Campo de Ourique, Lisbon: A Local Neighbourhood

Campo de Ourique is a residential Lisbon neighbourhood loved by locals for its flat grid of streets (rare in hilly Lisbon), its food market, independent shops and neighbourhood cafés. It’s at the end of the tram 28 line, and a lovely place to see how Lisboetas actually live.

Quick answer: eat at the Mercado de Campo de Ourique, a traditional market with food stalls. Visit the Casa Fernando Pessoa, the poet’s last home, and walk to the Prazeres Cemetery and the Estrela Basilica. Tram 28 ends at the Prazeres stop here. See places to stay in Campo de Ourique.

Why go

Most visitors only see Campo de Ourique from the window of tram 28 before it turns round. Get off instead. The neighbourhood was laid out in a grid in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, so its streets are flat, straight and easy to walk. There are no big monuments, just a good market, a poet’s house, old-fashioned shops and pastry shops full of locals. It makes a relaxed half day away from the crowds of Alfama and Baixa.

It also suits people who find Lisbon’s hills tiring. Once you are here, almost everything is on the level, and there are benches, shady squares and plenty of places to stop for a coffee.

Things to do

• Mercado de Campo de Ourique: the market opened in 1934 and was remodelled in 2013. Fresh produce stalls trade in the mornings, while food and wine counters with shared tables stay open into the evening. It’s more local than the Time Out Market. Allow an hour, longer for lunch. See Lisbon food markets.
• Casa Fernando Pessoa: a small museum in the home of Portugal’s great modernist poet, at Rua Coelho da Rocha 16. Pessoa lived here from 1920 until his death in 1935. You see his room, his personal library and exhibitions on his life and work. It’s usually open Tuesday to Sunday, from 10am to 6pm, and tickets are inexpensive. Allow about an hour.
• Prazeres Cemetery: elaborate family mausoleums and river views. It’s one of Lisbon’s largest cemeteries, opened in the 1830s after a cholera outbreak, and the streets of tombs feel like a small town. Allow 45 minutes to an hour. See unusual Lisbon.
• Estrela Basilica and garden: a short walk away. The domed basilica was built in the late 18th century for Queen Maria I, and the Jardim da Estrela opposite is one of the city’s prettiest parks. See Lisbon’s churches.
• Jardim da Parada: the neighbourhood’s small square garden, with a café kiosk and benches under the trees.
• Shops and cafés: bakeries, pastry shops and independent stores, especially along Rua Ferreira Borges and the streets around the market.

More about Pessoa

Fernando Pessoa is Portugal’s best-known modern poet. He wrote under dozens of invented names, called heteronyms, each with its own life story and style, such as Alberto Caeiro, Álvaro de Campos and Ricardo Reis. Very little was published while he was alive. His prose work The Book of Disquiet came out decades after his death. Pessoa was first buried in the Prazeres Cemetery, and in 1985 his remains were moved to the Jerónimos Monastery in Belém. See the Jerónimos guide.

The cemetery in more detail

Prazeres feels like a quiet city of stone houses. Family chapels line straight avenues of cypress trees, many with stained glass, carved angels and family names over the door. From the southern edge you look out over the 25 de Abril Bridge and the river. It is free to enter, and the main gate is right by the tram 28 stop. Opening hours are usually daytime only, so check before you go late in the day.

Food

• At the market: petiscos (small plates), cured ham and cheese, seafood and Portuguese wine by the glass.
• Pastries: try a pastel de nata or a bolo de arroz (rice cake) with a coffee at a local pastry shop.
• Lunch: small neighbourhood restaurants serve a daily set menu (prato do dia) at lunchtime, often good value.

See what to eat in Portugal.

Suggested half day

• Start: ride tram 28 to the end of the line at Prazeres and walk through the cemetery.
• Next: walk along Rua Saraiva de Carvalho and Rua Coelho da Rocha to the Casa Fernando Pessoa.
• Lunch: eat at the market, a few minutes’ walk away.
• Afternoon: stroll down to the Estrela Basilica and garden, then catch tram 28 or 25 back towards the centre.

With a full day, add the Águas Livres Aqueduct and the Mãe d’Água reservoir in nearby Amoreiras, or walk on to Príncipe Real for the evening. See the Águas Livres Aqueduct.

Getting there

Tram 28 runs from Martim Moniz through the centre to Prazeres. Tram 25 and several buses also serve the area. The nearest metro stations, such as Rato, are a 15 to 20 minute walk away, so the tram or bus is easier. See the trams guide.

Stay here?

Campo de Ourique is quiet, flat and local, with good transport. It suits longer stays and families. The trade-off is that it’s a tram ride rather than a short walk from the main sights. See where to stay in Lisbon.

Tips

• Market hours: produce stalls close around lunchtime, while the food area stays open later. Check current hours before you go.
• Tram 28: boarding at Prazeres, the start of the line, is a good way to get a seat.
• Sundays: many local shops close, so come on a weekday or Saturday for the full neighbourhood feel.
• Mondays: the Casa Fernando Pessoa is usually closed, so plan your visit for another day.

FAQ

Is Campo de Ourique worth visiting?

Yes, if you want to see an everyday Lisbon neighbourhood. It has a good food market, the Casa Fernando Pessoa and the Prazeres Cemetery, and it is much calmer than the old town.

How do I get to Campo de Ourique from the centre?

Take tram 28 from Martim Moniz or tram 25 to the end of the line at Prazeres. Buses also run there, and Rato metro station is about a 15 to 20 minute walk away.

Is Campo de Ourique a good place to stay?

It suits families and longer stays because it is flat, quiet and local. You will use the tram or a taxi to reach the main sights.

When is the Casa Fernando Pessoa open?

It is usually open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 6pm. Check the museum’s website for current times and exhibitions.

More: Príncipe Real and things to do in Lisbon.

See also: Estrela and Lapa.

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