Lisbon is a city known for its proximity to the sea, for its beautiful light and for being the city of the seven hills… Ah, and, of course — how could I forget? — for the famous Pastéis de Nata.
This city has become the favourite destination for many foreign students, who are looking for the best place to study abroad in Europe.
However, studying abroad brings some unavoidable costs. It can become challenging to balance a students’ budget with the desire to explore what the city has to offer. As always, Uniplaces is here to help you and to share 8 amazing places to visit in Lisbon for FREE!
1. Garden of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
The Garden of the Calouste Gulbenkian is one of those places that makes you forget you are in the middle of a busy city. It is the perfect place for nature lovers and for those who like to run away from the city crowd.
It is known not only for its beautiful landscape, but also for the possibility of hanging out with the nice ducks we can find there. You can also visit the exhibitions in the Museum and also attend orchestras’ concerts in the open air. However, for the these two it is necessary to pay for a ticket.
Nevertheless, the garden, on its own, provides you an amazing experience and it is a great way of spending an afternoon. You can also bring a snack with you and make a picnic in there. But remember: be careful with the ducks!
2. Panoramic of Monsanto
This is one of the most mysterious free places to visit in Lisbon. Its construction was completed in 1967 and it was inaugurated as the Panoramic Restaurant of Monsanto, being a very exquisite place.
It ended up closing and is now completely abandoned. Its interior reveals some mystery of what it once was, but what is really worthwhile is the view over the Ponte 25 de Abril, over the Tagus River and over the city of Lisbon.
The accesses are not the best, so the best way to get there is by car. However, the wonderful view pays it all.
3. Miradouro da Graça
This is one of the best known viewpoints of the city of Lisbon. Besides being one of the places to visit in Lisbon for free, which is something already very cool, it has a beautiful view over the city of Lisbon.
And do you know when is the best time of the day to visit Miradouro da Graça? If you thought about sunset hour, you got it right! It’s also perfect for those chilled afternoons, accompanied by a drink and good company.
It’s also a great place for photography lovers, as it yields the best clicks on this rather Instagrammable city.
4. Church of St. Dominic
Tip for an afternoon tour: visit St. Dominic’s Church and then go spend the sunset hour in Miradouro da Graça.
Let’s go now to a small History class: located in Rossio, St. Dominic’s Church, was built in the 13th century. But this is not a regular church: this is a church full of history which makes it even more interesting to visit.
St. Dominic’s Church has survived the biggest earthquake that the city of Lisbon has ever experienced, in the year of 1755, and a fire, in 1954. Its interior is different from other churches’ interiors: it is not a church full of the usual wealth and religious ornaments. Its beauty really lies in the damage caused by the earthquake and the fire, which are visible until today.
5. Casa do Alentejo
Whoever passes in the street of Casa do Alentejo restaurant, usually has no idea what is inside those doors.
This is one of the most secret places in the city of Lisbon, that only few people know about it. It makes you completely travel to another country and another culture. Once again, you are transported to another reality, away from the city of Lisbon.
The patio of Casa do Alentejo is also the perfect location for taking a few clicks. If you are a photography lover, I can bet you are going to love spending a good amount of time in this place creating amazing photos.
6. Ribeira das Naus
And for the laziest people who don’t want to climb a hill in Lisbon to see the sunset, I have a great alternative for you: Ribeira das Naus.
This is one of those free places to visit in Lisbon that you cannot miss. Close to Chiado, Praça do Comércio and near the Tagus River, it’s a perfect place to grab something to eat and have a picnic there.
Ribeira das Naus is a place where we can spend hours sitting and appreciating the river and not even realize that the time is passing. Do you know any other place like this in Lisbon? I’d like to hear your suggestions!
7. LX Factory
The place where is now the so well known Lx Factory, was once a place where it had located the most important factories in Lisbon.
After going through a process of discovery by the visitors of Lisbon, Lx Factory is one of the most famous places in the city of Lisbon. I would say that it is one of the mandatory places to go, if you are visiting Lisbon.
In Lx Factory, you will not find ordinary shops, but the most different and daring ones. What we can see here will certainly not be seen anywhere else in the city of Lisbon. It has a unique beauty, and it is a unique place, in which it is worth spending a few hours.
8. Ler Devagar Bookstore
Since you are visiting Lx Factory — the place where this bookstore is located-, Ler Devagar is a mandatory place to stop by.
Located in the facilities where it was once a typography, the beauty of Ler Devagar bookstore lies in the surroundings of this amazing building. In here, you can find the most diverse books, as well as to participate in the vast cultural program that the bookstore has to offer: from Fado to Jazz concerts, to debates, conferences, poetry or theater.
It’s a free place to visit in Lisbon, where you can spend hours surrounded by storybooks and in an environment that inspires culture. I bet book lovers will be delighted.
From beautiful gardens, to the best places to see the sunset and passing by the coolest places in Lisbon, here are gathered the 8 amazing places to visit in Lisbon for free. Did you know any of them?
And remember: if you need student accommodation in Lisbon, you’ll find the perfect student home on Uniplaces.