Getting Around Lisbon
We hear most from first-time visitors to Lisbon: I didn’t come prepared for these hills!
That’s right! You read in your guide books that Lisbon is the “City of the Seven Hills,” but nothing prepares you for the amount of walking and climbing you have to do while in the city.
Your own two feet are a great way to see the sights!
The good news is that being the city of the seven hills has its perks: for every climb up a hill you make, you get a reward with a fantastic view!
The city of Lisbon is built on the slopes of hills and has very few flat roads. Downtown Lisbon, the Baixa area, is primarily flat, but the steep hills reemerge as soon as you turn a corner.
Take advantage of the public elevators of the city, like “Elevador do Castelo,” or even the elevator of the shopping mall “Armazéns do Chiado” – these can save you a few steps.
Every time you see a hill with a beautiful funicular, you might want to take that funicular up – all the steepest hills in Lisbon have funiculars (like Glória, Lavra, Bica).
Make sure you have your walking shoes ready!
Most of the city’s sidewalks and roads have cobblestones – beautiful white and black limestones which create different patterns like waves, depth illusion, dates, names of places, symbols, and much more. As they are made of limestone, they start to wear out in time, turning from beautiful to slippery if you don’t pay attention.
Don’t take the cobblestones for granted, and bring good walking shoes. Bear in mind that in winter, everything is even more slippery. It is not dangerous, and you don’t need to get your hiking shoes, just comfortable shoes with a good grip.
We love our hills and cobblestones – even though we complain a lot – but no one can take those beautiful shapes and designs away from our city.
The city has excellent public transportation – the trams can be enjoyable rides, and the metro is the fastest and easiest option to get around in the city.
A 1-day ticket costs €10.55 for the Metro, Carris (trams, bus in the city), and CP (the train company).
Private options like UBER, Cabify, Bolt are also available at low rates.
Lisbon has several e-bikes docks that you can rent if you opt to cycle in the city’s many bike lanes.
If you get lost in the city by any chance, try to head down to the Tagus river area. This is a flat area where you can overlook the town and then get your bearings around. Also, try to look for places such as the castle, Rossio, or Marquês de Pombal square: these are significant landmarks to help you navigate if you get lost.