Estrela and Lapa: Lisbon's Elegant Quarter

Estrela and Lapa cover the hill west of Bairro Alto: a white-domed basilica, one of Lisbon’s prettiest parks, the parliament, and quiet streets of embassies sloping down to the river. Most visitors only see it from tram 28, so it makes a calm half day away from the crowds.

Quick answer: climb to the roof of the Estrela Basilica (the church is free), walk through the Jardim da Estrela, visit Amália Rodrigues’s house, then wander down through Lapa to the river views by the National Museum of Ancient Art, closed for works until late 2026. Tram 28 stops at Estrela.

Estrela Basilica

Queen Maria I built the domed basilica between 1779 and about 1790 to give thanks for the birth of a son, and her tomb lies inside. Entry is free. In a room off the nave is a nativity scene of about 500 cork and terracotta figures by the sculptor Machado de Castro, usually shown only in the afternoon, for about €2.

The highlight is the roof: about 112 steps up to a terrace round the dome, with views to the river. It costs about €4 to €5 and usually runs from about 10am to 6:30pm, but hours vary, so check at the door.

Jardim da Estrela

Opposite the basilica, this romantic garden opened in 1852. Paths wind between exotic trees to a duck pond and an iron bandstand from 1884, which first stood on the old Passeio Público, where Avenida da Liberdade is now. There are kiosk cafés and a playground. It’s free and usually open from 7am to midnight.

The English Cemetery

Behind high walls north of the garden, the British Cemetery has been the burial ground of Lisbon’s Protestant community since the early 1700s, with cypresses and Georgian and Victorian tombs around St George’s church. The novelist Henry Fielding died in Lisbon in 1754. Nobody knows exactly where he lies, but a tomb was built in his memory in 1830.

The entrance is at Rua de São Jorge 6. It’s usually open 10:30am to 1pm on weekdays and 11am to 1pm on Sundays, and closed on Saturdays. Entry is free; donations are welcome. If the gate is shut during opening hours, ring the bell.

São Bento Palace

Walk down Calçada da Estrela to the São Bento Palace, a Benedictine monastery from 1598 that has housed Portugal’s parliament since the 1830s.

• Debates: anyone can sit in the public gallery during plenary sessions, first come, first served. Bring photo ID; the entrance is on Praça de São Bento.
• Guided tours: free, but only for booked groups of 10 to 30 people, on Mondays and Friday afternoons. The palace usually opens to everyone on 25 April.
• Casa do Parlamento: a free, interactive centre opposite the palace, open Monday to Saturday, 10am to 6pm.

Casa-Museu Amália Rodrigues

At Rua de São Bento 193 is the house where the queen of fado lived for more than four decades, until her death in 1999. Small guided groups see her portraits, guitars and belongings. It’s usually open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 6pm, and adults pay about €7. Book online. See fado in Lisbon.

Lapa: embassies and quiet streets

South of Estrela, Lapa slopes towards the river in steep, calm streets of 18th and 19th-century mansions, many of them embassies. There are no big sights. The pleasure is in wandering streets such as Rua do Prior, looking at tiled façades and glimpses of the river.

National Museum of Ancient Art

The MNAA, in a 17th-century palace on Rua das Janelas Verdes, holds Portugal’s finest old masters. It has been closed since 29 September 2025 for roof and façade works. Reopening is expected in the last quarter of 2026, but no date had been set by early October.

When it reopens, look for the restored Panels of St Vincent, attributed to Nuno Gonçalves, the Japanese Namban screens showing the Portuguese arriving in Japan, and Bosch’s Temptation of St Anthony. The garden café looks over the river. Before the closure, adults paid about €15 and it closed on Mondays. See Lisbon museums.

Madragoa and Santos

Below Lapa, Madragoa is a knot of lanes and small tiled houses, once home to fishermen and the varinas, the fishwives who sold the catch around the city. Further down, in Santos-o-Velho, the Palácio de Santos, a former royal residence, has been the French Embassy since 1948. At night the bars of Santos fill up. See Lisbon nightlife.

Views

• The basilica roof: the best view in the area.
• Jardim 9 de Abril (Rocha do Conde de Óbidos): a garden terrace next to the museum, looking over the port and the 25 de Abril bridge.
• Santa Catarina: further east, for sunset. See the best Lisbon viewpoints.

Where to eat

• Garden kiosks: coffee or a beer under the Estrela trees.
• Clube de Jornalistas: modern cooking in an old house with a garden terrace, on Rua das Trinas.
• Varina da Madragoa: a tavern from 1967 on Rua das Madres, reopened in May 2026 by a young chef. Evenings only at first, so check hours.
• Senhor Vinho: a fado restaurant in Lapa, founded in 1975 by the singer Maria da Fé. Fado every night except Sunday; expect €50 or more a head.

For a cheaper lunch, walk west to the market in Campo de Ourique.

Getting there

• Tram 28: stops by the basilica. €3.30 on board, or about €1.72 with a navegante card. Roadworks on Calçada da Estrela have split the route at times in 2025 and 2026, so check Carris service changes. See the Lisbon trams guide.
• Tram 25: from Praça da Figueira past Santos, up through Lapa to Estrela. Much quieter, but it usually runs on weekdays only.
• Buses: 709, 713, 720, 738 and 773 stop near the garden.
• Metro: Rato, on the yellow line, is about 15 minutes’ walk. A new circular line with stations at Estrela and Santos is planned for early 2027.

Staying in Lapa

Lapa is calm and expensive. The Olissippo Lapa Palace is a 19th-century palace with gardens, pools and river views. Just west, in Alcântara, the Pestana Palace occupies the Palácio Valle-Flôr, a National Monument, and marks 25 years as a hotel in 2026. You’ll rely on trams and taxis for the old town. See where to stay in Lisbon.

Stay in Lapa: check prices at the Olissippo Lapa Palace.

FAQ

Is the Estrela Basilica free to visit?

Yes. The roof terrace costs about €4 to €5, and the nativity scene about €2, usually in the afternoon only.

Can you visit the Portuguese parliament?

You can watch plenary debates from the public gallery with photo ID. Guided tours are only for booked groups.

Is the National Museum of Ancient Art open?

No. It has been closed for works since 29 September 2025, with reopening expected in the last quarter of 2026.

How do I get to Estrela from the centre?

Take tram 28 from the Baixa or Chiado, or tram 25 on weekdays. Rato metro is about 15 minutes away on foot.

More: Campo de Ourique and things to do in Lisbon.

See also: Príncipe Real, Chiado and Bairro Alto and Lisbon’s churches.

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