Lisbon from above

Lisbon spills down a series of steep hills to the wide Tagus River, and the best way to understand it is from the top of one.

Locals call the lookouts miradouros. Some are grand garden terraces, some are a few benches and a kiosk café under the pine trees, and nearly all of them come with a view worth the climb. At golden hour they fill with neighbors, students and travelers who’ve learned the same thing: in Lisbon, you plan your day around the light.

The old neighborhoods of Alfama and Graça sit on the eastern hills, crowned by Castelo de São Jorge. Bairro Alto and Chiado rise to the west. Wander between them and you’ll find tile-covered facades, laundry strung across narrow lanes and the yellow trams rattling past close enough to touch.

The best parts of a Lisbon day happen on the walk between the views.

Stop for a pastel de nata, the custard tart Lisbon is famous for, and have it warm, with a dusting of cinnamon, standing at the counter like the locals do. In Belém, the bakery beside the Jerónimos Monastery has been making them since 1837, and Manteigaria in Chiado bakes them all day long.

In the evening, Alfama is the place for fado, the soulful Portuguese song that UNESCO recognizes as part of the world’s cultural heritage. The best rooms are small, candlelit and quiet enough to hear every breath, so we reserve a table ahead and pair it with dinner.

Keep an eye on the walls, too. Lisbon is covered in azulejos, the glazed tiles Portugal is famous for, from simple blue-and-white patterns to whole painted scenes. In Largo do Intendente, the old Viúva Lamego tile factory building still wears its 1865 façade of painted figures and garden urns, and today it’s home to A Vida Portuguesa, a lovely shop for Portuguese-made gifts.

Out in Belém, the riverfront opens wide. The Padrão dos Descobrimentos, a monument to Portugal’s age of exploration shaped like the prow of a ship, looks out over the Tagus toward the 25 de Abril Bridge and the Cristo Rei statue on the far bank. Come late in the day, when the stone turns gold and sailboats drift past.

An easy two-day shape

• Day 1 morningSanta Luzia and Portas do Sol, then the castle
• Day 1 eveningDinner and fado in Alfama
• Day 2 morningBelém, the monastery and pastéis de nata
• Day 2 eveningChiado, Bairro Alto and São Pedro de Alcântara