Although I wouldn't characterize Lisbon as a symmetrical city due to its hilly terrain, the one…read moretruly symmetrical area in the city is this waterfront plaza, a model of balance between land and sea in its clean layout and openness to the Tagus River. It defined my first impression of Lisbon on my first visit, and enhanced my awareness of the city's rich maritime history on my most recent visit with Jamie W. Built after the 1755 earthquake destroyed the Royal Palace that stood on the grounds, this public square is anchored by the majestic Augusta Street Arch, the stone gateway through which people enter from downtown (Photo 2). In front at the center of the plaza is the equestrian statue of King José I (Photo 8). Surrounding us were bright yellow arcades framing three sides of the plaza in a U shape. The arcades were lit up in appropriately dramatic fashion at night. We eventually made our way to the waterfront where we looked back on the panoramic view of the square from the Cais das Colunas columns and marble steps (Photo 6). You can picture how visiting dignitaries must have arrived by boat and got their first impression of the city. If there's a single snapshot that defines Lisbon, it's this one. RELATED - Exploring Lisbon? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/ayZwwRJHQd

This is a popular site in Lisbon. It's a big plaza with lots of little shops and restaurants…read morenearby. Three sides of the square are surrounded with bright yellow walls/buildings, while the fourth side of the square is made up by the water! I think that's a cool feature! You enter it through a big, pretty stone arch, and in the very center of the plaza is a statue. When I went, I enjoyed hearing a man sing opera under the arch. It contributed to a nice atmosphere. It felt fitting. I came across this location more than once so it's relatively easy to get to depending on where you are/where you're going. I had sardines for the first time at a restaurant in the plaza, and I wish I could remember the name of the restaurant! They were so good!!! They had a nicer flavor than I expected- mild and salty with maybe a bit of sweetness too. Crispy thin texture on the outside, too. And much larger sized fish than I expected. I was lucky to be there during sardine season/festival, so I'm sure that helped.

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'll find many shops and restaurants on this street. It starts from the arc Praça do Comércio. A…read morebit touristy but a nice experience. Once a historical commercial hub of Lisbon giving it a great vibe even today.

Rue Augusta was my favorite street in Lisbon. This famous street is a bustling shopping area where…read moreshops and restaurants abound on either side. The street itself is beautiful with intricate tiled patterns throughout. It's also a popular spot for street entertainment. If you walk to the end of the street, you'll end up at the Praca de Comercio. The Rue Augusta makes for a lovely stroll and the site of several attractions. It's a can't miss in Lisbon!

Praça do Rosário. I just checked in here because every city needs that one random square where…read moreabsolutely nothing happens and yet somehow you still end up there. A couple palm trees, a bench or two, and the ghost of someone's Wi-Fi signal. Blink and you'll miss it.

People's square to be center of gathering!…read more City lights of Lisbon. Rustic and charming. One can be here to admire and lounge!

Avenida da Liberdade is a tree-lined boulevard that was built in the late 1800s and is modeled…read moreafter Paris's Champs-Elysees. It is famous for its luxury hotels, designer stores, upscale restaurants, fountains, and statues. When my husband and I were on vacation, we passed through these blocks. I enjoyed looking at the tree-filled park and cobblestone pavement. We saw stores such as Burberry, Cartier, Furla, and Gucci. In addition, I read that some countries' embassies are located here.

The Avenida da Liberdade where Lisbon pretends she's Paris and mostly pulls it off. Think wide…read moreboulevards, designer stores no one's actually buying from, overpriced cafés with excellent people-watching potential, and tourists loudly mispronouncing bacalhau or miradouro. Come here to stroll like you have generational wealth, grab a €6 espresso, and silently judge other Americans for wearing flip flops or 5 inch heels.

Ah gosh!! This area of Lisbon is so much fun!…read more Similar look and feel to the East Village in NY with variety of restaurants, quirky shops and attractions. I had so much fun just walking around - felt super safe, even late at night! Yelp 2019

We enjoyed this part of Lisbon very much (together with Baixa, hard to see where one ends and the…read moreother one starts anyways). There are several streets which are enjoyable. Countless restaurants, bakeries, chains and independent stores. Besides Rua Augusta and its side streets the Rua Garrett is surely worth checking out. Like mentioned in another reviews, the restaurants on Rua Augusta are good for drinks and people-watching, but I would avoid eating here. Menu, quality and value are just not good enough.... but there is lots of good food in this city. Rossio and the Praca Do Comercio are surely other must-dos. But make sure to walk along the smaller streets in the west of Chiado too (close to Bairro Alto), lots of charm here! Some of the parallell streets to Rua Augusta get pretty quiet at night. Nothing scary, but not much to see or do though. From some angles you also can get nice views of the Castelo, especially at night a colorful sight!

The arch leads to Praça do Comércio. There are six columns with statues of various historical…read morefigures. The figures at the top represent Glory rewarding Valor and Genius. People can also visit the top for views of the city and the river.

"To the winch, wench." ("Neverending Story")…read more The Arco da Rua Augusta/Arch of Triumph is a stone memorial arch at the end of Rua Augusta street that majestically connects Lisbon to the Tagus River. Passing through the arch gateway from Rua Augusta street, one can confidently enter Praça do Comercio square without fear of being annihilated by lasers shot from giant, angry sphinxes. The arch was built to commemorate the reconstruction of Lisbon following the 1755 earthquake and tsunami that leveled the city and took the lives of an estimated 70,000 people. As per "The Neverending Story", "Nothing is lost...Everything is transformed." Lisbon was thereafter beautifully transformed and rebuilt with the world's first anti-seismic architecture, perhaps aided by a little boy's magical wishes. The arch is beautifully crowned by three sculptures that symbolize Glory, Genius, and Valor. The remaining statues are historical figures that include the Marquis of Pombal and Vasco da Gama. Visitors can reach the top of the arch via spiral staircase or elevator for stunning 360° views of the city, including Praça do Comércio and the Tagus River. No need for wenches to be winched up! This arch is a must see landmark when visiting Lisbon--I give it five flying Falkors! *Entrance is free with the Lisbon Card

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.