Meeting Point

Casa dos Bicos (Fundacao Jose Saramago)

Se (Lisbon Cathedral)

Lisbon Cathedral (Sé) is one of the city’s finest examples of medieval architecture. Built in the 12th century, its Romanesque façade, massive stone walls, narrow windows and fortress-like towers give it a distinctly defensive appearance. Inside, we’ll explore its Gothic ambulatory and chapels, vaulted spaces and later architectural additions, revealing how the cathedral evolved over nearly 900 years.

Mouraria

Mouraria offers a fascinating glimpse of Lisbon before the 1755 earthquake. Originally the Moorish quarter of medieval Lisbon, much of its historic street layout survived the earthquake, along with buildings that preserve elements from earlier periods, including one of Lisbon’s rare houses with Gothic architectural features. We’ll also see examples of pre-18th-century construction techniques designed to resist earthquakes, offering a unique insight into how Lisbon’s builders responded to seismic risk long before the great earthquake of 1755.

Baixa

Baixa is an extraordinary example of 18th-century urban planning and large-scale reconstruction following the 1755 earthquake. The rebuilding introduced a carefully organized street grid and brought together architecture and engineering on an unprecedented scale. We’ll examine the refined and standardized anti-seismic construction techniques, including the timber “cage” system, and how these methods were incorporated into the systematic rebuilding of Baixa.

Rossio

Rossio Square provides an opportunity to look at several 19th-century additions and cultural influences within Lisbon’s predominantly 18th-century reconstructed city centre. We’ll explore the artistic patterns of the Portuguese calçada, the Neoclassical D. Maria II National Theatre, and the view towards the Carmo ruins, left as a ruin after the 1755 earthquake as an expression of the Romantic fascination with ruins.

Metro or Taxi/Uber

Alameda

Alameda and Praça de Londres offer a fascinating look at how architecture evolved during Portugal’s Estado Novo dictatorship. We’ll see how early projects, including the Instituto Superior Técnico and the Instituto Nacional de Estatística, embraced aspects of modernist architecture and innovative structural design. We’ll then trace the regime’s shift towards a more traditionalist national style, known as “Português Suave,” visible in the buildings around Alameda and Praça de Londres. As this part of the tour takes us into a more local, less touristy area of Lisbon, it is also a great opportunity to stop for a snack or lunch and experience the neighborhood like a local.

Taxi/ uber

Fronteira Palace

The Palace of the Marquises of Fronteira offers a rare glimpse into the world of Lisbon’s aristocracy before and after the 1755 earthquake. The palace survived the earthquake, and rather than rebuilding their residence in the city centre, the noble family continued to develop this former country estate as their principal residence. We’ll explore its exceptionally well-preserved gardens, with their remarkable azulejo panels, fountains, sculptures and formal geometric design—one of my personal favorite places in Lisbon.

Taxi/ Uber

Jerónimos Monastery

Jerónimos Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of the greatest expressions of Manueline architecture, Portugal’s distinctive interpretation of Late Gothic. We’ll explore the extraordinary richness of its carved stonework and the remarkable engineering and architectural expertise required to create the church’s vast, almost flat vaulted ceiling—one of the monastery’s most remarkable architectural achievements. Depending on your preferences and how busy the monastery is, we can also visit the cloisters.

MAAT

MAAT – Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology is a striking example of 21st-century architecture in Lisbon. Its fluid, sculptural form responds to the Tagus River and its waterfront setting, creating a building that can be experienced from different perspectives. Its use of ceramic tiles reinterprets one of Lisbon’s most traditional architectural elements in a contemporary way, combining modern design and innovative forms with elements of the city’s architectural tradition.

Ending Point

MAAT