Praça do Município is an elegant square dominated by the neoclassical Palace of the City Hall. The palace is open to the public on the first Sunday of every month. The square is adorned with the city’s trademark cobblestone patterns, which create a “carpet effect” of triangles and rectangles. An 18th-century spiral pillory stands in the center of the square, and adjacent to it is a kiosk café that serves refreshments throughout the day.

The Money Museum

The Money Museum is housed in a converted 17th-century church and presents a comprehensive account of the history of money throughout the world. The museum displays rare banknotes and coins from around the world, including the earliest from both the Western and Eastern worlds. Visitors are invited to put their image on a banknote and mint a coin, as well as touch a gold bar worth half a million euros. In addition, the lower level of the museum houses an archaeological site featuring a section of Lisbon’s medieval wall.

Rua dos Correeiros Archaeological Site

The Rua dos Correeiros Archaeological Site displays the results of archaeological excavations carried out in the 1990s, which uncovered evidence of Lisbon’s 2500-year history. Located underneath the headquarters of a bank, this exhibition features a number of discoveries, including well-preserved Roman mosaics.

Edifício dos Leões

The Edifício dos Leões is considered one of the most exquisite buildings in downtown Lisbon, designed in the Beaux-Arts style in 1905. The structure was originally built to house the headquarters of a bank, but was converted into a museum in 2019. The building retains many of the original pieces and furnishings, giving visitors a glimpse of what banks looked like in the early 20th century. The rest of the building has been converted to host temporary exhibitions of contemporary art.

Igreja da Conceição Velha

The Igreja da Conceição Velha is an exceptional example of Manueline (Portuguese Gothic) architecture in Lisbon, with a striking portal that is particularly noteworthy. This church was originally a Jewish temple, and the portal dates back to the 1500s. The interior, however, is a reconstruction after the 1755 earthquake.

Igreja de São Domingos

The Igreja de São Domingos has suffered two major catastrophes, being severely damaged by the earthquake of 1755 and by a fire in 1959. The interior of the church has never been restored, leaving its scorched columns as a poignant reminder of its troubled history. The site witnessed some of Lisbon’s darkest periods, serving as the place where the Inquisition announced its verdicts and where hundreds of people suspected of being Jews were massacred in 1506. In their memory, a monument has been erected in the square in front of the church. This monument faces a mural with the phrase “Lisbon, City of Tolerance” written in 34 different languages.

Igreja da Madalena

The Igreja da Madalena is a church dedicated to Mary Magdalene. It was rebuilt in 1783 to replace an earlier church, but the structure has retained its original Manueline portal, dating back to the 1500s. The interior of the church contains works of art by Machado de Castro, considered Portugal’s most important 18th-century sculptor. The facade of a building across the street from the church features stones taken from a Roman temple. These stones are embedded in the architecture of the building, adding an interesting historical element to the surroundings.

Igreja de São Nicolau

The Igreja de São Nicolau is a neoclassical church that was completely rebuilt in 1776 after being destroyed in the 1755 earthquake. The church’s meticulously restored ceiling paintings depict various scenes from the life of St. Nicholas.

Lisboa Story Center

The Lisboa Story Center occupies a large part of the east wing of Comércio Square and offers visitors a multimedia museum experience that tells the story of Lisbon’s history through models and digital displays. Organized chronologically, the exhibition showcases the significant events and personalities that have shaped the city over the centuries. The exhibition highlights five of the most dramatic episodes in the city’s history and is divided into six sections. The first section discusses the myths and facts of the first settlers, while another focuses on the Age of Discovery and the “global city” that resulted. The third section is dedicated to the Great Earthquake of 1755, followed by “Pombaline Lisbon,” or the modern city reconstructed by the Marquis of Pombal. This reconstruction led to the development of the square where the museum is located, and another section is dedicated to the depiction of life in the square over time. Finally, the last room focuses on general aspects of the city, and there’s a gift shop where visitors can buy souvenirs of Lisbon. There are also temporary exhibitions and all the exhibits are accompanied by multilingual audio guides.

Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Oliveira

The Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Oliveira is a small church that is easy to miss, even if you are standing right at the entrance. The church is housed in an ordinary building, but the interior is a pleasant surprise. The original temple dates back to 1262, but it was rebuilt in 1762 after being destroyed in the great earthquake of 1755. The ceiling of the church is adorned with an 18th century painting of the Assumption, while the walls are decorated with blue and white tile panels from the same period. These panels depict various events in the life of the Virgin, from her birth to the Flight to Egypt.