The famous yellow Tram 28 is still the best way to understand Lisbon’s layout – it threads through almost every neighbourhood worth visiting. But the city has so much more than the tram itself.
Below is a district-by-district breakdown of the best places to visit, photograph, and explore. Start in Graça at the top of the hill and work your way down to the river – or dip into any neighbourhood on its own.
Best light for the tram: early morning (before 9am) or golden hour before sunset. Trams come every 10-15 minutes – pick your spot and wait.
Graça
The neighbourhood at the top of the hill where Tram 28 begins its route. Quieter and less touristy than Alfama – more students, fewer crowds.
Igreja da Graça 🕌
One of Lisbon’s oldest monasteries. The church itself is worth a quick look inside for the gilded altars, but the real reason to come is the surroundings: azulejo-tiled walls, a sleepy square, and the tram rolling through streets that feel completely unchanged.
The best shot here isn’t of the tram – it’s the bench right against the blue azulejo wall at the church entrance. A stunning backdrop, especially in morning light.
Right next to the church is Miradouro da Graça – one of the widest panoramas in Lisbon, stretching from São Jorge Castle all the way to the Vasco da Gama Bridge. Less crowded than the miradouros in Alfama, and still relatively peaceful even in high season. More about this viewpoint and all the others in the dedicated article:
Best Viewpoints in Lisbon
Alfama
The oldest district in Lisbon and the heart of the Tram 28 route. Cobblestone streets, laundry hanging between windows, fado drifting from open doors. This is where you come for the iconic tram shots.
Igreja de São Vicente de Fora 🏛️
The grand white church that dominates almost every photo of Alfama’s rooftops. From the outside, it’s one of the most striking facades in the city – 17th-century Mannerist architecture at its grandest.
The church does have a paid viewpoint accessible from inside, but we decided to skip the entry fee and instead visited the free miradouros nearby – the views are just as good and the entrance is free.Breakfast Lovers Tram 28 ☕
A café with an excellent brunch menu and a terrace overlooking Igreja de São Vicente de Fora. Every 10-15 minutes, Tram 28 rolls through the view below you. Best seat in the neighbourhood for a morning coffee.
Come as early as possible – terrace seats are limited and fill fast. Keep your camera ready: the tram appears without warning.
Largo das Portas do Sol 🏛️
The single best spot to photograph Tram 28. The tram passes right in front of a statue of Saint Vincent, with the dome of Igreja de São Vicente de Fora framing the background. In spring, the trees bloom and the whole scene feels almost cinematic.
Right next door: Miradouro de Santa Luzia and Miradouro das Portas do Sol – two of the city’s most beautiful viewpoints. More on all the best miradouros here:
Best Viewpoints in Lisbon
Sé de Lisboa ⛪
Lisbon’s oldest cathedral, begun in the 12th century on the site of a mosque. The austere Romanesque facade with two towers looms over a narrow street – and Tram 28 squeezes right past it on the cobblestones below.
Stand across the street and slightly uphill to fit both cathedral towers and the full tram in frame. Shoot portrait orientation for the most dramatic result.
Baixa & Chiado
The flat heart of the city. Wide streets, pastry shops, bookshops, and buzzing nightlife a few steps away from each other.
Elevador da Bica 🚡
One of Lisbon’s three historic funiculars – a small yellow cable car climbing a steep narrow street in the Bica neighbourhood. Charming and very photogenic.
One important note: it breaks down regularly. Check before making a special trip. But even if it’s out of service, the cabin usually sits at the top of the track – and that alone makes a great shot with the steep street stretching out below.
Elevador de Santa Justa 🏗️
A neo-Gothic iron elevator tower right in the heart of Baixa – one of the most unusual structures in Lisbon. Built in the late 19th century, it rises 32 metres and connects the lower city to the Carmo neighbourhood. The design is reminiscent of Eiffel’s work – and not by coincidence: the architect trained at the same school.
Honestly, we don’t think the paid lift ride is worth it – the price doesn’t justify the views when there are free miradouros nearby with equally impressive panoramas. That said, the top platform is accessible without a ticket via the pedestrian walkway from the Carmo side.Pink Street (Rua Nova do Carvalho) 🌸
A street painted hot pink in the Cais do Sodré neighbourhood. By day it’s quiet and easy to photograph. By evening it transforms into one of Lisbon’s liveliest bar strips – restaurants, cocktail bars, music spilling onto the pavement.
It’s quite loud and busy at night, but if you’re looking for somewhere to eat or drink with atmosphere, this is the place.
Praça do Comércio & Arco da Rua Augusta 🏛️
Lisbon’s grand riverside square, looking straight out onto the Tagus. The triumphal Arco da Rua Augusta frames the entrance from the city side – classic Lisbon at its most monumental.
Belém
A riverside neighbourhood about 6 km west of the centre, easily reached by tram or Uber. This is where to come for Lisbon’s most impressive architecture, the best pastéis in the city, and sunset over the bridge.
LX Factory & Livraria Ler Devagar 📚
A former industrial complex turned into one of Lisbon’s most creative spaces: independent restaurants, vintage shops, weekend markets, and street art around every corner.
The unmissable stop inside is Livraria Ler Devagar – a bookshop built inside an old printing factory, with towering shelves, a suspended bicycle installation, and a mezzanine café. Even if you don’t buy anything, it’s one of the most beautiful interiors in the city.
Mosteiro dos Jerónimos ⛪
One of the most spectacular examples of Manueline architecture in the world. The intricate stone facade is extraordinary – detailed carvings that took generations of craftsmen to complete.
About the entry fee: the interior is beautiful, but honestly you won’t spend more than 20–30 minutes inside, and tickets are not cheap. If you’re on a tight schedule or budget, the exterior and the courtyard view are free and frankly just as impressive. If you have extra time, go in – it’s genuinely stunning, just not a half-day activity.
Mosteiro dos Jerónimos – tickets & info
Right next door: Pastéis de Belém – the original pastel de nata bakery, open since 1837. The recipe is still a guarded secret. Go. Get at least two.Riverside at sunset & the bridge view 🌉
The promenade along the Tagus in Belém is one of the best places in the city to watch the sun go down. The Ponte 25 de Abril glows in the warm light, and on clear evenings you get that famous view that makes everyone think of San Francisco.
For the best viewpoints of the bridge and the river – including spots with the Cristo Rei statue in frame – we have a full dedicated article:
Best Viewpoints in Lisbon
Estrela
A calm, residential neighbourhood west of the centre. Green parks, grand churches, and one of the most beautiful private gardens in Lisbon.
Jardim da Estrela & Basílica da Santíssima Estrela 🌿
Jardim da Estrela is a quiet park in the middle of the neighbourhood: duck ponds, shaded benches, and a small coffee kiosk. After hours of city walking, it’s the place to exhale.
Right across the street stands the grand baroque Basílica da Santíssima Estrela – its white facade and twin domes look incredible against a blue sky. Climb to the rooftop for a wide view over the rooftops of the neighbourhood.
End the day in the park with a coffee and a pastel – that’s exactly what the Lisbon pace is all about.
Palace Fronteira & Gardens 🌸
One of Lisbon’s best-kept secrets – a 17th-century palace surrounded by formal gardens with azulejo panels, mythological statues, and a grand reflecting pool. The palace is still home to the Fronteira family after 350 years.
Come in spring if you can: the gardens are covered in wisteria, and the combination of purple blooms, blue azulejo walls, and old stone is unlike anything else in the city. The crowds are almost non-existent – this is as far from the tourist trail as you can get while still being in Lisbon.
We visited with garden-only entry, which is the best value option.
Palace Fronteira – tickets & visiting hours
If you have more than a couple of days in Lisbon, save one for the coast — our guide to Cabo da Roca, the edge of Europe, pairs perfectly with the city.
Don't just read about it – go!
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