Destination

Things to do in Lisbon

Architectural, literary, gastronomic, and wine experiences flood the city, and the senses. The most difficult part is choosing the ones you really don’t want to miss. As Lisbon experts, we have some advice.

Books

Palavra de Viajante

Livraria do Simão

Ler Devagar by LX Factory

Ferin

Bertrand

Ajuda Library

Museum

Orient Museum

Navy Museum

National Rope-Making Factory

National Museum of Ethnology/ Museum of Popular Art

National Coach Museum

MAAT (Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology)

Electricity Museum

Champalimaud Foundation

Calouste Gulbenkian Planetarium

Berardo Collection Museum

Belém Cultural Center

B-MAD Berardo Museum of Art Deco

Archeology Museum

Shop

Príncipe Real

Pombaline Downtown

Chiado

Avenida da Liberdade

Sightseeing

Tropical Botanical Garden

Monument to the Discoveries

Memória Church

Jerónimos Monastery

Belém Tower

Belém Palace & Presidency Museum

Ajuda National Palace

Ajuda Botanical Garden

25th of April Bridge

Avenida da Liberdade

6.4 km away
1 h 22 min
10 min
37 min

If you want a more conventional shopping experience at the best international brand stores, head to Avenida da Liberdade and walk over 2.5 km of luxurious, sophisticated, and elegant shops.

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Príncipe Real

5.6 km away
1 h 14 min
10 min
32 min

One of the newest commercial areas is in Príncipe Real. It’s the right place to discover the most interesting handcraft projects of the new wave of national creators and find innovative Portuguese brands with bold design and minimalist lines.

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Chiado

5.9 km away
1 h 15 min
12 min
27 min

In Chiado, you can visit original art galleries, bookshops, avant-garde stores, and the ateliers of the some of the best Portuguese designers. You can also discover the traditional gloveries and haberdasheries (remember those?), as they abound in the area.

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Pombaline Downtown

7 km away
1 h 25 min
12 min
37 min

Pombaline Downtown is one of the city's most traditional shopping areas, where you can find unique shops, products, and craftsmanship, usually passed down from father to son over countless generations. This is the case, for example, of the historical headwear and shoe Stores. If you are looking for authentic products with unique production quality, be sure to also visit the A Vida Portuguesa store (The Portuguese Life).

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B-MAD Berardo Museum of Art Deco

2.7 km away
32 min

One of the most recent fads in the city goes by the name of B-MAD and brings together a spectacular collection of Art Nouveau and Art Deco objects by art collector, Joe Berardo. A decade after opening the Berardo Collection Museum, 2021 marks the inauguration of this new museum, in a beautiful and carefully renovated 18th-century building, all covered in blue Portuguese tile. With more than 300 pieces of furniture, paintings, sculptures, ceramics, and crystals dating from the last decade of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century, there are decorative pieces by the most important artists of the period: Lalique, Leleu, Perzel, Brandt, Porteneuve, Ruhlmann, and even Picasso.

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Orient Museum

3.6 km away
44 min
11 min
21 min

Orient Museum is located at the Doca de Alcântara, in a building from the 1940s, next to the Tagus River. Proof of the historical relationship between Asia and Portugal, this museum houses two large exhibitions: the first, dedicated to the Portuguese presence in Asia, and the second to the Asian Gods, created from the Kwok On Collection, in which you can find testimonies of Asian performing arts, mythologies and folk religions in objects such as puppets, masks, paintings, ritual objects, lanterns, dragons, games and statues. If Chinese and Japanese cultures fascinate you, you absolutely cannot miss this museum.

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Champalimaud Foundation

2.4 km away
30 min
10 min

Created by architect Charles Correa with the aim of “elevating architecture to sculpture, sculpture to beauty and beauty to therapy”, this is one of the most impressive futuristic buildings of the capital, right in front of the Tagus River. Also known as the Research Center for the Unknown, this building is as fascinating and innovative as the biomedical research that takes place inside. Visit the gardens and open-air amphitheater, sit on Darwin’s magnificent terrace, and enjoy the view.

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Calouste Gulbenkian Planetarium

1.2 km away
14 min

The Calouste Gulbenkian Planetarium was designed by architect Frederico George and opened in 1965, as an integral part of the Museu de Marinha. In a semi-spherical domed room, like so many others that began to be built in the main European capitals, a modern astronomical projection device was installed. The current projector can display more than 9000 stars, as well as the Milky Way, star clusters and nebulae, as wells as constellation figures. In addition to the Planetarium Auditorium, you can visit the gallery, the observatory, and the astronomy library.

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National Rope-Making Factory

1.5 km away
17 min

The Royal Rope-Making Factory of Junqueira (Cordoaria Nacional) was created by the Marquis of Pombal in 1771. The project is one of the most remarkable monuments of Portuguese industrial architecture of the 18th century. As the name suggests, cables, sisal ropes and sails were all manufactured here, along other equipment for Portuguese ships. This demanded a very long building, making it one of the most extensive facades in Lisbon. If you’re feeling adventurous, the Rope-Making Factory houses the records of the last 277 years of maritime exploration!

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National Museum of Ethnology/ Museum of Popular Art

700m away
10 min

The National Museum of Ethnology/ Museum of Popular Art holds the main national ethnographic heritage, in addition to preserving and managing around half a million specimens, representing 80 countries on 5 continents, with greater expression of African, Asian, and Amerindian cultures, as well as of the Portuguese traditional culture itself. The collection includes, for example, a shadow theater from Bali, dolls from southwestern Angola, the lids of pots with proverbs from Cabinda, masks and puppets from Mali or even popular Portuguese musical instruments.

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Electricity Museum

1.2 km away
16 mins

Built in 1908, the Lisbon Electric Power Station, currently the Electricity Museum, is a reference in early 20th century industrial architecture in the riverside area of Belém, standing out for its traditional red brick facade and high chimneys. Although today we might focus on the impressiveness of its neighboring building, it will always have a prominent place in the city, as it was the plant that supplied Lisbon with electricity, for more than six centuries…and ended up as one of the most visited museums in the country!

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MAAT (Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology)

1.3 km away
15 min

Opened in 2016, Lisbon's most modern museum is an iconic piece of riverside architecture by London architecture studio Amanda Levete Architects. Next to the old Lisbon Electricity Power Station, current Electricity Museum, the Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology presents temporary exhibitions of great local and international artists. You can also walk on top of the building, which doubles as a viewpoint, its modern lines extending from the top of the building towards the river.

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Belém Cultural Center

1 km away
12 min

Built in 1992 to be the headquarters of the Portuguese Presidency of the European Union, this impressive modern structure generated a huge controversy due its proximity to one of the most beloved Portuguese historical sites, the Jerónimos Monastery. Belém Cultural Center (in Portuguese, CCB) has since become the natural host of hundreds of international exhibitions, cultural and musical events, and congresses. For years, it was the headquarters of the Design Museum, however, this space was later occupied by the Berardo Collection Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art.

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Archeology Museum

850m away
10 min

The west wing of the Jerónimos Monastery houses the Archeology Museum, with finds of high historical relevance that represent the history of the city, and its occupants, over millennia. Among the visitable collection, Visigoth and Iron Age jewels, Roman ornaments and mosaics, Moorish artefacts from the beginning of the 8th century or the Greco-Roman and Egyptian sections stand out. If you want to better understand the history of Lisbon, and all the cultural influences that gave rise to its diversity, don't skip this museum.

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Navy Museum

1 km away
11 min

Installed in the west wing of the Jerónimos Monastery, the Museum evokes and traces the history of the maritime discoveries and Portugal's domination of the seas. With a collection of more than 17,000 articles, the museum includes models of ships from the Discoveries. You can also see a royal cabin on Queen Amelia's 19th century yacht, the Santa Cruz seaplane, which made the first crossing of the South Atlantic in 1922, as well as the largest collection of astrolabes in the world. It also features replica maps from the 16th century, showing the world as it was known then. Final note for the Far East Room, with its fascinating collection of porcelain, Asian ships and Japanese armor from the 15th century.

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National Coach Museum

900m away
10 min

The world's largest collection of royal coaches is in Lisbon and is, unsurprisingly, one of the city's most visited attractions. Inaugurated in 1905, it moved in 2015 to a modern building, designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect, Paulo Mendes da Rocha. Among the magnificent gala and tour vehicles from the 16th to 19th centuries, mostly from the Portuguese Royal House, but also from the Church or private collections, there are opulent examples decorated with golden figures, cherubs with bat wings or even decorations alluding to Portuguese military and maritime triumphs. In the collection you can also see coaches from the various European royal families. A trip back in time, not to be missed.

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Berardo Collection Museum

1 km away
11 min

The Berardo Collection Museum houses one of the most acclaimed private collections of modern art in the world. Owned by Portuguese magnate Joe Berardo, the museum displays 250 works (out of a total of 4,000) in its permanent exhibition. With art by Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, Marcel Duchamp, René Magritte, Joan Miró, Francis Bacon, Jackson Pollock, or Jeff Koons, among many other representatives of dozens of modern artistic movements, the collection comprises paintings, sculptures, photographs and art installations.

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25th of April Bridge

2.6 km away
31 min
5 min

Golden Gate’s twin sister, the iconic 25th of April Bridge was completed in 1966. Originally named Salazar Bridge, it was renamed after the Carnation Revolution, which took place on that date. In 2017, a museum and a viewpoint were added: there you can discover the most spectacular panoramic views of the city. Immediately below, you can find the Lisbon Docks and Marina, where there is a wide range of restaurants and bars.

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Belém Palace & Presidency Museum

800m away
9 min

Built in 1559 and altered in the 17th century by King João V, the Belém Palace has been, since 1910, the official residence of the President of the Portuguese Republic. In 1755, on the day of the great earthquake, King José I was inside the palace, but no buildings in the area were severely damaged. In the palace, the ostentatiously decorated corridors, sculptures, tiles, and countless works of art stand out. The Presidency Museum, which tells the story of the Portuguese Republic and its Presidents, in addition to explaining the national symbols, is part of the palace and can also be visited. In front of the palace, find well-kept gardens and a statue of Afonso de Albuquerque, the Viceroy of India, erected in a Neo-Manueline style pedestal.

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Monument to the Discoveries

1.2 km away
15 min

Opposite the Jerónimos Monsatery, on the bank of the Tagus River, is the Monument to the Discoveries, which evokes the Portuguese overseas expansion and symbolizes the greatness of the work of Prince Henry, the Navigator, promoter of the discoveries. Inaugurated in 1960, it was designed by architect Cottinelli Telmo, with sculptures by Leopoldo de Almeida. Built in the shape of a bow of a ship, it represents the most important Portuguese navigators, as well as soldiers, kings, princes, and clergymen from that golden age. Climb to the top and enjoy one of the most incredible views of the entire Belém area and a giant world map inscribed on the square's floor.

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Belém Tower

1.8 km away
23 min

One of Lisbon's icons, an undisputed symbol of the Golden Age of the Discoveries, the Belém Tower is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built in 1515 as a fortress, to guard the entrance to the port of Lisbon, it was the starting point for the journeys of Portuguese navigators. Its Manueline style, with Moorish influences, incorporates various marine motifs, portrays historical figures such as Saint Vincent, and even exotic animals, such as the rhinoceros that inspired Dürer's famous drawing.

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Jerónimos Monastery

650m away
8 min

A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983, the Jerónimos Monastery is one of the greatest Gothic style cathedrals and a symbol of Portuguese power during the Discoveries. King D. Manuel I ordered its construction in 1502 to commemorate the journey of Vasco da Gama, at the place where Prince Henry, the Navigator, built a hermitage and where Vasco da Gama and his crew passed the last night in prayer before leaving for India. Both Vasco da Gama and Luís de Camões, author of the epic The Lusiads, which glorifies their triumphs, are buried here. If you are a fan of Fernando Pessoa, you can also visit his grave here. Its unique architectural style is exclusively Portuguese and became known as Manueline style (after King Manuel I). On the facades and columns there are countless details: coils of rope, monsters, corals, and other marine motifs inspired by the exploration of the sea. Inside, octagonal pillars and vaults decorated with coats of arms lead to the cloisters and outdoor gardens. This is one of the main national monuments, containing many of most the representative elements of Portuguese history and culture.

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Ajuda National Palace

950m away
14 min

Although the construction of the Ajuda Palace was never completed, due to French invasions and the consequent exile of the royal family to Brazil, it is one of the most beautiful buildings from the romantic period in Europe. In the 17th century, its interiors were luxuriously adorned with furniture, tapestries, sculptures, and all manner of eccentric decorative art, funded, in large part, by the discovery of diamonds in the Brazilian colony. The roof of the Winter Garden, the Music Room, the Ballroom, and the Ambassadors Room are good examples of this extravagance. In the second half of the 19th century, it was even the official residence of the royal family, therefore presenting important art collections.

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Tropical Botanical Garden

500m away
5 min

Inaugurated in 1906, and with rare plants from all over the world, this beautiful tropical garden, right next to Wine & Books Lisboa is a charming place that houses lakes, imposing palm trees and more than 4,000 species of rare trees and tropical and subtropical plants from all over the world, many in extinction. Discover exotic trees, such as the dragon tree from the Canary Islands and Madeira and the monkey trees from South America and let yourself be carried away by a true botanical learning experience, which will make you forget where you are and take it you on another trip.

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Ajuda Botanical Garden

500m away
8 min

These beautiful gardens with stunning views over Belém, the Tagus River or the 25th of April Bridge, are the oldest in the country. Planted in 1768, as an integral part of the Ajuda Palace, the original set of plants gathered around 5,000 different species. However, during the Napoleonic invasions of 1808, more than 1,500 species were stolen. Even so, it is possible to see centuries-old trees from several former Portuguese colonies, as well as numerous statues and a beautiful Baroque fountain adorned with seahorses, mythical creatures, fish, and snakes.

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Memória Church

120m away
1 min

Right across the street from Wine & Books Lisboa Hotel, stands this elegant neoclassical church by the Italian architect Giovanni Bibiena. Built by King José I, it marks the place where the monarch escaped an attempt on his life unscathed, in 1758. Reminiscent of the Estrela Basilica, and entirely covered in marble, the church houses the tomb of the Marquis of Pombal, largely responsible for the reconstruction of Lisbon after the terrible earthquake of 1755.

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Palavra de Viajante

5 km away
25 mins

At Palavra de Viajante (“Traveller’s Word”) bookstore, the expression “travelling with books” takes on a new meaning. This space seeks to unite the love of books with the pleasure of travelling, disseminating the experiences of travellers and fostering an awakening to the extraordinary wealth of the world in which we live. The ideal place to find guides, maps, travel reports and narratives, and even fiction inspired by places, cities, countries. Let the journey begin!

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Ajuda Library

1.1 km away
16 mins

The Ajuda Library is one of the oldest in Portugal: it dates back to the 15th century, as the Royal Library, its first name. It is believed to have been installed in the west turret of Paço da Ribeira in the 16th century, where it was expanded by D. João V. After the earthquake of 1755, and significant property losses, the Library was reinstalled in Ajuda, acquiring its own wing in the Ajuda Palace in 1880.

Of the five rooms that make up the oldest part of the Library, three are open to the public. Above all, they are impressive due to the dimensions, the height of the shelves and galleries, and the furniture, in addition to the admirable “trompe-l'oeil” frescoes by José Pereira Júnior that adorn the ceilings. In the different windows you can find valuable handwritten and printed specimens, as well as pieces and artefacts from the 18th century. XVIII / XIX, from the former binding workshop of the Royal Library. In 1811, following the French invasions, the Library was temporarily transferred to Rio de Janeiro, where it formed the initial nucleus of the current National Library.

The Ajuda Library catalog currently includes more than 19,000 bibliographic records (manuscripts and printed), such as photography, iconography, cartography, pamphlets (Portuguese and foreign), genealogies, works of medicine, architecture, among others. If you prefer, you can schedule a guided tour.

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Bertrand

6 km away
30 mins

The Chiado Bertrand Bookstore is the oldest in the world in operation, it has been been selling books in Lisbon since 1732. In that sense it’s not that surprising that touring its seven galleries is, in fact, touring Portuguese history and literature. Entering through the main door on Rua Garrett, the first room we find is Aquilino Ribeiro's.

Next to the bookshelf that highlights his work, we find “Aquilino’s Corner". This is one of the most impressive features of the space, where you can discover the authors who sponsor them. In addition to Aquilino, you will find the rooms of José Saramago, Eça de Queiroz, Almada Negreiros, Alexandre Herculano and Sophia de Mello Breyner, where their story is told and their work highlighted.

Entering through the door of Café Bertrand, on Rua da Anchieta, we find the the last room, the one belonging to Fernando Pessoa. Find, in each room and in the corridors, books and authors, but also pieces of Lisbon and Portugal, illustrious figures from Portuguese history, thought and literature. With nearly three centuries of existence, Bertrand continues to project itself in the community, with Reading Clubs (third Mondays of the month), Literature Courses or Bookseller Courses for Children.

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