In the past decade, the hilly, cobbled streets of Lisbon have undergone a head-turning transformation. All over the Portuguese capital, centuries-old castles and Old World–feeling tabernas have welcomed more modern neighbors, such as contemporary museums, colorful design shops, and bustling food halls.
Together, they create a dazzling mosaic of experiences that has made this riverside city one of today’s most-visited travel destinations. Here are the 12 best things to do in Lisbon.
Sample dishes by top Portuguese chefs at Time Out Market Lisboa
Time Out Market Lisboa in Cais do Sodre answers the age-old question: Where should we eat? The 4,300-square-foot food hall within the Mercado da Ribeira features a wide variety of options, ranging from traditional snacks (the pastel de bacalhau, or cod cake) to classic desserts (the pastéis de nata at Manteigaria), with an additional area dedicated to food stalls serving menus by some of Lisbon’s hottest chefs. Tuck into chef Marlene Vieira’s oven-roasted octopus and potatoes drizzled with olive oil. (A similar iteration of this classic Portuguese dish is on the tasting menu at her one-Michelin-star Marlene restaurant, near the Lisbon Cruise Terminal.) Or try a bifana pork sandwich from chef Henrique Sá Pessoa, whose Alma restaurant in the Chiado neighborhood has two Michelin stars.
The market also hosts a calendar of cooking workshops (from Peruvian food to traditional pastéis de nata) that are well worth booking.
Get a bird’s-eye view of Lisbon at Castelo de São Jorge
The hilltop Castelo de São Jorge is visible from nearly ever corner of the city’s historic center. Historically, it’s been part of numerous civilizations, from the Romans to the Moors. Dom Afonso Henriques, Portugal’s first king in 1147, made the 64,583-square-foot castle his royal residence, and ruins from these various epochs remain. Now one of Lisbon’s most important monuments, the castle draws visitors not just for its history but also for the sweeping views you’ll get when you climb up. Admission is $20, with discounted tickets available for seniors and visitors age 13 to 25. Children under 12 enter free.
Eat a pastel de nata
Pastéis de Belém bakery has been baking Portugal’s iconic custard tarts from a secret recipe since the 1800s.
Photo by João Canziani
Portugal’s most famous dessert is a palm-sized tart called the pastel de nata. Its origins are disputed, but most Lisboetas agree that the sweet, egg custard treat was invented at the Jerónimos Monastery in Lisbon’s Belém district, where, centuries ago, monks and nuns used egg whites to starch fabric and put the leftover yolks to use making pastries. The beloved Pastéis de Belém bakery opened near the monastery in 1837 and is still going strong today. Queue beneath its blue-and-white awnings for a taste of the creamy egg custard in a flaky pastry shell.
For an alternative bake, seek out one of Manteigaria’s eight Lisbon locations (including the Time Out Market, listed above). The bakery’s well-caramelized tarts are smooth, creamy, and not too sweet.
Explore Belém’s historic structures
The concentration of must-see attractions in Belém, a neighborhood on the western edge of town, makes it an appealing area to spend half the day. Start at Padrão dos Descobrimentos, a stone monument on the banks of the Tagus River that commemorates Portugal’s achievements. It features ship sails as well as a group of men who were critical to Portugal’s colonial expansion, including King Afonso V of Portugal and explorer Ferdinand Magellan. Nearby is Jerónimos Monastery, a 16th-century relic that exemplifies the Portuguese Gothic architectural movement, with maritime design details such as columns covered in chunky rope relief. Check out the elaborate mosaic pavement that surrounds it (you may spot fish motifs). The Pastéis de Belém bakery, mentioned above, is right around here too.
A 20-minute walk from the monastery takes you to the ornate, 16th-century Belém Tower that resembles a rook chess piece. From this former fortress, explorers like Vasco da Gama set off for their far-flung adventures.
Spend a few hours at LX Factory
From Belém, head west to the district of Alcântara to find LX Factory. This industrial complex of 19th-century factories was repurposed in 2008 into a collection of cool boutiques, restaurants, bars, and office spaces. Hunt for fair-trade fashion at Etnik Spring, marvel at art—including large-scale watercolors and quirky drawings—at O Gabinete Da Madame Thao, or shop for upcycled home decor at Saudade Design.
Shop for made-in-Portugal souvenirs at A Vida Portuguesa
Journalist Catarina Portas transformed Lisbon’s retail game when she opened A Vida Portuguesa in 2007, selecting Portuguese crafts and design products that draw in locals and visitors. Set in a historic bookshop in the Chiado neighborhood, the store flies the flag for national makers with an inventory of tinned fish, accessories made from burel (a wool textile from Serra da Estrela), ceramics in the shape of roosters and cabbages, and cork kitchenware. Consider taking home one of the ceramic swallow sculptures—the migratory bird is a common sight in Lisbon, associated with love and loyalty, and appears throughout the city in artworks on building facades.
Stroll through Alfama
Alfama escaped destruction during the 1755 Lisbon earthquake and is now one of Lisbon’s oldest surviving neighborhoods.
Photo by Pelayo Arbués/Unsplash (L); photo by João Canziani (R)
Narrow, meandering alleys and centuries-old buildings (some with walls festooned with painted azulejo tiles) characterize this historic, hilly Portuguese neighborhood. Walk along steep, winding streets as you explore the 12th-century Sé cathedral, Fado Museum, and mom-and-pop eateries. Alfama is also home to a popular flea market, Feira da Ladra. It is held on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and you can pick up antique ceramics and handmade goods
For some of the best views of the city, make tracks to the Miradouro das Portas do Sol viewpoint, a lovely place to watch the sunset.
Visit Ajuda National Palace
If you’re eager to see what royal opulence looked like in Portugal, book a ticket for entry into the Ajuda National Palace, located a 15-minute taxi ride west of the city center. This 19th-century palace is the former home of King Dom Luís I. Now a museum, it houses marble statues, massive crystal chandeliers, wall-to-wall tapestries, and stucco ceilings in gold leaf. Some rooms are also used as galleries for contemporary art exhibitions.
Listen to fado
Fado is Portugal’s most enduring musical style, dating back to the 19th century. The singing style—characterized with mournful, melancholic melodies and lyrics—is so rich with storytelling and history that UNESCO has included it as part of its Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. You can listen to fado all over Lisbon, in dedicated music venues, bars, or restaurants that include a performance as part of the dining experience. Tasca do Chico, an intimate bar in Bairro Alto, hosts fado nights a few times a week. Clube de Fado in Alfama, however, regularly attracts big-name fado singers to enchant guests for a dinner-and-a-show experience (past performers have included Maria Armanda and Rodrigo Costa Félix).
See contemporary art and people-watch at MATT
The hour-long walk from central Lisbon to MAAT follows a pedestrian path along the banks of the Tagus River.
Photo by Michiel Annaert/Unsplash
You’ll find art exhibitions celebrating all forms of media at the Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology (MAAT): Look for enormous textile sculptures by Joana Vasconcelos and audio-visual installations by Maria Loura Estevão. But perhaps what makes the renovated central power station so fun to visit is its location and architecture. The multi-disciplinary museum is stuffed inside British architect Amanda Levete’s tile-covered, curvy building. The sloping riverside terrace around the museum has become a people-watching perch, and visitors can also venture onto the roof, where artworks are sometimes installed. If more art is on your list of must-sees in Lisbon, drive 15 minutes north from MAAT to the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, too. The art collection here includes Egyptian sculptures, paintings by Rembrandt, and decorative items by René Lalique. Plus, if you go after 2 p.m. on Sundays, entry is free. (Note that the museum is closed through July 2026 for renovation.)
Enjoy a seafood feast at Ramiro (or other first-rate restaurants)
One of the most popular reservations in Lisbon is at the 68-year-old restaurant Ramiro for a fortifying seafood spread. You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu—which includes tiger prawns in a butter sauce and sapateira, a crab dish where some of the meat is mixed with spices and herbs and then served within its shell. But make sure you finish with a prego, a beef sandwich that marks the customary dessert after a seafood meal in Portugal.
Can’t snag a reservation? No problem. Lisbon’s restaurant scene is one of Europe’s most exciting, and fresh seafood anchors menus across the city. Cash-only Taberna da Rua das Flores operates on a no-reservations basis, so plan to queue in the evening, add your name to the list, and return when a table opens. Once seated, a waiter will talk you through the menu, which shifts daily and might include sardines on toast, bream crudo, or buttery clams.
For something more structured, chef António Galapito’s Prado is easy to book. Set inside a former fish factory in the historic Baixa neighborhood, the airy space serves a vegetable-forward menu paired with an all-organic wine list. If the mushroom ice cream is on offer, order it—the earthy, icy dessert is a little strange, but will be one of those dishes you’ll be talking about long after you’ve left.
Stay in a Portuguese palácio
One Palácio da Anunciada was formerly home to illustrious figures in Portuguese politics and society, including a 19th-century prime minister.
Courtesy of One Palácio da Anunciada
A short stroll from the bustle of Avenida da Liberdade, Lisbon’s central boulevard, One Palácio da Anunciada occupies a 16th-century palace that once belonged to a wealthy noble family. The building’s original marble floors, pastel stucco ceiling reliefs, grand staircases, and hand-painted azulejo tiles have been meticulously restored, lending the hotel a sense of history that’s rare even by Lisbon’s standards.
Contemporary suites with white walls and bleached wood furnishings offer a calm counterpoint to all that grandeur, while a striking modern subterranean spa sits beneath it all. Up on the roof, a 59-foot rooftop pool is ringed by cabanas. But the most memorable space is the first-floor terrace, where guests take breakfast beneath a centuries-old dragon tree that was hoisted into place during the hotel’s restoration.
This article was originally published in 2024 and most recently updated on February 19, 2026, with current information. Lucy Kehoe contributed to the reporting of this story.
