10 Things to Do in Lisbon at Holy Week

Lisbon is one of the most diverse and interesting cities in Europe and has undoubtedly been a favourite tourist destination for Spaniards for decades. At the same time, there is the fact that some of the best things to do in Lisbon take place during Easter.

So my recommendation is that you keep reading this post that I have prepared for you, because this way you will be able to find out what are those activities that you can do if you decide to spend part of Easter in the Portuguese capital. Moreover, thanks to this information you will be able to enjoy a better tourist planning that will greatly facilitate the enjoyment of your trip.

One of the characteristics of Easter in Lisbon is that it is not as common to find processions throughout the city as it is in other cities of the Iberian Peninsula. However, that does not mean that there are no important religious traditions during this week and one of them is the famous Easter Day mass on Easter Sunday morning.

Most of the city's Catholic and Orthodox churches will have their own versions of this religious event, but one of the most important and worth knowing is the one that takes place at the Sé de Lisboa.

The site as such is characterised by being the oldest church in the city as well as having survived several modifications throughout its history and multiple earthquakes. Its strategic location in the centre of the city is another important fact that you should take into account when considering a visit during Holy Week. You could very well attend the Easter mass and then enjoy the rides on one of Lisbon's best tour buses.

. This is advisable knowing that the traffic during this date is the lowest during the whole week as it is a public holiday when many local families decide to stay at home. You should also know that the location of this cathedral within the Alfama neighbourhood is something that can help your Easter Sunday have a direct connection to the religious past of one of the oldest areas of the city.

On the other hand, there is the fact that Lisbon is a city full of interesting churches and many of them are worth visiting regardless of whether you are religiously motivated or not. One such place is the Hieronymites Monastery and it is basically a building that once belonged to the Catholic Church and today houses the city's maritime and archaeological museum.

The architectural style of this monastery is Manueline and it is of such significant importance to Portuguese history and Western culture that it has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This site is also known for its proximity to the famous Tower of Bethlehem and the Monument of the Discoveries, which together symbolise the golden age of Portuguese explorations that played a fundamental role in the maritime interconnection of Europe with the rest of the world.

The fact that this building was built for the religious order of St. Jerome and has a strategic location within the Bethlehem neighbourhood, are facts that make it a plan not to be missed at Easter. You should also know that it is one of the best things to do during Christmas in Lisbon, as this area has all the tourist services for that particular time of the year.

One of the highlights of Holy Week in Lisbon and throughout Portugal is that the partying in bars and nightclubs extends from the middle of Holy Wednesday until the night of Easter Sunday. This has to do with the fact that this week is the first opportunity in the year that many university students, both Spanish and Portuguese, have to enjoy good weather on a long weekend.

So no matter your age or the type of trip you want to take, it is still advisable to go out for a couple of drinks in one of Lisbon's nightlife areas. The Bairro Alto is the area of choice for all kinds of experiences, as you'll find everything from elegant restaurants to nightclubs that stay open until after dawn. The Santa Catalina area, and specifically the area around its belvedere, is another must-see on the Semana Santa nightlife agenda.

For an industrial and alternative style night out, there is also the Doças de Alcântara, an ideal place for those who are a little further away from the centre of Lisbon, probably staying near the 25 de Abril Bridge.

Either way, dining out for a couple of drinks is one of the best things to do in Lisbon at night and Easter is one of the best times of the year to experience the lifestyle that defines this city after the sun goes down.

As the influx of tourists during Easter week in Lisbon is so significant, it is logical to understand that the art and culture world in the city takes the opportunity to extend the opening hours of most museums so that a greater number of people can get to know their permanent collections. In fact, it is quite common for several of the art and history museums in the city to have temporary exhibitions during Easter Week because more people will visit these places.

There are an infinite number of museums that deserve to be known, but among them are the Berardo Collection Museum, which has several permanent exhibitions that are very representative of modern and contemporary Portuguese art. As well as the Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology, known by its acronym MAAT. The latter is distinguished by the impressive structure of its headquarters which was inaugurated in 2016. It is also iconic for being located right next to the Museum of Electricity which is located in a former steam factory in the Belém neighbourhood.

So if the length of your visit in the middle of Easter allows you to enjoy the city's museums, then you can't miss this opportunity. Especially knowing that these cultural institutions are some of the best things to do in the centre of Lisbon, as well as in the neighbourhoods closer to this part of the city.

Easter Sunday is usually a very quiet date in Lisbon because local families tend to take advantage of this holiday to stay at home or to enjoy the city's free public spaces. It is also common for many people to take the opportunity to visit places they are not familiar with within the community and therefore one of the favourite plans during Easter Sunday is usually a visit to the Lisbon Oceanarium.

This site is nothing more and nothing less than the city's aquarium and is distinguished by being a fairly modern place that is located on the banks of the Tagus River and has oceanic habitats that allow them to care for sharks, penguins and tropical fish. This aquarium is located in the northern area of Lisbon and, therefore, dedicating this Sunday to it is also an excellent way to get to know the residential neighbourhoods of this part of the city.

In fact, this aquarium, which is the second largest in Europe, is one of the best things to do in winter in Lisbon. This has to do with the fact that it is a great way to escape the rather cold temperatures of this time of the year. So it's a good entertainment alternative if you happen to have a more cloudy Easter than expected.

Fado is a Portuguese musical genre that is characterised as a rather urban folk song that speaks of melancholy, nostalgia and the everyday experience of growing up in humble, industrial neighbourhoods. It has a very significant cultural importance for Lisbon because historians believe that it originated in the neighbourhoods around its port. Today it is one of the city's main tourist attractions, as well as a Unesco Intangible Cultural Heritage site.

Specifically, Easter is a time when Fado concerts are very popular in the city's traditional bars due to the large influx of tourists during these spring days, just as they are during the high summer season. So an excellent way to familiarise yourself with the history of this city at a time as peculiar and reflective as Easter is to attend some of Lisbon's Fado concerts.

My recommendation is to opt for one of those alternatives in which the service includes dinner. Especially because you will also have the opportunity to get to know typical Portuguese gastronomy while enjoying music that deals with themes closely related to the frustration or religious appreciation that can be associated with Easter.

Lent and its limitation of meat consumption has allowed the creation over the centuries in Lisbon of recipes characteristic of this time of the year that often captivate the tourists who nowadays come to the city in search of seafood. For your convenience, you will enjoy these representative dishes throughout the week and most of them usually have cod as the main ingredient as it is the favourite food in Portugal's culinary world.

Cataplana is another of the typical recipes made with fish and seafood that defines Easter and the previous months that form part of Lent. Polvo à Lageiro is another gastronomic treasure that you should know and basically consists of an octopus that is first boiled and then baked with potatoes. This is then seasoned with spices, olive oil and lots of coriander.

You should know that grilled sardines are also a typical Easter meal, both in Lisbon and Porto. Either way, though, the best gastronomic tours of Lisbon can be an excellent alternative for you to return home knowing most of the characteristic flavours of Easter in the Portuguese capital.

Specifically, at Easter, one of the city's famous open-air markets has one of the most diverse and interesting editions due to the demand generated by the influx of tourists during this week. I'm talking about the Feria da Ladra and it is basically a market of antiques and second-hand clothes that takes place along the Campo de Santa Clara between nine in the morning and six in the evening.

The event takes place during most Saturdays of the year and specifically on Holy Saturday the offer of products is doubled because it is a time when people are very interested in buying decorative antiques for their homes. As well as being such a touristy time of year, the city's inhabitants take advantage of the holiday to enjoy these special places that their city has to offer.

So a visit to this part of the capital is something you should not miss on your four-day trip to Lisbon, although it is only possible if your visit coincides with the last days of Holy Week, as it is a Saturday market. Note that the proximity of this urban market to the National Pantheon and the Santa Apolonia train station is something you should take advantage of if you are interested in exploring the most beautiful areas of Lisbon.

The Portuguese capital is full of public parks that offer you a nice break after walking its steep and narrow streets. Tapada das Necessidades is one such place. It is a park located near the Alcântara docks which is distinguished by the beauty of its landscapes as well as by the excellent view it offers of the Tagus River. Inside the park there is a famous duck pond as well as a cactus garden. This place is even unknown to many local people.

So this place with such a peculiar beauty can be an excellent alternative for entertainment during your visit during Easter Week in Lisbon. Especially because it is located in a safe area that is close to tourist attractions and allows you to rest from long walks while surrounded by nature.

In fact, a plan like this is one of the best things to do in Lisbon with children. Knowing that this is a space where the little ones can run around freely and have fun, and then continue with the tourist itinerary to discover the museums and historical heritage of one of the most captivating cities in Europe.

If your trip to Lisbon during Holy Week is long enough for you to have a day trip out of the city then you should make the most of it by taking an excursion to either of the two most important places in the history of Portuguese Catholicism.

Braga

Braga is one of the oldest cities in Portugal and is located in the north of the country. In a 10 hour excursion you will have the opportunity to visit the different churches of this city which is known in Portugal as the religious capital of the country because of its direct history with the expansion of Catholicism from several centuries before the medieval times.

Fátima

Fátima is a small town that is a popular pilgrimage destination during Holy Week because of the famous Sanctuary of Fátima which is dedicated to this virgin of Portuguese Catholicism. There are different ways to get from Lisbon to Fatima but a guided tour is the best option because it will allow you to get to know the closest villages to this place.