5 Best Sights in Lisbon, Portugal

Known to locals as the Terreiro do Paço after the royal palace that once stood on this spot,  Praça do Comércio (Commerce Square) is lined with 18th-century buildings fronted by expansive esplanades. Down by the river, steps and slopes—once used by occupants of the royal barges that docked here—lead up from the water, and sunbathers strip down to catch rays during the summer. The equestrian statue in the center is of Dom José I, king at the time of the earthquake and subsequent rebuilding. In 1908, amid unrest that led to the declaration of a republic, King Carlos and his eldest son, Luís Filipe, were assassinated as they rode through the square in a carriage. In the summer, live samba bands play at sunset while pop-up drink stands sell potent caipirinhas.

The formal name for this grand public square is Praça Dom Pedro IV, but locals stick to the previous name, Rossio. Built in the 13th century as Lisbon's main public space, it remains a bustling social hub and, traffic noise aside, is still an impressive sight. Crowds socialize among Baroque fountains beneath a statue of Dom Pedro atop a towering column. Visitors can admire the dramatic wave-pattern cobblestones, famously reconstructed on the beach promenades of Rio de Janeiro. The square has seen everything from bullfights to public executions. On nearby Largo de São Domingos, where thousands were burned, there's a memorial to Jewish victims of the Portuguese Inquisition. Things are more sedate today: locals come here to relax with a newspaper, have their boots polished by the shoe shiners, or sip a ginjinha (traditional sour-cherry liqueur) at one of the bars.

This large square at the heart of Intendente is one of the most striking in the city. Neglected for many years, it's now a major hub for hipster activity. The beautifully tiled buildings surrounding the square now house trendy bars, coffee shops, and spaces for creatives to showcase their wares at regular feiras (street markets). There's some interesting architecture, including Lisbon's answer to New York's Flatiron Building at the top end of the square, which is now a fashionable hotel.

Adjacent to Rossio Train Station, this square marks the beginning of modern Lisbon. Here the broad, tree-lined Avenida da Liberdade starts its northwesterly ascent. Restauradores means "restorers," and the square commemorates the 1640 uprising against Spanish rule that restored Portuguese independence. An 1886 obelisk commemorates the event. Note the elegant, pink-hued 18th-century Foz Palace on the square's west side. Before World War I, it was a casino; today it houses a tourist office, a sports museum, and a shop selling reproductions from the country's state museums. The only building to rival the palace is the restored Éden building, just to the south. This art deco masterpiece of Portuguese architect Cassiano Branco now contains a hotel. You'll also see the Elevador da Glória, the funicular that travels up to Bairro Alto and its famous viewpoint.

Dominating the center of Marquês de Pombal Square is a statue of the marquis himself, the man responsible for the design of the "new" Lisbon that emerged from the ruins of the 1755 earthquake. On the statue's base are representations of both the earthquake and the tidal wave that engulfed the city; a female figure with outstretched arms signifies the joy at the emergence of the refashioned city. The square is effectively a large roundabout and a useful orientation point, since it stands at the northern end of Avenida da Liberdade.