How to not miss out on Lisbon while at Web Summit: 5 must-see attractions to complement the conference Truesix Follow Oct 25, 2018 · 6 min read

On November 5–8 Lisbon opens its doors to the attendees and speakers of the world’s biggest tech conference — Web Summit. If you are one of them, try not to forget that the event takes place in an absolutely charming location with thousands of years of history and a vibrant modern life.

We know how exciting and overwhelming can Web Summit be — we’ve been there ourselves. But we also know that there’s no excuse for not making the time to explore the charming venue of the conference. To help you combine both, we’ve made a selection of what to see in and around Lisbon for a morning, afternoon or a day trip.

1. Eat pastries in Belém district — Any time of the day

Sure, Belém is not only about pastries — many Portuguese patriots would probably dislike us highlighting this prosaic aspect of the iconic neighborhood. In fact, this part of the city catapults you back to the Age of Discovery when Portugal was at its richest and greatest. Some of the Manueline architecture pearls to admire here — the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Jerónimos Monastery, the tower of Belém and the sail-shaped Discoveries Monument.

However, our most vivid impression of Belém is a savory one. Pastéis de Belém patisserie is famed for its custard tarts, which are truly mouth-watering and made by a secret recipe. Be sure to also taste other Portuguese delights, like different cakes and the delicious salgados — salty pastries or croquettes with meat, fish or cheese fillings.

Be prepared to stand in line for these world-famous pastries! (Tip: many people don’t notice a door to bigger rooms inside with seating for many more people).

If you can’t make it to Belém, make sure to stuff yourself with custard tarts and other goodies in any other pastry shop — surely there’s one in the neighborhood where you’re staying.

The world-famous Portuguese custard tarts

Address: Rua de Belém nº 84 a 92

Opening hours and additional info: http://pasteisdebelem.pt/en/contactos

2. Collect views from Lisbon’s miraduoros — Any time of the day

Lisbon is a beauty queen of a city, with many appealing lady curves — or, hills that offer spectacular vistas. Lisbon is historically called the city of seven hills, however, today there are even more viewing platforms or miradouros where to go and fall in love with it. Some of the more famous ones are Miradouro da Penha da Franca, Miradouro da Graca and Miradouro da Senhora do Monte.

If you visit the city’s landmark São Jorge Castle, you’ll shoot two birds with one stone — see an exceptional piece of Moorish architecture and get beautiful views to the historic center of Lisbon and Tagus River. Make sure you have lots of memory space for photos as the citadel’s gardens and stairways allow truly magnificent panoramas.

If you feel like getting closer to the sky, visit the iconic Jesus statue — Santuário de Cristo Rei. This Catholic monument (similar to its sister statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) overlooks the whole city of Lisbon, the Tagus river and the iconic 25 de Abril Bridge from the other side of the river — Almada. Get to the 82 m high observation deck at the base of the statue and admire Lisbon at your feet.

Check this article for more lovely miraduoros in Lisbon.

3. Visit Time Out market in Lisbon — Afternoon or evening

Time Out market in Mercado da Ribeira — Lisbon’s biggest fresh food market — is a relatively new addition to the city’s vibrant food scene. Opened in 2014, this gourmand’s paradise now boasts an almost 3 000 square meter large food hall and 800 seats together with some of the best local and international food, in tens of restaurants, food kiosks, bars, and shops. Some already dare to call Mercado da Ribeira Lisbon’s best food market AND best restaurant.

Make yourself comfortable at one of the high wooden benches and dedicate at least an hour or two to explore Portugal’s culinary highlights. On the other side of the huge 19th-century building, you can still experience the traditional market atmosphere with local fruits, vegetables, fish and other groceries.

Address: Mercado da Ribeira, Avenida 24 de Julho

Opening hours and additional info: www.timeoutmarket.com/lisboa

4. Find the inverted tower in Sintra — Day trip

Of all our Portugal impressions, Sintra is the one that probably amazed us the most. This whimsical place which is a 30-min car drive or 1-hour train ride from Lisbon is a true microworld in itself and might have pleasantly fewer tourists now than in the summer.

Sintra has several palaces, including the UNESCO-listed Palacio de Pena. The most mysterious one is Quinta da Regaleira that belonged to a coffee millionaire at the beginning of the 20th century. The mansion itself is a stunning sand-palace-like structure, but the best part is to be discovered in the garden. As you enter an opening behind an unimpressive stone, you’ll see this magical tower spiraling down into the earth.

The best part — you can go down the stairs of this tower and then walk through a tunnel inside a cliff. It will lead you to an exit in a small pond which you can cross by jumping stones. While you’re at it, ask yourself if you rather feel like you’re in a video game or a surrealist painting.

Address: Quinta da Regaleira, Sintra

Opening hours and additional info: http://www.sintra-portugal.com/Attractions/Quinta-Regaleirais-Sintra.html

5. Experience the beaches around Lisbon — Half-day trip

There are many beaches to explore and enjoy around Lisbon. Even if November may not be the best time to sunbathe, it’s worth going on a stroll on one of these beautiful sandy beaches, some of which are annually listed among the world’s most beautiful by Tripadvisor.

Some of the best Lisbon area beaches can be found in Cascais and Estoril (also the easiest to reach from Lisbon center on a 20-min train ride), Sintra (combine it with the Sintra palace sightseeing) and Costa de Caparica. As you enjoy the beach, have lunch or dinner in one of the nearby restaurants for some of the best fish and seafood in the world!

Cascais beach 30 kilometers from Lisbon

Get ready for stunning tech and Lisbon scenery

Most likely, any trip to Portugal is bound to seem too short. If you can afford to add more free days to your Web Summit visit, don’t hesitate to do that as there are countless sights to visit in Lisbon and beyond. The good news for all Web Summit and Lisbon fans —according to the recent announcement, this major event won’t change its beautiful venue for another decade at least.

As you prepare for all the pitches, mentoring, workshops and parties at Web Summit, think about how you’ll stand out among the tens of thousands of tech-hungry visitors. Here’s how we did it at last year’s Web Summit.