Lisbon Travel Guide
Lisbon's Hills, Trams and Viewpoints
The city-specific deep dive — tram 28 and its alternatives, the Glória, Bica and Lavra funiculars and the Santa Justa lift after the 2025 crash, the reopened Graça funicular, and the miradouros worth every step.
Lisbon is a city of hills, and its personality comes from them: the views that open at the top of every stairway, the trams that grind up streets steeper than seems possible, and the miradouros, the viewpoints where the city gathers at sunset. For more than a century, the hills were tamed by a remarkable collection of trams, funiculars and lifts. In 2026, part of that system is out of action, and knowing what is running is essential to planning your days.
What happened in 2025. On 3 September 2025, the Glória funicular, the yellow cable tram that had climbed from Restauradores to the Bairro Alto since the nineteenth century, derailed and crashed during the evening rush, killing sixteen people and injuring many more. It was one of the deadliest accidents in the city's recent history. The Glória has been closed ever since, and the operator, Carris, plans to replace it with a completely new installation, with a return mooted for later in the decade. As a precaution, the city's other historic hill transport was also suspended for inspection.
The status as of late 2026. The Bica funicular, the much-photographed tram that climbs a steep residential street from Cais do Sodré toward the Bairro Alto, remains closed with no confirmed reopening date. The Lavra funicular, the oldest of the three, linking the Avenida da Liberdade area to the Santana hill, is also closed while it undergoes a detailed technical assessment. The Santa Justa lift, the neo-Gothic iron elevator in the Baixa that rises to the Largo do Carmo, has been closed since September 2025 as well, and no reopening date had been confirmed. The exception is the Graça funicular, a modern inclined lift opened in 2024 to help residents climb from Mouraria to Graça, which reopened in April 2026 after its operating conditions were validated. Check the Carris website before planning around any of them, as the situation may change.
Tram 28: still the star. The historic trams are running, and tram 28 remains the classic ride. Its vintage yellow cars run from Martim Moniz up through Graça, past the Alfama viewpoints and the cathedral, down through the Baixa, up through the Chiado and on to Estrela and Campo de Ourique. Ride early in the morning or in the evening, board at either end of the line for a seat, keep your valuables secure, and pay with a navegante card, a day ticket or the Lisboa Card rather than buying on board. Tram 12 makes a shorter loop around the castle hill and is a good, quieter alternative, and tram 15, a modern articulated tram, runs along the river to Belém.
Other ways up. The metro reaches some high points: the Baixa-Chiado station has long escalators that lift you from the Baixa to the Chiado, and the stations along the green and blue lines bring you close to the upper avenues. Buses climb the hills too; the 737 goes up to the castle. Taxis and ride-hailing cars are inexpensive and invaluable for steep climbs, especially with luggage. In the Baixa, a few public lifts and escalators in buildings and car parks connect the lower town to the castle hill; look for signposted routes. And there is always walking: Lisbon is best understood on foot, so plan to ride up and walk down.
The miradouros, from west to east. Santa Catarina, above the river near the Bica, is the place for sunsets, with the 25 de Abril bridge in view and a laid-back crowd. São Pedro de Alcântara, at the edge of the Bairro Alto, looks across the valley to the castle, with a tiled map to identify the landmarks; reach it on foot from the Chiado now the Glória is closed. Santa Luzia and the adjacent Portas do Sol, on the tram 28 route, look down over the roofs of Alfama to the river, with a pergola and tiled panels. The Miradouro da Graça, beside the church and convent, has a café under the pines and views to the castle and the bridge. Highest of all, the Senhora do Monte gives the widest panorama of the city; the Graça funicular makes the climb easier. And São Jorge Castle, ticketed, offers the view from the walls.
When to go. Viewpoints are free and open around the clock. Mornings are quiet and clear; late afternoons and sunset bring the crowds and the best light; evenings, with the city lights below, are magical. In summer, avoid the midday heat on the exposed terraces. Many viewpoints have kiosks selling drinks, so a glass of wine at sunset is part of the ritual.
Hills with children or limited mobility. The hills are the biggest challenge for families with strollers and for visitors with limited mobility, especially with the historic lifts closed. Choose a hotel in the flat Baixa or along the river, use taxis to reach the hilltops, and plan routes that run downhill. The castle terrace, Praça do Comércio, the Belém riverfront, the Oceanário and Parque das Nações are among the most accessible places in the city, and many metro stations have lifts, though it is worth checking your stations in advance.
Planning your hill days. Group your days by area and ride up first: tram 28 or a taxi to the castle or Graça, then walk down through Alfama; the Chiado metro escalators or a taxi to the Bairro Alto, then down through the Chiado to the Baixa. Wear shoes with grip, because the limestone pavements are slippery, and allow more time than the map suggests. Do that, and the hills become the best part of Lisbon rather than the hardest.