One of the most obvious attractions in the capital of Portugal is the Castle of St George (Castelo de São Jorge). It is a medieval Moorish castle overlooking the city of Lisbon from the highest of 7 hills within the city.
Apart from a fantastic view of the city from the castle's ramparts and a small museum, there is not all that much to see inside the castle walls. If you do not want to pay the entrance fee just to admire the view, you can still try finding a lookout spot outside the castle walls.
There are also two such viewpoints just by the track of Tram 28 near the main entrance to the castle - get off the tram at Portas do Sol. There are two viewpoints nearby (Miradouro das Portas do Sol is one of them), offering a great view towards the river Tagus with the Alfama rooftops descending in its direction.
There are also other places where you can get a great panoramic view of the city. One of the best is from Miradouro de Sao Pedro de Alcantara. It is a garden-terrace in Bairro Alto overlooking the city.
Another great viewpoint is at the top of Elevador de Santa Justa. You can find a few useful tips for visiting it in my previous post.
Apart from these there are many other viewpoints (miradouros) at the highest points of each hill. Here is a short list of the most popular miradouros in Lisbon:
- Castle of St George,
- Elevador de Santa Justa,
- Miradouro de Sao Pedro de Alcantara,
- Miradouro da Nossa Senhora do Monte,
- Miradouro de Santa Luzia,
- Miradouro da Graca,
- Monument to Christ,
- Sao Vicente de Fora Monastery,
- Miradouro de Santa Catarina,
- Vasco da Gama Tower,
- Edward VII park.