Lisbon Walking Tour: 50 Free Video Stops

This Lisbon walking tour links 10 sights and 50 short video stops narrated by Clarissa, from the riverside monuments of Belém to the palaces of Sintra. The notes below turn those stops into practical day plans, with walking order, timing, transport, etiquette and the free sights worth knowing before you go. For official visitor information and events, also check Visit Lisboa, the official tourism site of Lisbon.

Route 1, Belém (stops 1, 2 and 9). Start at Belém Tower, the fortified tower on the bank of the Tagus, and walk along the river past the Monument to the Discoveries to Jerónimos Monastery, a masterpiece of the ornate Manueline style. Both are UNESCO World Heritage sites. Stop for a custard tart at the famous bakery nearby, then take the tram or train back toward the centre and get off at Alcântara for LX Factory, a former industrial complex under the 25 de Abril Bridge, now full of shops, cafés and street art.

Route 2, Alfama and the castle (stops 3 to 5). Climb into Alfama, Lisbon's oldest quarter, a maze of steep lanes, stairways and small squares that largely survived the earthquake of 1755. Look out from the Miradouro de Santa Luzia and the Miradouro das Portas do Sol over the rooftops to the river, then climb to São Jorge Castle on the hilltop, with its walls, towers and the best view of the city. Ride the yellow Tram 28 through the narrow streets of Graça and down to the Baixa.

Route 3, the Baixa and Bairro Alto (stops 7 and 8). Walk down Rua Augusta through the grid of the Baixa, rebuilt by the Marquis of Pombal after the earthquake, to the Praça do Comércio, the great riverside square under the Rua Augusta Arch. Then climb through Chiado to Bairro Alto, the old hilltop quarter that is quiet by day and full of bars and fado houses by night, and finish at the Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara for the sunset.

Route 4, the Parque das Nações (stop 6). Take the metro east to the Oriente station for the Oceanário de Lisboa, one of the largest aquariums in Europe, built for Expo 98. Walk along the modern riverside promenade, with its gardens and views of the long Vasco da Gama Bridge.

Day trip, Sintra (stop 10). Trains run from Rossio station in central Lisbon to Sintra, about 40 minutes away, with its romantic palaces, gardens and the Moorish Castle on wooded hills. The Cultural Landscape of Sintra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Plan a full day, start early and book palace tickets in advance, because Sintra gets very busy.

From the Praça do Comércio, a flat riverside promenade leads west to Cais do Sodré, the old waterfront district with its food market hall and the bars of Pink Street. Ferries leave from here and from the nearby river stations across the Tagus to Cacilhas, a short ride with one of the best views back over the city. It makes an easy, low-effort end to a day on a Lisbon walking tour.

If you only have one day, Routes 2 and 3 give the best Lisbon walking tour on foot, because Alfama, the castle, the Baixa and Bairro Alto form one connected walk. A three-day Lisbon walking tour works well as Routes 2 and 3 on day one, Belém, LX Factory and the Oceanário on day two, and Sintra on day three.

Spring and autumn are the best seasons for a long Lisbon walking tour, with warm sunshine and fewer crowds than midsummer. In June, the Santo António festival fills Alfama and other old quarters with street parties, grilled sardines and music. Summer is hot and busy, so walk early, rest in the afternoon and head out again for the evening. Winter is mild but can be rainy.

Many of Lisbon's monuments and museums close on Mondays, including several sights in Belém, so check opening times on the official websites before you plan Route 1. Arrive early at Belém Tower and Jerónimos Monastery, where the queues are longest in the late morning. The Lisboa Card, sold by the city's tourism office, combines public transport with free or reduced entry to many sights, and can pay off on a busy sightseeing day.

Lisbon is built on steep hills, and the trams, funiculars, the Santa Justa Lift, buses and the metro all help. Buy a rechargeable Viva Viagem card for public transport, and consider a day ticket if you plan many rides. Tram 28 fills up quickly, so board at its terminus at Martim Moniz to get a seat.

Use the Map button at each stop to check walking time. Distances look short on the map, but the hills make them slower, so plan your Lisbon walking tour downhill where you can, for example from the castle down through Alfama to the river.

Churches such as the Sé, Lisbon Cathedral, and the church of Jerónimos are places of worship, so keep your voice low and avoid sightseeing during services. In Alfama, people live in the narrow lanes, so keep the noise down, especially in the evening, and don't photograph residents without asking.

For food, try pastéis de nata, the custard tarts sold all over the city, grilled sardines in summer, bacalhau, the salted cod cooked in many ways, and a bifana, a pork sandwich. Ginjinha, a cherry liqueur, is served in small shops near Rossio. Restaurants may bring bread, olives and cheese to the table, which are usually charged if you eat them, so send them back if you don't want them on your Lisbon walking tour.

Lisbon is generally safe, but pickpockets work the crowded trams, especially Tram 28, as well as the viewpoints and the Baixa, so keep your bag closed and in front of you. Ignore street sellers who offer drugs in the Baixa and Bairro Alto.

Wear shoes with a good grip, because the hills are steep and the traditional patterned pavements, the calçada portuguesa, become slippery, especially in the rain. Carry water in summer, as the climbs to the viewpoints are hot.

Many stops cost nothing at all. The riverside at Belém, the church of Jerónimos Monastery, the lanes of Alfama, the Praça do Comércio, Bairro Alto, LX Factory and the city's many viewpoints are free to visit. Belém Tower, the monastery cloister, São Jorge Castle, the Oceanário and the palaces of Sintra need tickets, and Tram 28 needs a fare. That is why this free walking tour Lisbon visitors can start at any hour works well: the 50 videos are free, and you only pay for what you choose to enter.

The miradouros, Lisbon's viewpoints, are the city's best free extra. The Miradouro da Senhora do Monte and the Miradouro da Graça look over the castle and the river, and many of them have a kiosk café. Always confirm current prices and opening hours on each official website before your Lisbon walking tour.

Knowing a little history helps the stops make sense. On 1 November 1755, a huge earthquake, followed by a tsunami and fires, destroyed much of the city. The Baixa you walk through today, with its straight streets and uniform buildings, is the planned city that rose afterwards, while Alfama and the castle hill keep the older, twisting street pattern. You can see both sides of that story on one Lisbon walking tour.

For accessibility, Belém, the Praça do Comércio, the Baixa and the Parque das Nações are flat and the easiest areas for wheelchair users and strollers. Alfama, the castle hill and Bairro Alto are steep and have stairs and cobbles. The historic trams have high steps, while the metro and many buses are more accessible, and the Santa Justa Lift links the Baixa with Chiado.

When you finish this Lisbon walking tour, carry on with more free walks: the Porto walking tour, the Madrid walking tour, the Seville walking tour and the Barcelona walking tour. You can browse every city on the Free City Tours home page.