4 Best Sights in Alcântara, Cais do Sodré, and Santos, Lisbon

Set inside an old factory complex (not to be confused with the much larger LxFactory), this is an open air cultural space hiding in plain sight on an unassuming side street. A discreet entrance leads to a highly Instagrammable spot filled with food trucks, bars, street art, and performance spaces.

Portugal has a rich history of using puppets—from cute to creepy—to tell stories, and this fascinating museum is an opportunity to see the marionettes and masks up close. The only one of its kind in Portugal, the Puppet Museum includes an impressive collection of African and Asian puppets alongside the Portuguese exhibits. The location, inside a former convent, adds an extra dash of drama to the proceedings, and there's a chance to get hands-on with some of the puppets.

Lisbon's first bridge across the Tagus River, linking the Alcântara and Almada districts, is a double-decker suspension bridge that stands 230 feet above the water and stretches more than 2 km (1½ miles). Reminiscent of San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge, it's slightly shorter but still a spectacular sight from any direction. Cars and buses cross on the top tier while trains use the lower level, offering some great views. (The bridge is closed to cyclists and pedestrians.) Overlooking the bridge from a hill on the south bank is the Cristo Rei (Christ the King) statue, which is smaller than its famous counterpart in Rio de Janeiro but still an imposing sight. The interactive Pilar 7 Bridge Experience lets you access a panoramic viewing platform.

Together with nearby LxFactory, Village Underground is a colorful symbol of Lisbon's cool side. Beneath the Ponte 25 de Abril, shipping containers and double-decker buses have been transformed into spaces for eating, drinking, coworking, and partying. DJ sets, vibrant murals, and the chance to eat and drink in a converted bus atop a shipping container are all on offer.