I have spent a year in Lisbon, and I love showing it off to my friends. I’m an avid walker and we’ve gotten a lot of visitors, and those two things combined to give me the idea of putting together a “best of Lisbon” walking tour. I have taken a number of groups on this route and everyone has always been very happy. It’s not a strenuous walk, though there are lots of hills in Lisbon. If you get tired going up a hill, you are never far from a café or square where you can sit and enjoy the views. Though the walk itself, if done non-stop, will take 2 ½ - 3 hours, with stops it can easily fill one or two days in Lisbon. It just depends on how often you want to stop and how many of the sights you want to visit. Here’s my route, the directions are not exact and precise, so having a city map with you will help. I hope some of our Lisbon mavens (thanks, Stu for that great word) will have additions or modifications.
Start at the Rato metro stop. The Largo do Rato is an old square with some big old government buildings and a small row of storefronts, where several busy streets intersect. There are a few cafes right there and a restaurant in an old royal factory called the “Fabrica Real.” (I forget what they used to make here, but I think it may be silk). If you are an Amalia Rodrigues fan, you can visit her house before starting the walk. It’s on the Rua Sao Bento, not far from the metro stop. When we visited, we were led through the house by the woman who was her maid for 40 or more years and lived in the house with Amalia and her husband. The house is crammed full of all Amalia’s personal things, awards, clothes, etc. Admission is about 5-6E.
From Rato, walk up the Rua Escola Politecnica to the Praca do Principe Real, making sure to get the views of the river and the bridge on your right as you go up higher. Before you get to the square, you will come to the entrance to the Botanical Gardens on your left. http://www.jb.ul.pt/ It’s a huge oasis right next to the Museum of Natural History (where I’ve never been so I can’t tell you much about it).
Principe Real is a very nice square with rubber trees and other beautiful plants. There’s a nice café right in the square and usually there are groups of men playing cards, kids playing on the swings, it’s just a very nice atmosphere. Keep going straight, you’ll pass the Pastelaria Sao Roque on the right side. This pastry shop was in the New York Times’ “36 hours in Lisbon.” It’s a very pretty tiled café, kind of art nouveau-ish, but I don’t think the pastries are great. The one exception is the “sonhos” (dreams), kind of a fried dough concoction. As the street starts to descend, you come to the Miradouro (look-out) Sao Pedro de Alcantara. This is a two tiered square that has been very nicely renovated – fountains, gardens, and terrific views over the city. The Port Wine Institute is right across the street, but it’s usually a little too early to drink port when I get there.
Stay on the same street (whose name changes from Escola Politecnica to Sao Pedro de Alcantara, and then to Misericordia). At the next little square on your left, you’ll see the Sao Roque Church. The wooden painted ceiling and mosaics inside, along with a number of very ornate small chapels, may strike your fancy or not. Across the square from the church, on the Rua da Misericordia, is the Adega Sao Roque, one of my favorite casual restaurants in Lisbon. The seafood cataplana and the grilled fish plate are delicious.
Right around the Adega Sao Roque, turn left off of Misericordia and weave around and you’ll come to the Convento do Carmo, the gothic church/cloister/monastery that was left in ruins after the 1755 earthquake. There’s an archeological museum, even has some pre-Colombian artifacts inside. Walk on the narrow sidewalk alongside the edge of the church and you will be on the top of the Sao Justa elevator. Walk up the spiral staircases, there’s a café on the top. Another set of spectacular views. Head back to Rua Misericordia, which will take you down into the Praça de Camoes and the Largo do Chiado with its two heavily visited cafes. Keep going straight down the Rua Garrett and the building facing you at the end is a shopping mall that has a FNAC (book and music store). Turn left and go down the Rua do Carmo (past the glove store Ulisses, it’s about six feet across, has its original facade from the early 20th century and sells reasonably priced and very nice handmade gloves). http://www.luvariaulisses.com/pt/pagina/1/home/
The Rua do Carmo will take you straight into the Praça do Rossio with its fountains and statue of King Pedro IV (?). Keep walking straight with the praça on your right and turn the corner at the end of the Praça, where you will see the beautiful Rossio train station (recently cleaned so it’s quite a show stopper). Cross the street (having the train station at your back) and you will come out on the Largo de Sao Domingos (church there of the same name), but the attraction here is the “ginja” store that looks like it’s been there for at least a hundred years. It’s a little hole in the wall with a very old storefront and sells a cherry liquor for 1E a shot. There’s always a line of people, and they’re not all tourists. We usually get the option that gives you a few soaked cherries in the little glass and 1 glass usually satisfies four or more people, especially if it’s morning. But trying it is part of the fun.
If you go past the Sao Domingos church (church on your left), you’ll emerge in the Praça da Figueira, which adjoins the Rossio. If you’re hungry, the Pastelaria Suica has a lot of great options for pastries and is a nice place to sit – since the store is in the line of buildings that forms the sides of both squares, you can sit outside in either the Rossio or Figueira.
Now it’s time to walk down to the river, through the grid streets of the Baixa (low area) that were rebuilt after the earthquake. Rua Agusta is pedestrian only and quite popular. Lots of those “hip” clothing stores for young people – H&M, Zara, Mango, Stradavarius, etc. At the end of the Rua Agusta, you will walk through the arch and emerge in the Terreiro do Paço (also called Praca do Comercio), the square adjacent to the water. Boats now leave from here to cross the river. Modern trams leave from here that take you straight to Belem with its many sights. An excellent restaurant in the square is Terreiro do Paço. http://www.terreiropaco.com/por/index2.html. It’s in a beautifully restored building with brick arches that are mesmerizing. I’ve eaten both lunch and dinner there, and the interior is glorious at night. Very good food, sort of “nouveau Portuguese.” In February, 2008, the square has been sort of walled off for a long overdue sewage project that will finally treat the sewage before it’s dumped into the Tejo River. The restaurant has also closed for renovations, but from what I understand, the restaurant will reopen long before the sewage project is completed.
From the Terreiro do Paço, retrace your steps a few blocks on the Rua Agusta until you hit the Rua da Conceiçao and follow the trolley tracks to your right and up. You will soon come to the Cathedral. It’s a 12th century fortress-like building. There’s a nice café with very good food, called Pois, Café, which is located on the street that runs along the right side of the Cathedral (if you’re facing its main door).
The street that Pois, Café is on is called Cruces da Se, and it is a good entrance into the Alfama district. Just wander around a while, there are churches, restaurants, small shops, etc. When you’re done visiting the Alfama, you will need to climb up and find the Miradouro that’s at the Largo das Portas do Sol. Right next to it is the Miradouro de Santa Luzia. The views are great from both, cafes in both.
From Santa Luzia it’s a short but steep climb up to the castle Sao Jorge. You will see signs pointing you in the right direction. Once inside (5E), you can climb and walk the walls to your heart’s content. Incredible views in all directions. Frequently there are very good “street musicians” playing guitar or violin and it makes the place just magical.
But since no Lisbon visit would be complete without a ride on the tram, I suggest that after you’re done with the castle, walk back down to the miradouro Santa Luzia and catch the Tram 28 in the downhill direction. Get on one that says “Prazeres” (the other option will say Estrela and it will not take you far enough). Take the tram up and down through the Bairro Alto, Santa Catarina, past the Parliament, up past the Estrela basilica and gardens (a very nice stop in themselves), to the stop where Saraiva de Carvalho crosses Domingos Sequeira. (You can ask your driver to tell you when you hit Campo d’Ourique). Campo d’Ourique is a very nice 19th century tree-lined residential neighborhood, with very good restaurants (Tasquinha d’Adelaide, Os Passarinhos, and Stop do Bairro are a few of them) and lots of little shops, cafes, a nice square, etc.
I know this route leaves out a few important destinations – the Gulbenkian, Sao Vicente de Fora, the Tile Museum, Belem, etc., but I think it is a great way to get a good view of Lisbon without a lot of backtracking.
Laurie
My one or two day walking tour of Lisbon
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Thanks so much for this! I hope I'll get back to Lisbon to use it - although I think I'll once again take the tram UP to the castle and walk down!
Did you ever make it into the Port Wine Institute? Are you headed home now?
Great tips! I really loved my visit to Lisbon.
Thanks Laurie. I'm putting this in my Portugal folder for a future trip.
Excellent suggestions. Let me add the tea and scones cafe in Rua Sao Bento, my favourite charity (a few steps from Largo do Rato) and the chocolat cake shop in Campo de Ourique, nearby the end of tram#28.
Ginginha has only a problem imho, it used to be served in glass cups, but the public healh autority made it mandatory to be served in plastic cups. It lost most of its charm.
This is perfect - we will be in Portugal for the first time in May so these are great suggestions for our time in Lisbon.
Our first day will be a Saturday. Is everything open on Saturday? Any suggestions for a place to listen to fado on Saturday night (if we can stay awake)?
Lobo, I've heard about those tea and scones on Rua Sao Bento, but haven't ever found the place. Can you describe where it is a bit more? Which side of the street (the side Amalia's house is on or the other side?)
When we were at the Ginginha, they were serving both in plastic cups and little round shot glasses -- we got the real glass!
Thursdaysd, Yes we went to the Institute and my husband tasted a couple of really old tawnys. We were sorry there were no Vintage ports available by the glass, but maybe that has to do with spoilage or something. Not going back to the US till July, but I'm going to be spending a lot of the those months in Spain walking.
Baladeuse -- everything is open on Saturday, it's Monday you have to worry about. I did this walk most recently on a Monday and Sao Roque was closed, but Carmo was open -- go figure. I don't have fado recommendations but I know Lobo does -- you should be able to find some posts here with the places he recommends.
Laurie
Going down the street, from Rato Sq towards Sao Bento Sq, is the 4th or 5th door to the left. Impossible to get lost. The official address is Rua de Sao Bento 700. It has an odd working timetable, since it is not a regular commercial facility, but it belongs tho Vicentina's charity work. The name is "as vicentinas". It's opened Tuesday to Saturday, 3pm to 7pm.
http://lxsampa.blogspot.com/2008/11/as-vicentinas.html
Some more photos:
http://mariapudim.blogspot.com/2008/01/as-imagens-da-semana-no-no-estou-tentar.html
I found other references saying it works 10am to 7.30pm, except Sundays and holidays. I don't know which information is correct. The better is to call in advance (Telf: 213 887 040) and ask.
Laurie. How did I miss this the first time around. I think I was in Florida for the week.
Anyway. How timely for me!
Thanks
Is the chocolate cake shop the one with the "best chocolate cake in the world"?
I must take my friends there. But I don't think it is open in the evening.
The last time we went to Stop do Barrio and then had cake. Not that we needed more food but could not pass it up.
Printing and packing.
bkk
This is one of the best "walks" I have seen for Lisbon!
Just a couple of closings to update this list. The cafe on the top of the Santa Justa elevator has been closed, so you have to be content with a view from the level at which the elevator arrives.
And the Terreiro do Paco restaurant, in the Praca do Comercio, is also closed, allegedly for renovations. People are not sure it will ever re-open, because the chef has started up another venture in Campo d'Ourique, right on the Rua Domingues Sequeira (the street the Tram 28 runs on). This is a "tapas" place, and it is extremely popular. Leaving the restaurant at 10:30 a few nights ago, there were people waiting to be seated. That may be common for Spain, but not Portugal. My opinions on this place are very mixed. The first time, we found the tapas were great, fresh, tasty. Just a few nights ago, we had terrible service, bland food, really pretty bad. The physical space is very nice, but if you reserve a table, make clear that you do not want to side in the space inside near the bar, but rather in the small window enclosed seating area.
Hope everyone enjoys Lisbon! Laurie
P.S. I would appreciate any additions and suggestions from all you knowledgeable Lisbon folks!
I started developing this "walking tour" last fall when I was trying to entice our friends to come visit us in Portugal. One beautiful Sunday afternoon, I took a rapid, two hour walk through what I thought were the prettiest sections in downtown Lisbon, taking pictures as I went. I have posted them here, http://picasaweb.google.com/laurie.reynolds/Lisbon08#
Laurie
thanks, I may be going to Lisbon this Oct or November. great info.
Enjoyed your photos Laurie. We're heading to Lisbon after Christmas and will be there for New Year's Eve. Having read your wonderful walking tour and seen your photos I can't wait!
Thanks for posting.
Amanda
I am not a 'walker,' per se. My range is limited and I need a walking stick. I use public transport to get to strategic locations and do my 'walkabouts' from there. MetroLisboa is unique! Each line has a theme and the Station stops follow that theme. I especially like Oriente linea and specifically Chelas Station.
I take the #28 Tram from Praça Saldanha to Belém and walk down the hill to all the Tourist attractions (Centro Cultural, los Jeronimos, the Discoveries Monument and the Torre de Belém).
You may consider this an alternative to walking everywhere. I stop at Pastelerias and Tabernas for sustinence (Tapas), usually de Bacalao.
Amanda,
Lisbon's New Year's Eve celebrations are a lot of fun -- fireworks in the Praca do Comercio (Terreiro do Paco). But right now the whole praca is under construction (new sewer treatment plant, I think), so I wonder where they will have the celebration. I think there are also fireworks out at the Parque de Nacoes (where Expo '98 was -- a nice river area with the Oceanarium, Casino, a few kids' museums, cafes, etc), so maybe all celebration will take place there. After the fireworks, the partying continues up in the Bairro Alto (my 20-something kids and spouses enjoyed themselves there, but the "old folks" (DH and I) headed back to the apt.).
Ned, I think you must have typed the wrong number tram for the tram to Belem. The 28 starts in Martim Moniz, goes up to Graca, through the castle area, down to Baixa, up to Chiado and then up and down, over to Estrela, ending either in Estrela or the Prazeres Cemetery in Campo d'Ourique.
The tram I usually take to get to Belem is the modern 15, which leaves from the Praca do Comercio and ends in Alges (a km or two beyond Belem). But you've pointed out another option, to go from Saldanha to a high spot in Belem, I'm just not familiar with that route.
Hi Nedsireland.
I think you are referring to bus #732 (formerly just #32). It's the only Lisbon's public transport I can think of that stops in Saldanha Sq and in Restelo (stadium).
I apologize in advance in case I'm wrong.
kr
Thank you, Laurie and Lobo for all this information.
I hope we'll be putting it to good use in the next few months.
Byrd
bookmark for sept.
Laurie, thank goodness for your detailed report. It will be used next week.
Laurie,
I'll pass through Lisbon for 18 hours one Sunday in Dec - arriving Lisbon at 6 PM and flying out at 11:45 AM the next day. I hear Lisbon is beautiful at night, but is it safe or advisable for a woman to walk your tour path at night alone?
I'd really feel more comfortable with a guide of some sort than trying to follow your tour at night in a city I've never visited before. There's a "Lisbon by Night" tour, but not available on Sundays.
Any ideas/recommendations? Anyone?
Hi, Patti,
I have been in almost all of the places on this route alone at night (59 year old female). I think that probably the one part of the trip I would avoid walking by myself is the Alfama district. I know someone who was walking around (probably with too much to drink) with a very expensive camera in the wee hours (maybe 3 am) and was robbed at knife point in the Alfama. But there were a lot of stupid decisions made leading up to that point. Also, I think the castle closes around 6 pm in wintertime, so you won't be able to see it anyway. But you will have great views of it lit up from the lookout on the way to the Bairro Alto.
If you start at Rato metro stop, walk up to Bairro Alto, then down to Chiado, Rossio, etc, I think it would be perfctly safe. I guess I wouldn't go any further than the cathedral (on my route) if I were walking alone at 10 pm or so. Also, Sunday night is probably the lowest outdoor traffic night.
I am sure there must be good Lisbon guides who would do a night time tour if you would prefer that. I have a friend who took a private tour of Lisbon (not cheap) and I'll see if she remembers the guide's name. There must be someone on this board who has done that, maybe someone will read this and respond.
And just out of curiosity, are you going to get a hotel?
Laurie -- I'll report back if I can find the guide.
Just after finishing this, I had a vague flash that I remembered a topic here about a Lisbon guide. A search brought up this thread. Hope it helps. Laurie
http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/lisbon-tour-guide.cfm
If I were a woman alone, in Lisbon, I'd do some people watch in Rossio square. Pastelaria Suiça (coffee shop) has an outdoor section great for that purpose. The National Theatre has some tables where you may ask a coffee or something like that and stay as long as you wish.
Rua Augusta (pedestrian street, the one with the arch) is great for walking ate any time. The Baixa (grid section between Rossio and the river) is good to walk at any time. Other options are the ride in Santa Justa elevator to the top, the upper passage to Carmo Sq, Carmo St, Garrett St, Camões Sq, everywhere in Bairro Alto are great for a lady alone. Meals are available in Trindade (between Carmo Sq and Bairro Alto) or any of the outside restaurants in Rua Augusta.
Bairro Alto Hotel and Regency Chiado Hotel have a great last floor bar with great views.
A word of caution, a woman alone, joining a fado house or a bar (within a Hotel or outside) may eventualy attract unwanted attraction.
All places I've mentioned are within a radius of 1 mile, no need to taxi or public transport to move from one place to the other.
"unwanted attention".
Thanks a lot for your responsees, both of you, and especially for the link to guide discussion, Laurie. I must admit it is somewhat daunting to think about following your walking guide at night when I have absolutely no familiarity with Lisbon, its streets or sites.
Yes, I will be reserving a hotel room, but haven't yet. Would you recommend near the airport or somewhere else for just a night's sleep? I'll be looking for a deal on Kayak or Priceline, both of which allow selection of hotels in proximity to the airport or other city landmarks.
Thanks again, you two.
patti
Hi, Patti,
I understand your hestitance to set out in the dark in an unfamiliar city. Lobo's selection of places to go as a single woman coincide with the parts of the walking tour I had suggested, just that you wouldn't start out at the Rato metro stop. Rather, you would be located in the central Baixa/Rossio area and then move "uphill" a bit to Chiado. That might be a little less daunting than heading up the hill from Rato, but in either case you will get a feel for downtown central Lisbon and won't have to worry about personal safety.
Since your plane leaves at 11:45 on a Monday, if it were me, I'd make sure to stay downtown to be able to really enjoy your short time there. If you're an early riser, you'd even have a few hours to explore before heading to the airport. Getting to the airport from the main touristy central areas is easy in a taxi, and by the time you need to be there airport the main rush hour will have passed.
I don't know how those websites work, but I would look for a place somewhere near Avenida Liberdade, between Restauradores and Marques de Pombal. I'm assuming that only bigger places participate on sites like that, so you won't be looking at small residenciales or small hotels in the Baixa area, for example, where other Fodor-ites have stayed and recommended.
Laurie
Thanks again, Laurie! Excellent information.
Let me ask you this. Since you were there a year, do you have a friend who might still be there who'd be willing to walk with me a bit to get me oriented? I'd be willing to pay them something. If so, I'll share my personal e-mail address so we can get in touch.
Thanks!
Patti
Laurie:
Thank you for providing such great info. I just returned from spending Thanksgiving weekend in Lisbon and had a great time. Your walking tour info was terrific.
Loved Lisbon and will go back for sure.
Patti. I just want to caution you. This last time when we departed from Lisbon the airport was very slow. It was August, so that may account for it, but allow yourself just a little extra time. We departed on a Tuesday.
The last time, we had enough time to visit the TAP lounge, since I had a pass.
I just wanted to give you a heads up. Although, at this time of the year you may not have a problem.
Great post, Ireynold1, and thanks for others helpful comments, too. This will definitely go in my Portugal folder.
Thinking of going to Lisbon and heading north, perhaps even in to northern Spain. For walking/hiking and just generally exploring the countryside, would mid-May to early June be good for weather/prices/crowds? Prefer cool rather than hot weather.
Hi, Patti,
I'm sorry but I don't feel comfortable asking any of my friends to do this -- they have families and very busy professional lives and this is a really hectic time of year. What I could do, though, is to ask one of my friends to see if any of their students (university law students) would be willing to do it for some $$$. What kind of payment were you thinking about? Let me know if this makes sense or appeals to you. Your hotel might also have some suggestions on this.
And Clousie, I think northern Portugal is just a great place to visit (there's another thread on this topic where I will give some of my more general opinions).
In terms of hiking/walking, I would recommend two bases -- one is Lousa with a lot of very nice old stone villages up in the mountains and trails to walk; and the other is the national park of Peneda Geres. We stayed in Geres, an old spa town, and it is really nice -- that time of year should be great too. There is a tourist office right next to the still functioning spa that has a lot of maps of day hikes. We took a couple of them, they were very pleasant. We walked on a path with lots of Roman mile markers! I will put in some links to my pictures from those two areas, so you can get a sense.
Here's Lousa: http://picasaweb.google.com/laurie.reynolds/LousaJan09#
And here is the park and its surroundings:
http://picasaweb.google.com/laurie.reynolds/PenedaGeresNationalPark?authkey=Gv1sRgCJWXia2F6tugUw#
One last thought for walking -- we went with an outdoor club to some hiking spots in northern Portugal near a town called Fafe, and there were very well marked trails as well:
http://picasaweb.google.com/laurie.reynolds/HikingInFafe#
There is no shortage of pretty places to walk in the north, and if you do head north, you have to make sure to include a few days in the Douro Valley as well.
Laurie
Thanks, Laurie.
I understand completely. A student would be great, if one is willing. (FYI, I'm a 58-yr old; so you and are same generation.) Was thinking of $50-$75 US, depending on how much they do with me. Does that sound reasonable for a student?
If none of your friends knows of a student, I may try that Peter that someone referred to in the other blog to which you referred me.
Thanks!
BTW, thanks for your heads-up on the airport, Sher.
Patti
Patti -- Can you give me the date and the approximate time and where you would be starting? Laurie
Yes, Laurie. I'm scheduled to arrive the Lisbon airport at 5:50 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 27. I'm sure it will take a while to process through Customs and collect my luggage.
I've booked at the Hotel Nacional, Rua Castilho 34, as it seems close to the area you suggested I stay. If you think it best for me to check in and meet someone there, I'd guess I'll be ready to go out about 7:30 or 8:00 PM. Does that sound right to you?
Thanks!
Patti
OH! The from where: I suppose from my hotel? Or a nearby location they could suggest.
patti
Hi, Patti,
I have sent some emails and will let you know what I hear. I apologize to everyone else for using the forum this way -- we really do need a private message function, IMO.
Laurie
Laurie, you may e-mail me at pfstock@gmail.com.
Thanks!
CORRECTION, Laurie. Mane that pfstockma@gmail.com. I forgot the "ma."
Thanks!
I just got back from Lisbon and on my last day there was able to take my own walking tour again to see my favorite places. A few updates:
On the way up the Rua Escola Politecnica, on one of the first few side streets to the right, there are two little shops I liked: one has a lot of hanging baskets outside and some of them looked very pretty to me. Next door is a "regional products" store selling cheeses, wines, etc from the Alentejo area. The shop owners are very nice, and their products are quite good.
The Principe Real plaza is undergoing manjor renovations. The nice little cafe in there is still open, though. For a quick detour from here to one of my favorite plazas in Lisbon, at the top of Principe Real, take a right hand turn down, you'll go sharply down, and it will take you to Praca das Flores, a very nice calm green square with some very nice cafes. Nearby is a restaurant I like very much, Charcutaria Francesa, which despite its name, offers kind of new cuisine Portuguese food, all very fresh.
Cafe on top of the Rua Santa Justa elevador is closed, but you can still get some good views from the lower level.
Terreiro do Paco restaurant in the Praca do Comercio (the square on the river, also undergoing major renovations) is closed. The chef has started a new tapas place in Campo de Ourique neighborhood, the 28 tram stops right next to it. Place is called Tasca da Esquina, it's very popular and reservations are essential. I was there last week and thought it had improved tremendously since my visit last year when it had just opened. Tapas were delicious! http://www.tascadaesquina.com/
And now that the metro extends to the Santa Apolonia train station, if you want a cheap but good pizza meal, try Pizzaria Casanova, right across the street from the metro stop and the train station. Great atmosphere, reasonable prices, nice river view -- it may be heresy to say, but sometimes I get a yearning to eat something other than delicious grilled fish and a Casanova pizza hits the spot. (My other favorite pizzaria in Lisbon is Lucca, off the Avda de Roma not too far from Roma metro stop -- it's also a very popular place, calzones are pretty good, too).
A couple of new stops on the red metro line now make a great cross town connection and make the already great Lisbon metro system even more convenient.
Everyone in Lisbon is anxiously anticipating spring and an end to the rain. I've seen many reports that this winter was the rainiest season ever since records started being kept in 1860 or thereabouts. We had pretty nice weather, raining mainly when I was working so that was ok with me!
Laurie
Laurie, I leave for Lisbon on Saturday and will be there 4 days. Can you tell me which day (Sunday - Wed) and time would be best for this walk? I sounds like a great intro walk to do on Sunday when we arrive, but not sure that's the right day. Thanks!
Hi spcfa,
I'm not sure that there are any "bad" days to do the walk. I first did it on a Sunday afternoon, 5-7 pm, but I just walked it without stopping. If you do that and are a fast walker, it can be done in two hours. If you linger and sit and enjoy, it can take a day or two. But there are not really many of Lisbon's museums/churches, etc. on the walk, so it's more a matter of just enjoying the outdoors. I think the public places are likely to be filled with people on Sunday and will make for good people watching. And if there's a church or site that's closed when you walk by you can always go back (I think the Sao Roque church and the museum at the Convento do Carmo are both nice places to visit, for instance, and I don't know their hours, probably closed on Mondays, but I'm not sure.
Enjoy Lisbon!
Many thanks Laurie! I think it will be a wonderful introduction to Lisbon and a good energizing walk after flying through the night (and fighting that awful first-day jet lag). You make a good point about the people watching on Sunday.
Hopefully I will have a great trip report to post when I get back.
Bookmarking
We did this tour in October. It took us about 2 half-days to do it (we spent the other halves exploring and wandering aimlessly).
Hi, teach,
here is one way to get to know Lisbon on foot. You will love this city!
I saw this link mentioned on another thread, and I thought I'd just bring it up with a post about a new restaurant on the "walking tour." I noted above that one of my favorite upscale restaurants, the Terreiro do Paco (right in the Praca do Comercio) had closed for renovation and was unlikely to open because the chef had moved to another place. Well, I see that a restaurant in the same space (which is beautiful, upstairs at least) has opened with the same name. http://www.terreiro-paco.com/eng/index_eng.html
What I don't know is whether it's the same chef, or how the food is. I will be in Lisbon in late April and plan to go give it a try, but if anyone has information, I'd love to hear about it.
The restaurant is right at a spot on the walking tour, and with an 11 euro lunch buffet, looks like a great place to stop.
Just like to say I did this 'tour' almost exactly on Thursday last week - like 3 days ago.
It's really good! Thank you so much for posting this lreynold1
I was staying not far from Rato at the Lisbon Dreams Guest House. I actually ate the first night at Fabrica Real because it was the nicest looking place around at 10pm (single female traveller here) and the meal was excellent as was the wine, and all very reasonably priced too at 26 euros including a half bottle of Vinho Verde. I didn't realise until the next day that you had recommended this restaurant.
I followed your walk literally step-by-step - had my ginja in a real glass at 11am and no queue - later I noticed it was plastic glasses and long lines.
I ate my lunch up near the Castelo on Rua San Bartolomeo which is on the left just before the archway leading up to the castle. A plate of local cured ham, cheese and olives was 9 euros and a large glass of white wine was 1.7 euros.
I had then thought to spend the afternoon at the Tile Museum, but couldn't quite work out how to get there and anyway I was quite tired so I ended up taking the 28 tram.
Later, when the tram stops at Praxeres, one can either wait to take it back or walk across the street and take the 709 bus. This passes by largo del Rato and then goes on to Restauradores Placa.
When I got off the bus at Rato I walked a few steps down the Rua Sao Bento and found the Casa de Cha de Santa Isabel (also called Vicentinas) where I had a slice of delicious cake and a glass of wine (4 euros total). Totally worth doing!
Terreiro de Paco seems to still be there in Praca de Comercio, but there were film vans and crews all around that area so not sure what was going on.
But once again I'd like to say a big THANK YOU for posting this walking tour - I feel I saw a lot of Lisbon in a short time (I only had 2 days and spent the second in Belem) and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
By the way, the tram for Belem is 15E
You can get it at its start in Praca da Figueres or later on in Praca de Commercio or at Cais da Sodre
2.85 euros per ride unless you already have the Via Viagem green card loaded up for the day. Ticket machine on the tram (cash only).
Hi, julia,
Glad that you liked the walk. I haven't done it myself in a few years, but some friends have. I'll be back in Lisbon next April and will do it again to check for updates -- did you notice if the cafe on the top of the fancy elevator between Baixa and the Carmo convent is open again?
I really like that tram out to Belem -- a nice modern contrast to the old 28 tram!
Thanks for this. Am going to Lisbon next March, so will revisit this thread and print out the instructions. I'll be on my own for a couple of days while husband is at a conference, so this will be very helpful.
Great suggestions! Thanks! We will be in Lisbon in late Dec for about a week.