213 432 148, 
museuartecontemporanea.gov.pt. Tues–Sun 10am–6pm. €4.50, free Sun 10am–2pm.The well-to-do district of Chiado (pronounced she-ar-doo) is famed for its smart shops and cafés, along with the city’s main museum for contemporary arts. Down on the waterfront, Cais do Sodré (pronounced kaiysh-doo-soodray) is one of the city’s “in” districts. Many of its waterfront warehouses have been converted into upmarket cafés and restaurants and by day, in particular, a stroll along its characterful riverfront is very enjoyable. Nearby Mercado da Ribeira, Lisbon’s main market, is also big on atmosphere, as is the hillside Bica district, which is served by another of the city’s classic funicular street lifts – Elevador da Bica. Cais do Sodré is also where you can catch ferries across the Tejo to the little port of Cacilhas which not only has some great seafood restaurants with views over Lisbon, but is also the bus terminus for some of the region’s best beaches and for the spectacular Cristo Rei statue of Christ.
Chiado’s most famous street, Rua Garrett, is where you’ll find some of the oldest shops and cafés in the city, including A Brasileira. Beggars usually mark the nearby entrance to the Igreja dos Mártires (Church of the Martyrs), named after the English Crusaders who were killed during the siege of Lisbon. Some of the area’s best shops can also be found in nearby Rua do Carmo. This was the heart of the area that was greatly damaged by a fire in 1988, although the original belle époque atmosphere has since been superbly re-created under the direction of eminent Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza Vieira.
Rua Serpa Pinto 4 213 432 148, museuartecontemporanea.gov.pt. Tues–Sun 10am–6pm. €4.50, free Sun 10am–2pm.
The National Museum of Contemporary Art traces the history of art from Romanticism to Modernism. It is housed in a stylish building with a pleasant courtyard café and rooftop terrace, constructed around a nineteenth-century biscuit factory. Within the gallery’s permanent collection are works by some of Portugal’s most influential artists since the nineteenth century, along with foreign artists influenced by Portugal including Rodin. Highlights include Almada Negreiros’ 1920s panels from the old São Carlos cinema, showing Felix the Cat; a beautiful sculpture, A Viúva (The Widow), by António Teixeira Lopes; and some evocative early twentieth-century Lisbon scenes by watercolourist Carlos Botelho. There are also frequent temporary exhibitions.
Entrance on Rua de São Paulo. Mon–Sat 7am–9pm, Sun 9am–9pm. €3.70 return.
With its entrance tucked into an arch on Rua de São Paulo, the Elevador da Bica is one of the city’s most atmospheric funicular railways. Built in 1892 – and originally powered by water counterweights, but now electrically operated – the elevador leads up towards the Bairro Alto, via a steep residential street. Take time to explore the steep side-streets of the Bica neighbourhood, too, a warren of characterful houses, little shops and fine local restaurants.
Tram #25 to Prazeres
You can catch another of Lisbon’s classic tram rides, the #25, from Praça da Figueira (Mon–Fri every 15min 6.30am–8.30pm). This sees far fewer tourists than tram #28 but takes almost as picturesque a route. From here it trundles along the riverfront and up through Lapa and Estrela to the suburb of Prazeres, best known as the site of one of Lisbon’s largest cemeteries. You can stroll round the enormous plot where family tombs are movingly adorned with trinkets and photos of the deceased.
Main entrance on Avda 24 de Julho 212 244 980, timeoutmarket.com/lisboa. Fruit, fish and vegetable market Mon–Sat 6am–2pm; food stalls Mon–Wed & Sun 10am–midnight, Thurs–Sat 10am–2am.
Built originally on the site of an old fort at the end of the nineteenth century, the Mercado da Ribeira is Lisbon’s most historic market, though the current structure dates only from 1930. Inside, stalls sell an impressive array of fresh fish, fruit and vegetables, with a separate, aromatic flower section. However, much of the building is now given over to the vibrant Time Out Market Lisboa, filled with an impressive range of food stalls and plenty of communal benches; it’s a great place to sample dishes from some of the city’s top chefs, such as Alexandre Silva and Henrique Sá Pessoa, or you can choose something simple like a prego (steak sandwich) or pizza. You pay slightly above the norm for the concept and ambience, but with everything from hams, cheeses and grilled chicken to gourmet burgers, seafood, organic salads and chocolates (not to mention champagne and cocktail bars), you might well find yourself tempted back here again and again. On Sunday mornings there’s a collectors’ market.
Mercado da Ribeira
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Travel to Cacilhas and beyond
Cais do Sodré is the main departure point for ferries over the Tejo to the largely industrial suburbs to the south. Ferries to Cacilhas (www.transtejo.pt; every 15min, 5.35am–1.40am, last return 1.20am; €1.25 single) dock by a bus and tram depot from where buses run to Costa da Caparica.
POCKET MAP C13
Rua Nova do Carvalho’s once dodgy clubs and bars have now (largely) been revamped into some of the city’s coolest hangouts. The rebranding has extended to the colour of the street, which is now pink, hence the nickname Rua Cor-de-Rosa (Pink Street). We list some of the best places.
The short, blustery ferry ride from Lisbon’s Cais do Sodré over the Tejo to Cacilhas is great fun and grants wonderful views of the city. Cacilhas is little more than a bustling bus and ferry terminal with a pretty church, surrounded by lively stalls and cafés, but is well known for its seafood restaurants. You can also visit the wooden-hulled, fifty-gun Dom Fernando II e Glória frigate (917 841 149, ccm.marinha.pt; Mon noon–6pm, Tues–Sun 10am–6pm (closes 5pm from Oct–April; €4) on Largo Alfredo Diniz. Built in India in 1843, it’s now a museum showing what life at sea was like in the mid-nineteenth century. A good riverside walk is to head west towards the bridge along the waterfront. It’s around fifteen minutes’ walk to the Elevador Panorâmico da Boca do Vento (daily 8am–midnight; €2 return), a sleek lift that whisks you 30m up the cliff face to the attractive old part of Almada, giving fantastic views.
Bus #101 from outside the Cacilhas ferry terminal 212 751 000, cristorei.pt. Lift open daily 9.30am–6.30pm. €5 return.
On the heights above Almada stand the outstretched arms of Cristo Rei (Christ the King). Inspired by Rio’s famous Cristo Redentor statue, it was built in 1959 as a pilgrimage site to grace Portugal’s non-participation in World War II. A lift shuttles you 80m up the plinth, where a few stairs lead to a dramatic viewing platform at the foot of the statue, from which, on a clear day, you can catch a glimpse of the glistening roof of the Pena palace at Sintra.
Cristo Rei
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Rua Anchieta 11. Mon–Sat 10am–8pm, Sun 11am–8pm.
An expensive but evocative collection of retro toys, crafts and ceramics, beautifully displayed and packaged in a former perfumery.
Rua do Carmo 2. Daily 10am–10pm, restaurants until 11pm.
This swish shopping centre sits on six floors above metro Baixa-Chiado in a structure that’s risen from the ashes of the Chiado fire, though it retains its traditional facade. Shops include Pepe Jeans, Fnac, The Body Shop and Sunglass Hut. The top floor has a series of cafés and restaurants, most with great views.
Rua do Alecrim 95. santanna.com. Mon–Sat 9.30am–7pm.
A great place to find out more about Portuguese azulejos, and to buy a few souvenirs to take home. Founded in 1741, the factory shop still makes ceramics on the premises using traditional techniques and sells a wide range of handmade ceramics, plus copies of classic designs.
Storytailors
Natascha Sturny/Rough Guides
Rua Garrett 73. Mon–Sat 9am–10pm, Sun 11am–8pm.
Officially the world’s oldest bookshop, this charming, cavernous shop was founded in 1732 and was once the meeting place for Lisbon’s literary set. Offering novels in English and a range of foreign magazines, it’s also a good place to find English translations of Portuguese writers, including the famous poet Fernando Pessoa.
Rua do Carmo 87a. Mon–Sat 10am–7pm.
The superb, ornately carved wooden doorway leads you into a minuscule glove shop, with hand-wear to suit all tastes tucked into rows of boxes.
Calçada do Ferragial 8. Tues–Sat 11am–7pm.
Set in a suitably stylish, bare-brick eighteenth-century former warehouse, the shop interior is as magical as its designer clothes inspired by fairy tales. Its haute couture range has been snapped up by the likes of Madonna and Lily Allen, though you’ll need a rock star’s salary to afford it.
Rua dos Duques de Bragança 7 211 992 369, cantinhodoavillez.pt. Mon–Fri 12.30–3pm & 7pm–midnight, Sat & Sun 12.30pm–midnight.
In a contemporary space, with tram #28 rattling by its door, this laidback but classy canteen is a good place to sample food from Lisbon’s top chef, José Avillez, at reasonable prices. Delectable mains from €18 include the likes of scallops with sweet potatoes and asparagus, or Alentejo pork with coriander. Starters include a superb baked Nisa cheese, and the house wines are equally top-notch.
Rua da Bica Duarte Belo 72–74 213 422 794. Mon–Sat 11am–11pm.
Small and bustling tasca at the top end of the Elevador da Bica, packed at lunchtimes thanks to filling and inexpensive dishes such as grilled chicken, sausages and fine pastéis de bacalhau (cod fritters) from under €8. Good house wine, too.
Alfredo Dinis Alex 1–3, Cacilhas 212 765 248, restaurantefarol.com. Daily noon–11pm.
The most high-profile seafood restaurant in Cacilhas, with fine views across the Tejo to match. If you feel extravagant, it’s hard to beat the lobster, though other fish dishes are yours from around €12. Azulejos on the wall show the old farol (lighthouse) that once stood here – the restaurant is located along the quayside, on the right as you leave the ferry.
Rua do Alecrim 117–120 213 473 616, brasserieentrecote.pt. Daily 12.30–3pm & 7.30–11.30pm.
This upmarket restaurant has won awards for its entrecôte steak which is just as well, as that’s all it serves. With a sauce said to contain 35 ingredients, it is truly delicious. Mains from €18–25. Reservations advised.
Rua António Maria Cardoso 58 211 305 393, minibar.pt. Daily 7pm–1am, bar til 2am.
There’s certainly a theatrical element to the cuisine in this buzzy restaurant-bar inside the Art Deco Teatro de São Luiz. Various themed tasting menus feature innovative and quirky tapas-style dishes (€3–15), including Algarve prawns, tuna and mackerel ceviche and beef croquettes. Some of top chef José Avillez’s creations are decidedly Blumenthal-esque, including amazing ‘edible’ cocktails and ‘exploding’ olives. Highly recommended.
Rua Nova do Carvalho 55 213 423 804. Mon, Tues & Thurs–Sun 12.30pm–3pm & 6–11pm.
It might be on a street full of hip bars, but Rio Grande is reassuringly traditional, with azulejos on the walls beneath an arched ceiling. The spacious restaurant serves up good-value Portuguese classics such as pork steaks and a good array of fresh fish for under €9.
Rua Garrett 120. Daily 8am–2am.
Opened in 1905, and marked by an outdoor bronze statue of the poet Fernando Pessoa, this is the most famous of Lisbon’s old-style coffee houses. The tables on the pedestrianized street get snapped up by tourists but the real appeal is in its traditional interior, where prices are considerably cheaper, especially if you stand at the long bar. At night buskers often add a frisson as the clientele changes to a more youthful brigade, all on the beer.
Trav do Carmo 4 213 433 112. Mon–Sat 8am–10pm.
An arty crowd frequents this attractive café with an ornate glass ceiling. Occasional art exhibits and a good range of cakes and organic snacks.
Largo do Carmo 1–3. Mon–Sat 7am–11pm, Sun 7am–8pm.
Outdoor tables on one of the city’s leafiest squares. Besides drinks and snacks, it also serves up a menu of light lunches; the tasty grilled sardines are perfect in summer.
Café A Brasileira
Natascha Sturny/Rough Guides
Rua Garrett 104. Mon–Sat 8am–11pm.
Often overlooked because of its proximity to Café A Brasileira, this ornate nineteenth-century café offers superb cakes, ice cream and coffees; it also has a popular outdoor terrace on Chiado’s most fashionable street.
Rua de Sao Paulo 184-186 218 220 843. Mon–Thurs & Sun 12.30pm–midnight, Fri 12.30pm–2am, Sat 11.30am–2am.
This quirky space is part antique store and part café-bar, where you can browse around interesting furniture and knick-knacks over a coffee and home-made cake or a glass of wine with petiscos.
Rua de São Paulo 75–77 213 420 281. Daily 6pm–2am.
In a wonderful old tobacco shop dating back to 1885 – with many of the original fittings – this cosy bar specializes in cocktails (from €7), made from gin, vodka, whisky and seasonal fruits.
Rua da Bica Duarte Belo 38–42. Tues–Sat 7pm–2am.
Small, fashionable bar on the steep street used by the Elevador da Bica, with occasional live jazz and Latin sounds; good cocktails; and a moderately priced bar-food menu.
Rua Garrett Patio 19. Mon–Sat 12.30pm–11pm.
With a handful of outside seats tucked away in a hidden courtyard, this stylish little modern bar rustles together a mean range of cocktails and other drinks; its sister Mezzogiorno next door also serves decent pizzas.
MusicBox
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Rua Nova do Carvalho 24 213 430 107, musicboxlisboa.com. Mon–Sat 11pm–6am.
Tucked under the arches of Rua Nova do Carvalho is this cool cultural and music venue which hosts a mix of club nights, live music, films and performing arts, with a strong emphasis on promoting independent acts. There’s a top sound and light system and usually a buzzy, happy crowd.
Rua do Alecrim 70 212 442 270, www.palaciochiado.pt. Sun–Thurs noon–midnight, Fri & Sat noon–2am.
This ornate former palace has been transformed into a hip outlet for various bars and restaurants. Head to the top floor for a stunning bar area, complete with a golden-winged lion suspended overhead, for a range of tantalising cocktails, including O Mistério, a cherry liqueur with lime and basil. The adjacent room has good views over Chiado.
Rua do Alecrim 19 213 143 399. Daily 2pm–3am.
The “Pension of Love” is a former “house of ill-repute”. It has retained its eighteenth-century burlesque fittings for its current incarnation as a trendy bar with risqué photos, frescoes and mirrors. You can browse through the small erotic bookstore or enjoy occasional live concerts.
Rua Nova do Carvalho 32–26 213 473 403, povolisboa.com. Mon–Wed & Sun 6pm–4am, Thurs–Sat 6pm–2am.
This fashionable tavern offers fado from up-and-coming stars (Tues–Sun from 8pm) and late-night DJs at weekends in the heart of “Pink Street”. There’s a great menu of petiscos and mains such as mussels with seaweed, bacalhau dishes and steaks (€8–21).
Rua Nova do Carvalho 44 213 467 203. Daily noon–2am.
Once a shop selling fishing equipment, this is now a hip bar. The fishing equipment is part of the decor, and you can still purchase tinned fish to enjoy with bread and wine at low stools inside, or outside on trendy “Pink Street”.