Alfama & Castle

A Moorish castle crowning Lisbon's highest hill, with fortifications dating to the 6th century. The Moors held it from 711 until 1147, when Afonso Henriques — Portugal's first king — besieged and captured it with the help of English and Flemish Crusaders en route to the Holy Land. The castle served as a royal residence until the 16th century. Archaeological excavations have uncovered Iron Age, Phoenician, and Roman layers beneath. The ramparts offer the most commanding 360-degree panorama of Lisbon, the Tagus River, and the Ponte 25 de Abril bridge.

The peacocks roaming the gardens are a beloved feature. Visit at sunset for the best light over the city and river.

Lisbon's oldest neighborhood, surviving the devastating 1755 earthquake almost intact because it sits on solid bedrock. The name derives from Arabic 'al-hamma' (hot springs). A maze of narrow alleys, stairways, and tiled facades where laundry hangs between buildings and fado music drifts from tiny tascas (taverns). Originally the Moorish quarter, then a fishing village, it remained working-class while the rest of Lisbon modernized. The Feira da Ladra (Thieves' Market) has been held here every Tuesday and Saturday since at least the 13th century.

Get deliberately lost in the alleys — Alfama rewards wandering. The Miradouro de Santa Luzia nearby has azulejo panels depicting pre-earthquake Lisbon.