The center city is small enough to cover on foot, but because of Lisbon's hills, don't underestimate the distances or the time it takes to cover them. Places may appear close to one another on a map when they're actually on different levels, and the walk can be fearsomely steep. Public transportation is excellent. Marvelous old trams, buses, the metro, and turn-of-the-20th-century funicular railways and elevators can transport you up the hills. If time is short or energy lags, taxis are a genuine bargain and can be summoned with a phone call.

The center of Lisbon stretches north from the spacious Praça do Comércio -- one of Europe's largest riverside squares -- to the Rossío, a smaller square lined with shops and cafés. The district in between is known as the Baixa (Lower Town), an attractive grid of parallel streets built after the 1755 earthquake and tidal wave. The Alfama, the old Moorish quarter that survived the earthquake, lies east of the Baixa. In this part of town are the Sé (the city's cathedral) and, on the hill above, the Castelo de São Jorge (St. George's Castle).

West of the Baixa, sprawled across another of Lisbon's hills, is the Bairro Alto (Upper Town), an area of intricate 17th-century streets and churches. Five kilometers (3 miles) farther west is Belém, site of the famous Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, as well as a royal palace and several museums. A similar distance to the northeast, Lisbon's Parque das Nações pivots around the spectacular Oceanário de Lisboa.

The modern city begins at Praça dos Restauradores, adjacent to the Rossío. From here, the main Avenida da Liberdade stretches northwest to the landmark Praça Marquês de Pombal, bordered by the green expanse of the Parque Eduardo VII beyond.