On the hill east of the Baixa lies Alfama, Lisbon's oldest district. Its name comes from the Arabic al-hamma, hot springs. It was the heart of the Moorish city, then a district of fishermen and sailors, and above all the only part of the centre to withstand the great 1755 earthquake, thanks to its rock foundations. It has thus kept its medieval layout: a maze of lanes, stairways (escadinhas), small squares (largos), arches and courtyards where life still spills into the street. It is part of the Lisbon guide.
São Jorge Castle
On top of the highest hill in the centre, São Jorge Castle dominates the city. An 11th-century Moorish fortification, it was taken in 1147 by Portugal's first king, Afonso Henriques, and was a royal residence until the 16th century. From its ramparts, shaded by pines and home to peacocks, you get the widest view over Lisbon, the Tagus and the 25 de Abril Bridge. You can walk the walls, visit eleven towers, archaeological digs with remains of Moorish houses and the Camera Obscura, projecting real-time images of the city. Around the castle, the small Santa Cruz quarter is a village within the city.
The Sé and the viewpoints
Heading down towards the river you reach the Sé, Lisbon's cathedral, begun in 1147 on the site of the great mosque: a Romanesque fortress with two crenellated towers and a rose window. In the Gothic cloister Roman, Arab and medieval excavations are visible. Tram 28 passes in front, stopping for the city's classic photo.
A little higher, the Santa Luzia viewpoint, with its pergola and azulejo panels, and Portas do Sol, with the statue of St Vincent, the city's patron saint, offer the most famous view over Alfama's rooftops and the river. Here too is the Museum of Decorative Arts, in a 17th-century palace.
Inside Alfama
The best way to explore Alfama is to get lost, heading down from the viewpoints to the river. Don't miss Largo do Chafariz de Dentro, with the Fado Museum, the church of Santo Estêvão, Rua de São Miguel, the lanes around Beco do Mexias and the little taverns grilling sardines in the street. At the bottom of the district, the Casa dos Bicos, with its diamond-pointed façade, houses the José Saramago Foundation.
Graça and São Vicente
North of Alfama, the working-class district of Graça has two of the city's finest viewpoints: the Miradouro da Graça (Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen), with a kiosk under the pines, and the Miradouro da Senhora do Monte, Lisbon's highest, perfect at sunset. Nearby are the São Vicente de Fora Monastery, its cloister lined with azulejos depicting La Fontaine's fables, and the white dome of the National Pantheon, where Amália Rodrigues and the country's greats rest. On Tuesdays and Saturdays, Campo de Santa Clara hosts the Feira da Ladra, Lisbon's oldest flea market.
Mouraria
West of the castle, Mouraria was where the Moors were confined after the Christian conquest, and later the cradle of fado: legendary Maria Severa, the first fadista, lived here. Today it is Lisbon's most multicultural district, with shops and restaurants run by immigrants from Bangladesh, India, China and Mozambique, and murals dedicated to fado. Largo do Intendente is its living room, with cafés and bars.
Fado
Alfama and Mouraria are the districts of fado. In the casas de fado you dine while fadistas sing accompanied by the Portuguese guitar; in simpler taverns fado vadio is sung by local amateurs. The Fado Museum tells the story of this music, from sailors to Amália Rodrigues. See nightlife.
The June festivals
In June Alfama is transformed: for the Santos Populares, especially the night of 12-13 June for St Anthony, streets are hung with bunting, sardines are grilled, beer and sangria flow and people dance until dawn. See Lisbon festivals.
Tips
- Alfama is steep: wear comfortable shoes and walk down from the castle to the river rather than up.
- Use tram 28 or tram 12 to go up, or the free public lifts from the Baixa to the castle (Elevador do Castelo and Mouraria).
- Watch your wallet on the tram and at crowded viewpoints.
- Many houses are lived in: respect residents' peace.
See also Lisbon neighbourhoods and tram 28 and the miradouros.