Lisbon is a city of hills, river light and old trams, spread over the slopes above the wide Tagus estuary. Much of its centre was rebuilt after the great earthquake of 1755, which makes the Baixa one of the earliest planned city districts in Europe. Here are the facts and stories that make the city special.
10 fun facts about Lisbon
- A lift instead of a staircase: the Santa Justa Lift, designed by the Porto-born engineer Raoul Mesnier du Ponsard, has carried passengers from the Baixa up towards Largo do Carmo since 1902.
- A bridge with two names: the long red suspension bridge over the Tagus opened in 1966 as the Salazar Bridge. After the Carnation Revolution of 25 April 1974 it was renamed Ponte 25 de Abril.
- A king on a column: Rossio's official name is Praça D. Pedro IV, after the king whose statue has stood on the central column since 1870. An urban legend claims the statue was made for Emperor Maximilian of Mexico, but historians have shown the details, from the buttons to the charter in his hand, are Pedro's.
- Pavements as art: Lisbon's calçada portuguesa is laid by hand from small black and white stones. Rossio's dizzying wave pattern is the best known, and it is said to have inspired the famous promenade of Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro.
- A recipe from the monks: the custard tarts of Belém have been sold by the Pastéis de Belém bakery since 1837, using a recipe that came from the monks of the nearby Jerónimos Monastery.
- Two World Heritage monuments: the Jerónimos Monastery and the Belém Tower have been on UNESCO's World Heritage List together since 1983.
- A song of longing: fado, the melancholy music of Lisbon's old neighbourhoods, has been on UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage since 2011.
- A saint who was born here: Saint Anthony is known as 'of Padua', but he was born in Lisbon. On the night of 12 to 13 June the city celebrates him with street parties, grilled sardines and small pots of basil.
- Old trams on steep streets: Lisbon still runs compact yellow trams built to a design from the 1930s, because they fit its narrow, winding streets. Tram 28 is the best-known line, climbing through Graça, Alfama and Estrela.
- A theatre on the Inquisition's site: the National Theatre D. Maria II on the north side of Rossio stands where the Estaus Palace once housed the Portuguese Inquisition.
The earthquake of 1755
On the morning of 1 November 1755, All Saints' Day, when many people were at Mass, a massive earthquake struck Lisbon. Within the hour a tsunami swept up the Tagus, and fires burned through the city for days. Tens of thousands of people died, and the royal palace on the riverfront, with its library and archives, was lost. The king's chief minister, later the Marquis of Pombal, took charge of the rebuilding. The Baixa was laid out again on a strict grid of wide, straight streets, with buildings framed by a flexible timber cage, the gaiola pombalina, designed to sway rather than collapse. Where the palace had stood, he created the vast Praça do Comércio.
Rossio and Restauradores, explained
Rossio has been Lisbon's main square for centuries, a place of markets, celebrations and protests. Just to the north lies Praça dos Restauradores, with its obelisk recalling the restoration of Portuguese independence from Spain in 1640. On its west side stands the Foz Palace, begun in the 18th century and later named after the Marquis of Foz, who owned it in the late 19th century and gave it lavish interiors. Today it houses Lisbon's tourism offices.
What to eat in Lisbon
- Pastel de nata: the custard tart with a crisp pastry case, best eaten warm with cinnamon and a coffee.
- Bacalhau: dried and salted cod, the Portuguese staple. Try bacalhau à Brás, shredded with egg, onion and straw potatoes.
- Sardinhas assadas: grilled sardines, at their best in June during the Santo António festivities.
- Bifana: a thin pork steak marinated in garlic and wine, served in a soft roll, often with mustard.
- Ginjinha: a sour cherry liqueur served in small glasses. A Ginjinha, on Largo de São Domingos next to Rossio, has been pouring it since 1840.
Good to know before you go
- Wear shoes with good grip: the polished stone pavements on Lisbon's hills are slippery, especially after rain.
- Many museums and monuments, including the Jerónimos Monastery, close on Mondays, so plan Belém for another day.
- Trains to Sintra, with its palaces and gardens on UNESCO's World Heritage List, leave from Rossio station.
- For views, climb to the miradouros: Senhora do Monte, Graça and São Pedro de Alcântara are among the best, especially at sunset.
Explore Lisbon with World City Trail
Our Lisbon scavenger hunt turns these sights into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around two hours, with about 49 minutes of walking, past landmarks including Rossio Square and the Foz Palace.
At each stop you solve a puzzle and hear a short story, at your own pace. You can start whenever you like and play in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch or Portuguese.
Play the Lisbon scavenger hunt →
Facts checked in October 2026.