Affiliate disclosure: some of the links in this article are affiliate links. If you book using one of them, we’ll earn a small commission. All of our info is free to read and free of ads, so we appreciate it!

Baixa and Chiado, together with Alfama, are the 3 neighborhoods that comprise Lisbon's central historic core. Other neighborhoods like Bairro Alto and the Mouraria are also in the city center, but they're different than the "historic center".

The route below covers Baixa, Chiado, and Alfama and will bring you along some of Lisbon's prettiest streets, past a few great lookout points, and into some marquee sites, squares, and churches (and a castle!).

The morning is dedicated to Baixa and Chiado while you'll spend a good part of the afternoon in Alfama.

Figure that you'll need 3-4 hours for the morning and around 3 for the afternoon (if you go inside the castle). These estimates give you plenty of time to take breaks, stop for a coffee, and do some wandering off route.

Let's have a look.

Click here to see all of our Portugal guides & itineraries

Lisbon planning cheatsheet

Plan your itinerary with expert advice

Book a Portugal travel consultation with a local expert

My favorite hotels in Lisbon

One Palácio da Anunciada - 5-star luxury off Avenida da Liberdade. $350/night
Palácio das Especiarias - Old World charm & elegance in Chiado. $200/night
Pousada de Alfama - modern little hotel in the heart of Alfama. $200/night
Alegria Boutique Hotel - bright and airy rooms in Principe Real. $175/night
Hotel Lis Baixa - small, but cheerful rooms for a bargain in Baixa. $150/night
Hotel White Lisboa - excellent value with a pool in Avenidas Novas. $140/night

Guided tours and activities

Private guided tours of Lisbon with Matilde (my favorite local guide)
Tastes of Lisbon food tour
Sintra & Cascais day trip (small group)
Walking tour of the historic center (3 hours, small group)
Private half-day Lisbon city tour by Tuk Tuk

How to get around

Car rentals with DiscoverCars
Metro and bus/tram routes with MetroLisboa and Carris
Train tickets from Comboios de Portugal
Taxis & rideshares with Uber and Bolt

Discover authentic Lisbon!

Dith the tourist traps, get away from the crowds, and see the real Lisbon on a private tour with Matilde!

City center walking tours

Foodie tours

Day trips to Sintra, Cascais, and beyond

Learn more

Discover authentic Lisbon!

Dith the tourist traps, get away from the crowds, and see the real Lisbon on a private tour with Matilde!

City center walking tours

Foodie tours

Day trips to Sintra, Cascais, and beyond

Learn more

The route

Morning - Baixa and Chiado

This first part of your route will take you roughly 3 hours, assuming you enter a few of the sights listed below. You also shouldn't only follow my route. Make sure to wander down some side streets, take the occasional staircase, and some exploring of your own.

I have a map below to show you a general idea of what the route is like. If you click the little button next to the blue "G” in the top left corner, you can see all the individual stops.

Praça do Comercio

I suggest starting the day in Praça do Comercio, Lisbon's largest square (and therefore Portugal's largest too) that opens up directly onto the Tagus River.

Enjoy the enormous space, walk down to the riverfront, and then stroll under the pretty arcades that line the square.

There are often events going on here, so it's a great place to start your visit to the city.

Praça Luis de Camões

From the Praça do Comercio, walk through the Arco da Rua Augusta (the giant archway) and make your way to Praça Luis de Camões square.

Make sure to walk along Rua da Augusta and then Rua Garrett where you'll pass by two famous sites: Livraria Bertrand (one of the oldest bookstores in the world) and the famous A Brasileira cafe, which was a famous haunt of famous Portuguese writers like Fernando Pessoa.

In my opinion, both have become tourist traps, but they're historic and pretty to see from the outside (and to take a peak inside). I wouldn't waste time going inside of either, however.

Praça Luis de Camões is one of Lisbon's most important squares and it always buzzing with life. It's named after a writer and poet who may be Portugal's most famous literary figure. The architecture all around is gorgeous, so take a seat somewhere and soak up the views and do some people watching.

*Praça Luis de Camões in the Chiado neighborhood*

Convento do Carmo

After some people watching and a meander through the streets surrounding Praça Luis de Comões (and perhaps a tasty Pastel de nata at A Manteigaria), head from the square over to Convento do Carmo.

Most of this convent was destroyed in the 1755 earthquake that ravaged Lisbon, but its arches and pillars are still standing and now form an open-air museum that is worth exploring. The site is also home to a small archaeology museum. Figure you'll want about an hour here.

*Convento do Carmo. Photo:* *Pedro J Pacheco*, *CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons*

São Roque Church

After visiting the convent, continue your walk up to nearby São Roque Church. It may look plain on the outside but, in my opinion, it’s the most dazzling church in Lisbon. Take some time to explore the interior filled with gold, marble, semi-precious stones, hand painted tiles, and sumptuous paintings.

Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara

A short (but steep) walk up from the church is the Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara, one of Lisbon’s most beautiful lookout points. It affords sweeping views over the city and out to São Jorge Castle. You can stroll the gardens with fountains and sculptures as you admire the views here or take a little coffee break at the open-air kiosk.

Calçada da Gloria to Praça do Rossio

From the viewpoint, walk along Calçada da Gloria (which has a picturesque tram track running down the middle of the street - great for photos when a tram passes) in the direction of Praça do Rossio, Lisbon's main square. On your map, you'll see it labeled "Praça Dom Pedro IV", but it's the same thing.

The square is the city's central meeting point and always packed with crowds of tourists and locals. The elegant Rossio train station is here too, so pop inside to have a look.

Santa Justa Elevator

A few minutes’ walk from Rossio square brings you right in front of the famous Santa Justa Elevator, an iconic cast-iron construction designed by a student of Gustave Eiffel (yes, that Eiffel).

If the line is not insane, you should go up the elevator to enjoy the great view over the city. If, as it usually does, the queue snakes around the block, I'd skip it and just look from the outside down below.

Plan your trip with expert advice!

Connect with our local expert Nuno for a 60-minute travel consultation!

1-hour live trip planning session

Learn about pro tips & hidden gems

Get advice that's tailor-made to you

Learn more

Plan your trip with expert advice!

Connect with our local expert Nuno for a 60-minute travel consultation!

1-hour live trip planning session

Learn about pro tips & hidden gems

Get advice that's tailor-made to you

Learn more

Afternoon - Alfama

As with this morning, figure that you'll want roughly 3 hours to meander through Alfama. This neighborhood is all tight alleyways and narrow streets with lots of stairs and uphills. So, expect to get some exercise. Because it's a very area neighborhood, know that the crowds can be intense.

I've included another map of this route below too. Keep in mind, the route here just touches on the main places in Alfama. You should not just follow this path. After stopping at the Miradouro de Santa Luzia, you should absolutely go down into the labyrinthine and weaving alleyways that make Alfama so incredibly charming and then rejoin the route.

Lunch

Stop for lunch somewhere around Rossio square or Santa Justa Elevator. From there, you'll head into Alfama.

This whole area is Lisbon at it's most touristy, so know that tourist traps abound. Do a little research and pick a good restaurant to avoid disappointment.

Sé de Lisboa cathedral

You'll be walking more this afternoon, so I'd recommend grabbing a taxi/Uber/Bolt from lunch to Sé de Lisboa cathedral at the very beginning of Alfama. The church is not the most impressive you'll ever see, but it's worth taking a look inside.

Get a little lost

From here, here you should turn off Google maps and put your phone away. The pleasure of visiting Alfama is to wander aimlessly and see where your senses take you. So, let yourself do just that for an hour.

Now, if you don't like my idea of getting lost, I have put together a route for you. You're welcome ;)

Miradouro de Santa Luzia and Miradouro das Portas do Sol

From the cathedral, it'll take you 10 minutes to walk to two of Lisbon's most iconic viewpoints: Miradouro de Santa Luzia with its beautiful blue azulejos that depict the Reconquest of the city and Miradouro das Portas do Sol (they are right next to each other).

There are two streets that you can take to get there and both are nice.

*The view from Miradouro de Santa Luzia*

Panteão Nacional

After enjoying the panoramas, head over to the Panteão Nacional. Once a church, the building is now a sort of mausoleum that is the final resting place of important people from Portuguese history. It's a beautiful building.

To get here, walk along Rua das Escolas Gerais, past Largo do Sequeira, and then up to the monument. It'll take you 15-20 minutes, but I'd budget a bit longer as the streets you'll walk along are really pretty and you'll definitely wind up stopping and detouring.

If you're here on a Tuesday or Saturday, the square adjacent to the Panteão hosts a great flea market (Feira da Ladra) on those days.

*Panteão Nacional. Photo:* *Arne Müseler / www.arne-mueseler.com*, *CC BY-SA 3.0 DE, via Wikimedia Commons*

Igreja de São Vicente de Fora

10 more minutes will bring you to the Igreja de São Vicente de Fora, a beautiful church and monastery with great views from its rooftop. Many kings from the Braganza family dynasty are buried here and the interior of the church is beautiful and has some excellent Portuguese tiles.

For me, the highlight is a visit to the rooftop from where you have views over the Panteão and out onto the Tagus River. Entry is just 8 euros. Learn more here.

*São Vicente de Fora rising over Alfama. Photo:* *Vitor Oliveira from Torres Vedras, PORTUGAL*, *CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons*

*The church's rooftop. Photo:* *Gerd Eichmann, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons*

São Jorge Castle

Finish your exploration of Alfama with a visit to the São Jorge Castle and a walk along its wonderful ramparts looking down over the city. It'll take you 15 minutes to get here from São Vicente de Fora.

How long you spend here really depends on how fast you move, but anywhere from 1-2 hours is pretty standard.