Lisbon’s Sé neighbourhood is one of the typical areas of the old quarter of the city. It takes its name from Lisbon’s cathedral, known as “a Sé” . It is set on half of a hill and so most of its streets are very sharply inclined. The buildings are old – some of them are over a hundred years old – and every street is still paved with cobblestones named “calçada portuguesa” which gives it that authentic, typical charm. This is a great neighbourhood to eat, shop and visit as it captures all of Lisbon’s spirit.

Attraction number one here is obviously the Sé. The Cathedral is nearly 1000 years old and it’s the oldest church in the city. There’s a lot of singing throughout Sunday masses if you care to attend and during the summer months it’s common for weddings to take place on Fridays and Saturdays. Other attractions include the Saramago foundation, down by the riverfront – a museum dedicated to the portuguese writer, José Saramago, that won the Nobel award, just a step from Varandas de Lisboa building.

Baixa is the most central and renowned neighbourhood in Lisbon. It was completely rebuilt by the Marquis of Pombal after the earthquake that destroyed part of the city in the eighteenth century. The district has large classical avenues flanked by houses covered in tiles, in typical Lisbon style. Baixa is packed with stores and restaurants and is always busy during the day.

This neighbourhood houses the capital’s most emblematic squares and streets. The district starts in Restauradores Square (Praça dos Restauradores), continues up Avenida da Liberdade, through Praça Marquês de Pombal (Marquis of Pombal Square) and from this point forward is considered “Modern Lisbon”.

It brings together some popular spots such as the Santa Justa Elevator and MUDE (Design and Fashion Museum) and, in addition to more traditional outlets, many modern places as well. Shops, restaurants and street entertainers amuse pedestrians in this area, with the added bonus of fabulous views of the Tejo River.

Lisbon is situated on the northern banks of the River Tagus (Rio Tejo) and the slow flowing waters of the river helped create Lisbon the magnificent and vibrant city that it is today. The river was the initial factor that established Lisbon as a significant Roman port as the estuary provided protection from the ferocious Atlantic Ocean and from this founding the city has never looked back.

The 14th century heralded in the the Age of Discover that was regarded as the golden age of Portugal. These expeditions originated from the docks that ran the length of western Lisbon and once the colonies were established the wealth of the new lands poured back into Lisbon to fund the extravagance of the era. The Portuguese as a nation are emigrants with communities dotted throughout the world and this characteristic can be traced back to the close connection with the seas and the rivers of which the Tejo is the most important.

You can see our beautiful river at sunset from our balconies, a fantastic experience!
For a different perspective just climb Lisbon hills or take a boat trip! We recommend you to do this tour more at the end of your trip, so you will be able to see not only Lisbon’s skyline but also identify the main monuments!