35 Best Sights in Lisbon, Portugal

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.

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 Palácio Foz (under renovation into mid-2025) on the square's west side. 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.

Fado, the mournful Portuguese folk music, is said to have been born in the Lisbon neighborhoods of Alfama and Mouraria. This street is redolent with its history, with large black-and-white photographs and information about famous fadistas pasted on its walls. One famous fadista, Maria Severa, lived on this street, and her former home is now a performance space, Maria da Mouraria. Mariza, one of contemporary fado's biggest stars, also hails from the area.

Your eyes do not deceive you—there really is an ornate gilded Thai pavilion beneath the jacaranda trees in Belém's Jardim Vasco da Gama. Built to celebrate 500 years of diplomatic relations between Thailand and Portugal, the structure was opened by Thai princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.

Together with nearby LxFactory, Village Underground is a colorful symbol of Lisbon's cool side. Beneath the Ponte 25 de Abril, shipping containers and double-decker buses have been transformed into spaces for eating, drinking, coworking, and partying. DJ sets, vibrant murals, and the chance to eat and drink in a converted bus atop a shipping container are all on offer.