Book a Flight to Lisbon from €80

Castelo de São Jorge: Located at the top of a hill in the mediaeval quarter of Alfama, the imposing Castle of Saint George (Castelo de São Jorge, 5th century AD) with its battlements and 18 towers, offers an amazing panoramic view of the whole city.
Address: Rua de Santo Cruz do Castelo, 1100-129 Lisbon, www.castelodesaojorge.pt

National Tile Museum: This superb museum houses an amazing collection of Portuguese tiles (azulejos) from the 15th to the 20th century, set into the walls of a 16th century monastery. Among the most important exhibits is a 36-metre depiction of Lisbon just before the great earthquake of 1755.
Rua de Madre de Deus 4, 1900-312 Lisbon, www.museudoazulejo.pt

Calouste Gulbenkian Museum: This is the largest and most important museum in Portugal, founded in 1955 when the Armenian oil magnate and patron of the arts Calouste Sarkis Gulbenkian bequeathed his remarkable collection to the Portuguese state. The collection consists of more than 6,000 works of eastern and western art, from Egyptian antiquities to works by Rembrandt, Renoir, Van Dyke and Rubens.
Address: Avenida Berna 45A, 1067-001 Lisbon, www.museu.gulbenkian.pt

Oceanario de Lisboa: The largest aquarium in Europe, home to more than 25,000 fish, aquatic birds and mammals, all housed in an impressively designed venue. Visitors can marvel at the themed tanks with their sharks, turtles, rays, barracudas, penguin colonies from Antarctica and other amazing underwater creatures.
Address: Esplanada Dom Carlos I, 1990-005 Lisbon, www.oceanario.pt

Design & Fashion Museum (MuDe): The MuDe offers an amazing overview of the fashion and design of the 20th century. The impressive collection features more than 1,200 famous examples of haute couture, and more than 1,000 iconic design items, representing the work of some 230 legendary designers of the 20th century, such as Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Vivienne Westwood, Charles Eames, Verner Panton, Arne Jacobsen and Philippe Starck.
Address: Rua Augusta 24, Lisbon 1100-053, www.mude.pt

Mosteiro dos Jeronimos: Built in the 16th century on the orders of King Manuel I, to mark the discovery of the sea route to India by Vasco da Gama, the monumental Jeronimos Monastery is a superb example of the Manueline architectural style, now enjoying UNESCO protection. The monastery chapel contains the tombs of Vasco da Gama and the poet Luis de Camoes, known as the Homer of Portugal.
Address: Praca do Imperio, 1400-206 Lisbon, www.mosteirojeronimos.pt

Torre de Belem: The Torre de Belem is a national emblem, a symbol of the Golden Age of Discovery, and the most photographed building in the country. The limestone tower stands 35m tall on the banks of the River Tagus, and was built in 1515 to protect the port of Lisbon and welcome the many vessels which approached the coast of the country. It was declared a national monument in 1910 and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Address: Avenida Brasilia, 1400-038 Lisbon, www.torrebelem.pt

Elevador de Santa Justo: This must rank as one of the most bizarre sights in Lisbon: an impressive iron elevator, built in 1902 in the neo-Gothic style to link two of the city’s districts – the historic centre (Baixa) and the fashionable Chiado quarter and Upper Town (Bairro Alto). The elevator rises to a height of 45 metres.
Address: Rua do Ouro

Museu Nacional de Arte Antiga (MNAA): Portugal’s most important state-owned collection of ‘national treasures’ has been housed since 1884 in an impressive 17th century palace. It features more than 40,000 works of art, including paintings, sculptures and decorative objects from Europe, Africa and the Far East.
Address: Rua Janelas Verdes, 1249-017 Lisbon, www.museudearteantiga.pt

Igreja de São Roque: Behind its austere façade this Jesuit church of the 16th century conceals one of the most opulent chapels in the world. The Chapel of Saint John the Baptist was built in Rome in the 18th century using the most expensive materials (amethyst, alabaster, agate, lapis lazuli and white Carrera marble), and then transported to Lisbon by sea, having first been blessed by the Pope.
Address: Largo Trindade Coelho, Bairro Alto, www.museu-saoroque.com

Lisbon is a very appealing place to shop, with a huge range of options from the latest fashions to shops selling period items and Art Deco antiques.

The main shopping area is the historic centre (Baixa), particularly around the pedestrianized Rue Augusta. Here you will find the big European chain stores selling clothes, as well as small family businesses with everything from thread, hats and gloves to souvenirs. The more sophisticated Chiado district combines independent stores, boutiques stocking well-known international labels and atmospheric shopping arcades. You will find the most expensive brands on the elegant Avenida da Liberdade, with its expensive restaurants and hotels.

The latest trend in Lisbon is for huge shopping malls, of which the most notable are the Centro Comercial Colombo (one of the largest in Europe), which has amazing leisure options, the iconic Centro Comercial Amoreiras (the city’s oldest), with big international clothes chains and all the latest trends in fashion, and the Centro Comercial Vasco da Gama (at the Parque Expo), which is home to more than 170 stores.

The city’s biggest flea market is held every Tuesday and Saturday in the Old Town (Alfama). Its stalls offer a wealth of items both new and old, from traditional ceramic ware to vinyl records. Foodies will find their own paradise in the Mercado da Ribeira, the food market which is open every day.

Lisbon’s dining scene is a mix of modern restaurants, tapas bars and simple traditional eating houses. If you want to sample the authentic Portuguese atmosphere, head for one of the small, unpretentious restaurants in Barrio Alto or Chiado. Although a little overpriced, those that offer food with live fados will guarantee you an unforgettable experience. For lunch you can choose one of the many cafes or patisseries (pastelarias) of the city. Lisbon is famed for its fish and seafood, with the best restaurants on Rua das Portas de Santo Antão, known as ‘seafood strip’. Of course, you shouldn’t leave Portugal without sampling the famous national dessert, the highly addictive pastéis de nata (puff pastry tart with custard filling, with icing sugar and cinnamon). The most famous are to be found at the Antiga Confeitaria de Belém. 

Lisbon has a legendary nightlife, which kicks off late in the evening and carries on until early morning – as is the custom in most Mediterranean countries. The traditional centre of the city’s nightlife is the bohemian Bairro Alto district, whose labyrinthine streets are home to a thrilling mix of atmospheric funky jazz bars, designer clubs, fado houses and student bars. From here you can make your way to the slightly run-down but increasingly popular Cais do Sodré district, and the ever more fashionable Santos. After midnight the party moves closer to the river and the larger clubs along Avenida 24 de Julho, in the Docas district (the renovated warehouses along the Tagus riverfront) and the Alcântara, where you will find the city’s coolest dance floors.

• Lisbon Carnival: An excellent reason to come to Lisbon in February is the famous two-day carnival, centred on the Parque das Nações. The colourful fiesta features Brazilian-style parades and costumes, the finest Portuguese music, artistic events, dancing and an abundance of confetti.
• Festas dos Santos Populares (Festival of the Saints): All through June the city celebrates its most popular saints in a series of street parties. The festival commences with the Feast of Saint Anthony (12-13 June) and a big parade of various communities along the Avenida da Liberdade. This is followed by the Feast of Saint John (23-24 June), and the curtain falls with the Feast of Saint Peter (28-29 June), which is accompanied by a an impressive procession of boats along the Tagus. For three weeks the city revels in a Dionysian atmosphere, and the Alfama and Madragoa quarters are full of dancing, flowers, fados, streamers, drink and huge quantities of grilled sardines.
• Jazz em Agosto: A superb international jazz festival, organized every August (31 July – 9 August 2015) by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. The programme includes performances by full orchestras, jazz soloists and unique jam sessions. Evenings with a great atmosphere on the stage of the open-air amphitheatre of the Foundation, offering a musical voyage from Sweden and Germany to America and Japan.

Transport from the airport

Aegean flights land at Portela Airport, 7km from Lisbon city centre. This is the country’s largest airport, with 2 terminals. You will find duty free shops, restaurants, cafes, bars, banks, ATMs, bureaus de change, a post office, showers, massage and spa facilities and a hotel. WiFi is available free for the first thirty minutes.

The quickest way into the city centre is to take the red line (Aeroporto- São Sebastião) on the underground and get off at Baixa-Chiado station. The journey lasts about 21 minutes, and the trains run from 06.30 to 01.00. Alternatively you can get bus no. 91 or lines 1 and 3 of the Aerobus, which goes from the airport to the city centre every 20 to 30 minutes.