The Chiado quarter, located in the western part of the Baixa slope, is named after the Franciscan monk and poet António Ribeiro (c. 1520–1591), nicknamed Chiado (crafty, cunning). In 1988, the area attracted worldwide attention when several famous historic buildings burned to the ground at the eastern end of Rua Garrett and the pedestrian area of Rua do Carmo. Under the leadership of the famous architect Alvaro Siza Vieira, restoration work and reconstruction of the entire area were carried out. Today, the area is chosen by artists, sculptors, writers, booksellers and other artists.
Carmelite Church (Igreja do Carmo)
You can climb the mountain from the Baixa quarter to the Chiado quarter to a 32-meter height using the Santa Justa lift or on foot. The air bridge leads directly to the center of the Chiado quarter past the Carmelite Church. During the earthquake of 1755, the Gothic church of the Carmelite monastery turned into ruins, which housed the Archaeological Museum (Museu Arqueológico). The ribs of the collapsed vault reaching into the sky are no less fascinating than the collection of Roman sarcophagi, Visigothic columns and sculptures of Machado di Castro presented in the museum. In the summer, concerts are held in the ruins of the church.
Rua Garrett
Rua Garrett is the main street of the Chiado quarter. There are many shops and bookstores with a good selection. At number 73 is the Livreria Bertrand store, opened more than 200 years ago. Rua Garrett ends at Largo do Chiado Square, where there is a monument to the poet Chiado (António Ribeiro).
Café A Brasileira and Café Pasteleria Bertrand
On Rua Garrett there is the famous literary and artistic cafe A Brasileira, in front of which stands a bronze monument to the lyric poet Fernando Pessoa (1888-1935), who died of cirrhosis of the liver and gained fame only after his death. The cafe arose on the site of a store selling Brazilian coffee, founded in 1905. Next to A Brasileira is the Pasteleria Bertrand cafe, which serves delicious cakes and coffee.
House of Fernando Pessoa
The house of Fernando Pessoa is located in Largo di Sant Carlos square, no. 4. The poet was born in this house, and the house in which he lived is located in the Campo de Ourique quarter. The house houses a library and a restaurant.
National Theater of São Carlos (Teatro Nacional de São Carlos)
The National Opera House of São Carlos, located in Largo de São Carlos Square, was founded in 1793 with funds from wealthy Portuguese merchants. Throughout the 19th century, this theater was the center of Italian and Portuguese opera. Many famous European opera singers performed at the theater. The most famous production was the opera La Traviata with the participation of Maria Callas in 1958.
National Museum of Modern Art (Museu de Arte Contemporânea) or Chiado Museum (Museu do Chiado)
The Chiado Museum, on Rua Serpa Pinto no. 4, is located in a building that once belonged to a Franciscan monastery; after the earthquake, the building was empty until the beginning of the 19th century. Later it housed a confectionery factory, then an academy of arts, later the National Library, and only in 1911 a museum opened here. Here are paintings and sculptures from the 19th century to the present day. In the museum you can see paintings by Columban Bordalo Pinheiro, José Malhoa and sculptures by Auguste Rodin.
Lisbon is the most extreme point of continental Europe. Tourists from Russia rarely come here. We didn’t hear our native speech often during the trip. For me, this city and Portugal itself as a whole became a great discovery. Tiled red roofs, ocean, Sweet wine - let's go in order.
How to get to Lisbon
You can get from Moscow to Lisbon with direct regular flights from Tap Portugal, Ural Airlines and, more recently, Aeroflot.
Tap Portugal flies every day, their flights are the most convenient. Departure from Moscow early in the morning, departure from Lisbon late in the evening. The cost is about 30,000 rubles per person in two directions. 10-12 months before the departure date there is a 50% discount, you can buy tickets for 15,000 rubles.
Ural Airlines flies on Thursdays and Sundays. Departures from Moscow and Lisbon in the middle of the day. In fact, you lose the day of departure and arrival due to an inconvenient schedule. The cost is also around 30,000 rubles. per person for a round trip ticket. At the beginning of the year (January-February) they regularly offer discounts on tickets departing in the summer months; you can buy them at half price.
Aeroflot offers flights from Moscow on Mondays and Wednesdays around 20:00. Departures from Lisbon on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 08:00 am. The price is around 30 - 35 thousand. The most inconvenient flights in terms of time. You'll have to spend two extra nights at the hotel.
There are also different options for getting to Lisbon with transfers. I haven't seen any normal flights with connections.
In our particular case, the flights were with Ural Airlines. Tickets were purchased in February for July with a 50% discount. Flight delay by 1-1.5 hours in Moscow and Lisbon. aircraft 10-15 years old. If it weren't for the discounted price, I would never have flown with them. It’s definitely worth choosing Tap Portugal in this direction.
I advise you to check prices regularly on Aviasales, as for me the most adequate aggregator. As soon as a good option appears from the airlines above, you should immediately take tickets. At promotional rates they are gone in literally a couple of hours.
Districts of Lisbon
Lisbon is a city of observation decks (Miradouro), narrow streets with quaint houses and rumbling retro trams. There is no need to make grandiose plans and routes here. It is enough to simply place points of interest on the map and select for yourself on what day to visit this or that area of Lisbon. The ideal way to get to know the city is to wander aimlessly through the streets, bumping into lookouts and attractions.
The following areas are worth paying attention to:
- Bairro Alto - Chiado;
- Baixa;
- Alfama;
- Belem.
On the map above I have marked all the main viewpoints, as well as a number of attractions that we visited and saw. The structure of the review is as follows: Area - photo for it - small comments and features, if any.
It’s pointless to write instructions for Lisbon where, how and when to go, just as it’s pointless to draw up a detailed route for yourself.
To get to know Lisbon, we spent one day entirely on Bairro Alto - Chiada + Baixa, the second - Belem + Alfama.
Bairro Alto - Chiado and Baixa
Marked in orange on the map. These are the central areas of Lisbon. You can take Rossio Square as your starting point.
The best views of the city are from the observation elevator of Santa Justa
You can pay for the elevator ride with a Viva Viagem card, a public transport pass in Lisbon. There are no ticket offices near the elevator, so you need to take care of your ticket in advance.
It is best to arrive at the Santa Justa elevator towards the end of the day, around seven o'clock. There are practically no queues at this time.
The red tiled roofs at sunset are awe-inspiring. The landscapes are mesmerizing and take you 200-300 years into the past.
Let me note once again that in Lisbon you just need to leisurely wander the streets and look at the architecture and local residents.
Alfama
The oldest district of Lisbon. Medieval buildings and the chaotic street layout of that time have been preserved here.
Alfama is located on a slope. You have to constantly walk uphill and downhill, passing numerous stairs and steps. Due to dense buildings, the sun cannot reach the narrow streets. It is comfortable to be here even during the day in the summer heat.
There are a lot of observation platforms in this area; it is advisable to visit them in the late afternoon, when the sun is not so angry.
The same can be said about the Castle of St. George (Castelo de S. Jorge). You need to get here before closing. The cost of entry per person is about 8 euros. The views from the castle are impressive.
We walked along Alfama from two o'clock in the afternoon until sunset. There was enough time to go around all the viewpoints, and also get lost in the narrow streets a couple of times. We visited the castle around 6 pm.
Belem
The area is located away from the center of Lisbon. To get there you will need to use public transport. Near the Commerce Square (see map above), you can take tram number 15E, which takes you directly to Belem.
The main attraction here is the Belem Tower (Torre de Belem)
Our biggest mistake during our visit to Lisbon was going inside the tower. In July, in the hellish heat, it is unrealistic to be there. The scorching sun melts your skin and brains. Besides, the views from the tower are nothing, and there is nothing to see inside either. Entrance costs 6 euros per person, I do not recommend going inside. It is enough to look at the tower from the outside.
In Belem there is a famous cafe Pasteis de Belem (see map), where they bake the dessert of the same name. Any guidebook will certainly direct tourists here. The recipe for these baskets is carefully kept and not disclosed from generation to generation. You can try the original cake only here.
When visiting this cafe, I advise you to go deeper into the room, which has many rooms. Basically, all the people crowd into the first two halls and at first you want to leave, there are too many people, there is a lot of fuss. In the back rooms you can easily find a free table and try this miracle. Delicious.
You can also spend time in Belem at the Jeronimos Monastery. Free admission. The history of this place is impressive.
Which area of Lisbon to stay in?
Best place to stay in Lisbon Chiado area. This is the very center of the city. From here you can walk to any observation point or attraction (except Belem). For trips out of town, Rossio station is located nearby. You can also consider areas Bairro Alto or Alpha.
The Chiado quarter is not only known to tourists as Garrett Street with its branded stores, the A Brasileira cafe and Camoens Square. The quarter is worth getting to know better.
Just turn off the main street and the bohemian quarter of Lisbon will open up to you in all its glory. Here, gourmet restaurants by famous Portuguese chefs coexist with art galleries, small antique shops and theaters.
It is no coincidence that this is where the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Lisbon is located. All other faculties of this main University of Lisbon are located far from the historical center, in the area Campo Grande.
IN Chiado there are several theaters. One of them is the only opera house in Lisbon, the São Carlos.
It was in the building opposite the theater that Fernando Pessoa, a Portuguese poet and writer, was born.
But this neighborhood wasn't always like this.
One of the seven hills of Lisbon, where the Chiado district is located, began to be inhabited in the 12th century. After the Reconquista, monasteries began to be founded on this hill, and noble knights built their estates. This quarter remained like this until the 16th century.
It was in the 16th century that this already quite populated quarter received its name. Chiado - translated from Portuguese as wheezing or wheezing. This is exactly the nickname of the famous innkeeper Gaspar Dias, who kept his establishment next to the place where the Chiado Warehouses shopping center is now located.
The tavern was very popular among local residents, and “go to Chiad” eventually outgrew the walls of the drinking establishment.
By the way, this nickname also stuck to the poet-monk, who was a regular at this tavern.
The husky innkeeper remained only in local legends, and the poet-monk Antonio “Shiado” Ribeiro, a lover of strong drinks, was immortalized by erecting a monument on the square of the same name. Nowadays, street musicians and dancers perform in front of this monument every evening.
After the earthquake of 1755, the Chiado quarter was transformed. No, it's not about new buildings, but about people. The quarter was populated by a new social stratum: the bourgeoisie and the Freemasons. As for the buildings, the last traces of the earthquake disappeared only towards the end of the 18th century.
At the beginning of the 19th century, the Chiado region was going through difficult times: Napoleon's invasion, British occupation, devastation after the Liberal Revolution. The quarter was revived only with the end of the civil war and the victorious return of Don Pedro in 1833.
The Chiado quarter, like the whole of Portugal, is being abandoned by all religious orders. The monasteries and property went to the state, and the quarter breathed more freely, freed from the oppression of the clergy.
It is flooded with poets, artists, writers and politicians. Libraries and educational institutions, cafes and clubs, theaters and variety shows with cancan dancers are opening. That's how the quarter Chiado has become the most bohemian place in Lisbon.
Chiado is a quarter of progressives and romantics of the 19th century, intellectuals of the 20th century.
At the end of the 20th century, the Chiado quarter began to empty. Lisbon grew, and the amenities of the dilapidated buildings of the city center no longer met modern requirements. The block, oddly enough, was given a second life by tragedy - a fire that happened in 1988, which destroyed and damaged many buildings.
The restoration was undertaken by the architect Alvaro Siza Vieira. His design was simple and elegant. Just what was needed – evolution. When the facades of buildings with the atmosphere of the Pombala era form a perfect symbiosis with interiors that meet the requirements of the 21st century.
The Chiado district has set itself a new challenge - to regain its title as the cultural, commercial and bohemian center of Lisbon. A challenge that meets the hopes of all Lisboners who want the heart of the city to vibrate again.
As you can see, this is a very interesting area and we cannot tell everything in one short article. For those interested, we have prepared an original tour of this area of Lisbon. It is ideal both for getting to know the city and for those who have already been or even live in Lisbon and want to discover the city from a new side.
about Belem and the “bohemian” district of Chiado
We stopped in Belem on the road from Lisbon to Sintra. In fact, it turned out to be not as easy as we thought, since the two main attractions of Belem that we wanted to see are located on opposite sides of the railway line. In order to see both, you need to go back all the way to the 25 April Bridge itself, where the nearest crossing is located..
From the very beginning, we decided that we would not stay in Belem for long.. After all, if we give this area all the attention it deserves, it would be good to devote a whole day to it.. We didn’t have a whole day, so so far only the most the most! :)
Jeronimos - monastery of the Jeronimite Order and the Cathedral of Santa Maria de Belem. Probably the most common symbol of Lisbon in tourist brochures...
The monastery was built over many years at the beginning of the 16th century. The construction was supervised by several architects in turn. The result of their labors was a magnificent architectural complex in the Manueline style, which also included Plateresque and Renaissance elements.
The famous South Portal is the largest and most ornate entrance to the building, despite not being the main entrance.
To decorate the portal, local limestone calcário de lioz, which has a natural golden hue, was used. The bas-reliefs depict scenes from the life of St. Jerome, the patron saint of the monastic order, who occupied this monastery by order of the king.
It is interesting that the main goal of the Jeronimos monks was to constantly pray for the health of the king and for the success of the Portuguese discoverers, who passed by the walls of the monastery on their way to the open sea.
It is probably no coincidence that the monument to these discoverers is located right here in Belem. Here we are just passing by it on the way to our second goal:
Torre de Belem - Belem Tower.
Having parked in a free parking lot, we return a couple of hundred meters to the tower, skirting the walls of the former fort, which now houses, it seems, a museum of the armed forces.
And here we are at the goal :)
The Belem Tower, or by its official name the Tower of St. Vincent, was built in the early 16th century as the main fortification on the approach to Lisbon and the official sea gate of the city. Initially, on a tiny island not far from the shore, only the main part was erected - in fact, the tower itself, and only many years later a bastion was added to it and subsequently built on. After the Lisbon earthquake, the river bed changed slightly and now the tower stands almost on the shore.
Despite its “decorative” appearance, initially the tower was indeed a full-fledged military fortification, although it was besieged only once and was taken after just a few hours of battle..
If you look from the embankment towards Lisbon, on the opposite bank of the Tagus River, next to the 25th of April Bridge, you can see the well-known statue of Christ - Santuariu Nacional de Cristo Rey. They say that from the top of the monument there are excellent views of the city, but in winter the entrance is closed from 6 pm. Therefore, our panoramas of Lisbon at night will be taken from another point above the city :)
So, we return to the center of Lisbon.. An interesting building, reminiscent of either an Orthodox church or a mosque, is actually an arena for a Portuguese bullfight..
But we are just passing by, our destination is Chiado. This is one of the old districts of Lisbon, now considered a fashionable bohemian and tourist place, the center of expensive shops and nightlife :)
Another shot “on the road”: in addition to the usual Lisbon trams, the city also has such strange structures that resemble funiculars rather than trams. They ply streets on slopes too steep for regular transport.
But we are almost there. By the time we returned to the city it had already become completely dark. The streets were lit up and filled with people walking...
There are two ways to get to the Chiado area. On a regular street or on the Santa Justa lift. We weren't in a hurry, so we took the first route, along Karmo Street, looking at shop windows along the way... And Zushta was hanging over us in the darkening evening sky:)
Chiado is considered a bohemian district of theaters and museums, poets and writers, although now it can rather be called a commercial district. At least this applies to a couple of the busiest streets, Carmo and Garrett, adjacent to the main square of Chiado.
Although, of course, this does not detract from the beauty of historical buildings (and even “historic shops”!) of Chiado! :)
Yes, and poets are present here - even if they are cast in bronze, like this monument to Antonio Ribeiro, standing on the approach to the square. By the way, it is to him (the person, not the monument) that the area most likely owes its name. After all, the nickname of the monk, who retrained as a poet, who once lived on this street was Chiado - the Cunning Man. :)
And here is Chiado Square itself. Here Lisbon is much closer to the image of a European capital than on the streets of Alfama, on the hill opposite! This is not surprising. The construction here is much more recent. Like Baixa Pombalina, Chiado was rebuilt by the Marquis de Pombal after the destruction caused by the earthquakes of 1755.
The heyday of these streets came in the mid-19th century, when the local cafes and bars became meeting places for Lisbon’s literary elite.
At the same time, shops gained popularity, some of which, founded in the 17th century, have survived to this day!
At a later time, numerous tourists replaced writers and poets on the streets.
Carmo Square is a small cozy square, a little to the west and above the main square of the district. We wandered here in search of the “ruin” that we had seen from Rossio Square.
Nearby the “ruin” turned out to be the Archaeological Museum of Lisbon, located in the former building of the Carmelite monastery.
This imposing Gothic structure, once the city's main cathedral and rivaling Lisbon Cathedral, was severely damaged after the Lisbon Earthquake and was never restored.
Directly from the Monastery building, you can cross a long cast-iron bridge to the upper platform of the Santa Justa ski lift.
By the way, this is why the second name of the lift is “Carmo Lift”.
This is definitely worth doing - after all, the lift is interesting in itself..
..not to mention the view from the top platform!
On the left (to the east) you can see Rossio Square.
Carmo Street, along which we climbed to Chiado, climbs up the hill from here.
On the contrary, behind the luminous cells of Pombalina, in all the splendor of the night illumination, the fortress of St. George and the towers of the Cathedral flaunt.. This is how we remember “our” Lisbon, a wonderful, friendly city, which was so easy to fall in love with at first sight! :)
But, nevertheless, this is not our last story about Portugal! IN
The biggest attraction in Lisbon is the city itself is a city that stands out in an increasingly homogeneous world. Few other capitals have such an intriguing mix of old and new, and so many contrasts, making Lisbon the place to leisurely explore its many attractions, revealing its distinctive and characteristic image.
Baixa – the center of Lisbon
Baisha, or downtown Lisbon, is the heart of the city. This is the main shopping and banking district, which extends from the waterfront to the main avenue (Liberty Avenue). It was Europe's first great example of neoclassical design and urban planning and one of Europe's finest architectural achievements (it is currently listed as a World Heritage Site).
Baixa remains an impressive area with elegant squares, pedestrian streets, cafes and shops. This is the cradle of the soul of Lisbon, where in former times people of all ages gathered to have fun, where folk craftsmen worked and city artists created.
Old trams, street performers, tiled Art Deco storefronts, ornate sweet shops and street vendors selling everything from flowers to souvenirs add a special charm to the area. The local streets are full of rich experiences and imbued with the spirit of true Lisbon. It can be said that the Lisbon identity was born here.
All this color can be observed while sitting at the table of the Nicola cafe on Rossio Square or standing in front of the monumental National Theater or the Castle of St. George, or while walking along the pedestrianized Rua Augusta past the Arc de Triomphe to the majestic Commerce Square.
Baixa is a great holiday destination, combining major attractions, excellent transport links and restaurants and cafes close to shops.
Neighboring Chiado area(pronounced Chiado) is an elegant, sophisticated area of theaters, bookstores, art nouveau cafes, jewelry stores and luxury international names such as Hermes. The area has local attractions such as the ornately gilded Tavares Rico Restaurant, the fine china shop Vista Alegre and the boutique of one of Portugal's international fashion designers, Ana Salazar.
Chiado remains one of Lisbon's most beloved neighborhoods, a reminder of its past as the center of the city's intellectual life, with statues of literary figures such as Fernando Pessoa, Luis de Camões and Eca de Queiroz.
Your walking route through the center of Lisbon (starting from the river) could be like this:
Museum Lisboa story center – Terreiro do Paço Square – Arco da Rua Augusta – Rossio Square, Elevador de Santa Justa Elevator – Ruins of the Carmelite Monastery (Ruinas do Carmo) – Garrett Street, Chiado Square – Café Brasileira
Bairro Alto area
Lisbon district Bairo Alto, like Chiado, is the cultural and bohemian heart of Lisbon, a mecca of nightclubs and shopping 
Bairro Alto is a picturesque working-class quarter dating back to the 16th century, which has traditionally been a bohemian area for artists and writers. Its street network is quiet during the day, but transforms at night into the city's vibrant nightlife district. Various traditional and international restaurants, many bars and alternative shops remain open until late at night. The streets are filled with people from all over the country, from all over the world, of all ages and ways of thinking, of all styles and appearances, and everyone has one thing in common - to live together.
The main shopping streets are Rua Norte, Rua da Atalaia and Pya Diario de Noticias, from where you can easily reach the Miradouro de San Pedro de Alcántara (garden terrace with panoramic views of the city), and see two of the most interesting The city's churches: San Roque with its magnificent Baroque interior and the romantic Gothic ruins of the Church of Carmo.
Bairro Alto route You can start from Cais do Sodre station – Alecrin Street – Placa de Camoes – Rua da Atalaia – Rua da Rosa.
Area Principe Real, an extension of Bairro Alto, is famous for its antique shops on Rua Dom Pedro V and Rua da Escola. The streets from the Principe Real garden down to the river, especially in Rua de Sant Maral, have attractive 19th-century townhouses and some of the most tranquil spots in the city, such as Praa das Flores.
Alfama – the historical soul of Lisbon
The Alfama district is Lisbon's most emblematic quarter and one of the most rewarding for pedestrians and photographers, thanks to its medieval alley and outstanding views.
Because its foundation is dense rock, it survived the earthquakes of 1755, and walking through this old-fashioned residential area today is a step back in time. Alfama still consists of narrow streets, tiny squares, churches, and white houses with tiled panels and wrought-iron balconies, decorated with potted flowers, drying clothes, and caged birds. The area influenced poets and novelists.
If you are lucky enough to be in this area of Lisbon on Tuesday or Saturday, then start your walk with Feira da Ladra flea market. It is located a little to the side, approximately in the area of S. Apolonia Station, and is considered one of the oldest in Lisbon. Here, in an atmosphere unlike any other, everything is sold: antiques, old and ancient things and objects, etc.
In Alfama you can wander around, admiring the beautiful views, visit churches (baroque Santa Engracia or San Vicente de Fora, where all the Portuguese monarchs are buried and there is an ancient monastery refectory), go up to see the breathtaking panorama of the city and the sunset.
In contrast to these timeless images is the trendy modern development on the seafront opposite Santa Apolonia train station. It is home to stylish design shops, restaurants, and one of Europe's top clubs, "Lux".
Above the castle of St. George is the Moorish Mouraria district– a real melting pot, where the atmosphere is filled with exotic aromas from all over the world. This is a confluence of different peoples and cultures that have never lost their historical traditions.
Pass route Alfama – Castle – Mouraria area to Martin Moniz Square, and then take tram number 28, which passes by significant historical sites of the city, heading from the top of the hill to Baixa and Chiado.
All photos are from the author of the site @
