22 Hidden & Unusual Things to do in Lisbon in 2025

For some travelers, planning the vacation is almost as much fun as actually going on it. There's something exciting about uncovering the hidden parts of a city that aren't the mainstream tourist attractions, though there's a reason those are worth a visit, too.

If you're travel style is on the quirkier side, you'll love these unique things to do in Lisbon. They're a little bit more off the beaten path, allowing you to see the lesser-known parts of Lisbon, Portugal on your upcoming trip.

Whether you are planning 1 day in Lisbon or multiple, this article will give you a good idea of what you can see and do there, making it a trip you'll never forget 🥹

Off-the-beaten-path spots to explore in Lisbon

Tour Lisbon on an amphibious bus

Explore Lisbon by land and water on this bus that drives into the Tagus River and continues its journey on the waterway. How is it possible? These buses/boats are former military vehicles that have been repurposed for tourism.

Tourists who have ridden the Hippotrip describe it as "part comedy, part sightseeing."

How to ride the Hippotrip

Tickets are required, and the Hippotrip leaves from the marina. Tours are conducted in Portuguese and English. It's recommended to book tickets well in advance.

Where is the Hippotrip?

In Lisbon, Portugal at Doca de Santo Amaro, Alcântara, 1350-353.

Visit 20 beaches in a tiny train

While not located directly in Lisbon, it's nearby at Costa da Caparica.

The Transpraia Train is an open-air train that takes its riders to 20 different beaches off the coast of Portugal. Built in 1960, the aesthetic and vibe remain virtually untouched, giving you a retro experience.

How to take the Transpraia Train

Tickets are required (around €3–€5). Summer only (usually June–September), closed in winter.

Where is the Transpraia Train?

It departs near Praia Nova, Av. Afonso de Albuquerque, Costa da Caparica, about 35 minutes south of Lisbon.

See one of the most unique churches in Europe

The Santíssima Trindade Church (or, Most Holy Trinity Church) is a catholic church that was funded by Lisbon’s Brotherhood of the Holy Trinity (they once ran a hospital for plague victims).

Unlike any other, this white church looks almost like a rocket ready to take off into the sky. Speaking of flying through the sky, in recent years, a cannonball from the Peninsular War was found wedged in its old wall.

How to visit Santíssima Trindade Church

Entry is free during daytime hours. Sometimes the church hosts cultural events and concerts in the evenings, where tickets may be required.

How to get to Santíssima Trindade Church

You can find it at Rua São Pedro de Alcântara, 1200-470 in Lisbon, Portugal.

Learn the history of Lisbon via street art

Created by Swedish-French artist André Saraiva, this piece of art blends traditional tile work and street art to depict the story of Lisbon visually.

How to visit the mural

This mural is on a public street in Lisbon and can be viewed at any time for free.

Where is the history of Lisbon mural?

You can find it at Calçada da Glória, 1250-001 in Lisbon, Portugal

Visit a ceramic zoo

Bordallo Pinheiro Garden is a public space filled with ceramic sculptures inspired by the works of Portuguese artist Rafael Bordallo Pinheiro. The garden has ceramic animals and plants, combining the artist's satirical and more natural styles.

How to visit the Bordallo Pinheiro Garden

This is a public garden that is free to visit during the day.

Where is the Bordallo Pinheiro Garden?

In Lisbon, Portugal at Campo Grande 382, 1700-097.

Explore the ruins of a convent destroyed in an earthquake

Destroyed in an infamous earthquake in 1755, you can explore the ruins of a beautiful 14th-century church and convent.

The convent itself was founded in 1389 by Nuno Álvares Pereira, a Portuguese general who later became a Carmelite friar.

Unfortunately, an earthquake in 1755 caused the roof to collapse during Mass, leading to significant casualties and leaving the structure in ruins.

How do I visit Convento do Carmo?

Today, it operates similarly to a museum, and tickets are required.

Where is the Convento do Carmo?

You can find it at Largo do Carmo, 1200-092 in Lisbon, Portugal.

Unique and unusual museums

Get acquainted with puppets from around the world

You can learn about and see puppets from all over the world at the Museu de Marioneta. Not only is it filled with incredible artwork (the puppets themselves), but it's also inside of an old 17th-century convent in the Madragoa neighborhood.

How to visit the Museu de Marioneta

The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. Tickets are required and can be purchased online or onsite.

Where is the Museu de Marioneta?

The Museum of Puppetry is located in Lisbon, Portugal, at Rua da Esperança 146, 1200-660.

Imagine being Portuguese royalty at the Museu Nacional dos Coches

In the National Coach Museum, you can see insanely beautiful coaches from the 16th to 19th centuries that were used by the royal Portuguese families.

If you like transportation and royal history, this is a must.

How to visit the Museu Nacional dos Coches

Tickets are required to visit the museum and can be purchased online in advance. They also give you access to the Royal Riding School. They're open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.

Where is the Museu Nacional dos Coches?

In Lisbon, Portugal at Avenida da Índia 136, 1300-300.

See seashells by the seashore

Inside the Museu de Marinha, you will find a stunning (privately owned) seashell collection called Casa das Conchas.

Casa das Conchas is home to thousands of seashells from all over the world, all arranged in intricate designs. Some of the seashells found in this exhibit are even hundreds of years old (from the Age of Discovery).

There are even some more unusual art displays here that look otherworldly.

How to visit the Casa das Conchas

A ticket to the Museu de Marinha will grant you access to Casa das Conchas.

Where is the Casa das Conchas?

In the Belém within the Museu de Marinha complex at Rua da Junqueira 1, 1300-343 Lisbon, Portugal.

Feel an earthquake, sort of

Lisbon's earthquake museum not only has information dedicated to earthquakes, specifically the devastating 1755 one, that have affected Portugal over the years, but it also has an earthquake simulator.

This simulator allows you to feel what the earthquake in 1755 (that destroyed much of Lisbon) would have felt like to the people who lived there at the time. The 1755 earthquake was so large that it even caused large fires in the city and tsunamis.

How to visit the Earthquake Museum

Their hours vary depending on the time of year, so check their official website. Tickets are required.

Where is Lisbon's earthquake museum?

In Lisbon, Portugal, at Rua do Arsenal 7, 1100-038.

See a chicken get married

Ok, not exactly, but there's a famous tile painting in the Museu Bordallo Pinheiro that features animals dressed in human clothes to attend a chicken's wedding. The chicken is in a traditional carriage, being brought to her own wedding.

This tile painting is famous and was create as satire, poking fun at the 18th century Portugueuse elites.

How to see the O Casamento da Galinha

This piece of art is inside the Museu Bordallo Pinheiro. It is open on most weekdays and tickets are required.

Where is the O Casamento de Galinha?

This artwork is in the Museu Bordallo Pinheiro, Campo Grande 382, 1700-097 in Lisbon, Portugal.

Explore an ancient apothecary

Lisbon's Museu da Farmácia (Pharmacy Museum) takes you through the history and evolution of medication with incredible exhibits, including recreations of ancient apothecaries.

From ancient Rome to the modern era, you'll find astronaut medication kits (from NASA), a 16th-century pill press, and more.

How to go to the Museu da Farmácia

Tickets are required (for just a few euros), though the museum is free on the first Sunday of every month.

Where is the Museu da Farmácia?

In Lisbon, Portugal at Rua Marechal Saldanha 1, 1249-069.

Lisbon's curious shops and restaurants

Eat Portuguese food at a court inside an old palace

An 18th-century palace is now an upscale food court. With chandeliers, murals, and velvet dining booths, you'll be taken back in time while enjoying incredible food.

This palace was destroyed in the 1755 earthquake, rebuilt, and then destroyed again in 1988, but in a fire.

However, it's open again today in all of its splendor, even with a ceiling fresco of the Roman God of Wine.

How to visit the Palácio Chiado

It's free to enter, but it is a food court, so you will need to pay for your food, drinks, etc. It's a little bit upscale, so prepare accordingly.

Where is the Palácio Chiado?

In Lisbon, Portugal at Rua do Alecrim 70, 1200-018.

Shop for antiques at the Thieves' Market

The Feira da Ladra is Lisbon’s oldest flea market, dating all the way back to the 12th century. At the market, you can find everything from vintage tiles and typewriters to Soviet medals and odd knick-knacks.

It's called the “Thieves’ Market,” supposedly because stolen goods were once sold here.

When is the Thieves' Market in Lisbon?

The market takes place on Tuesdays and Saturdays from mid-morning to afternoon.

Where is the Thieves' Market in Lisbon?

It's located at Campo de Santa Clara, 1100-472 in Lisbon, Portugal.

Go on a self-run historical shop tour

In 2015, Lisbon started a new campaign to highlight their historic businesses, everything from old bookstores to ginjinha bars.

Shops that participate have plaques that show their historical status.

Many of these businesses have secret basements, ghost stories, or decades-old equipment still in use.

How to see the historical shops of Lisbon

They're in various locations around the city, so there isn't a specific address. Shops will have plaques on them.

Visit a bar that's a museum that's an antique display

Pavilhão Chinês is a famous maximalist bar/museum in Lisbon. Located in the Príncipe Real district, this bar is filled to the brim with antiques, vintage toys, model airplanes, military memorabilia, and more.

It has incredible knick-knacks from all over the world.

How to visit Pavilhão Chinês

Pavilhão Chinês is a bar open to the public. Stop in and grab a drink to enjoy the unique atmosphere.

Where is Pavilhão Chinês located?

Rua Dom Pedro V 89, 1250-093 in Lisbon, Portugal.

Buy candles at an ancient family-run candle shop

Established in 1789, Caza das Vellas Loreto is Lisbon's oldest candle. Here, the same family has owned and operated it for over two centuries. Its famous for one, how old it is and two, for its high-quality handcrafted candles in different shapes, sizes, and scents.

The shop itself is beautiful, with its original wooden furnishings that offer a look into 18th-century Portuguese retail design.

How to visit Lisbon's oldest candle shop

This is a shop that is open to the public and can be visited during normal shop hours.

Where is Lisbon's oldest candle shop?

It can be found at Rua do Loreto 53, 1200-241.

Buy tinned fish at a vintage tinned fish shop

Conserveira de Lisboa is a traditional shop (est. in 1930) that specializes in canned fish. Here, you can find a variety of sardines, mackerel, and tuna preserved in unique sauces and oils.

The shop still has its vintage decor and packaging, attracting both locals and tourists.

How to visit the vintage tinned fish shop in Lisbon

This store is open during regular shop hours and can be visited by the public.

Where is the vintage tinned fish shop in Lisbon?

You can find it at Rua dos Bacalhoeiros 34, 1100-071.

Step into a tiny bookstore that used to be a tobacco shop

Livraria Simão is a small bookstore, occupying a space of just 3.8 square meters (or around 400 square feet). Despite its size, it has over 4,000 books, with topics from poetry to philosophy and more.

How to visit Livraria Simão

The bookstore is a public shop and open during normal shop hours.

Where to find Livraria Simão

It's in Lisbon, Portugal at Escadinhas de São Cristóvão 18, 1100-177.

Witness dolls being operated on

Both a shop and a museum, the Hospital de Bonecas (Doll Hospital) is a place where anyone can take their toys to get repaired.

Repairing dolls since the 1830s, this shop was initially a pharmacy that offered to repair a child's broken doll. After that? Well, the rest was history.

With Pinocchio vibes, Hospital de Bonecas even has its own surgical ward, complete with a doctor and tiny operating tables.

How to visit Hospital de Bonecas

The shop itself is free to enter, but the museum has a small fee and toy repair also has associated costs.

Where is the doll museum in Lisbon?

You can find it at Praça da Figueira 7, 1100-240 in Lisbon, Portugal.

Get takeaway coffee at a historic kiosk

Grab a coffee or an afternoon treat at a colorful, historic kiosk serving coffee, snacks, and drinks in Cais do Sodré.

These traditional kiosks are from 19th-century Portugal and were created as part of a campaign to promote sobriety, offering coffee instead of alcohol.

Fascinatingly, they also have a political history associated with them. During the dictatorship years, they were hubs for secret political conversation.

How to grab a coffee at Quiosque de São Paulo

This is a casual street kiosk, simply walk up and order what you'd like.

Where is the historical coffee kiosk in Lisbon?

In Lisbon at Praça de São Paulo, 1200-019.

Eat tiny snails from a bucket

Once peasant food, small snails (or caracóis) are now a luxurious delicacy.

A local chain called Casa dos Caracóis (House of Snails) opens up every summer to sell small snails by the bucket with tasty sauces to go with.

How to visit Casa dos Caracóis

They're only open from May through August and can get quite busy, so plan accordingly.

Where is Casa dos Caracóis in Lisbon?

It's a local chain, so addresses can vary. One famous location is at Estr. de Benfica 432, 1500-093 in Lisbon.

Go to the oldest bookstore in the world

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Lisbon's Livraria Bertrand is the oldest continuously operating bookstore in the world (est. 1732).

Like many historical places in Lisbon, unfortunately, Livraria Bertrand was destroyed in the 1755 earthquake but was rebuilt in its current location in 1773.

How to visit Livraria Bertrand

Tickets aren't required to enter. This is a typical bookstore that is open to the public during normal business hours.

Where is Livraria Bertrand?

In Lisbon, Portugal at Rua Garrett 73-75, 1200-203.