The historical downtown of Lisbon is one of those places you'll never forget. Rebuilt in the 18th century after the great Earthquake and Tsunami of 1755, it's a snapshot in time. Wide car-free avenues, grand architecture and ornate cobblestone "Calçada Portuguesa" sidewalks that lead to a beautiful square that faces the Tejo river - it's an absolute must. After decades as a tourist trap, it's currently going through a renaissance with new hotels (see below) and restaurants that are worth a stop. Check out the beautiful Confeitaria Nacional, one of Europe's oldest pastry shops - and then for something new visit Typographia, a stand-alone shop where you can pick up limited-edition T-Shirts printed locally with contemporary designs.

Rua Augusta,
1100 Lisboa

Spread throughout the city, Quiosques can host just about anything from daily newspapers and magazines to cafes and bars. After a long afternoon sight-seeing, find one with a great view or tucked into a secret town square and have a little pick-me-up. We recommend the Quiosque no Bairro Alto - it has an incredible view of the city, and is the perfect spot for an espresso or a late afternoon "imperial", a 300cl mini-beer.

Praça do Príncipe Real
1200 Lisboa

Image by @jepperhjensen

No Lisbon Guide is complete without mentioning the Elevador de Santa Justa. Since Lisbon is the original City of Seven Hills (sorry Rome!), the Royal Family needed to come up with some ingenious ways to help "Lisboetas" get to the top of the hills in the heat of summer. There are trollies throughout, but the most fun is the Elevador built by Portuguese-born Eifell apprentice Raoul de Mesnier du Ponsard. Literally an elevator to the sky, it brings you from the historic Baixa Area to the Ruins of the Carmo Convent with amazing views of Lisbon from the very top.

 Rua do Ouro,
1150-060 Lisboa

Image by @eva_rlfs

Revived industrial buildings now home to creative offices, studios, restaurants and shops, LX Factory is a creative hub blasted with street art and buzzing with great energy. Spend an afternoon just hanging out and enjoying instagrammable spots like bookstore Ler Devagar.  We might be slightly biased since a couple of our artisans have studios here, but for us its one of the hottest spots in town.

Rua Rodrigues de Faria 103,
1300 Lisboa

Image by @kaysha2201

Pastéis de Belém have been made in this very spot for hundreds of years, and I hope they'll be here forever. One of the best-known pastries in Portugal, they're slowly taking over the world but it just doesn't get any better than the original - the secret recipe is served all day and always fresh from the oven. Perfectly warm and creamy, wrapped in a crunchy crust. I get them in multiples of 6 (trust me on this) dust them in cinnamon and find a cozy spot under a tree at the park nearby. You won't regret it and I promise you'll come back for more. 

Rua de Belém,
1300-085 Lisboa