Campo de Ourique is a central parish of Lisbon formed by several residential neighbourhoods and sits in the heart of the city, between Amoreiras, Estrela and Prazeres. The neighbourhood of Campo de Ourique, from which this parish draws its name is a residential neighbourhood with a very strong and historic vocation for commerce. It’s a lively neighbourhood, although recognized by many as the most peaceful neighbourhood in Lisbon and also the one that has the best quality of life, setting itself apart from other Lisbon neighbourhoods highly reliant on big commercial surfaces, like shopping centres.
It's easy to navigate the grid pattern of Campo de Ourique's streets, accessed by nearby highways and on several bus routes. This residential neighbourhood has been a trade centre for centuries, yet it's a peaceful district. Commercial diversity mixes some of the most respected traditional shops with newer, modern brands. Decorators and designers flock here to shop. The pace is as fast on weekdays as on weekends as families stroll along inviting streets, children play in the many gardens and ladies head to Mass dressed to perfection. Residents pridefully care for their homes and visitors wish to linger.
The Church of Santo Condestável was built in 1951. Its lines are inspired by the late Gothic and are characterized by great simplicity of form. In front, there is a portico flanked by two towers and above it the royal coat of arms, as used in the second dynasty. With a Latin cross-shaped plan, has three naves, at the bottom of the transept, on both sides, there are stained-glass windows by Almada Negreiros: on the right, representing the Annunciation and the Heart of Mary, and on the left, the Heart of Jesus and The Good Shepherd. The main chapel has a fresco signed by Portela Júnior, representing the glorification of Nun'Álvares. Today placed in the choir is an image by Veloso da Costa, representing the Constable.
The central market of Campo de Ourique is inescapable when you’re visiting or passing by. This market combines modernity and tradition by offering two features: fish, meat and vegetables of the day, along with restaurants that prepare their meals with precisely those fresh ingredients. There are so many options to choose from and, among the stores, fruit and vegetable stalls, there are stands specializing in sushi, burgers, pastries, pasta, pizzas, meat, wine and even cocktails. At the Campo de Ourique Market you can enjoy not only a complete meal but also purchase all the ingredients necessary to prepare a dinner that will let you shine at a table surrounded by family and friends.
When it opened to the public in 1985, Amoreiras became the best shopping centre in Lisbon. With the appearance of others, bigger and more modern, this space went through some difficulties and was almost always empty. In recent years, the trend has reversed and it is as if it was reborn from the ashes. In addition, since 2016 it has had a new attraction: the Miradouro Amoreiras 360º is located in tower 1, on the 18th floor, and offers a panoramic view of almost the entire city, at 174 meters high.
If there's one thing that abounds in Campo de Ourique, it's pastries. Some older, with decades of life, others recent and equally good. And there's room for them all. If you are in the habit of having breakfast away from home, then know that you can try a new one every day. Only in Jardim da Parada, and surroundings, have “O meu Café”, the “Padaria do Bairro” and the “Pastelaria Lomar”, or even the more recent “Trigo D'Aldeia” and “A Padaria Portuguesa”. If you prefer the historic “A Tentadora” and “Canas”, you have to go to Rua Ferreira Borges and Rua Saraiva de Carvalho, respectively.
One of the most popular spots in Lisbon. In the summer, this park bursts with activity from picnics and parties for young couples with kids. Furthermore, there is a specific programme designed to suit everyone: from film festivals to open-air jazz, antiques fairs and Christmas markets, the iron bandstand, playgrounds, ponds with ducks, swans, geese and carp, peacocks showing off and parakeets. There are many special plant species, some of the showiest being the jacarandas, dragon trees and araucarias.
You’ll always find people playing sports, tourists looking for a place to sit on a sunny day, kids learning to ride and an overall happy atmosphere.
Built in the mid-19th century, this was one of the spots where Queen Maria II liked to take her children.
Airport The closest international airport to Campo de Ourique is the Humberto Delgado Airport, also known as the Lisbon International Airport. At a distance of about 10km away from this parish, you can reach the airport by car in around 15min, depending on the traffic conditions. If you’re travelling to the airport by public transportation, this distance takes around 45 minutes to cover, by catching the 742 bus and the metro red line from São Sebastião.
Beaches Due to Lisbon's location, on the mouth of the river Tagus, it is blessed with 3 main coastlines. To the west of Lisbon, the Oeiras-Estoril-Cascais coastline offers calm sea and sandy beaches, perfect for those seeking a relaxing day. The Serra de Sintra coastline is situated to the north of Lisbon, this is made up of cliffs and offers beautiful unspoilt scenery, but also the roughest sea. To the south of the city, you will find the Costa da Caparica coastline, this is a large stretch of beautiful beaches, spreading to the western side of Lisbon and highly popular for surfing.
Weather Much like any southern European country, Portugal offers a warm climate and Lisbon is no exception. No matter which month, Lisbon offers a mild climate.
In July you can expect the average temperature to reach a warm 24°C and the coldest average temperature in January of 11°C. November experiences the most rainfall in Lisbon, with the average reaching 128mm compared to July where you will only receive an average of 4mm of rain.
Shopping There is not a street in this neighbourhood without a shop window that makes ruffled sighs and doesn't arouse an immense desire to open the purse strings to buy something for the kids or for our homes. Decoration, fashion and many kids' stores are what you can find in the neighbourhood's streets. We advise you to take a bus or tram, so you don't have to worry about parking, which is not an easy thing in this neighbourhood.
Restaurants & Bars This neighbourhood is getting more and more delicious. Starting with an Italian cafe, with fresh fruit tartlets, the sake club, on an unlikely corner of Rua Azedo Gneco; not forgetting O Ponto Mais Doce da Cidade, with a display that makes your mouth water, from brigadeiros to red fruit cheesecakes. Campo de Ourique is a foodie's paradise! If you’re looking for a nice lunch or an evening dinner, take a look at our suggestions:
There are so many options, we could just go on suggesting. But we’ll leave it to you to build your own list of favourites.
Transportation The tram journey between Lisbon’s downtown and Campo de Ourique is around 9 minutes and covers a distance of around 3 km. The downtown Lisbon to Campo de Ourique tram service departs from Praça da Figueira (Tram 25E) or Martim Moniz (Tram 28E) and arrives in Campo Ourique, running frequently every day, although timetables may vary on weekends and holidays. To arrive by Metro (subway), the best line to take is the Yellow Line and the closest metro station to Campo de Ourique is the Rato station, which is approximately a 15-minute walk away. The Bus network connects the neighbourhood to several parts of the City. If you’re travelling from Lisbon’s downtown, you can catch the 709 bus in Restauradores. Public transport in Lisbon is very reliable and cost-effective with a single metro ticket costing as little as €1.50. You can also buy onboard tickets for 2€ in busses and 3€ in trams.
