Belém

The historic neighbourhood of Belém is located along the Tagus River and has many wonderful attractions revealing the fascinating gems of Lisbon’s interesting past. One of the highlights is the stunning Mosteiro dos Jeronimos, which was constructed between 1501 and 1571. The immense costs of the building were financed through the spice trade and the building is prime example of Manueline architecture, as it drew inspirations from what explorers to far away lands had witnessed. Belém tower is close by and is more than worth a look as well.

Bairro Alto

Barrio Alto is probably the coolest place in the entirety of Portugal. It serves the people of Lisbon as a residential, shopping and entertainment district, and is where most of the best clubs are locating and subcultures have their heart. It is the centre of the gay scene, which freely mixes with the Goths, Punks and Rastas. It is a great place to experience the modern Portugal, with its thriving cultural scene.

Gare do Oriente and Transport Highlights

It might be strange to describe a transport centre as a sight in a city with so many historical places to see, but the Gare do Oriente is truly a strange building. It is constructed with glass and steel columns which look like palms, and was designed by Santiago Calatrava. So, even if you are not planning on using it to change bus, train or metro it’s still a great place to stop by. From here though, you would be well advised to take one of the beautiful and still functioning 1930s trams out towards one of seven hills on which the city was built. Then you can take one of the funicular railways (Elevador da Glória, Elevador da Bica, and Elevador da Lavra) up through some quiet residential areas and look down upon the bustling city below.

Baixa

The downtown area of the city centre (the Baxia) was the area built after the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, which destroyed over eighty five percent of the city. It was designed by Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, the Marquess of Pomba and though its network of grids might not seem much to marvel at now, it is widely considered as one of the fist modern city designs.

Architectural Sights

Lisbon is awash with architectural delights that will leave a fan of beautiful and interesting buildings with a jaw dragging along the floor. The Castle of São Jorge and the Lisbon Cathedral sit close together atop one of the seven hills. It is also worth taking a wander down to Praça do Comércio (Commerce Square) which among other things boasts the beautiful façade of the Church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição Velha. Other important and interesting squares include the Rossio Square and the Restauradores Square. A short walk from there and you can find the Neoclassical and Baroque Estrela Basilica and the beautiful Church of São Roque.