21 Lisbon Fun Facts

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21 Lisbon Fun Facts –
Discover the City’s Hidden Gems

Lisbon fun facts make the captivating capital of Portugal even more intriguing! This vibrant city, known as the “City of Seven Hills,” is brimming with history, charm, and fascinating quirks. From its breathtaking viewpoints to its iconic historic trams, Lisbon offers a perfect blend of old-world charm and modern vibrancy, making it a must-visit destination.

Impress your friends and even some locals with these 21 Lisbon fun facts, updated for 2025!

Lisbon Fun Facts show

Lisbon’s Symbol – The Crow Named Vincent

Lisbon Fun Facts

It is reported that from 1173, crows have represented Lisbon after they escorted the body of Saint Vincent to Lisbon for his burial. Traditionally, you would see crows around the Castle in São Jorge and the Church Sé. The city’s wealthy coal merchants would keep a pet crow and normally named them—you guessed it—Vincent.

São Jorge Castle Is a Replica!

Many visitors believe São Jorge Castle is a medieval fortress, but it’s actually a 1940s reconstruction. The original structure was in ruins before Portugal’s dictator Salazar rebuilt it to glorify the nation’s past. Did you spot the difference?

Lisbon 1st To Import Guinness

Number 3 on our list of 21 Lisbon Fun Facts: Guinness is the drink of the gods, and clearly, the people of Lisbon knew that before the rest of the world. In the 1820s, Lisbon imported Guinness directly from Arthur Guinness II, the son of Arthur Guinness, the creator of the famous stout.

Mosteiro dos Jerónimos Welcomed Its Millionth Visitor

In 2016, the Mosteiro Dos Jerónimos monument was visited by 1 million tourists. The actual 1 millionth visitor was Aurore Albert and her boyfriend, Misha Senelle, from Marseille. The event was marked by a bell and enthusiastic applause to signal the occasion, unsurprisingly taking the couple by surprise. The event was captured by Portuguese news and television programs.

Lisbon Was a World War II Spy Hub

During World War II, both Allied and Nazi spies gathered in neutral Lisbon, particularly at Estoril Casino. Espionage and intelligence exchanges thrived here, and Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond, was inspired by Lisbon’s spy culture.

The city’s oldest café was a meeting place for spies – A Brasileira, a famous Lisbon café, was a hotspot for spies during World War II.

Feeding Pigeons Is Illegal!

In an effort to control overpopulation, Lisbon banned feeding pigeons under its waste regulations. However, some older locals still secretly toss crumbs in the parks.

Only Five People Know the Pastel de Belém Recipe

The famous Pastel de Belém recipe is a closely guarded secret known by only five people. These individuals take extreme precautions: they never travel together, drive in the same car, or order the same meal—all to protect the beloved pastry’s recipe! You can purchase the delicous Pastel de Belém at Rua de Belém nº 84 a 92
1300 – 085 Lisboa

Now that is one great of our 21 Lisbon Fun Facts.

Belém Tower Was Once a Prison

The tower has a grisly history with many battle being fought in front of the tower and opposing troops being quartered in the towers dungeons. Today the Tower sits on the edge of the Tagus river providing stunning images of Lisbon. Visitors are permitted inside the tower and luckily they are no longer quartered, well not to our knowledge anyway!

Lisbon Set a Guinness World Record for Dining

On the 22nd March 1998, Lisbon entered the Guinness World Records book for the longest table ever set. Seating 15,000 people the table spanned the whole of the Vasco Da Gama bridge. The people ate eight tonnes of “feijoada” which took two weeks to make.

The event was sponsored by Fairy washing up liquid and if you are old enough you probably remember the advert. “For hands that do dishes that feel soft as your face, its mild green fairy liquid” …arhhh memories!!

Lisbon’s Vasco da Gama Tower was inspired by a ship’s sail – The 145-meter-high tower resembles a billowing sail in honor of Portugal’s maritime heritage.

Lisbon Holds the Record for the Longest Mexican Wave

A Lisbon fun facts for sports lovers—Lisbon holds the record for the longest Mexican Wave or an example of a metachronal rhythm. A Mexican wave is achieved when successive groups of spectators briefly stand, yell, and raise their hands. Consisting of 8,453 participants it took place at Parque das Nações on the 12th August 2007. What an amazing Lisbon Fun Facts to tell the grandkids about!

The 25 de Abril Bridge Looks Familiar

The 25 de Abril Bridge in Lisbon bears a striking resemblance to the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, USA, as both were constructed by the same company.

When it was inaugurated in 1966, the bridge was originally called the Salazar Bridge, named after Portugal’s then-dictator António de Oliveira Salazar. After the Carnation Revolution on April 25, 1974, which overthrew the dictatorship, it was renamed to celebrate Portugal’s transition to democracy.

The World’s Oldest Bookstore Is in Lisbon

Bertrand Bookstore, located in the Chiado neighborhood, is recognized by the Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest operating bookstore, dating back to 1732.

Santa Justa Lift – A Legacy of Gustave Eiffel’s Student

Home to the World’s Oldest Operating Elevator

The Santa Justa Lift, built in 1902, still carries passengers between the lower and upper streets of the city center.

The city’s iconic Santa Justa Elevator was designed by Raoul Mesnier de Ponsard, a student of Gustave Eiffel.

The Santa Justa Lift used to be steam-powered – Before switching to electricity, this iconic elevator was powered by steam engines!

Lisbon’s Trams Came from the USA

Lisbon’s Trams Are from the U.S. – The iconic yellow trams, like Tram 28, were originally imported from the United States in the early 1900s.

Another great Lisbon Fun Fact is that Tram 28 is a Tourist Favorite – The yellow Eléctrico 28 tram takes visitors on a scenic ride through Lisbon’s historic districts.

Lisbon’s trams still use century-old wooden brakes – Some of the eléctricos still rely on their original braking system made of wood!

Brazilian Capital?

The Capital on Portugal Was Once in Brazil – During the Napoleonic invasions, the Portuguese royal family fled to Brazil and ruled the empire from Rio de Janeiro from 1808 to 1821.

Lets move onto the next in our list of 21 Lisbon fun facts.

Lisbon Has the World’s Smallest Bookstore

Home to the World’s Smallest Bookstore – The Livraria do Simão is just 3.8 square meters, fitting only one person at a time! What a teeny tiny Lisbon Fun Facts.

Colourful Streets

Rua Nova do Carvalho, once a red-light district, is now a vibrant nightlife hub, known as “Pink Street” for its painted pavement.

We have a green street, known this way because of the plants and greenery on show.

Oldest House

Lisbon’s oldest house survived the 1755 earthquake – The Casa dos Bicos, now a museum, was one of the few buildings to withstand the massive disaster.

Elephant in Lisbon?

A royal elephant once lived in Lisbon’s palace – King João III received an elephant named Ganga as a gift from India in the 16th century.

You Old Funicular, you!

The world’s oldest operating funicular is in Lisbon – The Elevador do Lavra, running since 1884, is the oldest funicular still in use today.

It Is Part British

We have reached the last on our list of 21 Lisbon fun facts.

Lisbon once had a neighborhood just for British residents – The British Quarter had its own church, school, and even its own set of laws.

Thanks for reading 21 Lisbon Fun Facts.

What is your favourite Lisbon Fun Facts?

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