Thing to do
Walking in Alfama
Lisbon's oldest quarter, a maze of steep lanes and stairways between the castle and the river that largely survived the 1755 earthquake.
Rossio and the Baixa on foot
A walk through the grid of the Pombaline Baixa, from the Rossio's wave-patterned square and Teatro Nacional to Rua Augusta and the river.
At a glance
- Type
- Neighbourhood walk
- Area
- Baixa, Lisbon, Portugal
Good to know
- Free
- Pedestrian streets
- Historic cafés
Why we recommend it
The Baixa, Lisbon's downtown, is the flat valley between the castle hill and the Chiado, and it is the easiest part of the city to explore on foot. After the earthquake of 1755 the Marquis of Pombal had it rebuilt on a regular grid designed by Eugénio dos Santos and Carlos Mardel, with uniform buildings, wide streets named after the trades once practised in them, and an early form of earthquake-resistant timber framing. A walk from the Rossio to the river shows this planned city at its clearest.
Start at Rossio, officially Praça Dom Pedro IV, which has been the city's main square since the Middle Ages. Over the centuries it hosted festivals, bullfights, revolts and the autos-da-fé of the Inquisition, which had its headquarters on the north side. Today that site is occupied by the neoclassical Teatro Nacional D. Maria II, built in the 1840s. The column of Pedro IV stands in the middle, completed in 1874, and the paving is laid in the black and white wave pattern that has become a symbol of Portuguese pavement.
On the north-west corner, the Rossio railway station has a neo-Manueline facade with two horseshoe-shaped entrances, built in the 1880s. Around the square are historic cafés and shops, including Café Nicola and the small A Ginjinha bar on nearby Largo de São Domingos, where locals drink a shot of cherry liqueur. Just east is Praça da Figueira, with its equestrian statue of King John I and the Confeitaria Nacional.
From Rossio, follow Rua Augusta, the main pedestrian street, south through the grid. The parallel streets, Rua do Ouro and Rua da Prata, were named after the goldsmiths and silversmiths who once worked there. Look up at the uniform facades and the occasional tiled shopfront. The walk ends beneath the Rua Augusta Arch, which opens onto Praça do Comércio and the river.
The whole route is level and short, only about a kilometre, but allow an hour or two with stops. The pedestrian streets are busy with shoppers and street performers during the day and quieter early in the morning. Watch for pickpockets in crowded spots, and politely decline anyone offering sunglasses or other goods. Rossio and Restauradores metro stations and the Baixa-Chiado station all serve the area.
Rossio and the Baixa on foot FAQs
How long is the walk from Rossio to Praça do Comércio?
About a kilometre on level streets, which takes around fifteen minutes without stops.
Why are the Baixa streets laid out in a grid?
The district was rebuilt to a planned grid after the 1755 earthquake under the Marquis of Pombal.
What is on Rossio square?
The Teatro Nacional D. Maria II, the column of Pedro IV, two fountains, historic cafés and the wave-patterned pavement.
What is A Ginjinha?
A tiny bar on Largo de São Domingos that has served ginjinha, a cherry liqueur, since 1840.
Is the walk suitable for pushchairs and wheelchairs?
Yes. The Baixa is one of the flattest parts of Lisbon, although some pavements are cobbled.
Which metro stations serve the Baixa?
Rossio on the green line, Restauradores on the blue line, and Baixa-Chiado, where the green and blue lines meet.
What is the Rossio railway station known for?
Its neo-Manueline facade with two horseshoe-shaped entrances, built in the 1880s.