There’s no doubt that Lisbon is a beautiful city, filled with colorful districts, exceptional tourist spots, and lively night scenes. When you look at the map the first time, Lisbon may look a huge and rambling city, but luckily, the main tourist spots are located in a pretty close area. These tourist spots are where most of the visitors would rather stay during their trip, and this brief article with tell you the best area to stay during your visit.
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What Is Best Area To Stay In Lisbon?
Best Area To Stay In Lisbon
Alfama and Graça
The city’s older neighborhood, Alfama and Graça are filled with the narrow, snaking streets that provide central Lisbon with most of its appeal. You will love seeing laundry hanging outside overhead windows, and poignant fado music comes from dark bars.
Although these two neighborhoods impeccably combine, Graça is located in the upper area around the famous castle of the city, while Alfama, on the other hand, falls down the hill on the way to the river. Both of them are impressive and captivating in their own ways, even though you will have better water views near the top.
It is a nice place to get local crafts and try out some traditional local dishes, and you will usually smell sardines being grilled around the corner.
You just have to keep in mind is that the roads here are steep, so make sure you have some good pair of walking shoes with you.
Read more: The Best Way to Travel from Lisbon to Fatima
Baixa and Sé
With a lot of restaurants to sample from and a lot of typical stores to get yourself lost in, the areas of Baixa and Sé are definitely worth exploring. Make sure to pack some comfortable shoes on your trip.
By the end of the day, hang out at a bar, enjoy watching a game, and you will see why Baixa is one of the best areas to stay in Lisbon.
If you decide to stay in any of these areas in the city, you can visit the main attractions of the city by just walking. If needed, you are able to use the elevators that are going to bring you to Bairro Alto.
Chiado
Situated between the neighborhoods Baixa Pombalina and Bairro Alto, Chiado provides you with bundles of culture. This is the place that you will find different theatres, museums, and extracts of history.
If you are interested in shopping, then this neighborhood is the best area to stay in Lisbon. It is the city’s version of Oxford Street or Fifth Avenue, filled with high-end stores, and you can easily spend your whole day looking to shop for something.
Every time you have to take a breather from retail therapy, you can enjoy some pastel de nata and espresso in one of the most luxurious cafes in the area, or go to the world’s oldest bookstore. When the evening comes, you can enjoy a long, nice dinner and a show without having to leave the area.
Bairro Alto
Known as the “Upper City”, Bairro Alto is located a bit higher of Chiado and is a famous area for those who want to enjoy the bustling nightlife in Lisbon. Expect a crazy evening especially if you are going weekend. Instead of going to bed early, this is a great place to meet the locals in any of the many nearby bars and restaurants.
There are a lot of fado music spots around Bairro Alto, even though like Alfama, you will find the best ones in the places where locals usually go to, the ones that don’t charge for entrance. Aside from being a famous part of town, it’s also not too far from the river and other interesting attractions; while trains from near Cais do Sodre station is going to whisk you rapidly to Cascais or Belem for a day trip.
Príncipe Real
Literally translated Royal Prince in English, Principe Real is another great area to stay in Lisbon. With many bars, restaurants, art galleries, and stores anywhere you look at, this neighborhood is clearly trying a make a mark.
By walking for less than 10 minutes from Bairro Alto, Príncipe Real has a strikingly different vibe. Calmer and more peaceful, with greener space and a residential vibe, it is also home to a lot of restaurants, cafes, and boutique stores. Lisbon’s Botanic Gardens and Museum of Natural History and Science are also located here.
Jardim do Príncipe Real is the center of the area, it is a little, tree-lined park with stalls that offer something to drink and eat to people at the al fresco tables. For a remarkable sight over the city and river, go to Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara, that have some nice cafes and regular market stalls where you can buy wine, food, souvenirs, and others.
Some of the best restaurants in Lisbon are located here, both the ones that are popular among tourists and the ones for locals. There’s easy access to two metro lines in case you need to ride them, but you possibly would not need it because walking downhill to the river only takes 20 minutes. This surely is the best area to stay in Lisbon if you are looking for an endless fun within walking distance.
Campo de Ourique
If you are looking for something that will give you a local or family atmosphere, then stay at Campo de Ourique. It is a bit further from downtown compared to the other neighborhoods. In this area, you will find a lot of high-quality restaurants and bakeries that offer both Portuguese and international food at a much cheaper price compared to the tourist-oriented spots located near the water.
If you are interested in a smaller and intimate version of the well-known Time Out market, then you should visit the Mercado de Campo de Ourique, or simply enjoy a beer or delicious light meal at the stall located in Jardim Teófilo Braga, the little park at the center of the area.
The Basílica da Estrela is not easy to miss, a baroque style 18th-century church at the side of the Jardim da Estrela. If you happen to visit during the summer season, then do it like a local and pack food for a picnic and bask on the alluring grass of this big park.
Conclusion
If it’s going to be your first time in Lisbon, we would recommend for you to stay around the Baixa area, the Avenida da Liberdade, or the Chiado area. The city is designed for tourists, with a great range of bars, restaurants, and shops and attractions are just within the vicinity. If you are interested in history, then stay around Alfama as this is the oldest district of the city and has a great selection of distinctive apartments tucked away within the burrow of alleys and side streets that makes the area so unique and popular among tourists.
Hopefully, this article has been helpful in your search for the best area to stay in Lisbon. If you have other questions regarding this topic, don’t hesitate to let us know in the comment below. On the other hand, if you have other suggestions to make this article better, we’d also love to hear about it!