Miradouro da Senhora do Monte
A free hilltop viewpoint in Graça with one of the widest views over central Lisbon.
Listing reviewed October 2026 · Confirm hours and prices with the official venue before visiting
Opening Hours
Open 24 hours
Admission Price
Free Entry
Visit Duration
20–30 minutes; longer if you wait for sunset
About This Attraction
Senhora do Monte is one of the highest viewpoints in central Lisbon and gives the widest single view of the old city: Graça church and the castle to the left, the Baixa in the valley, the Carmo ruins and Chiado opposite, the Avenidas Novas to the right and the river beyond. It is free and always open, but it is not close to the ship. The terminal is about 1.4 km away and the walk takes around 25 minutes, steeply uphill for most of it. The practical approach is a taxi or tuk-tuk up and a walk down: first to the Miradouro da Graça (officially Miradouro Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen) a few minutes away, then down through Alfama towards the river. Tram 28E stops in Graça, 5 to 10 minutes' walk below the viewpoint, but it is often full. With limited time, 20 to 30 minutes at the top is enough. Walk the length of the terrace: the castle and Graça are on one side, the Baixa and the river straight ahead. Tuk-tuk tours stop here through the day, and the terrace fills in the hour before sunset. If you must be back on board in the early evening, go in the morning, when it is quieter. Facilities are minimal: there are no toilets at the viewpoint, and Graça has cafés a few minutes' walk away. The small chapel of Nossa Senhora do Monte opens only irregularly, so do not plan around going inside. Skip it if you have less than three hours ashore and have already seen the city from the castle or the Portas do Sol. The view here is wider, but the trip up costs time.
History
The hill was traditionally known as the Monte de São Gens, after an early bishop of Lisbon said by legend to have been martyred here. Tradition holds that a hermitage stood on the site from the Christian conquest of Lisbon in 1147, and that Afonso Henriques gathered his troops on this hill during the siege. The chapel belonged to the Augustinian monastery of Graça. It was heavily altered after the 1755 earthquake, leaving the plain Baroque building seen today. Inside are a pre-earthquake gilded altarpiece, Rococo tiles of the life of the Virgin and a marble chair attributed to São Gens, long believed to ease childbirth. The chapel has been classified as a Property of Public Interest since 1933.
Why It Matters
From here the layout of central Lisbon is easy to read: the castle hill and Graça on one side, the flat Baixa rebuilt after 1755 in the valley, the Chiado and Bairro Alto ridge opposite, and the 19th- and 20th-century avenues stretching north. For a cruise passenger it explains in one look why so much of a port day is spent going up and down hills.
Photo Gallery
Miradouro da Senhora do Monte. Photo: Sonse, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Miradouro da Senhora do Monte. Photo: Filipe Rocha,user:sacavem (pt) http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usu%C3%A1rio:Sacavem, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Tips for Cruise PassengersEssential Info
Steep from every direction: about 25 minutes uphill from the terminal, or 5–10 minutes uphill from the tram stop in Graça. A taxi or tuk-tuk can bring you close; the streets around are cobbled.
Time from port: 1.5–2.5 hours: taxi up, 20–30 minutes at the top, then about 30 minutes' walk down through Graça and Alfama
Take a taxi or tuk-tuk up from the terminal and walk back down through Graça and Alfama; the walk up takes about 25 minutes, steeply uphill.
Tram 28E stops in Graça, 5–10 minutes' walk below the viewpoint, but it is often crowded and you may not get on.
It is free and open at all hours: nothing to book.
20–30 minutes at the top is enough unless you are staying for sunset.
The terrace fills in the hour before sunset; if your ship leaves in the early evening, go in the morning instead.
Combine it with the Miradouro da Graça (Sophia de Mello Breyner Andresen), a few minutes' walk away on the way down.
There are no toilets at the viewpoint; use a café in Graça.
The chapel opens only irregularly, so treat a look inside as a bonus.
What Makes This Special
- starOne of the highest viewpoints in central Lisbon, free and open at all hours
- starView over Graça church, the castle, the Baixa, Chiado, the Avenidas Novas and the river
- starChapel of Nossa Senhora do Monte, rebuilt after the 1755 earthquake, with the legendary chair of São Gens
- starTraditionally where Afonso Henriques gathered his troops for the 1147 siege of Lisbon
- starShort walk to the Miradouro da Graça on the way down
- starPine-shaded terrace with benches
Getting There
Address
Rua da Senhora do Monte à Graça, Lisbon
From Cruise Port
About 1.4 km and 25 minutes on foot, much of it steeply uphill; this is the highest viewpoint in the old town. Most visitors take a taxi or tuk-tuk (about 10-12 minutes), or tram 28 to Graça and walk up 5 minutes.
Nearby Attractions
Tram 28 (Eléctrico 28)
A regular Carris public tram line through Graça, Alfama and Chiado: worth riding, if you plan around the queues
Castelo de São Jorge (St. George's Castle)
Hilltop castle above Alfama: walls, towers and a wide view of the river
Alfama
Lisbon's oldest quarter begins across the road from the cruise terminal
Miradouro das Portas do Sol
Wide viewpoint over Alfama and the river, with tram stop, taxis and a café