Most travelers book Alfama on instinct and discover too late that they picked the most touristy, noisiest neighborhood with the worst street-to-rolling-bag ratio in Lisbon. This guide shows which boutique hotel makes sense on each hill — including the Hotel Sete Colinas in Príncipe Real, which almost no one knows about.
Most travelers book Alfama on instinct and discover too late that they picked the most touristy, noisiest neighborhood with the worst street-to-rolling-bag ratio in Lisbon. This guide shows which boutique hotel makes sense on each hill — including the Hotel Sete Colinas in Príncipe Real, which almost no one knows about.
The "City of Seven Hills" nickname comes from an analogy with Rome coined by Friar Nicolau de Oliveira in 1620 — the real hills are São Jorge, São Vicente, Santo André, Sant'Ana, Santo António, São Roque and Chagas.
Hotel Sete Colinas (Príncipe Real) charges €180-260/night May-September (~USD 195-280), 25 rooms, strong breakfast, and a location that dodges the tourist chaos.
Memmo Alfama has the city's best pool-deck with Tagus view — €320-480/night (~USD 350-525), but only reachable via steep stairs (terrible with a large bag).
Verride Palácio Santa Catarina is real luxury: €650-1,200/night (~USD 710-1,310), 19 rooms, restored 18th-century palace with panoramic rooftop and Michelin.
Bairro Alto Hotel (Praça Luís de Camões) sits between Chiado and Bairro Alto: €380-550/night, BAHR rooftop with 25 de Abril Bridge view.
Most travelers book Alfama on instinct and discover too late that they picked the most touristy, noisiest neighborhood with the worst street-to-rolling-bag ratio in Lisbon. This guide shows which boutique hotel makes sense on each hill — including the Hotel Sete Colinas in Príncipe Real, which almost no one knows about.
