Observation decks of Lisbon allow enjoying magnificent panoramas of Portuguese capital. To be more precise, there are more than 30 different viewing platforms in the city: some of them coincide with the major sights of Lisbon, and the others are situated far from the usual tourist routes. From some of them you can see the center of the Portuguese capital, from others – look at the Tajo River and the suburbs of Lisbon.
Lisbon is built on the hills, so the whole city can be called a large viewing platform. However, the capital of Portugal provides only 5 really good spots offering magnificent panorama of Lisbon…
- George’s Castle
St. George’s Castle is a very convenient viewing platform. The castle, which was built in the XI century, is placed on the top of a hill, and offers a wonderful view of almost the entire Lisbon: Baixa, Bairro Alto and Chiado districts, the Tajo River and Ponte 25 de Abril Bridge, the Statue of Cristo Rei and the old city center.
St. George’s Castle works from March to October – from 9:00 until 21:00, from November to February – from 9:00 till 18:00. The entrance fee is 8.5 Euros, for students and seniors – 5 Euros. Children under 10 –free of charge.
Address: R. Santa Cruz do Castelo, 1100-129
Coordinates: 38.712902, -9.132742
- Statue of Cristo Rei
Statue of Cristo Rei is another excellent observation deck located in Almada. Almada is a small city stretching along the opposite bank of the Tajo River. This huge construction looks like a famous Rio de Janeiro’s Statue of Christ the Redeemer. Statue of Cristo Rei is 28-meters high, but it’s placed on a 75-meters high pedestal, so the total height is more than 100 meters. At the top of the pedestal there’s a viewing platform, which offers fascinating panoramas of Ponte 25 de Abril and the whole Lisbon.
Working hours of Cristo Rey Statue: winter 9:30 – 18:15, summer 9:30 – 18: 30. Ticket price – € 4 for adults, € 2 for children.
Address: Av. Cristo Rei, 2800-058 Almada
Coordinates: 38.678009, -9.171122
- National Pantheon of Portugal
It’s considered to be a masterpiece of Portuguese Baroque. The main architectural feature of the Pantheon is a flat roof built in the shape of a Greek cross. The roof of the pantheon offers an unusual outdoor terrace, which walks around the dome of the cathedral.
Nowadays, the roof of the National Pantheon is a very suitable spot to admire breathtaking panoramic views of the Alfama district – the only district of Lisbon that survived after the earthquake in 1755. Also, from the height of 85 meters you can see beautiful Vasco da Gama Bridge and the Tajo River.
National Pantheon is open from Tuesday to Sunday between 10:00 and 17:00. Entrance fee is 3 Euros. Sunday mornings and national holidays are free of charge.
Address: Campo de Santa Clara, 1100-471
Coordinates: 38.714771, -9.125407
- Miradouro Sao Pedro de Alcantara
Located near the Bairro Alto, Sao Pedro de Alcantara is probably the best observation point of Lisbon.
This spot is surrounded by a panoramic garden of San Pedro de Alcantara, which occupies an area of 0.6 hectares. The entire garden is a large observation deck offering spectacular views of the eastern part of Lisbon: St. George’s Castle, Baixa district and the Tajo River. Also, there is an outdoor cafe, where it’s always nice to have a cup of coffee enjoying lovely panoramas of the city.
By the way, at San Pedro de Alcantara you’ll find a stone map of Lisbon showing the most interesting spots of the city.
Address: de R. Sao Pedro de Alcântara 1250-096
Coordinates: 38.715039, -9.144481
- Vasco da Gama Tower
Situated in the Park of Nations, the Tower of Vasco da Gama is Lisbon’s tallest building. The building consists of a skyscraper and a latticed tower resembling a ship’s sail. The height of Vasco da Gama Tower is 147 meters, but the observation deck and panoramic restaurant are placed at an altitude of 120 meters.
The observation deck of the tower offers stunning views of not only of Lisbon’s historical center, but also a modern part of Portuguese capital. From there you can see the Park of Nations, the Tajo River, Vasco da Gama Bridge, and Orient district.
Address: 1990-173, Lisbon
Coordinates: 38.774921, -9.092052
Summing it up, Lisbon is exceptionally beautiful city providing a plenty of sights, which can be interesting for most of the visitors. However, this Portuguese city will draw attention especially of those who like to enjoy spectacular views. Are you among them? Well, Lisbon is full of spots offering amazing panoramas, and the best of them are listed above. If you want to visit all of them, it’s recommended to use a rental car in Lisbon with GPS device.