Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital and most populous city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 658,236 as of 2025, within its administrative limits and 3,353,000 within the metropolis, as of 2025.
The city lies on the Atlantic Ocean in the western part of the Iberian Peninsula, fronting the northern shore of the River Tagus. The western portion of its metro area, the Portuguese Riviera, hosts the westernmost point of Continental Europe, culminating at Cabo da Roca.
Getting to Lisbon
The Lisbon Airport serves the city. If no flight fits, you can take a plane to Porto or Faro. Both cities have direct trains and buses to Lisbon.
Worth seeing
Lisbon is a city on the water—the River Tagus (Rio Tejo)—built on seven hills that are traversed by trams. This has led to comparisons with San Francisco. To provide access from the southern suburbs, Lisbon has two spectacular bridges.
Things to do
Go out at night to the central Bairro Alto, or 'High Neighbourhood'. Just up the hill from Chiado, this is the place to go out in town. In the early evening, go to a fado-themed restaurant near the Praca Camoes, and head upwards as the evening goes on. If you're in Lisbon on the night preceding a Feriado or public holiday, you have to check this out.
Where to eat
Portuguese dining rituals tend to follow the Mediterranean siesta body clock. Most restaurants are very small, family-run and generally inexpensive. Some of them have a sheet on the door with the pratos do dia (dishes of the day) written on it – these dishes are usually cheaper and fresher than the rest of menu there, and unless you're looking for something specific, they're the right choice.
Getting around Lisbon the local way
- Get inThat said, regular shuttle ferry traffic is limited to joining the banks of the Tagus river, i.e.
- Get inthere are no ferries to Lisbon other than the small ones from neighbouring municipalities.
- Get aroundIt consists of a bus and tram network operated by Carris, the separately-run Lisbon Metro underground rail, as well as commuter trains and ferries which connect Lisbon to its neighbouring suburbs.
- Get aroundMost public transport in Lisbon uses an integrated ticketing system, allowing the same smartcard to be used across metro, buses, trams, suburban trains and many ferries.
- Get aroundIt's valid on the metro, trams (electricos), urban trains, most buses and ferries.
- Get aroundA pass for €11 also includes the suburban rail service to Ajambuda, Estoril, Sintra, and Sado, while a pass for €10 includes the ferry service from Cais do Sodré to Cacilhas.
- Get aroundThe TransTejo (TT) ferries can make you buy yet another Viva card with white stripe in the bottom.
- Get around{{go | name Glória Funicular | url | address 38.71615 | long Bairro Alto | phone | hours | wikipedia Gloria Funicular (14025314679).jpg | wikidata=Q99636 | lastedit=2017-04-30 | content=Inaugurated on 24 October 1885, this funicular was the second to be placed in Lisbon.
From Wikivoyage: Lisbon, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us. Last edited 2026-09.
Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: Harvey Barrison from Massapequa, NY, USA (CC BY-SA 2.0), Wikimedia Commons.
