3 Best Sights in Chiado and Bairro Alto, Lisbon

This gallery-cum-performing arts venue remains one of the hippest addresses in the city, three decades after it was founded as a cultural nonprofit. Both the bookshop and exhibition space, which hosts stimulating contemporary art shows and cutting-edge talks, often in English, are open 6–10 pm. After that, there are usually concerts of experimental music in a rather claustrophobic performance space. On warm nights, head up to the ultra-laid-back rooftop bar, which occasionally serves as an open-air cinema.

This church, completed in 1574, was one of the earliest Jesuit buildings in the world; the attached museum is home to one of Portugal's most comprehensive collections of religious art. While the church's exterior is somewhat plain and austere, the inside is dazzling, with abundant use of gold and marble—the only remaining example in Lisbon of the painted ceilings from the mannerist period. Eight side chapels have statuary and art dating from the early 17th century. The last chapel on the left before the altar is the extraordinary 18th-century Capela de São João Baptista (Chapel of St. John the Baptist), designed and built in Rome, then taken apart, shipped to Lisbon, and reassembled here in 1747.

Arguably Lisbon’s most romantic miradouro, this landscaped promenade is split into two levels, each offering a wonderful view across the city center to the castle on its hill on the other side. It’s a popular spot at night, as the moon shines over the city. On the upper level, a large kiosk surrounded by tables and lounge chairs serves refreshments and light meals to those who decide to stay and enjoy the views a little longer. Down the steps is another, more secluded kiosk with a smaller range of offerings.