☰Alfama

Alfama is Lisbon's oldest district, a tangled labyrinth of narrow alleys and steep staircases that survived the devastating 1755 earthquake largely intact. The neighbourhood climbs from the Tagus riverfront up to the Castelo de Sao Jorge, whose ramparts offer sweeping views across the city's terracotta rooftops. Fado music drifts from tiny taverns in the evening, and this is the authentic place to hear it, not the tourist-oriented venues elsewhere. The twice-weekly Feira da Ladra flea market at Campo de Santa Clara is worth a morning rummage. Tram 28 rattles through the heart of Alfama, though walking is the real way to discover its hidden courtyards, tiled facades, and neighbourhood restaurants where grilled sardines and cheap wine are the standard order.