Family-run
€€
Casa das Janelas
Alfama
Six rooms, each with a tiled window onto the river or the lanes.
Portugal
Planning Lisbon
Hills, trams, tiles and river light. Small enough to walk, varied enough to need a plan for where to stay.
Sketch a trip hereThe shape that works
A city break. Pick a neighbourhood, walk everywhere, and add Sintra or the coast by train.
When to go
Spring and autumn are ideal; summer is hot and busy. Winter is mild, with rain.
Good to know
- The hills are real: comfortable shoes matter more than a transport pass.
- Trains to Sintra leave from Rossio and take about 40 minutes.
- Many of the best small restaurants close on Sundays or Mondays.
Mistakes we see
- Staying out by the airport or in a business district to save money.
- Queuing for the famous tram instead of walking the same route.
- Cramming Sintra, Cascais and Belém into one day.
Alfama and Graça
Stand-alone
€€
Petiscos Evening Walk
Alfama and Mouraria
An evening of small plates in family-run tascas, with the stories behind them.
Small group
€€
Graça Loft Rooms
Graça
Bright loft rooms and one family apartment near the Graça viewpoint.
Príncipe Real
Stand-alone
€€
Azulejo Workshop
Príncipe Real
Paint your own tile in a working studio; they fire it and post it home.
Stand-alone
€€€
Jardim House
Príncipe Real
A nineteenth-century house with a hidden garden and eight quiet rooms.