History · Lisbon · Portugal
8 historic sites to see in Lisbon
The places that tell the story of how the city came to be.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Martin de Lusenet from Heemskerk, Netherlands, CC BY 2.0
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Quick answer
Start with Jerónimos Monastery, Belém Tower and São Jorge Castle. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 12–15 hours across 6 areas; 2 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 2
- Time to see them all
- 12–15 hours
- Areas
- Belém, Alfama and Baixa
Historic sites in Lisbon
Religious site · Belém
1.Jerónimos Monastery
The church holds the tombs of Vasco da Gama and the poet Luís de Camões, and the two-storey cloister is one of the most elaborate in Europe. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with Belém Tower.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
Landmark · Belém
2.Belém Tower
Inside, a narrow spiral staircase climbs to a terrace with views along the Tagus.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes–1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Views
- Photo spot
- Kids
Castle · Alfama
3.São Jorge Castle
Visitors walk the ramparts and towers, explore archaeological remains of Moorish houses and look out over the Baixa, the Tagus and the bridges from shaded terraces where peacocks roam.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Views
- History
- Kids
- Couples
Landmark · Baixa
4.Praça do Comércio and Rua Augusta Arch
The triumphal Rua Augusta Arch has a viewing platform over the square and the Baixa grid.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Iconic
- History
- Views
- Architecture
Neighbourhood · Alfama
5.Alfama, the Sé and Santa Luzia
Look out for tiny grocery shops, grilled-sardine stands and fado houses along the way.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Photo spot
- Couples
- Views
Museum · Avenidas Novas
6.Calouste Gulbenkian Museum
The Modern Collection reopened in 2024 after a renovation by Kengo Kuma, and both buildings are set in a landscaped garden with ponds.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Rainy day
- History
- Outdoors
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Museum · Xabregas
7.National Tile Museum
Highlights are a 23-metre tile panorama of Lisbon before the 1755 earthquake and the convent's gilded baroque chapel.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Rainy day
- History
- Off the beaten path
Historic site · Chiado
8.Carmo Convent
The chancel holds a small archaeological museum with tombs, carvings and pre-Columbian mummies.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Off the beaten path
- Photo spot
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Belém | Jerónimos Monastery and Belém Tower | 1.5 hours + 45 minutes–1 hour |
| Alfama | São Jorge Castle and Alfama, the Sé and Santa Luzia | 1.5–2 hours + Half a day |
| Baixa | Praça do Comércio and Rua Augusta Arch | 1 hour |
| Avenidas Novas | Calouste Gulbenkian Museum | 2–3 hours |
| Xabregas | National Tile Museum | 1.5–2 hours |
| Chiado | Carmo Convent | 45 minutes |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 2 free, 3 low cost, 3 mid-priced. Book ahead for Jerónimos Monastery. The longest visit is Alfama, the Sé and Santa Luzia; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Jerónimos Monastery: Ticket queues for the cloister are long in summer; buy online or with a Lisboa Card and arrive at opening time.
How to fit them into 4 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Belém and Alfama): Jerónimos Monastery → Belém Tower → São Jorge Castle, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Alfama and Baixa): Alfama, the Sé and Santa Luzia → Praça do Comércio and Rua Augusta Arch, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Avenidas Novas and Xabregas): Calouste Gulbenkian Museum → National Tile Museum, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Chiado): Carmo Convent, at least 1 hour.
The quietest months for queues
- February: highs of 16°C (61°F), about 9 rainy days, quiet crowds. Cool and changeable, with almond blossom in the countryside and some of the lowest prices of the year.
- January: highs of 15°C (59°F), about 10 rainy days, quiet crowds. Mild by northern European standards, with sunny spells between Atlantic rain fronts; quiet sights and low hotel prices.
- March: highs of 19°C (66°F), about 8 rainy days, moderate crowds. Spring arrives early, with warm sunny days and the first terrace evenings, though showers remain likely.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Baixa and Chiado — Pombaline grid, Rossio square and elegant shopping streets climbing to Chiado
- Alfama — Lisbon's oldest quarter of stairways, laundry lines and fado houses below the castle
- Belém — Riverside monuments, museums and gardens 6 km west of the centre
More of Lisbon
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Lisbon?
Jerónimos Monastery. Begun in 1501 and paid for by the spice trade, this monastery is the masterpiece of the Manueline style, with stone carved into ropes, sea creatures and armillary spheres.
+Which of these are free in Lisbon?
Praça do Comércio and Rua Augusta Arch and Alfama, the Sé and Santa Luzia.