The 10 Best Photo Spots in Lisbon, Portugal

Lisbon – Europe’s most western capital city – becomes more and more popular. Some of the main reasons are probably the endless photo opportunities you have there.

Seriously, you can literally take a photo around every corner and it’ll turn out to be a good one! This blog post should help you to find the 10 best photo spots in Lisbon to get the most perfect shots!

Even though I’d heard so many great things about Lisbon, I didn’t have too many expectations when I came here. However, I can honestly say that I left my heart in this city.

With its typical Portuguese tiles, Fado, and absolutely mouthwatering Pasteis de Nata, it’s a place you simply can’t find anywhere else in the world. I recommend you spend at least 2 days in Lisbon to see and experience all the amazing things!

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I found Lisbon to be one of the most photogenic cities I’ve ever been to. I came back having tons of photos on my camera.

The amount of unique and beautiful places was huge but here are my Top 10 that I think are the best photo spots in Lisbon!

1. Praça do Comércio

Praça do Comércio is one of the city’s three most important squares. Located right at the River Tejo, it’s the perfect place to hang out and enjoy the relaxing vibes.

Whether if it’s summer or winter, thanks to the warm climate, you can always sit outside and have a good glass of Portuguese wine in one of the many restaurants there.

I went to Lisbon in December, thus the huge Christmas tree in the photo below.

2. Rua Nova do Carvalho – Pink Street

The second place on my list of the best photo spots in Lisbon is Rua Nova do Carvalho, better known as Pink Street. I’m pretty sure you’ve seen many pictures of it already as it got famous thanks to Instagram.

The area around the street was actually the red light district years ago whereas nowadays, it’s one of the city’s most popular neighborhoods.

It’s not only a good place for photos, but also the perfect address to end a party night because you can find the most popular bars and dance clubs there.

Having a night out at Pink Street is definitely one of the coolest things to do in Lisbon!

3. Convento do Carmo

I bet you haven’t seen a place like Convento do Carmo before. This old monastery dates back to the 13th century and is now used as a museum. But what’s the special thing about it?

The reason behind its uniqueness is the missing roof which got completely destroyed due to an earthquake in 1755. It’s basically more a ruin than an actual monastery now but still, a very cool place to see!

4. Elevador de Santa Justa

Right next to Carmo Convent, you can find the Elevador de Santa Justa – a lift that connects the lower streets of Baixa with the higher-located area of Largo do Carmo.

Undoubtedly, it’s one of the well-known attractions and the platform on top offers a great overlook of the entire city.

I went there twice: The first time was during the day when the weather was really bad and the second time was the night before I had to leave.

It was truly breathtaking to see all the city lights from high above and thus I recommend you to go there when it’s dark!

Tours you might find interesting:

5. Alfama Area

Hands down, Alfama is my absolute favorite part of Portugal’s capital city. I can guarantee you, it’s the place where I took most of my photos. Therefore it needs to be in my top 10 best photo spots in Lisbon!

Alfama is one of the oldest and (in my opinion) the cutest parts of the city. Narrow streets, tons of lovely restaurants, and houses decorated with the most gorgeous tiles – can someone not fall in love with an area like this?

Thanks to its local vibes, it’s also one of the best areas to stay in Lisbon!

It’s also the right place to go if you want to experience a great night of Fado because the best Fado Clubs are located there.

Don’t forget to visit all the gorgeous souvenir shops as well. Alfama is the perfect place to find the best Lisbon souvenirs so you have something to bring back home!

6. Igreja de Santa Engrácia

The impressive Church of Santa Engrácia is an enormous baroque church built in the 17th but finished in the 20th century. However, it was never used as a proper church but as a national Pantheon instead.

With its unique architecture, it looks very different than all the other churches in the city. That’s why it’s rated amongst the most beautiful and worth-seeing buildings in Lisbon.

Moreover, it’s possible to climb the viewing platform to enjoy a magnificent view.

7. Castelo de São Jorge

Castelo de São Jorge is a giant castle complex built on a hill overlooking the city. It’s one of the oldest buildings that offers a great viewpoint of the city as well. Thus it’s an absolute must-go and one of the main attractions in Lisbon.

The castle lures not only with its amazing 360-degree view but it’s full of ancient Portuguese history as well. In my opinion, the best thing you can do is to wander between the old walls to immerse yourself deep into the old story.

PSSST: If you need a break of taking photos and want to relax a bit, check out the best beaches in and around Lisbon!

8. Torre de Belém

The next great photo spot in Lisbon that you should definitely check out is a little bit further away from the center. It’s the city’s most famous sight: Torre de Belém.

Between 1514 and 1520 it was part of the Tagus estuary defense system and is now used as a museum.

It’s possible to go inside and up the viewing platform, however, I didn’t do it. Frankly, I just didn’t find it worth it and there was a long queue already (as you can see in the picture).

9. Padrão dos Descobrimentos

Located not far from Torre de Belém is the Monument to the Discoveries or called Padrão dos Descobrimentos in Portuguese. It’s dedicated to all the great sailors and discoverers from Portugal.

On each side of the monument, there are 33 figures including Henry the Navigator, Bartolomeu Dias and many more.

The entire sculpture is more than 50 meters high and additionally, it offers a viewing platform on top. Moreover, it’s a nice place to chill at the river or take some photos with the Ponte 25 de Abril in the background.

10. Cristo Rei

Last but not least, there’s a very unique place on my list of the 10 best photo spots in Lisbon. For me, it was a special one because it really reminded me of being somewhere else than in Portugal.

Cristo Rei is a big statue of Christ situated on a small hill on the other side of the river. Now you probably know why it reminded me of somewhere else! 😉

I recommend you to take the elevator up to the top of the statue. You’ll be rewarded with an absolutely fantastic view of the river with the bridge Ponte 25 de Abril and the city of Lisbon in the background.

Moreover, you can easily pretend to be in San Francisco as the bridge looks exactly like the Golden Gate Bridge!

Where To Find The Best Photo Spots in Lisbon

The following map should help you to find the best photo spots easier!

Of course, Lisbon is full of many more great photo opportunities! As I already mentioned at the beginning of the blog post, there’s a photogenic spot around every corner.

And what I almost forgot to mention: The absolutely adorable trams passing through the city! You’ll see them everywhere tho so don’t worry, you won’t miss them. 😉

Check out: Quinta da Regaleira – A Place Full of Mystery in Sintra

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Do you want to travel like me?
Here are some of my favorite travel tips and resources:

Flights: I prefer using CheapOair or Skyscanner to book flights. The destination everywhere feature is perfect for finding some cheap deals!

Accommodation: Booking.com is my favorite site to find some great hotel deals. I do love staying at a local place as well, thus I book an Airbnb every now and then.

Travel Insurance: There are many reasons why travel insurance is important and I never travel without having one. I use the simple and flexible one from World Nomads to be protected against unforeseen events.

Tours: I love taking tours to explore destinations like a local. My favorite website to book them in advance is GetYourGuide.

Camera Gear: I use a Nikon D5300 camera with an 18-105 mm and a 10-20 mm wide-angle lens to take my photos.