Miradouro de Santa Luzia

A postcard view over Alfama

The Miradouro de Santa Luzia is one of Lisbon's best-known viewpoints and the archetypal Alfama scene: under a wooden pergola draped in climbing plants, you look out over a jumble of red tile roofs down to the Tagus. Above the rooftops several landmarks stand out, the dome of Santa Engrácia (the National Pantheon), the church of Santo Estêvão and the two white towers of São Miguel. The terrace sits atop the former Cerca Moura, the Moorish city wall that once encircled São Jorge Castle.

The azulejos and the garden

What sets Santa Luzia apart from Lisbon's other viewpoints is the azulejos, the painted tiles, on the south wall of the church of the same name. The two large blue-and-white tile panels are the work of António Quaresma (Fábrica da Viúva Lamego) and were restored in 2015. One shows the Terreiro do Paço, today's Praça do Comércio, before the 1755 earthquake, the other the Christian conquest of Lisbon in 1147 and the siege of the castle.

Right next to it sits the small Jardim Júlio de Castilho (also known as Jardim de Santa Luzia), named after the writer and Lisbon historian Júlio de Castilho. The garden has a bust, a small pond and a few shaded benches. The church of Santa Luzia e São Brás on the square is the national seat of the Portuguese assembly of the Order of Malta.

What to expect

The miradouro has a covered terrace under the vine-draped pergola plus an esplanade with a kiosk and terrace bar, unlike the nearby, sparer Miradouro da Senhora do Monte, here you can settle in with a coffee or a glass of wine. The bar is on two levels: the upper part occupies the church's former cloister near the old city wall, with the restaurant area below. There are no fixed, officially confirmed opening hours or prices for the bar, so don't count on them.

The square is popular and gets crowded accordingly. It's quiet in the early morning; by late afternoon and sunset the light is at its best, but that's also when most visitors and tram passengers converge. Allow 20 to 40 minutes, longer if you stop for a drink at the bar.

Visiting & practicalities

Access is free and the square is a public, open-access viewpoint run by the city, no fixed closing times are published. You only pay for whatever you have at the kiosk or the terrace bar.

The easiest way there is Tram 28, which stops right at the miradouro. On foot, the route runs through the steep, cobbled lanes of Alfama, sturdy shoes are worth it, and the district as a whole is demanding for anyone with limited mobility. There's no designated parking in narrow Alfama, so the tram is clearly the more practical option.

The visit combines well with a short walk: just a few steps further on is the Miradouro das Portas do Sol, with another panorama, and from there it's a few minutes uphill to São Jorge Castle. For more on Lisbon's viewpoint terraces, see the overview Lisbon's best miradouros.