Lisbon in a day: what to see

Alfama, the city's oldest neighborhood, survived the 1755 earthquake, and lends itself well as a first stop: its narrow and winding streets climb toward São Jorge Castle, the Moorish fortress from which the entire city and Tagus estuary are dominated.

Descending from the castle, the famous Tram 28, with its period wooden carriages, crosses the narrowest lanes of Alfama to the center, a characteristic way to travel and an attraction in itself.

The tram leads toward Baixa, the flat quarter rebuilt after the earthquake according to a regular urban plan, with Commerce Square opening directly onto the river through a grand triumphal arch.

For lunch, the streets of Baixa and neighboring Chiado offer pastelarias where you can taste the pastel de nata, the famous cream pastry with puff pastry.

Belém, the neighborhood on the Tagus from which the great Portuguese expeditions departed: here stand the Tower of Belém and the Monastery dos Jerónimos, both UNESCO heritage in Manueline style.

Climbing back toward the center, Bairro Alto is the hilly neighborhood known during the day for its artisan shops and in the evening for nightlife, with panoramic views from its lookouts overlooking the city.

Returning toward the center, lookouts such as that at Santa Luzia offer the sunset over the roofs of Alfama, before dinner at one of the restaurants offering live fado, the traditional Portuguese song.

Alfama, the Baixa and Belém already tell Lisbon's historic and maritime soul, with the afternoon choice between the Manueline towers and the Bairro Alto completing the day.

The modern quarter of Parque das Nações and a ferry trip on the Tagus to Caciláis await semmai another trip. A sunset seen from one of the miradouros of Alfama sums up better than anything else the spirit of Lisbon.