7 iconic photo spots in Lisbon you shouldn't miss during your next trip
Lisbon is a unique town for photographers with many different types of photo spots. I spent two full days in Lisbon, Portugal, and one day on an excursion. In this blog post I’ve compiled a list of the best photo spots I discovered in Lisbon and during a day excursion.
- Know Before You Go to Lisbon
- Photospots I discovered in and around Lisbon
- Apps and Gear I used to take Photos with iPhone in Lisbon
- Is Lisbon worth visiting for Photographers?
Know Before You Go to Lisbon, Portugal
The first photo spot in Lisbon is the Christ the King statue located in Almada. That’s a city on the other side of the river Tejo. So technically the statue is not in the city of Lisbon but in the administrative district of Lisbon.
The easiest way to get there from Lisbon is to take the bus line 753 from the city of Lisbon. Get off at the first stop after the bridge. Then you’ll need to walk about 15 minutes to reach the monument. Of course you can also take a taxi or a rideshare. They’ll drop you off right in front of the entrance to the monument.
To my experience, there are basically two good places to photograph the statue. One is by standing right in front of it and photographing it upwards. If the sky is a bit cloudy like in my photo below, that will result in a fantastic photo.
Photospots I discovered in Lisbon, Portugal
If I write about Lisbon in the following chapters, I’m referring to the administrative district and not only the city. I believe this is important to know because I’ve listed a few photo spots in Almada and Cascais, which are not part of the city but the administration of Lisbon.
Sanctuary of Christ the King in Almada
The first photo spot in Lisbon is the Sanctuary of Christ the King statue located in Almada. That’s a city on the other side of the river Tejo. So technically the statue is not in the city of Lisbon but in the administrative district of Lisbon.
The easiest way to get there from the city of Lisbon is to take the bus line 753. Get off at the first stop after the 25 de Abril bridge. Then you’ll need to walk about 15 minutes to reach the statue. Of course you can also take a taxi or a rideshare to get there. They’ll drop you off right in front of the entrance to the monument.
To my experience, there are basically two good places to photograph the statue. One is by standing right in front of it and photographing it upwards like I did. If the sky is a bit cloudy like in my photo below, that will result in a fantastic photo.
Monument of Christ the King in Almada
The second good spot for a picture of the statue is to photograph it from the beginning of the path leading to it.
25 de Abril Bridge connecting Lisbon with Almada
The 25 de Abril Bridge officially opened in 1966. If you think that the bridge somehow looks like the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, you’re right. The architects and engineers had a connection with San Francisco. So maybe they got their inspiration from there.
A great location for a photo of the 25 de Abril Bridge is right from the Sanctuary of Christ the King.
However, I took the photo below while hiking down from the monument to the shore. This photo location allows you to use the trees and bushes to create a frame for the bridge.
25 de Abril Bridge connecting the city of Lisbon with Almada
Learn more about this photo technique in my article about how to use framing in photography.
Abandoned Winery in Almada
By hiking down from the Christ the King Monument, you’ll reach an abandoned harbor and winery. I didn’t see any privacy signs an some people were also exploring it. So I spent two hours exploring this photo location.
But as this is an abandoned place, please stay safe. You’ll find a few tips about staying safe during urban exploration in my summary of urbex rules.
House at the abandoned winery in Almada
To see more photos, please head over to my blog post about the abandoned winery in Almada.
From the abandoned winery, I recommend walking along the seaside until you reach the village of Ginjal. You’ll find plenty of photo opportunities along the way. It will take you around an hour to get there. From there, take the ferry back to the city of Lisbon.
Torre de Belém
The Torre de Belém was built between 1515 and 1521. It acted as a line of defense for Lisbon at the estuary funnel of the Tejo River. You can visit the interior of the tower. If you plan to do so, I recommend booking your tickets in advance for the first possible timeslot of the day. You can do that right at a booth near the tower.
Torre de Belém Lighthouse
When photographing the Torre de Belém, use the wooden bridge as a leading line towards the tower. Leading lines are one of the three essential photo composition techniques I recommend you familiarize yourself with.
If you’d like to flatten the sea, especially if it is cloudy, I’d recommend trying a long exposure photo. The moving clouds in the background should look outstanding with the tower in the foreground.
Triumphal Arch and Aqueduct near the Jardim Marcelino de Mesquita Park
I discovered this photo spot in Lisbon accidentally. It’s right next to the Jardim Marcelino de Mesquita Park. At this photo spot, a triumphal arch and aqueduct intersect. If you wait a little, you may even catch a tram passing through the triumphal arch. However, this does not seem to be one of the busy tram lines. I waited there for almost half an hour but no tram came.
Triumphal Arch and aqueduct near Jardim Marcelino de Mesquita
Boca do Inferno in Cascais
Cascais is a city east of Lisbon. You can reach it within 30 minutes by train from Lisbon and I recommend doing this one-day excursion.
Boca do Inferno (Devil's Mouth) is a unique rock formation and an ideal place for long-exposure photography. As preparation, please check my blog post about the different ways of how to take a long exposure photo with iPhone. I took the photo below with Reeheld Camera App, which allows me to take long-exposure photos of up to 30 seconds without a tripod. Read more about this app in my Reeheld camera app review.
Long exposure of the rock formation at the Devils Mouth in Cascais
But before you go to the Devils Mouth, check the weather. Due to its location next to the sea, it’s exposed to wind. During heavy winds, access to this photo spot is forbidden and dangerous. It’s called “devils mouth” for a reason!
Beaches at the Cabo da Roca
Cabo da Roca is the westernmost place in Europe. You can get there by taking a bus from Cascais. So if you reserve a day for an excursion from Lisbon to Cascais, take one of the first busses from Cascais to Cabo da Roca. You'll be back around 2pm and still have half a day to explore and photograph in Cascais. The trip from Cascai to Cabo da Roca will take around 90 minutes, and it’s definitely worth it.
Once you arrive, follow the trails to the right (facing the lighthouse at the Cabo da Roca). You’ll be rewarded with spectacular views and photo opportunities of beaches and rocky formations.
Beach at the Cabo da Roca
But be careful. These hiking paths at the Cabo da Roca are not secured! Use them at your own risk.
Apps and Gear I used to take Photos with iPhone in Lisbon
I took all the above photos with my iPhone 14 Pro using either ProCamera App or Reeheld Camera App. Originally I edited these photos using Lightroom Mobile. But as I abandoned Lightroom Mobile and turned to Photomator, I re-edited them using Photomator. You can read more about why I abandoned Lightroom in my Photomator review. That’s why it took a bit longer than usual to write and publish this blog post.
Is Lisbon worth visiting for Photographers?
Lisbon is worth visiting because you’ll find various photo spots there. From old buildings to modern architecture, beaches, and unique photo spots like the Christ the King Statue and the 25 de Abril Bridge.
I recommend reserving a day and going to Cascais and from there to Cabo de Roca. You can visit both of them within a day if you leave early.
