We just got back from a few days in Lisbon.

Lisbon is like a valley that goes up on either side.

We stayed at the Avenida Palace and it was excellent.

I had asked for an upper, quiet room. It was very nice though not large.

The hotel is beautiful. When we walked into the breakfast room it almost felt like people were afraid to talk. Actually, it was very friendly. Best hotel of the trip by far.

I took the Metro several times using both Rossio and Rostauredores stations. Sometimes you have to walk some in the stations. Getting around was quite easy.

I found you really shouldn't count on the elevators or funiculars as they are as much attractions as they are transportation. So there are usually long lines.

We also were in Lisbon in Sept. Stayed at the Internacional Design Hotel on the other side of Rossio Square from the Avenida Palace (which was our 1st choice but full.)

Excellent location, and a very modern hotel. We could walk to many sites, and if not, cabs were very cheap.....10 Euros all the way to the airport for example.

We bought tram passes but threw them away. Every stop there were so many people in line. Then they packed them in like sardines, very unpleasant. Could have used the Metro but we chose to walk and see the city.

It is beautiful, the weather was perfect BUT......the crowds were off putting in the major tourist areas. The good thing is that you could always get off the beaten path a bit and find a quiet spot or cafe to spend some time.

One of our best days was an all day tour to Sintra, Boca da Roca, and Cascais with
insidelisbon.com
They use small vans with no more than 10 people. We were 8 in ours. The driver was very knowledgeable and friendly. Sintra was another tourist town, packed with tour buses, people, and IMO, junk shops, but our guide got us up to Pena Palace early before most of the hordes arrived. The Palce was worth it, beautiful with gorgeous views. It got very, very crowded just as we were leaving.
Boca da Roca, the westernmost spot in Europe, had stunning cliffs overlooking the water for lovely photos.
Cascais was a perfect beach town....very nice. Reminded us of the Riviera, but had pocket beaches instead of a long one. Great restaurants & fun shops, we really enjoyed our time there. We were told that the train went there from Lisbon in 40 minutes.

Since the original question was about the hills, here goes.......

Lisbon is very hilly. In the main area around Rossio Square and the Avenida Liberdad it’s somewhat flat but a few blocks in any direction it’s very steep. As I said above, cabs are very cheap & plentiful.

You also have to consider that the footing is very uneven everywhere. The streets and sidewalks are paved with small tiles in pretty patterns but you must watch your step as some are very uneven.

One of our favorite places was Castle St. Jorge but the footing up there was very dangerous. Somewhat large rocks, some square, some round, some very pointy and all very uneven, sticking up out of the ground.

Lisbon is a lovely city but this must be considered for those who might have trouble walking.

Just to weigh in here...having just returned from Lisbon (only 5 days, wish we'd had longer). We stayed in the Alfama (Solar dos Mouros*), which was pure luck because it was, hands down, my favorite area of Lisbon. We walked everywhere except to the Gulbenkian, to which we used Uber. We're neither young nor marathon runners.

*despite all the warnings about stairs and steps for the SDM, 'twas a non-issue. We used the city's stairs not only to enjoy the views and the beautiful (yes, beautiful!) graffiti, but also as an excuse to eat another pastel de nata. But if we hadn't been able to walk, there are easily accessible elevators.

* "realize how it appears to visitors. And Belem may be administratively a part of Lisbon, but to a visitor it is a distinct area, perhaps a suburb."

- Who cares what a visitor thinks? Since when a visitor changes reality? Of course is a distinct area, there are hundreds of distinct areas in Lisbon lol

* "Lisbon is not a hilly city? In Lisboa Portugal I hike the equivalent of Mt Everest just to buy some groceries down the street"

No, it isn't. Your experience is not the full reality of things. Besides, like i said, Lisbon is both hilly and flat.

"Lisbon is very hilly. In the main area around Rossio Square and the Avenida Liberdad it’s somewhat flat but a few blocks in any direction it’s very steep."

Lol. You can walk 20 km's in a straight line in Lisbon at sea level. And that's just one flat area of the city.

Okay, now that we've got that settled, let's all move over to the Italy forum so we can be lectured on how the Torre de Pisa doesn't lean.

lol another one that never sailed a boat in the big field. And never entered the amusement park. And never saw the river. And never crossed the "freeway". :D

Either you don't know your own city or you never left your hilly neighbourhood. If you think that ALL Lisbon is hilly then i'm sorry to tell you don't have a clue.

Considering the amount of effort regarding bike riding in the city in the last decade, including academic studies, there's an ongoing consensus that saying that Lisbon "is hilly" is nothing but a myth, which i obviously agree.

I never have hiked to buy groceries.

That's the problem of Lisbon... it's full of myths.

Nothing more to add on this...