Belem Tower
In Lisbon you simply cannot pass by this miracle on the Tagus River. The Belem Tower was erected in honor of Vasco da Gama’s legendary expedition that opened the route to India, and today it is a favorite place for Lisboners and tourists and an excellent choice if you want to admire the river.
Opening hours : October-May – from 10:00 to 17:30, May-September – from 10:00 to 18:30.
Entrance ticket price : – €8.
St. George’s Castle
“The Cradle of the City,” as the locals affectionately call the ancient castle of St. George. According to historical data, a fortress existed on this site since the 5th century BC. The fortification of the West Goths, the royal palace, the prison and the arsenal – the history of the castle will not leave anyone indifferent.
Opening hours : The castle is open to tourists from 09:00 to 18:00 from November 1 to February 28 and from 09:00 to 21:00 from March 1 to October 31.
Ticket prices : €15 per adult.
Palace of Queluz
Do you want to see how the Portuguese monarchs and court nobility lived? Then go to the Queluz Palace, in the outskirts of Lisbon. Its interiors are literally filled with works of art – paintings, statues and more. And after you’ve seen enough of the luxurious apartments and halls, be sure to take a walk in the park located around the residence.
Opening hours : from 09:00 to 19:00.
Ticket price : €9.50 (€8.50 for pensioners, €7.50 for children under 18 years old).
Museum of Ancient Art
You can learn about the history of Portugal in color by visiting the Museum of Ancient Art. In addition to the usual paintings (Bosch, Durer, Velazquez), there is a rich collection of gold and silver objects from both Portuguese and foreign masters, as well as many exhibits from India, China, Persia and Japan.
Opening hours : Tuesday–Sunday – from 10:00 to 18:00.
Ticket prices : €10 per adult.
Basilica da Estrela
“Basilica of the Star” (as its name is translated) is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful buildings in Lisbon. Built in the Baroque and Neo-Gothic style, this snow-white beauty amazes with its openwork, seemingly floating architecture, and from the terrace that encircles the central dome and bell towers, a magnificent view of the city opens.
Free admission.
City Museum
If time does not allow you to get acquainted with at least the basic facts from the history of the Portuguese capital, but you really want to do this, then the Lisbon City Museum is your lifesaver! Its collection covers the time from the Paleolithic to the present day, and the exhibition is arranged in such a way that its different parts are dedicated to the most striking features of the region.
Opening hours : Tuesday–Sunday from 10:00 to 13:00 / from 14:00 to 18:00.
Ticket prices : €9.
Maritime Museum
Lisbon wouldn’t be Lisbon if it weren’t for the sea. It is the sea (or rather the ocean) that played a significant role in the history of the city, so it is worth taking time to visit the Lisbon Maritime Museum. It will be interesting for everyone! The museum’s collection includes about 17 thousand exhibits: naval uniforms, maps, globes and, of course, ship models (some life-size).
Opening hours : every day from 10:00 to 18:00.
Ticket price : €7 (full).
Calouste Gulbenkian Art Museum
That rare case when a private collection gives odds to the most “cool” state museums. Based on the collection of the richest oil tycoon, the museum is a real treasure trove. Canvases by world-famous masters (Rembrandt, Rubens, van Dyck, Gainsborough, Renoir, Monet), ancient artifacts from Egypt and Mesopotamia, ancient jewelry that is hundreds or even a thousand years old – here everyone will find something to look at for hours.
Ticket price: €12.
Puppet Museum
Well, if you get tired of the abundance of artistic treasures, it’s worth visiting the Lisbon Puppet Museum – the only one in the country dedicated to puppets and puppet theater. This is where you can be transported back to your childhood! Here, under one roof, dolls from different countries and eras are collected: Vietnamese, Portuguese, Thailand, India and even Africa.
Some exhibits “entertained” the public back in the Middle Ages. And after viewing the collection, you can make your own doll in a circle that works for visitors, or learn how to manage ready-made ones.
Ticket costs : €7.5 – full.
Museum of Costume and Fashion
To immerse yourself in the life of the Portuguese (and not only them) from different eras, it is worth going to the Museum of Costume and Fashion. What does life have to do with it, you ask? And despite the fact that it contains not only an impressive collection of clothing (men’s, women’s and children’s), but also home textiles, household items, accessories and much more that made up the lives of people centuries ago.
Magnificent dresses of the 17th-18th centuries, embroidered with gold, dresses and suits of the 20th century, children’s clothing and toys – you can wander endlessly in the halls of the museum! Well, you can finish the tour in the botanical park around the museum.
Ticket price : €7.
Azulejo Museum
First, it’s worth clarifying: azulejos are clay tiles, painted and covered with glaze (something like tiles). This is a traditional decorative material in Portugal and Spain, which came there from Arab countries. Today, for example, azulejos adorn the Palace of the President of Portugal and the exhibition hall of the Carriage Museum. Well, the museum is worth a visit, if only because it simply has no analogues – apart from Portugal and Spain, azulejos are not produced anywhere else.
Here you can wander endlessly, looking at the intricate paintings on tiles from different eras (the oldest are from the 15th century), and also learn how they are produced and painted.
Opening hours : Tuesday–Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00.
Ticket price : €8.
Church of Santa Engracia
This temple attracts attention at first sight: a snow-white building in the Baroque style, topped with a dome, against the backdrop of terracotta roofs and the blue sky – the view is simply impressive! The church is famous for the fact that it took almost 300 years to build, and even with interruptions; the domes of the towers are not finished even today. And its main feature is the magnificent view from the observation deck of the dome.
Mafra Palace
Another pearl of Lisbon is Mafra Palace. True, it is located in the suburbs, but it’s worth the time to travel. The palace is the largest in the country (no joke, its area is equal to the area of ten football fields!), but it is not only the size of the building that attracts tourists. The magnificent interiors of the former royal residence, the elegant appearance of the palace and, of course, the famous bell towers with a hundred bells.
Palace and park complex Quinta da Regaleira
This estate with a quaint palace and park is also located in the vicinity of Lisbon. But it’s worth the time to travel. This magical castle (there is no other way to say it!) was built according to the plans of its owner, millionaire Antonio Monteira in 1910. The building is made in the Gothic and Renaissance style, surrounded by a lush garden with intricate paths, and in its very center lies the mysterious Well of Dedication.
Opening hours : November-January – from 10:00 to 17:00, February, March, October – from 10:00 to 18:00, April-September – from 10:00 to 19:00.
Ticket price : €11 (adult).
Lisbon Zoo
Whether you’re traveling with kids or traveling alone, the City Zoo is a must-see in Lisbon. One of the oldest and largest zoos in Europe will delight you with the diversity of the animal world, and the recreation park will delight you with the pleasant coolness of its shady alleys.
Ticket costs: €27.50 (adult), €17 (children, 3-12 years old).
Carriage Museum
Do you want to visit the royal “car park” of the 17th-19th centuries? Then the Carriage Museum is exactly what you need. The museum exhibits a wide variety of carriages from Portugal, Spain, France and Italy. Ceremonial ones, covered with gilding and decorated with precious stones, and modest everyday ones, children’s phaetons and pleasure carriages – you can look at this magnificence endlessly!
Opening hours : Tuesday–Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00.
Ticket costs : €8.
Se Cathedral
Also known as Maria Mayor de Lisboa. This temple is remarkable not only because it is the oldest in the city, but also because it stands on the remains of previous religious buildings – a Roman temple, later rebuilt into a church, and then replaced by a mosque, which stood here until the 13th century.
You should definitely visit this amazing place, because the cathedral is truly a living embodiment of the history of the city.
Admission : free, except that you will have to pay to visit the Gothic courtyard.
Bridge 25 April
One of the twenty longest suspension bridges in the world connects Lisbon and Almada. A delightful panorama of the city opens from the shore, and if you want a view from the water, take bus No. 753 at Marqués de Pombal Square and take a breeze across the bridge.
Rossio Square
The best way to admire evening and night Lisbon is to go to Rossio Square.
One of the main squares of the capital has a truly fabulous look in the light of the lanterns: with a pattern in the form of waves, lined with two-color cobblestones, with magnificent bronze fountains, Rossio Square has its own unique atmosphere.
Funicular “Gloria”
You can feel like a native Lisboner of the twentieth century by taking a ride on the historic Gloria funicular. A funny yellow tram (which, by the way, has been running regularly since 1885!) will slowly take you from Restoradores Square to the city center, and in the meantime you can admire the city streets passing by outside your window.
The ticket costs €2.
Hint: the funicular makes only two stops – at the beginning of the route and at the end, at the top of the hill, which offers a beautiful view of the city.