Lisboa Orientation

The city center has three neighborhoods: shop-filled Baixa (the low district), nightlife-rich Bairro Alto (the high district), and hilly, winding Alfama. The latter, Lisboa’s famous medieval Moorish neighborhood, was the lone survivor of the 1755 earthquake. The city’s oldest district is a labyrinth of narrow alleys, unmarked streets, and escandinhas —stairways that only seem to lead to more unmarked streets. Expect to get lost repeatedly without a detailed map. The street-indexed For Ways maps (including Sintra, Cascais, and Estoril) are good, though expensive (sold at newsstands; €5). The maps at the tourist offices are also reliable and free. The suburbs extending in both directions along the river are some of the fastest-growing sections of the city. Areas of interest several kilometers from downtown include: Belém, which offers a peek into Portugal’s 16th-century glory days , Alcântara, whose docks are home to Lisboa’s party scene, and the Parque das Nações , the site of the 1998 World Exposition and many daytime attractions.

The Bairros Of Lisboa

Baixa, Lisboa’s old business hub, is the city’s core, with restaurants and trendy apparel stores lining its streets. The neighborhood grid begins at Praça Dom Pedro IV (better known as Rossio ) ...more

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