Baixa and Chiado
The flat centre, with shops, cafés and easy connections to the rest of the city. Right for anyone who wants to leave the hotel and start walking without climbing first.
Sources and further reading · Baixa and Chiado
Portugal
Hotels in Lisbon
Lisbon is built on hills, and the difference between neighbourhoods is also a difference in steps. Decide how much climbing you want in a day, then choose the hotel.
This guide helps you choose an area. Hotel prices and availability are checked when you search with dates and guests.
Get to know the area before choosing a hotel
Alfama
The old quarter up the hill: narrow lanes and views. Beautiful, and it asks for good legs or a plan for the walk back in the evening.
Sources and further reading · AlfamaAvenida da Liberdade
A broad, tree-lined avenue running up from the centre, with larger hotels and metro stations along it. Flatter than the old quarters and easy with a suitcase.
Sources and further reading · Avenida da LiberdadeGetting in from the airport
Lisbon Airport (LIS)
The airport is unusually close to the city, and the red metro line runs from the terminal into the network. With luggage and a hilltop address, a taxi to the door can save a climb.
Before choosing your address
- Arriving with a suitcase? Check on a map whether the route from the station climbs steps.
- "River view" can mean from one room or from a shared terrace only. Read the room description.
- Straight-line distance misleads here more than in most cities, because of the hills. Look at the walking route itself.
Worth reading before you book
How to choose a hotel: what to check before you book
The right hotel is not the grandest on the list; it is the one that fits the days you planned. Five checks, in this order.
What you pay at the hotel: taxes, fees and the deposit
The booking closed at one price and the bill shows another. Usually that is not a mistake but a local tax.
How to read a flight before you book: times, stops, duration and the fare rules
Two flights at the same price can be very different trips. Everything that tells them apart is already on the result — it only has to be read in the right order.
