Orientation
LISBON
Lisbon’s historic center has four main neighborhoods: Baixa, where accommodations, shopping, and tourists galore can be found; Chiado, the cultural center just uphill west of Baixa; nightlife-rich Bairro Alto, still farther west; and ancient Alfama, on the east side of Baixa. The narrow, windy streets and stairways of Alfama and Bairro Alto can be confusing and difficult to navigate without a good map. The Lisboa Mapa da Cidade e Guia Turístico (€3) has nearly every street in these neighborhoods labeled, and is a good investment if you’re going to be exploring Lisbon for a few days. The maps at the tourist offices are reliable but do not show the names of many streets, particularly in Alfama and Bairro Alto. Tram #28E runs east-west, parallel to the river, and connects all these neighborhoods, with its eastern terminus in the inexpensive and off-the-beaten-path neighborhood of Graça.
BAIXA
Baixa, Lisbon’s old business hub, is the most centrally located neighborhood, and its streets are lined with accommodations and clothing stores. This neighborhood is an absolute delight for travelers weary of getting lost in labyrinthine old cities: the entire neighborhood is flat and on a grid. The main pedestrian thoroughfare is the broad Rua Augusta, which runs from the massive riverside Praça do Comércio to Plaça de Dom Pedro IV, better known as Rossio. [Baixa-Chiado has an entrance at the western end (to your right as you face the river) of R. da Vitória, which runs east-west and crosses R. Augusta. Connected to Rossio’s northwest corner is Praça dos Restauradores, a huge urban transit hub where the Rossio train station (for trains to Sintra) and tourist office can be found; it is also the main drop-off point for airport buses. From Pr. Restauradores, Avenida da Liberdade runs away from Baixa to the Praça do Marquês do Pombal and its surrounding business district.
BAIRRO ALTO AND CHIADO
Bairro Alto (literally,“High Neighborhood”) is a hilly stretch of narrow cobblestone streets with graffiti-covered walls and laundry-lined balconies, best known for its unique nightlife and its fado. The best way to get there is to take the Metro to Baixa-Chiado (Chiado exit), walk straight across Largo do Chiado and between the churches, and right up R. da Misericórdia (it becomes R. de São Pedro de Alcântara) before heading left into Alto’s daytime slumber or nighttime madness.
Chiado, slightly down the hill toward Baixa, is a little more clean-cut and cultured than its raucous neighbor to the west. The Rua Garrett cuts through the neighborhood, running between the Largo do Chiado and the stores and shopping center on R. do Carmo. The Praça de Luís de Camões, right next to Lg. do Chiado, connects the two neighborhoods.
ALFAMA
Alfama, Lisbon’s hilly medieval quarter, was the only district to survive the 1755 earthquake, and those who have spent long, hot hours lost in its confusing maze of alleyways sometimes wish it hadn’t. Many alleys are unmarked and take confusing turns and bends; others are long, winding stairways known as escadinhas; still others are dead ends. Expect to get lost repeatedly—with or without a detailed map. The Castelo de São Jorge sits at the steep hill’s peak, with impressive views of the whole center; the Sé (cathedral) is closer to the river and to Baixa. The Mouraria (so called because it is where the Moors were forced to live after their expulsion from the castle in 1147) is on the north and west slope of the hill, away from the river; the old Judiaria (Jewish quarter, until their expulsion in 1492) is to the south, between the Sé and the river.
GRAÇA
Graça, a hilly, residential district, is one of Lisbon’s oldest neighborhoods. An easy tram ride on #28E to the end of the line drops you off in Largo da Graça: on the side of the large white Igreja da Graça closest to the river is a shady park and spectacular miradouro, and on the side where the tram stops is a busy intersection lined with cheap eateries. It’s an easy walk downhill from Graça into Alfama, or a less confusing tram ride back.
AROUND PRAÇA DO MARQUÊS DE POMBAL
The large Praça do Marquês de Pombal sits at the end of Avenida da Liberdade, opposite Pr. dos Restauradores. This is Lisbon’s modern business district, which is full of department stores, shopping centers, office buildings, and some accommodations. To the north of Praça do Marquês de Pombal is the Parque Eduardo VII, and to the northeast of that in the São Sebastião district is the impressive Museu Calouste Gulbenkian.