Where To Stay in Lisbon, Portugal – Best Hotels, Areas, & Neighborhoods

The best Lisbon hotels in each of the 8 top neighborhoods for where to stay in Lisbon, Portugal for first timers, honeymooners, couples, & families https://santorinidave.com/best-places-lisbon. Join us as we explore Baixa, Chiado, Alfama, Belém and beyond. We share the best hotels and attractions in each neighborhood from Castelo de Sao Jorge to LX Factory, from the Oceanario to Belem Tower, MAAT, and more.

More helpful information for planning a visit to Lisbon, Portugal:
Where To Stay in Lisbon https://santorinidave.com/best-places-lisbon
Lisbon Hotel Map https://santorinidave.com/lisbon-hotel-map
15 Best Hotels in Lisbon https://santorinidave.com/best-hotels-lisbon
Hotels for Families in Lisbon https://santorinidave.com/lisbon-family-hotels

0:00 Introduction
1:33 Baixa & Rossio
3:00 Chiado & Cais do Sodré
4:47 Bairro Alto & Principe Real
6:57 Avenida da Liberdade
8:19 Alfama
9:27 Mouraria & Graça
10:03 Belém & Alcantara
11:39 Parque das Nações

Lisbon is fast becoming one of Europe’s most popular destinations, with its friendly population, gorgeous old town overlooking the Tagus estuary, rich history, and mild climate – as well as those charmingly antiquated funiculars and yellow trams zipping up and down its many hills. Despite the growing number of visitors, Lisbon’s range of accommodation is massive, from luxurious five-star and boutique hotels to family-friendly finds and some of the best and budget hostels on the continent.

Lisbon has many distinct neighborhoods that vary both in atmosphere and activity, so your experience will be different depending on where you stay. There is no single best neighborhood for tourists; major sights are clustered in the city center – essentially the Baixa, Chiado and Alfama neighborhoods – but there are big attractions further out too, notably in Belém along the river. The city is large but the center is walkable, and there are good transport links to other districts. Most of the top (expensive) hotels are in Chiado or along Avenida da Liberdade, though there are good luxury options a little further out too. Look for midrange and budget options in Baixa and Bairro Alto in particular.

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Lisbon is Portugal’s beautiful  capitol, a hilly city with nearly   300 days of sunshine annually. Packed  with history and amazing architecture,   and gorgeous views out over the Trejo  River, Lisbon has so much to offer. The compact city center and adjacent  yet distinctly varied neighborhoods   are very walkable, with a network of  elevators, escalators, funiculars,  

And trams to help visitors and locals traverse  the varied urban landscape. The abundance of   hills offer loads of picturesque view points from  which to appreciate the gorgeous surrounding city. Before we go any further, know that everything you  see featured in this video, plus in depth travel  

Guides to all of Europe’s leading destinations  including Paris, London, Rome, Athens, Barcelona,   Amsterdam, and many more can be found on our site  at SantoriniDave.com. To go with this video, we’ve   made a great map showing Lisbon’s best hotels  that we’ll link to in the description below.

Here are our 7 favorite neighborhoods  that we recommend for tourists,   the first 5 of which are concentrated  next to each other in the city center:   Baixa and Rossio. Chiado and Cais do Sodré. Bairro  Alto and Principe Real. Avenida da Liberdade.  

Mouraria and Graca. Alfama. And Along the Trejo:  Belém and Alcântara. And Parque das Nações. Baixa is the vibrant heart and commercial  center of Lisbon’s historic downtown district,   and is a great area to stay for first  time visitors. Primarily a tourist zone,  

Packed with attractions, the area is also home  to some businesses and government offices. Its   grand plazas and pedestrian boulevards  are filled with shops and restaurants.   As you make your way around town,  keep an eye out for these signs,   which highlight ‘Stores With History’, special  businesses that have stood the test of time.

Along the waterfront, the massive Commerce Square,  surrounded by the colonnades of major buildings,   overlooks the busy River Trejo. Rua Augusta  is the bustling main street of Baixa,   packed with places to eat and drink. Further up in  the district known as Rossio, the Mercado da Baixa  

Teams with vendors and is a transportation hub,  and just over from there the main Plaza Dom Pedro,   an iconic square that’s been a focal point  for Lisbon for centuries. Rossio is also   known for the variety of local ginjinha bars  that serve the iconic sour cherry liqueur.

Other important attractions  in Baixa and Rossio include   The Lisbon Cathedral, The National Museum of  Contemporary Art, and The Arco de Rua Augusta. Baixa has a broad range of  accommodations to choose from,   from fancy luxury hotels to backpacker hostels. Here are our favorite hotel in Baixa and Rossio:  

Pousada de Lisboa, Avenida Palace, Altis  Avenida, Tesouro de Baixa, and Hotel da Baixa. Just adjacent to Baixa, running up the hill from  downtown is the hip zone of Chiado, with Cais do   Sodre just below. This zone is also a great choice  for first timer visitors to Lisbon. Chiado is  

Full of great cultural attractions including  The Carmo Convent and Archeological Museum,   Plaza Luís de Camões, and The Church of Sao Roque.  The area is also home to Livraria Bertrand – the   oldest bookstore in the world, and on the adjacent  street Rua Anchieta is the eclectic Saturday  

Market that features books, prints, & maps, while  nearby is the historic Cafe A Brasileira. Chiado   is a great zone for shopping, from antique and  contemporary tile shops to fashion boutiques,   plus the huge variety of restaurants makes it one  of the city’s best areas for all kinds of dining.

Between Chiado and the river is Cais do  Sodre. Formerly a red light district,   the neighborhood is now one of the city’s main  nightlife zones, packed with bars and clubs   that go late into the night. Here you’ll find the  National Museum of Contemporary Art of Chiado, and  

The iconic Time Out Market full of varied kitchen  stalls with a central open dining area buzzing   with energy. Along the water is the Cais do Sodre  transportation hub, with regional trains, a city   metro stop, and ferries that bring passengers  across the river to multiple destinations.

Chiado is home to some of the city’s finest  hotels, but also has lots of more affordable   options that tend to be closer to the Cais do  Sodre portion of the zone. Hotels we recommend in   this area include Le Consulat, The Ivens, Bairro  Alto Hotel, Casa Balthazar, and Corpo Santo.

Both adjacent to and above Xiado are the  Bairro Alto and Principe Real neighborhoods.   These areas are frequented by  the young and hip who come to   party. Bairro Alto is a bit grungier,  while Principe Real is more affluent. First we’ll take a look at Bairro Alto, a  compact maze of streets that some visitors  

Access via funicular up from the waterfront zone  below, or one of the trams that transit through.   It’s filled with bohemian outlets, bookshops,  and record stores, and also has some terrific   vistas. The district is full of centuries-old  houses, vibrant street art, and restaurants  

Serving international cuisines. While right  next to Chiado, Bairro Alto is more residential,   with smaller businesses and a tighter neighborhood  feel. At night the area is loud and raucous with   younger people who come to drink and party at  the endless small bars that fill many blocks.

Principe Real is full of art galleries  and antique shops, designer fashion spots,   and chi chi restaurants lead by celebrity  chefs. As Xiado transitions into Principe Real,   the beautiful Mirador de Saint Peter of Alcântara,  a garden park with fountains, has territorial city  

Views, and comes alive at night with a Dj and bar  stalls. At the corner of the park is a funicular   that descends a few steep blocks down the hill  for those who prefer it to walking up or down. In the center of Principe Real, is a wonderful,  

Lush garden park with massive Cypress  trees. Just across the street is EmbaiXada,   a former palace now converted into a mini mall  of all local vendors. While nearby, the National   Museum of Science & Natural History, includes a  vast tropical botanical garden just next door.

Places to stay in these areas tend to be smaller,  stylish hotels or apartment rentals. Make sure   to avoid Bairro Alto if loud drunken revelers  in the streets below aren’t your thing. Here,   we suggest Memmo Principe Real, Lumiares Hotel &  Spa, Casa do Principe, and Vintage Hotel & Spa.

Heading northeast, Avenida de Liberdade is a long,  tree lined area that runs from the giant Parque   Eduardo VII at the top of the hill, to the plaza  Dom Pedro at the bottom. This is an affluent zone,   that’s home to the city’s fanciest hotels, best  shopping, and priciest real estate. More modern  

Than the historical downtown, a pedestrian  walkway runs down the heart of the boulevard,   while fancy luxury brands and  art galleries line the sidewalks. At the top of Avenida de Liberdade, Parque  Eduardo VII includes a great viewpoint   with incredible vistas of the city. It’s also  home to the especially wonderful Estufa Fria,  

A covered greenhouse and botanical garden  featuring different climatic zones,   with walking paths that meander  between quaint ponds and fountains. While Avenida de Liberdade is  home to many luxury hotels,   one can also find plenty of midrange  options here as well. It doesn’t have  

The energy of the historic downtown or  the charm of some other neighborhoods,   but is still central, has loads of great  restaurants, and is easy to get to and from. The hotels we recommend here include  Tivoli Avenida Libertad, Torel Palace,   Four Seasons Ritz, Valverde Hotel, Britannia  Art Deco Boutique Hotel, and Epic Sana.

Alfama, a romantic neighborhood located  up the hill from the city center,   is a residential tangle of narrow  streets and alleyways above the   waterfront. With its deep history,  beautiful buildings, killer views,   and a handful of great attractions, the area  is very popular with tourists. That being said,  

It’s still a great zone to wander and  get lost in, with various flea markets,   tons of cafes lining the streets, and small shops  selling locally made tiles and other crafts. The most impressive site in Alfama is the  amazing hilltop Castle of Saint George,  

A large compound with the best views out over  Lisbon. Other popular sites here include the   National Pantheon, Aljube Resistance and Freedom  Museum, and the Church of Saint Vincent de Fora. Alfama accommodation options tend to be more  affordable and smaller hotels and guest houses.  

If you’re walking, plan on plenty of stairs to get  up into and around this zone. Our favorites here   are Santiago de Alfama, Solar do Castelo Hotel,  Palacete Chafariz d’El Rei, and Aurea Museum. Between Rossi and Alfama are the working class  and immigrant enclaves of Mouraria and Graça. If  

You’re walking up to the Sao Jorge Castle, you  might pass through this dense hillside area,   that’s full of little ethnic shops and eateries,  and small bars that often have live music at   night. Two great spots here are the viewpoints  you’ll pass as you wind your way to the top,  

Mirador da Grasa & Miradoro da Senhora do  Monte, both with sweeping views out to the   hillsides and valleys below. In this area,  we recommend the Casa dell’Arte Club House. Out west from the city center, is the  popular zone of Belém which is a great  

Choice for families. A concentration of great  attractions make Belém a very popular draw for   tourists. Next to the National Carriage Museum,  there’s the Portuguese President’s residence at   the National Palace of Belem, then the UNESCO  world heritage site of the historic Jerónimos  

Monastery. Directly across a large garden from  there, are the Centro Cultural de Belem, and The   Museum of Contemporary Art. Along the waterfront  are the excellent Museum of Art, Architecture,   and Technology or MAAT, the iconic Monument  To Discoveries, the place from where boats  

Embarked to distant lands from the 14th century  onwards, and the castle like Tower of Belem. Closer in toward town from Belem, in the  shadow of the vast 25th of April Bridge,   is the hopping LXFactory, a renovated industrial  space that’s home to public facing art studios,   groovy stores, and tasty food options.

Running for miles along the waterfront,  an excellent bike and foot path connects   these areas and is a smooth and  easy bike or scooter ride away. And in Alcântara, uphill from the river,  visitors can enjoy the wonderful Jardin   and Basilica de Estrela, and the  National Museum of Antique Art.

In this general area west of downtown are  a handful of luxurious hotels. Some of our   favorites include the opulent Pestana Palace, The  Olissippo Lapa Palace, Altis Belém Hotel & Spa,   Palacio do Governador Hotel, Wine & Books,  and The Emerald House Lisbon Hilton.  

On the opposite side of downtown, in the  shadow of Europe’s second longest bridge,   the Vasco de Gama, is the modern  Parque das Nações district. Originally developed for the 1998 World  Expo, the area has been transformed into   a modern neighborhood with flashy high  rises and futuristic shopping malls.  

Along the waterfront, a handful of primarily  family-friendly sights include the Oceanario,   The Pavilion of Knowledge Science  Museum, and The Water Gardens. High overhead, a riverside cable car connects  two separate zones via a 10 minute ride,   passing the Altice Arena and Pavilion of Portugal  Convention Center below. And in Lisbon’s tallest  

Building, with breathtaking panoramic views is the  observation platform atop the Vasco de Gama Tower. Not far away, the main transport  hub here is the Oriente Station,   designed by a star international architect. Hotels  we recommend in this area include Myriad by Sana,   Olissippo Oriente Hotel, and  the Tivoli Oriente Lisboa.

Check out our other great travel  guides that cover where to stay,   eat, and go for popular destinations  across Europe and around the world   at SantoriniDave.com and across this  YouTube channel. Thanks for watching.