💡 The Short Version: For a first visit, stay in Baixa, the flat grid between Rossio and the river, with Metro on the Green and Blue lines. Choose Chiado for cafés and theatres if you can take hills, Alfama to be beside São Jorge Castle (steep streets, no Metro), Belém for the Jerónimos Monastery and the Tower, and Avenidas for the shortest ride from the airport. Plan the climbs on foot: the Glória, Bica and Lavra funiculars and the Santa Justa Lift have been out of service since 3 September 2025. The hotel adds Lisbon’s tourist tax, €4 per person per night for up to 7 nights.
The areas, compared
| Area | Walk to | Transport | What it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baixa | Praça do Comércio, Rossio, Rua Augusta, the river | Metro Rossio and Baixa-Chiado (Green), Restauradores and Terreiro do Paço (Blue); trams 15E and 25E from Praça da Figueira | A first visit on flat ground |
| Chiado and Bairro Alto | Praça Luís de Camões, the shops of Chiado, the bars of Bairro Alto | Metro Baixa-Chiado; trams 28E and 12E to Camões | Evenings out, for people who don’t mind hills |
| Alfama and the castle | São Jorge Castle, the cathedral, the viewpoints | No Metro inside it; trams 28E and 12E; Graça funicular | Old streets and fado, with steps |
| Príncipe Real | The botanical garden quarter, Bairro Alto | Metro Rato (Yellow); tram 24E | Quiet streets in a small, pricey quarter |
| Avenidas | Avenida da Liberdade, Parque Eduardo VII | Metro Restauradores, Avenida and Marquês de Pombal (Blue); Marquês de Pombal and Saldanha (Yellow); São Sebastião and Saldanha (Red) | The airport, and a flat boulevard |
| Belém | The Jerónimos Monastery, Belém Tower, MAAT | Tram 15E; CP Cascais Line from Cais do Sodré | The Belém monuments at opening time |
| Parque das Nações | The Oceanário, the river promenade | Metro Oriente (Red); trains at Oriente | The Oceanário, a long way from the old town |
| Cais do Sodré | Pink Street’s bars, Time Out Market, the river | Metro (Green), CP Cascais Line, Cacilhas ferry | Cascais by train, late nights |
| Estrela, Lapa and Santos | Rua das Janelas Verdes, the embassies and gardens | Tram 25E; Santos station on the Cascais Line; no Metro | Quiet streets in the west |
The hotels
Each hotel’s address is from its own website, read on 1 October 2026. Distances to São Jorge Castle are in a straight line from that address; the walk is longer and uphill. The links go to the hotel on Hotels.com.
Baixa
The flat grid of streets between Rossio and Praça do Comércio on the river. It is the easiest area to cross on foot, and Alfama, Chiado and the waterfront are each a short walk from it. Trams 15E and 25E start at Praça da Figueira, and the Metro stations Rossio and Baixa-Chiado (Green Line) and Terreiro do Paço (Blue Line) are inside it. Trains for Sintra leave from Rossio station.
Rua Augusta in Baixa, seen from the Rua Augusta Arch. Photo: Jakub Hałun, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.
Pousada de Lisboa
Praça do Comércio 31-34 · on Praça do Comércio · heated indoor pool, open all year · Hotels.comad
A hotel of 90 rooms in a palace on the riverfront square. Some suites face Terreiro do Paço, and the indoor pool is open every day, 08:30 to 20:00.
Hotel Avenida Palace
Rua 1º de Dezembro 123 · at Restauradores · Hotels.comad
An 82-room hotel where Baixa meets Avenida da Liberdade, with rooms facing Restauradores square, Rossio or the castle. Some rooms have connecting doors.
Pestana Rua Augusta Lisboa
Rua do Comércio 83 · beside the Arco da Rua Augusta · Hotels.comad
An 89-room hotel next to the arch at the head of Rua Augusta. Its own FAQ says the rooms are soundproofed. The top-floor Junior Suites, five of them, have a castle view.
Hotel da Baixa
Rua da Prata 231 · on Rua da Prata · Hotels.comad
A 66-room hotel in a building of the Baixa grid, with city-view rooms and family rooms of up to 46 m².
Chiado and Bairro Alto
The hill west of Baixa. Chiado has the old cafés, theatres and shops; Bairro Alto above it is the district of bars, and its streets stay loud late (Geeky Explorer puts it at about 3:00). With the Glória funicular and the Santa Justa Lift shut, the way up from Restauradores and Baixa is on foot, or by tram 28E, 12E or 24E to Praça Luís de Camões. Cobbles and steps are hard on a suitcase.
Praça Luís de Camões, in Chiado. Photo: AntoineJoub, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Bairro Alto Hotel
Praça Luís de Camões 2 · at the Camões crossroads · Hotels.comad
A five-star hotel on the square where trams 28E and 12E stop, with a terrace and a fifth-floor restaurant looking to the Tagus, and a fourth-floor wellness centre.
The Lumiares Hotel & Spa
Rua do Diário de Notícias 142 · Lumi Rooftop bar · Hotels.comad
Apartment-style rooms in Bairro Alto, from studios to a two-bedroom suite, with a spa and a rooftop bar and restaurant.
Martinhal Chiado Family Suites
Rua das Flores 44 · supervised Kids Club · Hotels.comad
Serviced apartments in Chiado, with a supervised Kids Club.
Verride Palácio Santa Catarina
Rua de Santa Catarina 1 · above Bica · panoramic pool, rooftop bar · Hotels.comad
A restored palace of 18 rooms in Santa Catarina, above Bica, with a Panoramic Pool and the Sunrise Terrace rooftop bar. The Bica Suite, 63 m², takes two adults and two children aged 8 to 12.
Alfama and the castle
The old quarter under São Jorge Castle: narrow, steep and medieval, with fado houses (Lisbon food tours and fado evenings compares them) and viewpoints. It has no Metro station; the nearest are Santa Apolónia and Terreiro do Paço (Blue Line). Trams 28E and 12E run through it, and the Graça funicular, open from 07:00 to 21:00, links Mouraria with Graça. Hotels here are 140 to 480 m from the castle in a straight line, all of it uphill.
Alfama’s roofs and the Tagus. Photo: Dale Cruse, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.
Olissippo Castelo
Rua Costa do Castelo 120 · about 140 m from the castle · Hotels.comad
Twenty-four rooms with city views, and connecting rooms on the first floor.
Pousada Alfama
Rua de São Tomé 76 · about 275 m from the castle · Hotels.comad
A 41-room hotel on four floors, with Large Family Rooms.
Santiago de Alfama
Rua de Santiago 10-14 · about 350 m from the castle · Hotels.comad
A boutique hotel with a café, bistro and bar. The Deluxe King can interconnect with a twin room.
Memmo Alfama
Travessa das Merceeiras 27 · about 480 m from the castle · Hotels.comad
A terrace and wine bar over the Tagus. The Terrace Rooms have a private deck.
Solar do Castelo
Rua das Cozinhas 2 · inside the castle walls · Hotels.comad
An 18th-century palace of 20 rooms on the site of the castle’s royal kitchens, with peacocks in the courtyards.
Príncipe Real
A leafy residential quarter above Bairro Alto. It is hilly, and its streets are narrow. Metro Rato (Yellow Line) is the nearest station, and tram 24E runs from Praça Luís de Camões through Príncipe Real to Rato.
The Jardim do Príncipe Real. Photo: Mister No, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0.
Memmo Príncipe Real
Rua D. Pedro V 56 J · terraces, a pool · Hotels.comad
A boutique hotel whose own page describes views over Lisbon’s seven hills and a cocktail by the pool. The Superior Terrace City View rooms have their own terrace.
Casa de São Mamede
Rua da Escola Politécnica 159 · near Rato Metro · Hotels.comad
A small hotel with double-glazed, air-conditioned rooms; Rato is its nearest Metro station.
Avenidas
The boulevard of Avenida da Liberdade and the streets round Marquês de Pombal, on flat ground. It has the best airport links: the Red Line reaches Saldanha and São Sebastião without a change, and buses 744, 722 and 783 stop at Marquês de Pombal or Saldanha. Baixa is three Blue Line stops from Marquês de Pombal. The hotels sit along the boulevard rather than in a neighbourhood, and the old town is a ride away.
Tivoli Avenida Liberdade Lisboa
Avenida da Liberdade 185 · garden pool · Hotels.comad
A hotel of 264 rooms in a 1933 building, with an outdoor pool in a garden and the SEEN Sky Bar. The Premium Family Room, 45 m², takes two adults and a child on a sofa bed.
Heritage Avenida Liberdade
Avenida da Liberdade 28 · near Restauradores · small lap pool · Hotels.comad
A 42-room hotel at the Restauradores end of the avenue, with a small lap pool and gym inside the old building.
Valverde Lisboa Hotel & Garden
Avenida da Liberdade 164 · Relais & Châteaux · Hotels.comad
A town-house hotel opened in September 2014, with a garden.
Altis Grand Hotel
Rua Castilho 11 · Garden Roof bar · Hotels.comad
A hotel with the Garden Roof bar, a spa and pool open 10:00 to 20:00, and an Exclusive Family Suite.
EPIC SANA Marquês
Av. Fontes Pereira de Melo 8 · outdoor pool on the terrace · Hotels.comad
A 379-room hotel by Marquês de Pombal with an outdoor pool on the terrace, a spa and connecting rooms.
Belém
A flat riverside district about 6 km west of the centre, with the Jerónimos Monastery, Belém Tower and MAAT within a mile of each other. Tram 15E runs from Praça da Figueira to Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, and the CP Cascais Line runs from Cais do Sodré; there is no Metro. Hotels near Belém lists the hotels closest to both monuments, with the opening days and tickets.
Palácio do Governador
Rua Bartolomeu Dias 117 · about 365 m from the Tower · outdoor and indoor pools · Hotels.comad
A five-star hotel in the former governor’s house, with an outdoor pool, a heated indoor pool in the spa, and an Infante Suite on the pool level.
Altis Belém Hotel & Spa
Doca do Bom Sucesso · about 515 m from the Tower · rooftop pool · Hotels.comad
Fifty rooms and suites on the marina, with a rooftop pool and Feitoria, a one-Michelin-star restaurant.
Parque das Nações
The flat, modern riverside district round Oriente station. The Red Line takes you there from the airport without a change, and the Oceanário is here. Baixa is a change at Alameda and the Green Line away.
The waterfront boardwalk at Parque das Nações. Photo: Jules Verne Times Two, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
MYRIAD by SANA
Cais das Naus, Lote 2.21.01 · rooftop bar, indoor pool · Hotels.comad
A hotel on the river with the BABYLON 360º rooftop bar and a heated indoor pool in the spa.
Tivoli Oriente Lisboa
Av. D. João II 27 · Hotels.comad
A hotel with a rooftop bar, a heated indoor pool and a fitness centre, and city- or river-view rooms.
Olissippo Oriente
Av. D. João II 32 · Hotels.comad
Rooms between the second and eighth floors overlook the park, and some connect.
Cais do Sodré
The river end of the Green Line, where the Metro, the CP Cascais Line (for Cascais) and the Cacilhas ferry meet, beside Pink Street’s bars and the Time Out Market. It is lively late; night buses 201 and 208 run when the Metro has shut at 01:00.
LX Boutique Hotel
Rua do Alecrim 12 · river-view terrace suites · Hotels.comad
A hotel with a restaurant, Confraria, and suites with a terrace over the river.
Corpo Santo Hotel
Largo do Corpo Santo 25 · a stretch of the Fernandine Wall · Hotels.comad
A five-star hotel with a stretch of the city wall built in 1373 preserved in the lounge, and a spa.
JAM Hotel Lisbon
Avenida 24 de Julho 80 · rooftop pool · Hotels.comad
A carbon-neutral former warehouse on the Santos side of Cais do Sodré, with a rooftop pool open 08:00 to 19:00. After 19:00 the rooftop is 16 and over, and pets are not allowed.
Estrela, Lapa and Santos
Embassies, gardens and quiet streets in the west, on and near Rua das Janelas Verdes. There is no Metro here: the Circular Line with Estrela and Santos stations has not opened, so the nearest stations are Rato and Cais do Sodré. Tram 25E runs from Praça da Figueira through Santos, Lapa and Estrela, and Santos station is on the Cascais Line.
Olissippo Lapa Palace
Rua do Pau de Bandeira 4 · garden pool, usually heated May to September · Hotels.comad
A palace of 95 rooms in a garden, in a Palace Wing and a Garden Wing, with an outdoor pool, usually heated from May to September, and a heated indoor pool.
York House Lisboa
Rua das Janelas Verdes 32 · a 17th-century convent · Hotels.comad
A former Carmelite convent of 33 rooms and junior suites, with a garden terrace.
As Janelas Verdes Inn
Rua das Janelas Verdes 47 · Hotels.comad
An 18th-century townhouse of 29 rooms with a terrace. One rate includes entry to 20 Lisbon museums and the botanical gardens.
Before you book
- The tourist tax is extra. Lisbon charges €4 per guest per night, for up to 7 nights in a row (up to €28 each). Guests under 13 don’t pay. The hotel collects it and shows it on the bill (Deco Proteste, 1 October 2026).
- The hills are the choice. Baixa, Avenidas, Belém and Parque das Nações are flat. Alfama, Chiado, Bairro Alto and Príncipe Real are steep, and the funiculars and the Santa Justa Lift that used to shorten the climb are shut: Carris has given no reopening date for the Bica and Lavra funiculars or the lift, and has said a new Glória is planned for 2029; Tram 28 and the funiculars has what runs instead.
- The Metro stops at 01:00. It runs from 06:30 to 01:00 every day. Night buses 201 (Cais do Sodré to Belém) and 208 (Cais do Sodré to Oriente via the airport) run through the night.
- Strikes shut the Metro. The general strikes on 11 December 2025 and 3 June 2026 stopped it for the day. Check before you travel, and keep a taxi as the backup.
- Check the address, not the name. Distances on this page are from each hotel’s own address.
From the airport: the Red Line to Alameda, then the Green Line, reaches Baixa and Cais do Sodré; see Lisbon airport to the city centre. For getting between the areas, see Lisbon public transport. For what to book before you fly, see what to book before you go in Lisbon. For where to eat near each area, see where to eat in Lisbon. For the trips out of the city, see day trips from Lisbon, and for the pass that covers transport and sights, is the Lisboa Card worth it?. For a summer stay, Lisbon hotels with a rooftop pool gives each pool’s hours and months. Hotel rates rise in Web Summit week; best time to visit Lisbon has the numbers. Arriving by ship, see Lisbon cruise port to the city centre. To plan days around the bookings, see 3 days in Lisbon and Lisbon in one day.
Common questions
What is the best area to stay in Lisbon for a first visit?
Baixa, the flat grid of streets between Rossio and the river: Metro stations on the Green and Blue lines, trams 15E and 25E from Praça da Figueira, and Alfama, Chiado and the waterfront within walking distance. Chiado is the alternative if you don't mind hills.
Is Alfama a good place to stay in Lisbon?
It puts you beside São Jorge Castle, with hotels 140 to 480 m from it in a straight line, but the streets are steep and old, and there is no Metro station inside the quarter. The nearest are Santa Apolónia and Terreiro do Paço on the Blue Line.
Which area of Lisbon is best for the airport?
Avenidas, the streets round Avenida da Liberdade and Marquês de Pombal. The Metro Red Line from the airport reaches Saldanha and São Sebastião without a change, and buses 744, 722 and 783 stop at Marquês de Pombal or Saldanha. For Baixa, change at Alameda for the Green Line.
How much is the tourist tax in Lisbon?
€4 per guest per night, for up to 7 consecutive nights, so up to €28 each. Guests under 13 don't pay. The hotel collects it and shows it as a separate line on the bill.
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