Lisboa Bairro Alto

Museu Arqueológico Do Carmo. Located under the fantasy-like skeletal arches of an old church destroyed in the catastrophic 1755 earthquake, this partially outdoor museum allows visitors to get up close to historical relics like a 16th-century coat of arms. Check out the two Peruvian mummies and the Egyptian sarcophagus inside. (On Largo do Carmo. Open M-Sa Oct.-Mar. 10am-6pm; Apr.-Feb. 10am-7pm. €2.50, students €1.50, under 14 free.)

Cemitério Dos Prazeres. At the cemetery, hundreds of small family mausoleums are lined together, forming a genuine city of the dead. Many of these mini-buildings have broken doors or glass pane windows, allowing you to see inside (if you want to). Watch out, as some of the older ones have broken coffins. The easily-frightened may want to visit in the assuring light of day. (Pr. S. João Bosco. ☎213 96 15 11. Take tram #28 to the end of the line, in the opposite direction as you would for the castle. Open daily Oct.-Apr. 9am-4:30pm; May-Sept. 9am-5:30pm. €1.35.)

Elevador De Santa Justa. This historic elevator, built in 1902 inside a Gothic wrought-iron tower, once served as transportation up to Bairro Alto, but now takes tourists up 45m to the top. There is a small cafe where visitors can have a drink while enjoying a view of the city. Avoid the elevator on weekends—there’s a huge line. (Runs daily 7am-8:45pm. €2.80 round-trip.)

Basílica Da Estrela. Directly across from the Jardim da Estrela, the Basílica da Estrela dates back to 1796 and casts an imposing presence over the Praça. Its dome, poised behind a pair of tall belfries, towers over surrounding buildings to take its place in the Lisboa skyline. The desperate Dona Maria I promised God anything and everything if she were granted a son. When a baby boy was finally born, she built this church, and today, architecture aficionados are grateful. Ask to see the 10th-century nativity. (Pr. da Estrela. Accessible by metro or tram #28 from Pr. do Comércio. ☎213 96 09 15. Open daily 7:45am-8pm. Free.)

Igreja De São Roque. When the Catholic church brought Saint Roque’s bones and other relics to Lisboa from Spain in the 1500s, they had not intended to build a church in his name. But when the epidemic-inducing rodents terrorizing Lisboa miraculously vanished upon his arrival, Sr. Roque became a São (saint); a Jesuit church with all the bells and whistles of the era was quickly built in his honor. Inside, the Capela de São João Baptista (fourth from the left) blazes with agate, lapis lazuli, and precious metals. Considered a masterpiece of European art, the chapel caused a stir upon its installation in 1747 because it took three ships to transport the church from Rome, where it was built. The ceiling is covered by a magnificent painting portraying scenes from the life of Jesus. (Lg. Trindade Coelho. ☎213 23 53 80. Open daily 8:30am-5pm, holidays 8:30am-1pm.)

Parks. Across from the Basílica on Lg. da Estrela, the wide paths of the Jardim da Estrela wind through flocks of pigeons, happily quacking ducks, and lush flora. (M: Rato. With your back to the metro stop, follow R. Pedro Álvares Cabral, the 2nd road from the left in the traffic circle, for 10min. You can also take tram #28 from Barrio Alto. Open daily 6am-midnight.) More greenery awaits uphill along R. Dom Pedro V at the Parque Príncipe Real, which connects to the Jardim Botánico. For a good view, head to the Parque de São Pedro de Alcântara. The Castelo de São Jorge in Alfama occupies the cliff opposite the park, and Bairro Alto twinkles below.