Everyone who visits Lisbon will forever associate the city with their favorite viewpoint. I can't imagine anyone coming here without seeing at least one sunset from a miradouro, as viewpoints are called in Portuguese. Read all about our favorites via the article below, first published on our Lisbon Travel Blog today.
I don’t know if we’ve ever visited a city with as many incredible viewpoints as Lisbon. Regardless of where you are in the city, the nearest scenic overlook is almost certainly nearby… and just as certainly worth the effort of checking out. We’ve already written about many miradouros in other articles, but thought we’d sum up the spots we visited, whenever we needed to be reminded of Lisbon’s beauty.
Our favorite view of Baixa is at the very top of the Santa Justa elevator. This is the only viewpoint on our list which you have to pay for, but the charge is minimal and worth every cent. Even if you haven’t taken the elevator up, it’s cool to have the chance to stand atop it, and we love the unique view over the city, especially as the sun is setting, illuminating the castle in a gorgeous golden light. [Location]
We were delighted to discover this quiet miradouro squished between the touristic hubs of the Castelo do São Jorge and Alfama. While the hordes stream past just meters away, on their way to or from the castle, almost nobody notices the little path leading around a school, into a park with a wonderful view over the river, the port, and the neighborhood. [Location]
I don’t think we ever once referred to this by its real name. No, to us, the Miradouro de Santa Catarina was “Hippie Park”. In the evenings, a crazy bohemian vibe captures this zone, with bongo drummers providing the background music, and a multi-culti collection of Lisbon’s youngsters seated on every empty patch of concrete. Everyone’s drinking Super Bock out of one-liter bottles, and the smell of marijuana is heavy in the air. The view is alright, but really it’s the atmosphere which makes this miradouro special. [Location]
One of our favorite secret spots in Lisbon was the Jardim do Torel. On paper, this should be a popular area, both with tourists and locals: great view, relatively central, and you can arrive there by taking Lisbon’s oldest funicular. But somehow, this park is almost always empty. Not that we mind! It just means we’ll be able to grab one of the loungey bench-chairs, complete with footrest, or get a view-facing table at the café. [Location]
Without a doubt, this was the miradouro we most frequently visited. Not because it was the best (although it was), but because our apartment for our final two months in Lisbon was right down the road. It was a rare evening that we’d be content to remain inside, when two minutes away, we could watch the sun set over Lisbon. If you go to see just one miradouro during your time in the city, you’d do well to make it this one. [Location]
This one isn’t really a viewpoint in the traditional sense, but we haven’t written about our favorite bar in Lisbon yet, and feel like it merits inclusion. High up on the castle hill is the Teatro Taborda. In the basement of the theater, the Café Garagem (Garage Cafe) has a fabulous set of bay windows offering a view towards the north, over Mouraria and out past Graça. Even after the sun sets, rendering it impossible to see out the windows, you’ll likely want to continue hanging out in this cool bar. [Location]
