A 100% must visit in my opinion! One of the most stunning properties in Sintra and from the…read moreoutside, you don't think much but WOW, the gardens are spectacular. Expect lots of walking but there's so many areas to see from the towers to the caves, to the sculptures. Enchanting is just the word for it. We took an uber after seeing other landmarks in Sintra and it was relatively easy to book and affordable.

Beautiful day, very clean, lots of walking. Recommend to get there early as it does get full but…read morewell worth it.

What a beautiful piece of history. Built in the 16th century to protect the Portuguese harbor and…read morecelebrate maritime explorations. And to still see it intact. Its beautiful to see in person. Yes theres a lot of people there but its not too hard to snag a photo with it. If you want to go inside you have to make a reservation for it. But just walking around it on the outside was beautiful enough. We were fortunate to see it from the water on a sailboat ride as well as on the land. Its iconic. Lots of snacks and drink stalls around it. Also lots of other things to see and do near by as well. When in Lisbon, it is a must visit!!

This was the second time I visited this historic tower and the second time I didn't make it inside…read more And honestly, I'm just fine with that. This most recent time, it was closed for long-term renovations, and Jamie W and I were here just a couple of weeks before its reopening. I heard it wasn't that exciting anyway. I read the rooms were small and claustrophobic, and the staircase was narrow and steep dictated by a new traffic-light and siren system (oh dear!) The only motivation might've been the view from the top, but even with that, there's a nicer panoramic view of the Tagus River from the sloping rooftop of the Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology (MAAT) just a stroll to the east. We were just happy we got a view of the tower itself because we were worried it would be completely covered by scaffolding. After all, it was built in 1520 surviving as a true symbol of Portugal's Age of Discovery. RELATED - Exploring Lisbon? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/ayZwwRJHQd

A beautiful castle in the hills of Lisbon. Its free to enter with the Lisboa card. Has been there…read moresince the 12th century and has served as an important part of Portuguese history. I love the fact that you can walk the walls. See the archer slits from the archers point of view. Walk up the stairs that the invading armies would've used. Walk the courtyards that has been there for centuries. And to sit on the stone walls and see a birds eye view of the city with the sun setting. So many historical features to see and photograph and admire. The route up to the castle itself is an adventure all on its own. With narrow streets and steep inclines. Fortunately you can take the tram or the bus up there with ease. Its also really nice that peacocks have made the castle their home now. So you can see them wandering the cobbled walkways. And at night they are all up in the trees which adds to the charm and awe of this castle. I would definitely recommend visiting this castle at least once when your in Lisbon!!

Definitely a castle you should visit when you're visiting Lisbon. If you're staying in Lisbon,…read moreyou'll see it when you are in the downtown area. Do you see it? Seeing a piece of Portuguese history in person is something I've always wanted to do. Since this castle is atop the city, it offers some of the best views of this bustling town. You probably just need a couple of hours to tour the grounds.

Lisbon apparently has 20 miradouros, gathering spots with vista points from which panoramic views…read moreof the city can be found and savored. This one is in the historic Graça district on Lisbon's highest hill and offers a breathtaking panorama of the city. Jamie W and I wrapped up our Graça street mural walk here (review: https://yelp.to/sOE0B7X6gL). It turned out to be ideal timing because it was close to sunset and views of landmarks were unobstructed. We could see the Castelo de São Jorge, the Tagus River, the 25 de Abril Bridge, and the terracotta roofs of both the Alfama and Baixa neighborhoods. So significant was this viewpoint that Portugal's first king, Dom Afonso Henriques, built his fortress here and the Chapel of Our Lady of the Mount was erected. It still stands here. It's imperative to be here during witness the sunset hour because the otherwise white stone is bathed in orange and pink hues. CORRESPONDING REVIEWS Graça Murals: https://yelp.to/sOE0B7X6gL Miradouro das Portas do Sol: https://yelp.to/5snB5Xau8U Miradouro de Santa Luzia: https://yelp.to/dosoL9mFbD Miradouro de Santa Catarina: https://yelp.to/X3AgM3QM0j RELATED - Exploring Lisbon? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/Kn-CxzlTze

4.5 stars. Miradouro da Senhora do Monte or "Viewpoint of Our Lady of the Mount" is the highest…read morepoint in the Graca neighborhood and offers beautiful panoramic views of Lisbon. It is named after its statue of Nossa Senhora do Monte, the Virgin, which is in front of a chapel that was built in the 1700s. When my husband and I were on vacation in Lisbon, our tour guide drove us here on a tuk tuk. We spent many minutes viewing the surrounding city--the 25 de Abril Bridge, the Sanctuary of Christ the King, Sao Jorge Castle, the Tagus estuary, the orange rooftops of buildings, and much more. The only negative aspect of this area was two women who were pressuring us to purchase jewelry, and they refused to accept our no's. Our tour guide, however, intervened and told them something in Portuguese to get them to leave us alone.

You could spend your entire holiday in Lisbon walking from one photogenic viewpoint to the next…read more Because of the city's hilly terrain, there are about twenty official miradouros that could easily fill up your Instagram account. This one Is conveniently just a few steps downhill from the marginally more popular Miradouro das Portas do Sol (review: https://yelp.to/hq023Rr-Va). True, Portas do Sol provides the more panoramic view, but Santa Luzia has the more romantic atmosphere because it boasts a pergola draped in bougainvillea and a wall covered in historic blue-and-white azulejo tile panels. There's even a reflecting pool with benches ideal for honeymooners. The buskers realize it's the ideal setting for performing in front of change-carrying tourists (Video 2). RELATED - Exploring Lisbon? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/fnVsPaN2ho

Miradouro de Santa Luzia: one of the 7 hill. You've got that Alfama view of red rooftops tumbling…read moretoward the water and the Tagus just out there looking like a magazine ad. Oh, and don't forget the azulejos at the church: because why have a basic white wall when you can slap history in tile form all over it? Gorgeous spot.

Beautiful fairytale-like palace. Purchased palace entry tickets for first thing in the morning. Due…read moreto delays in travel, we got to the the entrance gate at the bottom of the hill just 15 minutes before our entry time. While the recommended time to walk up the hill is 30 minutes, we were able to jog and get there in less than 15, out of breath. The palace itself is quite beautiful and views from the terrace are gorgeous and picture worthy. The outside of the palace is what we most admired though. Because of the palace popularity, the self guided entry tour is one big line through the palace rooms. It felt somewhat like a cattle line moving through the palace. After touring the palace, we spent time exploring the many trails in the gardens. Lessons learned from taking the train and ride share from Lisbon: Although we left plenty of time to get here from Lisbon by train abd ride-share, we were delayed at the train station trying to get an Uber. There were no Ubers accepting our request and the 2 that did cancelled after we waited 15 mins for them to arrive. We eventually got a Bolt, and lesson learned that despite the map showing pickup on the street right outside the station, we had to go over one street to meet the Bolt after it arrived.

Darn big palace that's badly painted with real vast grounds. Been here a few times and it's ok but…read morehonestly I'm not terribly enthusiastic and hope not to return. I find it ugly, Triton, in particular. His sculpted mythological figure is above the archway. He is often interpreted in Manueline architecture as a hybrid of Triton and a Sea Monster or Titan. In the architecture of Pena Palace, he sits on a large giant shell supporting the bay window above, symbolizing the creation of the world out of the four elements specifically representing the water element and the realm of the oceans, echoing Portugal's Age of Discovery. It's also overrun by tourists like us. If you are interested in how the super rich of yesteryear lived well this place has opulence in spades. The gardens too are spectacular. One certainly if you are visiting is that you must be fit and have a high degree of stamina because it's a very, very steep climb. It's now owned by the Portuguese government ergo expect to be fleeced - pay to enter and pay to take an electric bus for five minutes to the estate once you paid to get in through the entry gate.

This is my favorite museum in Lisbon and I found it's so under rated. It's probably because of its…read morelocation which is so far from the center of the city and can only be accessed by bus or the tram after a long ride. Actually, you can just extend your trip to the Belem area and this museum is only a fifteen minute walk away from the Monsteiro dos Jeronimos. This museum is the formal residence for the Portuguese royal family in the 19th century and has amazing displays of furniture, decorations and paintings. The most impressive places are the banquet hall and coronation palace. Staff there are also super nice and helpful. Too bad not many people visited this museum - I spent around two hours there on a Monday and we were one of the only two groups of people. The rest of the building is shared as office space by Portugal's departure of culture and on the other side of the court yard is the treasure museum where you can also find the most valuable treasures in Portugal. Most importantly, don't visit this museum on Thursday as it's closed!

Probably our favor palace tour we have been in. I mean, they have a room for the dogs so clearly…read morethey were an amazing royal family lol! We enjoyed the history, the stories and used our Lisbon Pass for the discount. This is right next to where the crowned jewels are kept which is also worth going to. This is a must stop when in Lisbon. The gifts on display from other countries were amazing, the portraits, the tapestries, it is all worth seeing and spending maybe an hour hour and a half here. It was very quit inside, not many people at all, felt like we had the palace to ourselves. Don't miss all the sculptures outside. They are fascinating, beautiful and unique.

When Jamie W and I arrived in Lisbon, the first thing we did was take a long walk on the…read morecobblestone streets to Alfama, the city's historic center. This spot was the destination I had in mind as I knew the sunset view from here would provide the ideal introduction to Lisbon for Jamie. Alfama's rustic cityscape is full of red rooftops and whitewashed buildings, which provides ripe Instagram material. As you'd expect, the wide terrace gets crowded during magic hour when selfie-itis reaches epidemic proportions. There's an open-air cafe, but we didn't bother trying it since we realized edible temptations awaited us after our obligatory stop here. The adjacent Miradouro de Santa Luzia is just a few steps below and offers a terrace colonnade where buskers play their music for tips. RELATED - Exploring Lisbon? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/6UdREADBcP

The viewpoint is steps away from the more popular Santa Luzia viewpoint. The big balcony above…read moreAlfama gives you views of the red tiled rooftops. Honestly, you can find this view in many locations around Lisbon so I didn't feel as if it's a must stop.