Baixa, Chiado and Bairro Alto
Baixa means "the lower city" and is literally wedged between Chiado and Castle Hill. Built on the alluvial deposits of an ancient river that flowed from Martim Moniz, it is one of the few perfectly flat places in Lisbon. It was the Marquis de Pombal who built Baixa's largest standardized real estate development after the 1755 earthquake. Today, Baixa Pombalina is home to a high concentration of hotels, souvenir stores and restaurants. A few historic stores still remain, however. Nearby, the always crowded Rossio (or Praça Dom Pedro IV) is the city's nerve center, as it is the end of one of its main thoroughfares and houses a railway station with a beautiful facade. Chiado is the other major hill in the old town, with the Carmo ruins clinging to its summit. During the day, this is undoubtedly one of Lisbon's most pleasant (but also very busy) districts. From the restaurant floor, you can enjoy one of the finest views of the castle and Mouraria. If you go up from the Chiado via rua da Misericórdia, you'll find Bairro Alto on your left. The name "Baïrou Altou" means, as you may have guessed, "upper quarter". It was built in the 18th century and hasn't changed much. It's a pity that the streets are so tiny, so you can't stand back and admire the facades, but it's precisely this narrowness that makes the district so convivial after dark. Overflowing with bistros, bars, restaurants and boutiques, it's a district that's alive day and night. Príncipe Real is centered around the square and garden of the same name, on the northern edge of Bairro Alto, and is a pleasant, trendy, middle-class district with beautiful buildings and old palaces, home to concept stores. Its squares and gardens are ideal for strolling. To the south of Bairro Alto, Bica and Santa Catarina are another of Lisbon's authentic working-class districts, though fortunately less well known. Older than Bairro Alto, you can feel the atmosphere of the port below. Wonderful, unforgettable strolls, an encounter with the real Lisbon.
Alfama, Castelo and Graça
The Alfama hums in the sun while contemplating the Sea of Straw. The Moors gave it its name, which comes from Al-hamma "thermal springs", hot water fountain. This is where it all began. From the old ports, the houses of fishermen as well as merchants have gradually clung to the hill to take shelter in the shadow of the castle. We recommend you to go down from the castle to the Largo de Santa Luzia and continue towards the Tagus. You will probably walk through the Alfama several times to appreciate the labyrinth of alleys, dead ends, steep staircases, arches, pretty squares, or to find parts of the old Lisbon wall. Higher up, the Castelo São Jorge (Saint George's castle) has known many tenants (Visigoths, Moors, Christians...) before becoming a royal residence from the 14th to the 16th century. Inside the walls, the small district of Santa Cruz lives. From the ramparts, the views of the lower and upper city, the pastel facades and the Sea of Straw are really worth seeing!
Less known than its symmetrical Alfama, Graça is one of the most charming corners of Lisbon. Named after the old church of Our Lady of Grace, Graça flows gently from the castle to the northwest, offering to dreamy eyes and quickly aching feet the two most beautiful miradouros of Lisbon, its nooks and crannies and old streets, its 19th century patios and its lively popular atmosphere.
Avenidas Novas and the North
This district coincides with the city's expansion in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. From the Praça Marquês de Pombal (home to many of the city's grand hotels), the wide, car-laden avenues stretch north-eastwards. The avenida da Liberdade, a central thoroughfare, is a sort of Portuguese version of the Champs-Élysées, and one of the most expensive thoroughfares in Europe.
There are then several distinct zones: Saldanha, with its dynamic business and shopping centers, bordered by elegant residential areas. The Avenue of the Republic leads to Campo Pequeno (and the Praça de Touros), then Entre Campos and, finally, Campo Grande. These wide avenues are not very touristy, but are well worth a visit for the shopping.
A little further east, at the end of avenida Almirante Reis, there are some interesting districts for Art Nouveau and architecture lovers. Along this avenue you'll also find the largo do Intendente, once a no-go area, but now completely rehabilitated and a nightlife hotspot. Since the Covid-19 crisis, however, it has been further transformed into a hub for the Nepalese community. You'll find many Nepalese and Indian restaurants here.
To the west, Docas and Belém
Cais do Sodré is a neighborhood with many faces: in the morning, the large Ribeira Nova market awakens with "que querpatrão?" ("what do you want, chief?") shouted by seasoned fish sellers, then the neighborhood swarms with the incessant traffic of the commuter station. You can then detail at leisure the beautiful facades of the shipowners' and marine insurance offices. After 10 pm, this is also where one of Lisbon's nighttime hearts beats, until the partygoers waiting for the first train or ferry, over a hot chocolate, cross paths with the market gardeners. Developed mainly at the beginning of the 20th century, Campo de Ourique is a little bit different but full of charm. The district is surrounded by the beautiful slopes of the Rato, the Estrela (and its majestic basilica) and the Alcântara valley, not really touristy! It is also one of the most youthful places in the capital..
In the very place where families used to accompany those who left for other continents, the Docas offer a new dream and everything that the Bairro Alto will never have: space, air from the Tagus river, parking lots, easy access by car... As a result, the old warehouses have seen the blossoming of the ravings of architects and decorators, more or less successful. Crowds flock to the large themed restaurants, clubs of all kinds, bars with varied atmospheres... Nice to have a drink in the evening while watching the ships and liners or to have lunch at noon on a marina.
To the east, Belém is one of the most emblematic sites of Lisbon with the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos. You'll visit many monuments (including the famous tower of the same name), museums and gardens, and you'll definitely come back in the evening for the wise programming of the cultural center. On the heights, Ajuda with its national palace is a beautiful neighborhood to walk around.
Beato, Marvila and Oriente
The city is increasingly developing along the banks of the Tagus. Gentrification is sweeping through working-class districts like Beato and Marvila. Art galleries, coworking spaces (such as the giant Start Up Lisboa), trendy cafés and bars can now be found here. Further afield, Oriente and Parque das Nações, this avant-garde urban hub with a coherent, cold, almost German character, has developed to the northeast of the city on the banks of the Rio Tejo. It grew up around the site of the 1998 Universal Exhibition, spurred on by the creation of the Oriente train station and the slender Vasco de Gama bridge. The great merit of the Lisbon municipality lies in its success in bringing the site to life intelligently after the Expo, by appropriating the space and selling concessions to private companies: museums, entertainment sites, concert halls, bars, shops, a large shopping mall, a hospital..
