The Carriage Museum , founded by Queen Amelia in 1904, has a splendid collection of carriages, the oldest of which is the magnificently painted four-wheeler brought to Portugal by Philip II of Spain in the late 16C. Other notable examples include th..

The heart of monumental Manueline Lisbon, Belém overlooks the Tagus, and is now home to the Belém Cultural Centre . This is a pleasant, airy district with villas and gardens, set on a hillside dominating the river. It has strong links with Portugues..

The Monument to the Discoveries is an invitation to visit this museum of Portugal's maritime past with its impressive exhibition of a variety of model ships used for many different purposes: Asian vessels, 18 and 19C yachts, merchant navy steam shi..

Opened in 2007, this museum located at the heart of the cultural centre displays part of the collection of Madeiran tycoon J Berardo. A chronolgical and thematic tour covers the major European and American art movements of the 20C and 21C, taking in ..

The aquarium was designed by American architect Peter Chermayeff and has five principal tanks recreating various habitats typical of the coastal areas of the Arctic, Indian, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. This giant study centre dedicated to marine lif..

Built between 1995 and 1998, this vast road bridge, over 11 miles long, crosses the Tagus between Savacem and Monitjo. It was designed to relieve the traffic on bridge 25 and form a direct link between North and South, without having to go through Li..

A pleasant way of discovering the city and the harbour traffic. Unfortunately, the small Venetian-type barges with large sails are becoming increasingly scarce. However, visitors should not miss a trip across the estuary on one of the regular ferries..

The Praça do Comércio (commonly known as “terreiro do Paço”) meets the river at the Cais das Colunas. A marble flight of steps, flanked by two water-stained columns, runs gently into the Tagus, in a manner evocative of Venice. After a decade of wor..

The "Free Water" aqueduct, built between 1732 and 1748, still supplies Lisbon's water today. It measures a total of 58km with 35 of its arches spanning the Alcântara Valley. The tallest of these is 65m high, with a span of 29m. The best vie..

It was originally a 13C convent, transformed into a contemporary art museum in 1911. Following a fire in 1988, it was refurbished by the French architect, J.M. Wilmotte, who created open spaces, linked by connecting passageways which enable the build..

Today the ruins of the Gothic church, built in the late 14C, give onto one of Lisbon's most charming squares. Life came to a standstill here in the 1755 earthquake: pillars point to the heavens and silence reigns. The site now houses an archeology mu..

These elegant streets are lined with old-fashioned shop fronts, now home to Portugal's top fashion designers. There are also well known bookshops, patisseries and cafés. The most famous of these is A Brasileira once frequented by the poet, Fernando..

The Chiado, in particular Rua do Carmo and Rua Garret, was the city's department store district before the 1988 fire. Since its renovation by the architect, Alvaro Siza Vieira, well-known international names have moved into the district although its ..

This little terrace atop the hill of Santa Luzia with its modern basilica (a place of pilgrimage) is an ideal viewpoint. Preceded by a large square and a monumental staircase, it provides an excellent view over the Tagus, the harbour, the rooftops ..

The Sun Gateway was one of the seven gates into the Arab city. The square, situated on the other side of the church of Santa Luzia, has a pleasant terrace with a wonderful view over the houses, São Vicente de Fora and the river.

The original façade of this late 16C church collapsed in the great earthquake. The interior decoration is strikingly rich, particularly in the chapel of São João Baptista, a masterpiece of Italian Baroque, originally built in Rome in 1742, dismantled..

Access is via the last door on the left as you leave the adjoining church of Säo Roque. The museum contains 16C Portuguese paintings and part of the treasure from the chapel of São João Baptista. The furnishings and ecclesiastical plate by 18C Italia..

Praça Dom Pedro IV, was once the setting for many autodafés during the Inquisition. Its present appearance is the work of Pombal: lined by 18 and 19C buildings, it is now occupied by cafés and small shops that have kept their original decoration, suc..

These small flights of steps ( escadinhas ), running in various directions, form a picturesque setting. As you pass behind the church of Santo Estêvão, note the overhanging wall with a panel of azulejos . At the top of the stairs skirting the church..

Largely overlooked by tourists, this museum (established in 1996 in a residence dating from the 1870s) has an extraordinary collection of over 14 000 objects from around the globe: Egyptian sarcophagi, Roman ceramics, Tuscan pottery and Congolese sta..