Top 15 attractions and things to do in Lisbon Portugal


If you like to eat sweets in Belém or listen to fado in Bairro Alto, there is  plenty to do on a break in the city of Lisbon  . Here are our top tips.

 

1. Dive into the Lisbon Oceanarium

Located in Parque das Nações, the  Lisbon Oceanarium  is one of the largest aquariums in Europe, with over 450 different species of marine life and over 15,000 creatures in total. The focus is on the main tank that contains 5 million liters of water, which is surrounded by four special smaller habitat tanks that replicate the natural habitats of the Indian, Atlantic, Pacific and Antarctic oceans.

Marine life you can expect to include sharks, stingrays, otters, sunfish, crabs, penguins, corals and a wide variety of amphibians. Each impressive exhibit teaches a host of fascinating facts about marine life, promoting nature conservation.

Hours  of Operation  :  10 am-8pm daily 
Tickets:  € 17 to the Aquarium and the temporary exhibition. 
Address:  Dom Carlos Esplanade I / nº, 1990-005 Lisbon, Portugal

 

2. Have a real day at St. Georges Castle

Dating from the sixth century, the  eighteen towers of St. George s  Castle  stand proudly above the city, an iconic part of the urban landscape. This fortification survived sieges, wars and an earthquake and now holds the title of Lisbons most popular tourist attraction. Visitors can learn more about the citys colorful past at the castle museum in its former palace, or visit the Ulysses Tower which houses a Camera Obscura periscope to see the sights of the city.

After exploring the café, head to the Casa do Leão restaurant, located in one of the castle wings, offering meals with some of Lisbons best views.

Hours  of Operation  :  9 am-6pm 
Admission:  € 8.50 per person  
Address:  Rua de Santa Cruz do Castelo, which can be easily accessed by tram 28.

 
 

 
 

3. Get excited at the Puppet Museum

For something a bit quirky and out of the ordinary, the  Puppet Museum  is ideal. It tells the rich history of the ancient puppet art form and is perfect for theater fans, adults and children. It is home to interesting collections of over 3000 puppets, masks, accessories and costumes from around the world, including 17th and 18th century knights and princesses.

Daily puppet shows take place and there are opportunities to play with some of the puppets and create your own puppet shows.

Opening hours:  10  :  00-13: 00, 14: 00-18: 00  , closed on Mondays 
:  € 5 per person  
Address:  Rua da Esperança 146, 1200-660 Lisbon, Portugal

 

4. Electricity Museum

The  Electricity Museum  is in Central Tagus, a vibrant architectural work of Industrial Portugal. The power station supplied Lisbon with power until the 1970s and the main exhibition takes it through the thermoelectric process. There are also solar energy demonstrations, exhibitions by famous scientists who explored the field of electricity and many interactive experiments.

Considered a cultural center of Lisbon, it hosts a number of temporary exhibitions, events and workshops.

Hours  of Operation  :  10 am-6pm 
Tickets:  
Address  Free  :  Av.  De Brasilia, Central Tejo, 1300-598 Lisboa

 

5. Fado Museum

If you want to try something truly Portuguese, a traditional Fado bar is the right place. Fado is a traditional 18th century folk song that usually encompasses some dark and emotive lyrics supported by a Portuguese guitar. Clube de Fado is one of Lisbons best known fado bars, with daily live fado shows, fado stars like Miguel Capucho and Jose Fontes Rocha perform here.

Hours  of Operation  :  20h - 24h 
Address:  St. John Street Square 92

To learn more about this Portuguese tradition, the  Fado Museum  explores the history of Fado with audiovisual exhibits and exhibitions of instruments, clothing and press coverage. Live performances often take place in the museum café.

Opening hours:  10:00 - 18:00, closed on Mondays. 
Admission:  5 €  
Address:  Largo do Chafariz de Dentro

 

6. Visit the Jeronimos Monastery

Lisbons streets and hills are full of architectural wonders from the Renaissance, Baroque, Gothic and Neoclassical periods, and the Jeronimos Monastery built in 1500 is a perfect example.

You can stroll around the large monastery, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, admiring the majestic chapel and the richly decorated rooms with ornate stonework throughout. The National Archaeological Museum of Lisbon (National Archaeological Museum) is based in the West Wing.

Tip  : This is an incredibly popular attraction for ticket queues, so avoid buying a  Lisbon card  that lets you skip lines or visit early in the morning and arrive at least 15 minutes before opening.

Opening Hours:  10 am-5pm  
Tickets:  € 10  
Address:  Empire Square, Belem

 

7. See where Portugals art comes from at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation

The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation is a must for anyone interested in art and history, it is one of the most important artistic destinations in Portugal. Located in Gulbenkian Park, it consists of the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, the Gulbenkian Orchestra and the  Center for Modern Art (CAM)  .

The Calouste Gulbenkian Museum is the personal collection of rare East, Islamic, Egyptian and European antiquities, art and treasures from oil magnate Calouste Gulbenkian, who were presented to Lisbon after his death. CAM is dedicated to modern art and is home to over 9000 pieces of Portuguese and international works of art from the 20th and 21st centuries.

Opening hours:  10 am-5.30pm  
Tickets:  Gulbenkian Foundation Pass: € 15  
Address:  Av.  Berna, Avenidas Novass

 

9. Find the best cream puffs in Lisbon

Pasteis de nata (better known as creamy egg or Portuguese pies if you are from the UK) is what Lisbon uses. There are 2 main competitors - Cream Pastry Factory and Belem Pastry Factory.  Of course, Belem is a 20-minute tram ride away, but you can easily pay a visit to the Cream Pastry Factory Manteigaria if youre in town. Wait outside for the bell to be rung before entering. That means they just pulled a freshly baked tray out of the oven. Enjoy an espresso and plenty of icing sugar before returning for a second round.

Hours  of Operation  :  8 am-12am 
Tickets:  1.50 € for a pie  
Address:  Loreto Street 2, 1200-108 Lisboa

 

10. Discover the Tower of Bethlehem

Belém Tower was originally built in the 16th century to defend and protect Lisbon and Cascais. Belém, the neighborhood around the tower, is where the Lisbon royalty used to reside, so the Manueline-style tower was built to protect them. The best views are outside the tower, and if you are here, you should visit the Cream Puffs as well - they are some of the best in town.

Opening hours:  10 am-5.30pm  
Tickets:  € 6 to visit the tower alone, € 12 if visiting the Monastery too  
Address:  Av.  Brasilia, 1400-038 Lisbon

 

11. Marvel at the Church of St. Roque

St. Roque was a doctor in the fourteenth century, later canonized for his ability to treat plague sufferers. The church was originally a sanctuary for Roque, housing one of its relics, but in the 16th century it became a meeting place for the Jesuit community. The groups financial help built the Church of St. Roque in the opulent masterpiece that you can visit today.

Opening hours:  9h30 to 17h. Closed on Monday 
Tickets:  € 2.50 to enter the Museum, no entrance fee to the Church  
Address:  Largo Trindade Coelho, 1200-470 Lisbon

 

12. Go vintage shopping at LX Factory

LX Factory is a converted former warehouse that has been transformed into a funky playground. Find an artisan iced coffee, drop a couple on Levis in vintage shops or browse their collection of epic books in Slow Reading.

Hours:  6 am-4am daily  
Tickets:  Free to enter  
Address:  R. Rodrigues de Faria 103, 1300 Lisboa

 

13. Find the best viewpoints of Bairro Alto

Bairro Alto is one of Lisbons coolest neighborhoods, and is where everyone (young and old) gather for fado, port wine and occasional parties. Portas Largas  is one of the oldest bars in the region that used to be a fado house. This is also one of the best places to find  viewpoints  - views where everyone gathers at sunset, to sit, read a book, meet friends or start the night early!

Address:  Lisbon 1200-109, Portugal

 

14. Take a photo tour of Alfama

The perfect streets of Alfama are what your Instagram expected. Fado music leaks from the little bars, English is not as common as it is in the center, and there is a new building color around every corner. Locals hang their washes from the balcony to the balcony as if decorating the narrow streets, and locals sit on the sidewalks, drinking  beers  and watching the walkers pass. Make sure you have good walking shoes, as Alfama is  a  hill.

Address:  Alfama, Lisbon, Portugal

15. Take a tram from Commerce Square

No trip to Lisbon is complete without traveling from Baixa Lisboa to Praça do Comércio. This used to be the commercial hub of commerce in the 16th century, now it is a popular meeting place for friends, street vendors and you can take the famous  tram 28  here as well.

Address:  Av.  Infante Dom Henrique 1, 1100-016 Lisbon

  • Top 15 attractions and things to do in Lisbon Portugal


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