Top 10 Things to Do in Lisbon

The Torre de Belém is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Portugal's most iconic landmarks — a Late Manueline tower built in 1516 standing on the banks of the Tagus at the spot where ships departed for the Age of Discovery voyages. The interior is compact but the exterior's intricate stonework with its carved rhinoceros, armillary spheres, and Venetian loggias is extraordinarily detailed. Combine with a visit to the Jerónimos Monastery 600 metres away — the masterpiece of Manueline architecture.

The Time Out Market Lisboa in Cais do Sodré is Lisbon's premier food hall, bringing together over 40 of the city's best restaurants and chefs under one magnificent 1892 market roof. From Henrique Sá Pessoa's Michelin-starred mini-restaurant to classic bifanas and ginjinha stalls, the variety and quality are extraordinary. It's open until 2am most nights, making it ideal as both a dinner destination and a late-night food stop.

The iconic yellow Tram 28 rattles through six of Lisbon's oldest and hilliest neighbourhoods — from Martim Moniz through Alfama, Graça, and down to Prazeres — squeezing through lanes so narrow its trams brush the walls of buildings on both sides. The tram itself is a heritage attraction, operating 1930s-era rolling stock on original lines. Pickpockets are active on this popular route — keep bags in front and wallets in front pockets throughout the journey.

A cluster of 19th-century industrial buildings in Alcântara repurposed into a creative hub of independent shops, restaurants, art studios, and event spaces, LX Factory is Lisbon's coolest neighbourhood destination. The Sunday market is the best in Lisbon — a curated mix of vintage clothing, handmade jewellery, artisan food, and live music in the cobblestone courtyard. The Ler Devagar bookshop with its enormous shelves and resident flying bicycle installation is one of Europe's most beautiful independent bookshops.

The UNESCO World Heritage town of Sintra, 40 minutes by train from Lisbon's Rossio station, is one of Europe's most fantastical destinations — a forested hillside dotted with extravagant 19th-century royal palaces including the candy-coloured Pena Palace and the medieval Moorish Castle. A full day is needed to visit even two palaces comfortably, given the steep walking distances between sites. Book Pena Palace tickets online weeks in advance as it is Portugal's most visited paid attraction.

The original Pastéis de Belém bakery has been producing Portugal's iconic pastéis de nata (custard tarts) to a secret recipe unchanged since 1837, and daily production exceeds 20,000 tarts. The experience of eating a warm, cinnamon-dusted custard tart straight from the oven at a marble-topped table in the ornate azulejo-tiled interior is one of Lisbon's great culinary pleasures. The queue outside the bakery looks daunting but moves quickly and is entirely worth the brief wait.

While Lisbon has many miradouros, the Graça viewpoint is considered by many locals to be the finest — a broad terrace with unobstructed views over the castle, Alfama, and the Tagus estuary, with a traditional kiosque serving beer and bifanas. The surrounding Graça neighbourhood is increasingly popular with locals and expats for its authentic residential feel, independent cafes, and absence of mass tourism. Sunday morning here, with the Feira da Graça market and church bells, is a perfect Lisbon moment.

Housed in a 16th-century convent, the National Tile Museum is one of Lisbon's most rewarding and overlooked museums, tracing the 500-year history of the azulejo painted tile — Portugal's most distinctive art form — from its Moorish origins to contemporary applications. The museum's own Manueline cloister and Baroque chapel are masterpieces of the azulejo form themselves. The panoramic 23-metre tile panel depicting pre-earthquake Lisbon circa 1738 is the museum's most extraordinary exhibit.

The Mosteiro dos Jerónimos in Belém is the supreme masterpiece of Manueline architecture — Portugal's uniquely ornate late Gothic style — and a UNESCO World Heritage Site built to commemorate Vasco da Gama's discovery of the sea route to India. The double-storey cloister is considered one of the most beautiful in the world, with intricate maritime stonework covering every surface. The tombs of Vasco da Gama and Luís de Camões lie in the church, free to enter without admission charge.

The Torre de Belém is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Portugal's most iconic landmarks — a Late Manueline tower built in 1516 standing on the banks of the Tagus at the spot where ships departed for the Age of Discovery voyages. The interior is compact but the exterior's intricate stonework with its carved rhinoceros, armillary spheres, and Venetian loggias is extraordinarily detailed. Combine with a visit to the Jerónimos Monastery 600 metres away — the masterpiece of Manueline architecture.

The Time Out Market Lisboa in Cais do Sodré is Lisbon's premier food hall, bringing together over 40 of the city's best restaurants and chefs under one magnificent 1892 market roof. From Henrique Sá Pessoa's Michelin-starred mini-restaurant to classic bifanas and ginjinha stalls, the variety and quality are extraordinary. It's open until 2am most nights, making it ideal as both a dinner destination and a late-night food stop.

The iconic yellow Tram 28 rattles through six of Lisbon's oldest and hilliest neighbourhoods — from Martim Moniz through Alfama, Graça, and down to Prazeres — squeezing through lanes so narrow its trams brush the walls of buildings on both sides. The tram itself is a heritage attraction, operating 1930s-era rolling stock on original lines. Pickpockets are active on this popular route — keep bags in front and wallets in front pockets throughout the journey.

A cluster of 19th-century industrial buildings in Alcântara repurposed into a creative hub of independent shops, restaurants, art studios, and event spaces, LX Factory is Lisbon's coolest neighbourhood destination. The Sunday market is the best in Lisbon — a curated mix of vintage clothing, handmade jewellery, artisan food, and live music in the cobblestone courtyard. The Ler Devagar bookshop with its enormous shelves and resident flying bicycle installation is one of Europe's most beautiful independent bookshops.

The UNESCO World Heritage town of Sintra, 40 minutes by train from Lisbon's Rossio station, is one of Europe's most fantastical destinations — a forested hillside dotted with extravagant 19th-century royal palaces including the candy-coloured Pena Palace and the medieval Moorish Castle. A full day is needed to visit even two palaces comfortably, given the steep walking distances between sites. Book Pena Palace tickets online weeks in advance as it is Portugal's most visited paid attraction.

The original Pastéis de Belém bakery has been producing Portugal's iconic pastéis de nata (custard tarts) to a secret recipe unchanged since 1837, and daily production exceeds 20,000 tarts. The experience of eating a warm, cinnamon-dusted custard tart straight from the oven at a marble-topped table in the ornate azulejo-tiled interior is one of Lisbon's great culinary pleasures. The queue outside the bakery looks daunting but moves quickly and is entirely worth the brief wait.

While Lisbon has many miradouros, the Graça viewpoint is considered by many locals to be the finest — a broad terrace with unobstructed views over the castle, Alfama, and the Tagus estuary, with a traditional kiosque serving beer and bifanas. The surrounding Graça neighbourhood is increasingly popular with locals and expats for its authentic residential feel, independent cafes, and absence of mass tourism. Sunday morning here, with the Feira da Graça market and church bells, is a perfect Lisbon moment.

Housed in a 16th-century convent, the National Tile Museum is one of Lisbon's most rewarding and overlooked museums, tracing the 500-year history of the azulejo painted tile — Portugal's most distinctive art form — from its Moorish origins to contemporary applications. The museum's own Manueline cloister and Baroque chapel are masterpieces of the azulejo form themselves. The panoramic 23-metre tile panel depicting pre-earthquake Lisbon circa 1738 is the museum's most extraordinary exhibit.

The Mosteiro dos Jerónimos in Belém is the supreme masterpiece of Manueline architecture — Portugal's uniquely ornate late Gothic style — and a UNESCO World Heritage Site built to commemorate Vasco da Gama's discovery of the sea route to India. The double-storey cloister is considered one of the most beautiful in the world, with intricate maritime stonework covering every surface. The tombs of Vasco da Gama and Luís de Camões lie in the church, free to enter without admission charge.