regional restaurant and the recommended meal is the grilled fish.
Swordfish, salmon, sardines, go so well served that still remain. There is also a really lovely cheesecake.
The price is very cheap, an experience to repeat.

Lisbon is awaiting you – there are so many things to be discovered!

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