Top 10 Things to do in Alfama

At Casa São Miguel, a little pastry shop in Alfama with art deco and art nouveau décor, you can use period porcelain from the owner’s private collection and admire the teapot collection displayed behind the counter. Alongside some classic pastries and their own recipe for pastéis de nata, you’ll find traditional Portuguese sweets, with highlights like carob pastries, almond pastries, and the Bordallo pastry from Caldas da Rainha. They also offer a selection of coffees, teas, jams, chocolates, liqueurs, wines, and cheeses, all in beautifully crafted packaging. They opened in April 2020, and in 2023, launched a new project to showcase products with traditional recipes from all regions of Portugal. You can follow their updates on Instagram to see what they have in store.

From the skirting boards to the ceiling, everything in the Palácio Azurara is a work of art. Here you'll find the Museum of Portuguese Decorative Arts (from the Ricardo Espírito Santo Foundation), which, besides the incredible tiles, features furniture, carpets, silverware, ceramics, and drawings from the fifteenth to the nineteenth century.

🏛️ Discover more of Lisbon's best museums 

With no house specialities or signature dishes, no two weeks here are the same. A visit to Boi-Cavalo, chef Hugo Brito’s restaurant in the historic neighbourhood of Alfama, should be approached with an open mind, free of restrictions or fussiness. The cuisine is rooted in Portuguese flavours, but bold experiments appear from time to time, both in the snacks and main courses. Open only for dinner, with an à la carte menu of dishes that changes frequently in response to product availability and the team’s preferences.

Vamos ao Algarve – Bar & Shop Gourmet, later renamed Vamos ao Algarve – Restaurant & Fado, was opened by Alberto, from the Algarve, and Manuel, from Alentejo. Unsurprisingly, their aim is to bring the best of the Algarve to Alfama. Here you’ll find medronho brandy and liqueurs, snacks like muxama (cured tuna) with tomato and goat cheese (€12) and fresh clams (€16), dishes such as stewed octopus with sweet potatoes and crispy chorizo (€20), and the carob and orange tart (€5), a secret recipe created by Manuel. From Wednesday to Sunday, you can enjoy fado nights.

Foam, brush, razor: at Barbearia Oliveira, traditional haircutting rituals are followed to the letter. This century-old business, restored by two brothers, is meticulously designed and decorated, creating a nostalgic atmosphere. Both classic and bold cuts are available here.

From a street van offering various coffee drinks to an artisanal coffee empire: in 2018, Copenhagen Coffee Lab opened a 400-square-metre space on Rua das Escolas Gerais, introducing a bakery as a new feature.

A few years ago, accommodation in the city’s most traditional neighbourhood was limited to a handful of local lodgings and hostels for budget travellers; anyone who wanted a more elevated experience on a bigger budget had to look elsewhere. That was until the Memmo group decided to raise the bar and open Alfama’s first true boutique hotel. The vibe is youthful yet far more refined than its neighbours.

Gelato Davvero locations are multiplying across the city, and we just can’t get enough of their ice cream and sorbet. What better way to explore Alfama than walking around with an ice cream in hand?

Fado was born in the streets, cafes and restaurants of Lisbon and its mournful sound is characterised by expressive singing accompanied by guitar. The Fado Museum tells the centuries-old history of the genre with the help of music, photographs, instruments, posters and traditional dress, taking you on a journey into the heart of Lisbon.

Casa da Liberdade honours the poet and painter Mário de Cesariny, with poetry, drawings, collages, and photographs that allow us to enter the artist’s world while also exploring a bold and disruptive movement. There’s also a focus on Portuguese surrealism, which was shaped by Cesariny and a number of other artists.