Baixa and the Rossio is central down town Lisbon. The area stretches from the banks of the river Tejo to the Avenida da Liberdade and was the area which was completely redesigned after the devastating earthquake of 1755 under the vision of the Marquis of Pombal.  For images of Baixa and Rossio please click here.

Baixa is commonly the base for any visitor to Lisbon contained within the area are a wide range of accommodation, night life  and excellent restaurants - though pricey as designed for tourists (click here to find out how to eat cheap in Baixa/Rossio).

 

There is a direct bus from Lisbon airport and most of the trams and bus routes originate from the district. Baixa is connected to the metro and the train service to Sintra departs from Rossio train station.

 

Accessible night life from the district includes the theatre street of Rua de Sao Jose were the majority of the restaurants are and the narrow streets of Barrio Alto where the Lisbon’s young hang out during the evenings.  Baixa and Rossio is a good base for a visit to Lisbon.

The district of Baixa was one of the first cities to be arranged in a grid formation lined with imposing buildings, this idea from the 1780’s was used the world around. All of the main roads head north/ south originating from the most important square of historic Lisbon Praca do Comercio.  The main roads are bisected by roads (and trams) heading east to the hilly oldest district of Lisbon Alfama and west to Barrio Alto.

 

The original architects of Baixa could never have comprehended the arrival of Lisbon’s erratic driving and traffic and during rush hours the streets are clogged full of traffic but thankfully Rua Augusta is pedestrianized.  

 

Along this central route open air cafes line the streets full of a mixture of tourists and Lisbon’s residents enjoying a glass of cool beer or strong coffee and local artist set up temporary stalls. Be prepared if of a certain age to be offered drugs while wandering this street, be sensible and politely decline.

The grid pattern of Baixa is separated by the 4 grand squares of Lisbon;

• Praca do Comercio build on the Banks of the River Tejo and the traditional trading area of Baixa, this by far the largest of the squares surrounded by grand yellow buildings.

• Praca de Dom Pedro IV (Rossio) regarded as Lisbon’s main square with 2 large decorative fountains and nauseating wave pattern stone paving. Any celebration or protest will always be cantered around this square.

• Praca dos Restauradores dominated by both the mighty Obelisk monument commemorating Portugal's independence from Spain, the pink Palacio Foz and the art deco Eden theatre

• Praca de Figueire, the main transport hub for trams and bus from central Lisbon, a grand square which is unfortunately the conjugating area for Portugal’s ex-colonist who have decided not to work.

Districts of Lisbon - Alfama - Bairro Alto - Baixa - Belém - Chiado