Choose Alfama for medieval Lisbon — hilltop viewpoints, the cathedral and fado lanes — and Belém for the riverside monuments and the original pastéis de nata. They’re different sides of the city, and if you have time, the best answer is both.
Alfama: the medieval heart
Lisbon’s oldest quarter is a maze of cobbled lanes, miradouros and the 800-year-old Sé cathedral. It’s all hills, which is exactly where a tuk-tuk shines. See the Alfama tour.
Belém: the Age of Discovery
A few kilometres west along the river: the UNESCO Jerónimos Monastery, Belém Tower, the Monument to the Discoveries, and the 1837 bakery that invented the custard tart. See the Belém tour.
Which should you pick?
- One short tour, classic Lisbon feel: Alfama.
- Monuments and pastéis de nata: Belém.
- Only one day, want it all: do both in one tour.
Explore our Lisbon tours
Explore our Lisbon tours