Graça and Senhora do Monte: A Quiet Morning Walk Above Lisbon

A hilltop route through Lisbon's oldest working neighbourhood, best walked before ten, when the miradouros are empty and the tram is still half full.

Start at Martim Moniz and climb the Escadinhas

Take the metro to Martim Moniz rather than waiting for the 28 tram, which by nine in the morning is already packed and a favoured target for pickpockets between Baixa and Graça. From the square, walk north along Rua dos Cavaleiros and watch for the tiled stairway on your right, the Escadinhas de São Cristóvão, climbing towards the Igreja de São Cristóvão. It takes ten minutes of steady steps and delivers you into the Mouraria lanes, where elderly residents still keep songbirds on balconies and the bakeries sell warm travesseiros before eight.

The climb continues via Largo da Guia and the Escadinhas do Monte towards Graça proper. Do not rush the stretch between Rua da Graça and the church square, because this is where the neighbourhood actually lives: a market, a hardware shop with paint tins stacked in the doorway, a kiosk selling coffee for under a euro. The whole ascent from Martim Moniz to the Igreja da Graça takes roughly fifteen minutes at an unhurried pace, and it is the only steep part of the morning.

The Graça miradouro, and why to keep moving

The Miradouro da Graça, beside the church and the convent, faces the castle and the river and has a kiosk that opens at ten in summer, later in winter. It is lovely and it is also the busiest terrace on the hill by noon. If you have the view, take it early; by eleven on a Saturday in May the benches are gone. The church itself is worth five minutes inside, and the nearby Jardim da Cerca da Graça, tucked behind the Convento, is a quieter green space with a small cafe and shade.

Skip the temptation to walk down to the Feira da Ladra flea market first thing: it only really assembles properly around nine or ten, and Tuesdays and Saturdays are its days, so on other mornings the Campo de Santa Clara is just a square. Better to hold that for later and keep climbing, because the best of the morning is above you.

Senhora do Monte: the view most visitors miss

From the Graça church square, the walk to the Miradouro da Senhora do Monte takes about eight minutes along Rua da Senhora do Monte, past the Capela de Nossa Senhora do Monte. The chapel sits on a small rise with a remarkably wide terrace that takes in the castle, the Baixa grid, the river, and the Cristo Rei statue across the water on a clear day. It is the highest point of the walk, roughly 110 metres above the river, and it stays quiet until mid-morning because it is not on the 28 tram route.

This is the spot I would build a morning around. Bring water, because the nearest kiosk is unreliable in low season; a small cafe operates on Rua da Senhora do Monte but does not always open early. The chapel interior is small and typically open in the mornings; there is no entry charge. The terrace has a few benches and a tiled wall, and in June and September the light at half past eight is extraordinary.

Where to stay, and how to get back down

For a walk like this, staying in Graça or the lower edge of Alfama near the Santa Apolónia station saves you the climb: hotels and guesthouses in the neighbourhood tend to sit in the mid-range, with doubles commonly between 90 and 160 euros in spring and autumn, higher in June and during the Santos Populares festivities. Staying in Baixa or Chiado puts you ten to fifteen minutes further from the start but gives you easier evenings. I would book Graça for a first visit only if you plan to be out early; otherwise pick Alfama and walk up.

For the descent, either retrace your steps or walk down Rua da Graça to the Intendente metro, about twelve minutes, stopping for a late breakfast near Largo do Intendente. The 12E and 28E trams pass along Rua da Graça, but at midday they are crowded and slow. The walk down to Martim Moniz takes about twenty minutes and is gentler than the climb. Arrange airport transfers in advance through your hotel; a taxi from Humberto Delgado Airport takes twenty to thirty minutes depending on traffic, and the metro via Alameda adds a change.

Questions, answered

When is the best time to walk Graça and Senhora do Monte?

Arrive by eight or half past eight. The terraces are quiet and the light is good until about eleven, after which the Graça kiosk fills. April to June and September to October give the most comfortable temperatures; July and August are hot on the exposed climb and best done very early.

Is the walk difficult?

The climb from Martim Moniz to Graça takes about fifteen minutes of stairways and steep lanes, and the stretch to Senhora do Monte is a further eight minutes on a gentle road. It is manageable for most travellers but not suitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs. Wear shoes with grip; the calçada is slippery when wet.

Where should I book a hotel for this route?

Graça itself, or Alfama near Santa Apolónia, puts you within walking distance of the start. Expect mid-range doubles roughly between 90 and 160 euros in spring and autumn. Baixa and Chiado offer more choice and easier evenings, at the cost of a ten to fifteen minute walk up to Martim Moniz.

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